Hairprint: Nontoxic Hair Color Product Review

March 1, 2018 (updated May 9, 2023) — Written by

Check out my Hairprint review! Hairprint is a nontoxic color treatment that restores gray hair to its true color. Hairprint has a couple of product options and you pick according to your hair type. This is the one we used. 

a box of hairprint for dark hair on a table

By: Lisa Fennessy



Okay so lets cut to the chase… everyone wants to know if Hairprint works right? Okay well, see for yourselves. Here are before and afters. No photo editing or post-processing. As my husband likes to say: the proof is in the pudding. 

hairprint before and after
before

Can you believe it?! Sometimes it’s hard to see from the pics but the color is beautiful. It’s deep, rich in pigment and shinny.

Okay there is a lot to say about this product so lets get started.

First of all, Hairprint is made up of 8 food-grade nontoxic ingredients and an inert thickener. It works by putting the eumelanin protein back into the cuticle of your hair. 

Conventional hair dyes use one of the following toxic chemicals to dye hair: PPD, PTD and/or aminophenols all which rate between a 5-8 on the EWG’s Skin Deep Database (0 being the lowest toxicity and 10 being the highest). There are a lot of brands these days boasting organic or natural dyes but the down and dirty is if your hair dye is working, it is employing one of these harmful chemicals. Check out my post “Organic Hair Dyes: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” for more info on what this means.

RELATED: Innersense Review: Organic Curly Hair Care And Stylers

Hairprint is the first NEW technology that has been developed in over 100 years that is successful in permanently coloring hair. This product is going to change the world and I am not being sensational.  It is a nontoxic scientific breakthrough empowering women and men with a choice. I wish I could say I am bigger than the color of my roots but it 100% has a direct impact on my day to day psyche. With my hair dyed I feel confident, focused, beautiful and equal. When my hair is overdue I am distracted and paranoid others are judging my grays. It has a direct correlation to my self-confidence, how I feel and function – and I know I am not the only one.  No longer do women have to make the unfair choice of either exposing themselves to toxins or going gray – an expectation and practice that has been institutionalized in our society that gray = less than.

I’m not saying the desire to look beautiful is the issue. The issue is that historically the only way to get there, in the world of hair, is through the use of chemicals that compromise health. That is where society, pop culture, big business, hair dye companies and formulators have set the standard and expectation. The problem arises when people who choose not to dye their hair get treated differently by society than their counterparts who do dye. 

It’s interesting to note that the practice of bodily adornment and hairstyles is not just a modern-day practice. These are universals that cross all times and all cultures along with government, language and fire-making. It is a human, innate, deep-rooted desire to make one’s appearance beautiful. And over the past 100 years, this desire has been met with chemical toxins. We do not need to compromise our health any longer and when we step away from this practice we create a shift. A new standard. One by one we scaffold a new paradigm for ourselves, society, our sons and daughters and future generations.

Some people will say hair dye does not bother them. They experience no itching, burning or chemical irritations of any kind. Whether they realize it or not, every time a woman (or man) dyes their hair, they are rolling the dice.  When chemicals are applied to the scalp they make their way into the bloodstream within seconds. The immune system continues to fight off these toxins again…and again….and again as we keep our standing four week salon appointment. 

When these toxins are applied on the scalp, some of them will be excreted and some stored in fat cells, and for 6-7% of women the immune system will finally give in and break down leaving them not only permanently sensitive to hair dyes but with many other chemical sensitivities to lotions, perfumes, detergents, etc. Just because you are not experiencing a reaction now or you “feel fine,” just know that next time could be the time your body gives up. Here is an interesting article from The Atlantic that includes one person’s account plus more about the history of hair dye.

It’s not fair that society makes women, and men, choose. I believe in shifting expectations and change making. This is why I dove *hair-first* into Hairprint to see what they are all about.

