Simpler Hair Color is a brand that's marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional hair dye. The company's website claims their products are "The Easiest Way To Eliminate Grey."
But does Simpler Hair Color contain research-backed ingredients for changing hair color, and improving hair quality? Does it contain any questionable additive ingredients? How do real users rate and describe the effects? And what's the right way to use the product?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Simpler Hair Color to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective.
We'll feature unsponsored customer reviews of the brand, and feature a video with a demonstration showing the correct way to use this product.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Simpler Hair Color Natural Black are shown above.
1-hydroxyethyl 4,5-diamino pyrazole sulfate and 2,4 diaminophenoxyethanol dihydrochloride are hair colorants, so we consider this product likely to be effective for coloring the hair black.
There are some other active ingredients in this formulation that have research backing for improving hair quality.
Hydrolyzed wheat protein was shown in a 2018 medical review to have a natural hair conditioning effect.
Aloe vera can hydrate and support optimal scalp health, as we discussed in our article on is Herbal Essence good for hair.
There are also some ingredients in this formulation that we find somewhat concerning from a health perspective.
Toluene-2-5-diamine sulfate was described as a "potent immune activator" that may have pro-inflammatory effects in a clinical trial published in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Sodium sulfite was shown to be toxic to human cells in a 2020 in vitro clinical trial.
Overall, we don't currently recommend Simpler Hair Color due to some of its inactive ingredients.
Simpler Hair Color vs. the Competition
Most hair dye products that we've come across in our research have contained ingredients that we deem to be questionable from a health perspective.
Traditional hair dye has been clinically shown to contain "potent" cancer-causing compounds according to at least one medical review that we documented in our oVertone reviews article.
Consider the ingredient list below from Revlon Black hair dye:
Fragrance is referenced twice, and is clinically shown to be detrimental to human health.
Ethylparaben and methylparaben are part of a class of compounds called parabens, and a 2023 medical review on parabens concluded the following:
"Parabens could disturb the endocrine system by activating the [estrogen receptors] and disrupting the steroid hormone synthesis and secretion, suggesting their potential deleterious risks to the environment and human health."
P-phenylenediamine was shown to be allergenic in a medical review published in the Dermatitis journal.
Based on their active ingredients, we consider most commercial hair dyes to be functionally effective (meaning they will successfully change hair color), but we consider Simpler Hair Color to be a healthier option than most commercial dyes like Revlon.
Real People Try Simpler Hair Color
A YouTube creator named "The Clouded Barber" reviewed Simpler Hair Color:
A TikTok creator named "lyfeonmars" shared his experience trying Simpler Hair Color for the first time:
@lyfeonmars Been seeing @SIMPLER Hair Color a lot on the Tiktok.. so I decided to give it a try. I have to say..not bad..not bad at all. AND IT WAS SUPER EASY TO APPLY! #simplerhaircolor #bearddye #beardlife #beardswag #forthewife #happylifehappywife #hopemywifelikesit ♬ original sound - LYFEONMARS
Will it Cause Side Effects?
Simpler Hair Color doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, which makes it more challenging to assess the risk of side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
Ethanolamine, which is an ingredient in some Simpler Hair Color formulations, was the subject of lawsuits regarding hair loss as we documented in our review of hair care brand Madison Reed.
A 2012 medical review described ethanolamine as having the potential to cause hair loss.
This is something that potential consumers may wish to discuss with their dermatologist.
There are no other ingredients in Simpler Hair Color that we can identify as having a risk of side effects.
There is no mention of side effects on the Simpler Hair Color FAQ page at the time of publishing this article.
Is "Natural" Hair Dye Possible?
A YouTube creator named Ms. Alba Ramos shares her experience using a "natural" hair dye in a video with over 300,000 views:
Our Clean Hair Care Picks
Ingreendients Daily Shampoo is our top shampoo pick, because it's formulated 100% from plants and contains research-backed active ingredients like acetic acid, derived from apple cider vinegar (ACV), which researchers suggest "can condition hair making it softer, silkier, shinier."
Happy Head Topical is our top hair growth solution.
This formulation uses FDA-approved hair loss ingredients like minoxidil which is clinically shown to increase hair count by 11%.
The brand also publishes the percentage concentration of each active ingredient, which is a sign of quality and transparency.
Pros and Cons of Simpler Hair Color
Here are the pros and cons of Simpler Hair Color in our opinion:
Pros:
- Healthier than commercial dyes
- Fragrance-free
- Artificial-dye-free
- Mostly positive online customer reviews
Cons:
- Contains toluene-2-5-diamine sulfate
- Contains sodium sulfite
- Contains ethanolamine
