What is resorcinol? It is a phenolic chemical used in resins, adhesives, over-the-counter medications, hair dyes, cosmetics, and tire manufacturing, among other products. So, what does that have to do with hair? Well, it is typically used in hair dyes in order to make the color work in combination with the developer. Yet, Madison Reed permanent hair color is free of resorcinol and for good reason. Curious why we don’t include resorcinol in our products? Read this article to find out below!
What Is Resorcinol?
In scientific terms, resorcinol is a phenolic compound that crystallizes from benzene. Although it’s used in most permanent hair colors due to its efficacy in coloring hair, we never use resorcinol in our formulas as it is classified as a hazardous chemical and can be toxic to the immune system. In fact, resorcinol has been formally classified as an irritant by the European Union (EU), and has been prohibited in cosmetic products in several countries. Resorcinol is a skin irritant, and can be one of the ingredients that users are allergic to in hair dye.
Apart from hair dyes, resorcinol might also be found in shampoos or hair lotions. There’s also a list of non-hair-related cosmetics that may also contain resorcinol, namely products dedicated to treating acne or eczema.
Why We Do Not Use Resorcinol in Our Professional Hair Color
While resorcinol is known for its hair-coloring capabilities, we refrain from including it in our Madison Reed hair color products for several reasons. Let's delve into our concerns about this chemical compound:
It is considered a "strong" skin sensitizer by the European Union: If resorcinol gets on your skin, it may irritate it and cause redness, itching, or aches on your scalp. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, resorcinol causes sensitization – an increase in sensitivity to it after use. This can reach such an extent that, at some point, you may become allergic to this substance.
It can be dangerous for the environment – The resorcinol and the hair dyes need to be produced somewhere. However, any leaks of this substance in hair color product facilities may lead to dire consequences, especially if there’s a body of water nearby. This substance can quickly get absorbed by aquatic life and kill it due to its impact on fish’s thyroid gland.1
Who Is Most Vulnerable to Resorcinol?
While there are many unpleasant and/or severe consequences of using resorcinol in hair color products, this substance is, unfortunately, still widely produced and included as an ingredient. It should definitely be cause for concern for you, but there’s one particular group of people that can suffer the most, and that is hair colorists. The reason behind this is simple.
How often do you color your hair? Once every four to six weeks? Or maybe even less often? So, in the worst-case scenario, you’re exposed to resorcinol once every month. On the other hand, hair colorists are exposed daily. Protective gear like gloves may help reduce the impact that resorcinol has on their health, but in the end, this chemical can still be inhaled daily.