Hairprint is a groundbreaking technology brought to market just one year ago.  It was developed by a team of scientists including Laura Muollo, Amie Stewart and John Warner working out of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry in Wilmington, MA.  I got an opportunity to meet with the scientists this past January and not only talk shop but they also treated my hair with Hairprint for the first time.

a hairprint kit unboxed - in the lab where hairprint was made
Hairprint in action – January 2016
hairprint scientists are about to apply hairprint to my head
Laura Muollo and Amie Stewart in the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry’s testing salon.
an image of the warner babcock institute from the outside. it is a two story brick building. there is snow on the ground.
Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry – Wilmington, MA

Okay so Hairprint has some major strengths as well as some limitations. So let’s break it down.

Strengths:

The ingredients. Eight nontoxic food-grade ingredients and a synthetic thickener (which rates a 1 on EWG). You could LITERALLY EAT THIS PRODUCT (and the scientists have by the way)! These are the ingredients:

  • Baking Soda: what we use at home for baking and cleaning.
  • Mucuna pruriens: an extract made from velvet beans.
  • Sodium Carbonate: made from salt and limestone.
  • Ferrous and manganese are both vitamin supplements.
  • Hydrogen Peroxide: is made from oxygen and water and naturally occurs in the hair follicle.
  • Carbomer: a inert thickener used in shampoos and pharmaceuticals.
  • Diatomaceous earth: is a naturally occurring sedimentary rock made from ancient deposits of hard-shelled algae.

Just a note about the hydrogen peroxide here. Most salon formulas use hydrogen peroxide at 12-15% to open up the cuticle. Over the counter hydrogen peroxide is a 3% solution. Hairprint uses it at 1% and not for the purpose of opening up the hair cuticle, which is damaging, but to oxidize the mucuna pruriens extract. By the time the color is applied to your hair the hydrogen peroxide is virtually gone.

No toxic chemical exposure.

It works

There is NO SMELL! Literally, it smells like nothing.

It repairs hair and makes it stronger.  Conventional hair dyes rip open the hair cuticle and strip the inside structure of your hair forcing it to accept whatever color you and your hairdresser have selected. This ultimately leaves hair with “no bones” – brittle, weak and vulnerable. Hair gets dryer, more hollow and you will experience breakage over time from exposure to this process.

Hairprint’s success is contingent on keeping the structure of the hair intact.  John Warner describes this structure as a parking lot where the eumelanin protein is deposited or “parked.” Hairprint opens up the cuticle using….get this, baking soda and pH. And it works best on “virgin” hair that has never been conventionally dyed and still has this internal structure in place.

So this protein is deposited and it makes hair shinier, stronger and thicker. Picture a long thin deflated balloon but as the protein is put back into the hair/balloon it will “fill up” again. Conventional products give hair shine by coating it with silicone. Although it may appear shinny it is just that, an appearance, an illusion and unhealthy for your hair.

Restores hair to it’s true color. You know when you dye your hair and it looks great in the salon and then you step outside and you look like your hairs on fire? That does not happen.  There are no red undertones or washing out to a brassy dull variation of the original color which is a dead giveaway for died hair.

Hairprint works with your natural chemistry and will color your hair to its true color as of today. Pretty much whatever color your eyebrows are is a good indicator of how Hairprint will work for you.

Gray coverage. Great for people with dark hair who are trying hide gray roots.

Blonds! Hairprint is releasing a hair color for blonds in a couple of months!!! 

A nontoxic option for pregnant women and nursing mothers. No more compromises ladies!

You can do your eyebrows with it.

It’s gluten-free and vegan.

Excellent for most hair types. Really works great with corse, think hair.

Great for both women AND men.

Hairprint gives back. They believe that if you want to make a girl beautiful, give her an education. They give 20% of their profits to The NoVo Foundation, a nonprofit which allocates these funds to support this goal.

They are looking to bring it to salons across the US.  Stylists will need to be taught how to apply because it is very different than conventional dyes so this will take some time but it is happening! If you are a salon or if you know of a salon that would be a good fit for Hairprint please leave a message in the comments!

Okay now let’s talk limitations:

It’s messy. And it stains. It will stain your hands, your skin, your towels and any porous surface like unsealed granite or stone tile (similar to conventional hair dye). What worked for me? Wear the supplied gloves, no clothes or old clothes (I wrapped in a towel), cover the floor with a painters tarp and do it in the bathroom where you can wipe down walls and floors easily. I’m not going to lie – your bathroom will look like a crime scene. (I haven’t tried this but if you stain your wall or tile people have reported success using bleach or OxiClean to remove the stain).

RELATED: True Botanicals Shampoo Changed My Life

It’s time intensive. I have gotten Hairprint applied three times now.  Once by the scientists at Warner Babcock, once in my own bathroom with my sister and once professionally at the Hairprint salon in California.  Each time it took no less than two hours.

hairprint salon in sausalito california from the outside reveals a one chair salon in a rustic garden setting
Hairprint Salon, Sausalito, CA

It can be a trial and error process. There are some barriers that may go unseen and will prevent the color from penetrating. This will yield less than desirable results. This can be things like hard water or well water, soap scum, silicone or henna residue or super dry skin/scalp. The good news here is that the science works, you just have to figure out how to identify and break down these barriers to get you there.

Here is the results from the first time I tried Hairprint with the scientists:

These photos have not been altered. I would quantify the coverage here at around 80%. During my most recent experience at the Hairprint salon, we increased my prewash time from 5 minutes to 20 minutes and used two boxes instead of one and got close to 100% coverage.

There is no choice of what color your hair comes out.  You don’t get to pull out the color swatch book and pick the latest “it” trend or your favorite chestnut brown. You get what your body dictates.  Pretty much your eyebrow color.

It can over-darken roots and ends. If this happens it will fade a bit looking its best week 2 and week 3. In the salon, the stylist said in this event she would use the prewash again immediately after to try and tone down the color.

This is not a product for red heads or strawberry blondes.  At this time it is not possible to create the unique pheomelanin pigment that creates red hair while creating eumelanin. And the company is not currently pursuing this. 

For most users, you have to apply it yourself. This may not be a negative for some but for people like me, I ain’t got time fo dat! But I will make time because it’s my only choice – stay tuned!

It’s not cheap. If you happen to live in the bay area, you are lucky enough to have the option of going to the salon and getting it professionally applied.  The results will be better for sure but it will run you 150.00-200.00 and about 2 hours of your time.

If you do live local or want an appointment at the Hairprint salon, you can email [email protected]  Pippa is THE WOMAN when it comes to Hairprint. Plus she is gorgeous, funny and she will take good care of you, worth every penny.

an image of me and the hair stylist who applied hairprint on my head
Me and Pippa – LOVE her!

If you are ordering online, a box costs 39.00 and if you sign up for their subscription service you get a 10% discount. Free shipping for orders over 99.00. Some people will be fine with one box and others will need two. My best results came from using two boxes. You can order here.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is this is an absolute life changing product for some people and for others…not so much. It’s also great for anyone with a PDD or PTD allergy. The best way to explain it is its like the difference between fast food and a home-cooked meal.  One is quick, dirty and driven by instant gratification, the other takes time, love, work and is reward driven.

After using Hairprint for a few times many people report better coverage with more use. And also people report weaning from two boxes to one after a few consecutive months as well as faster application times with practice. I will keep you posted on my experience and what is working for me.

The good news is that the company is still playing with the formula and trying to streamline application with the goal being a single application process.

Okay let’s sign off with a final pic or two of Hairprint’s success. I’ve had several conversations with the scientists about how the chemistry works and I still have no idea. Honestly, it is mind boggling to me. All I can say is I freaking love science and scientists who are dedicated to green chemistry.

I just want to end this review with a big heart felt thank you to the scientists who worked so hard, and continue to work hard on this formula. And also to those who have invested and believed in the importance of nontoxic hair dye enough to support these efforts. Thank you for caring about chemical exposure and for the greater good of humanity.  From the bottom of my heart to the top of my head, thank you.

I will be posting updates as I keep up with my color at home – make sure to check back! And please share this article/review with others so people who are trying to avoid toxic chemical exposure can know there is an option out there.

Also, if you plan on applying yourself read this first for application tips! And shop Hairprint here

9/2017 UPDATE: I’ve used Hairprint exclusively for 14 months. You can check out all of my before and after pics, application tips, pros and cons here:

5/2017 UPDATE: I decided to stop dying my hair! I love using Hairprint and the decision to stop dying my hair is not a product related one. Come see how it’s going!

RELATED: Growing Out Gray Hair: 10 Ways to Go Gray

Read more about my favorite shampoo and the skincare line that totally balanced my combo skin!

cursive Lisa signature

Common asked questions about Hairprint

What is Hairprint?

Hairprint is a nontoxic color treatment that restores gray hair to its true color. Read more here.

Does Hairprint help with gray hair?

Hairprint is great for people with dark hair who are trying to hide their gray roots. See before + after pics. It is not good for people with blonde or red hair.

How long does it take to apply Hairprint?

I used Hairprint for 1.5 years exclusively and it took me around 2 hours to apply. Check out my application tips.

By Lisa Fennessy

Lisa is the founder of The New Knew. Passionate about clean beauty, organic eats and nontoxic lifestyle, Lisa writes to create awareness. Conscious consumerism and informed decisions will impact the marketplace, our health and THE WORLD!

75 Comments

  1. Reply

    Suzi

    This is such an amazing detailed review!!! Thank you! You are gorgeous! 🙂

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Thanks Suzi! I loved every minute of writing it! Such an exciting and important breakthrough! xo

      1. Brenda Noble

        I have colour on my hair — so I am growing the colour out which is taking 6 months or more. Then I am not sure what colour to get light brown or brown. Being vain — I think light brown. How did you decide on the proper colour to order? I would like a professional to do it but I don’t think any will?

      2. Lisa Fennessy

        It’s unlikely a professional will do this for two reasons. First, they don’t know how and it is unlike any other conventional color. Second, its takes hours of active time. Like they could not fit a color or a cut in while you sit with color on. The Hairprint salon I went to in Cali charged $200 to apply! Okay, from what I’ve seen, light brown is really light. And dark is really dark. If you are still on the fence maybe try light first and if it doesn’t work then you can go back in with a dark box?

  2. Reply

    Nadia

    Your review was very useful! I just tried Hairprint for the first time this morning and I followed your application tips. I’m very happy with the results. 🙂

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Awesome Nadia! So great to hear!

  3. Reply

    Karen

    Great review.
    Just wondering when you did your Hairprint color if your hair had been dyed previously (and you needed to use oil on the ends). I have a box here (brown) and have previously-dyed hair (Daniel Fields, no perox or ammonia). But, I don’t have roots, just faded color and a tiny bit of grays, so I don’t know how dark it might get without oil on the ends.
    Thanks!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Yes, my hair had been died previously. We only applied to roots and it worked out great! I would try it without the oil first and see what you get for results. Mine has never come out too dark and I use the “dark” box! Even when I used two “dark” boxes for one application it still did not come out too dark. Hope that helps!

  4. Reply

    Margaret

    Just sharing my experience with you in case it is helpful to anyone out there.
    I was anxious to keep Hairprint off the bottom half of my hair that was salon dyed, so I loaded it up with pure shea butter. It did the job and also conditioned this hair beautifully.
    Hairprint worked very well for me, though I had to use a dozen bottles of water for the rinsing as I live in a very hard water area. Also, despite washing my hair after the process, some of the product had stuck to my scalp, making it itch as it started to flake off after a day or two, so I massaged in a very rich scalp moisturizing cream, left it on for an hour or two, and then shampooed it off, which removed the residue and solved the problem.
    I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have found this product as I had developed a strong allergy to PPD and was too scared to risk any chemicals on my hair after that.
    Take care all
    Margaret

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      So happy to hear you had a positive experience! This is fantastic – thank you for sharing Margaret!

  5. Reply

    Sam

    Hi, great article!
    You say there is a product being released for blondes in a couple of months? Is this true? Where has this been confirmed?

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      I had dinner with the owner of Hairprint and he told me. They are still working on the formulation but it is coming!

  6. Reply

    Nuzha

    This is the best review I’ve read. Thank you!! Is Pippa the one to contact with a salon in the Bay Area? I am also checking with my hair dresser to see if she will do it for me. Thank you again!!????

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Yes! She is the Hairprint application pro in the bay area! Thanks for your comment!

  7. Reply

    Debbie

    Your article is so helpful. Thank you! Could you please tell me how I can schedule an appointment at the Hairprint Salon, or just a phone call with Pippa? Thank you.

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi Debbie! You can email her at this address: [email protected] – Thank you for your comment!

      1. Debbie

        Thanks very much for Pippa’s email address. I’m hoping to hear back from her soon. Can you tell me if it normally takes quite some time before getting a reply. I haven’t yet received a response.
        I’m wondering if there is a phone number you could give me. I can also send you my phone number to pass on to Pippa so she can call if that’s better for her. Please let me know. I’m excited to schedule something!!
        Debbie

  8. Reply

    Tarah

    I just came from the Hairprint site and it all sounded so good!!! But… I wasn’t sold just yet,,, so I kept looking and came to your review…. VERY helpful!! I think I’m sold now!! lol
    I developed an allergic reaction to hair dye,,, so I switched to “natural” (no ammonia)
    I realized I still had that weird feeling on my tongue after even using the non ammonia dye….. Finally read this morning that it’s PPD that I’m probably allergic to!! I think I will order Hairprint and give itma try,,,, I will probably still be nervous and have a Benadryl on hand,,, but it truly sounds like I’ll be ok!!!!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      The only thing I have ever noticed is a little bit of scalp itch in the days following which I was told is from the baking soda. These are all food grade ingredients. No toxic chemicals here! Hope it works for you too! Cheers!

  9. Reply

    Yolanda

    Did not color my gray at all!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      When was the last time you washed your hair before application? And did you prewash for 20 minutes with the addition of baking soda for the last 5 mins? The technology works so when it doesn’t it means the technology didn’t have access to the hair. Usually meaning a build up of dirt, grime, soap scum, hard water residue…This has happened to me too.

  10. Reply

    Pattie Reslan

    Great review, very excited. I am 59 now but was totally 100% gray at 45. I believe I need 2 kits with 7inches of length on my head. Will let you know the results. Thanks

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Best of luck!!! I hope it works for you!

  11. Reply

    Jill

    I’ve used the prod a few times w/ limited coverage of my grey. Tried all the tips w/ out much better success. Wouldn’t be as bothered if it was cheaper. But after having to pay the 40$ plus a salon every 3 -4 weeks isn’t doable. At home is so tough & it makes my bathroom a disaster! Wonder if they sell to salon cheaper. None I’ve gone to have heard of it. Their cust Service is terrible. Feel bummed.

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      So sorry you did not have a successful experience – I feel you pain! I have been using this product exclusively for 10 months and I am just starting to feel confident applying at home. There is definitely a big learning curve. The last I heard, they are not in any salons yet but it is in the pipeline.

  12. Reply

    ami

    Hi, thanks for the review! How often are you recoloring your hair now?

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi Ami! I try for every 4 weeks. I could probably do every 3 weeks and sometimes I wait until 5/6/7/8 weeks…eek!Sometimes I plan around my events to I have a fresh look which can push it up or move it back too.

  13. Reply

    Juliet

    Does the hairprint stain clothing a few days after applying it? Just wondering if I should get darker pillow cases and wear black for a few days after applying.

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      I had the same question!!! No staining on clothes or pillow cases – and I have white sheets. All clear!

  14. Reply

    Juliet

    Has anyone had an allergic reaction from using this product at all?

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Not that I’ve heard of – I wouldn’t expect it either. All ingredients are food-grade, you can literally eat it and the formulators have actually! I sometimes get an itchy scalp the day or two after applying but the formulators say it’s not common. I am experimenting with hair masks now for some extra conditioning power : )

  15. Reply

    Margaret

    I have used the brown Hairprint several times successfully but my hair seems to be getting darker each has time I do it,, even though I only do the regrowth. This doesn’t really suit my very pale skin and I wondered about doing a mix of the brown and light brown to get a more medium sort of shade next time. I understand that the ingredients are the same – just stronger in the darker colours. Has anybody tried this?

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      I haven’t tried it! But worth a try for sure. I don’t know how different the light brown is – I’ve never used it but its possible it may suit you great. If you do try let me know how you think the two colors compare!

  16. Reply

    Laura

    I just used hairprint for the first time and did it myself and I love it! a little bit of work but I managed. I only used one box and it only covered about 80% of my grey but it some how camouflaged my greys. I already ordered my second kit. My question for you is, on your second and third applications, did you use it on all of your head or just the roots? I am afraid of overdrying my hair.

    thank you!!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi! I’m so glad you had a successful experience! I only use it on my roots for fear of the same thing. Funny how even if it doesn’t cover at 100% it takes the sting out of the grays.

  17. Reply

    Mel

    I’m in Australia and just tried this. It didn’t cover 100% but the grey is definitely less noticeable. I have. Wen dying my hair for 30 years and my hairdresser did one stage in the ends and it’s fine – possibly slightly darker? No skin reaction and my hair feels beautiful although I haven’t washed it yet. My question is have you used your normal shampoo after it? I know they have their own range but shipping it to Australia is extremely costly (I can buy the hairprint treatment in Australia but not the shampoo yet)…

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi Mel! I usually use True Botanicals – one of my faves. But you can use any natural/nontoxic shampoo. If you are wondering if yours is nontoxic I would be happy to look at the ingredients to confirm for you. Or you can use Think Dirty or EWG.org to check it out too. Thanks so much for your comment!

  18. Reply

    Regan

    Hi, all! I read through all the comments and am looking for some more direction re: recommended color. I will be dyeing my hair for the first time to address some grays. I know going darker is encouraged for gray coverage, but I also don’t want to go too dark and then build on that in subsequent uses. My hair is naturally one of those shades that is very dark brown but in the light can trend toward auburn. My skin is very fair so going too dark is an issue. Brown or dark, do you think? Thanks for the thoughts!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi Regan! I have not tried the brown. I use the dark and it is DARK on me. I would suggest going with the brown first to see what you get because you can always go darker but it is hard to go from dark to light. Hope this helps!

  19. Reply

    Jasmine King

    It was such a wonderful article dear and from my side I want to say that i am using baby oil moist shine conditioning gel from long and its really effective. SheaMoisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Conditioning Shine Gel shapes, defines and adds shine and volume to dry, damaged and processed hair to leave you with curls and coils which will make heads turn!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Thanks for this! I love to hear it!

  20. Reply

    Margaret

    This is an update on my attempts to get the right colour for me – mid brown, hopefully!! The Brown that I used at first was making my hair really dark, even though after the first time I only did the roots (caused by the rinsing water getting on the rest , I imagine).
    Anyway, when I had a 2 month root regrowth I tried the Light Brown on it and it just gave me a sort of dirty blonde colour which had a greenish tint in strong daylight (ugh!)
    I have recently tried doing a strand test with the original Brown colour, but omitting both Hairprint’s preparatory pre-treatment and also stage 2. It seemed to look OK – not too dark – so I’m going to try this with the rest of my hair in a couple of weeks.
    Margaret

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Oh awesome! I can’t wait to hear how it goes! Thanks for reporting back!

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