My Hairprint Experience

I started dyeing my hair in my late 20’s. It wasn’t out of a desire to change my hair color, but out of necessity (at least, that’s what I thought at the time). But, this isn’t a post about making the choice to dye my hair vs. embracing my grays. Instead, I’m here to talk to you about my experience with HAIRPRINT – a truly clean hair color. 

I do think it’s important, before I dive in, to mention that I have made the choice to continue dyeing my hair because I love my hair color. However, I no longer do it out of necessity or rush to the salon at the first sign of new growth.  For me, it’s a form of self-care that I truly enjoy! With that being said, I can’t sit here  and pretend that I haven’t struggled with the fact that dyeing my hair doesn’t align with my clean living journey. I have searched for a “cleaner” alternative that will give me salon results, however I am quickly learning that many “natural” brands aren’t so great for you either. 

Enter Hairprint….

I came across Hairprint a few years ago, but the process seemed overwhelming and I wasn’t ready to commit.  From my brief research, I discovered the application was lengthy, messy and gray coverage wasn’t guaranteed. Who has time for that?! Not me…at least I didn’t at the time. After other not so “natural” brands left me with undesirable results (and a strong desire to find a non-toxic method for coloring my hair), I thankfully re-discovered Hairprint. 

WHAT IS HAIRPRINT?

Let’s talk about what Hairprint is and how it differs from other “natural” hair dyes. First off, Hairprint is not a dye. It restores gray hair to its true color.  How is this possible, you ask? Well, let’s talk a little science. According to MedlinePlus, your hair color is determined by the amount & type of melanin in your hair. Eumelanin, a brown to black pigment, is the most common form of melanin and gives dark hair its color. Hair becomes gray when the follicle can no longer produce melanin. Hairprint works by placing the pigment back into your hair. AMAZING, RIGHT?!?! Click here for more information on the science behind Hairprint.

Here are a list of Hairprint’s ingredients in comparison to another “natural” brand I have used in the past.

*This is to show you the importance of doing your own research. Often times, brands will point out the great ingredients they’ve included in their products to distract from the ones you may want to avoid. If you are looking for cleaner products, it’s always important to read the full ingredients label. If a product doesn’t provide a complete list, and just highlights the great ingredients they’ve added to their products, then I would personally avoid it. Always remember, what is important for me may not be the case for you.

HAIRPRINT CONSULTATION, TIPS & TRICKS

Prior to ordering my kit, I had a few questions and reached out to customer service. Not only did they answer my questions, but I was also offered a complimentary 20 minute Zoom consultation with one of their certified stylists. I couldn’t pass that up! I had a few things I wanted to discuss…gray coverage & previously dyed hair. 

Jennifer, Hairprint’s certified stylist, gave me some great tips & insight…

• With Hairprint, you don’t select a color, like you would with conventional dyes. It restores your hair to its natural color. Look at your eyebrows…that’s pretty much the color you will get!
• Color options are Dark or Brown. The website has a color chart that can help you decide, or you can receive assistance selecting a kit during your consultation. As my hair is dark brown/almost black, I knew Dark was the appropriate kit for me. (Unfortunately at this time, Hairprint only works on those with naturally black or brown hair. Per their website, they are continuing to research solutions for naturally blonde and red hair, however at this time they can’t recreate the pigments found in those hair colors). If at any point more color options become available, I will keep you posted!
• Per Jennifer, gray coverage is not a guarantee. However, there are tips that can assist with stubborn grays. I will discuss those in the next few bullet points.
• A deep cleanse is recommended 1-2 weeks prior to your Hairprint treatment. During this time, you should discontinue use of conventional hair care products, including most natural products as well. For 7 days, avoid products that contain coconut oil, argan, jojoba and shea butter. Also avoid silicones and proteins, such as keratin. This step is important to help you achieve the best coverage. Here is a full list of ingredients to avoid and more info on how to deep cleanse…Hairprint Deep Cleanse.
• Use the chelating shampoo 2-3 times during the week leading up to your treatment, with your last wash occurring 24 hours before your treatment. Per the website, you can use Hairprint shampoos & conditioners for up to 3 days before your application. After that, only use the chelating shampoo.
• Prepare – this is the 1st step of the process. Its a pre-treatment shampoo that helps to prep your hair. For best gray coverage, leave this on for 30 minutes, only if tolerated. Jennifer did suggest, however, starting with the recommended 15 minutes and increasing as you learn your hair and scalp’s threshold. Not everyone will be able to tolerate leaving this on longer than 15 minutes. I recommend discussing the best option for you during your personal consultation.
• Avoid shampooing hair for 1-2 days after hairprint application, and also avoid heat styling for 1-2 days.
• Hairprint should not come in contact with previously color-treated hair. Dyed hair is considered damaged and contact with Hairprint can result in darker results and/or dryness. Jennifer recommended I coat my previously dyed hair with shea butter to protect it.
• Hairprint can be very messy, especially for beginners. Get some dark or old towels ready!

PREP & RESULTS

I purchased the Hairprint Plus kit. This is pretty much their regular kit with one additional Restore application. The plus kit is recommended for those with thick hair or stubborn grays (ME!). To prep my hair, I discontinued use of my regular haircare products for about 9 days before my Hairprint application. The week before I cleansed with their chelating shampoo 3 times. My last cleanse with the chelating shampoo was about 36 hours prior to my application – this was a scheduling error on my end and I was hoping it wouldn’t affect my results! Fingers crossed

MY THOUGHTS…

First, let’s talk about the overall process. It took me about 3 hours to complete, including the pre-treatment shampoo. With some experience, I can probably shave off some time. However, I don’t suspect much, given my hair requires 3 rounds of restore. I don’t mind the time as a trip to the salon usually takes 1.5-2 hours, not including travel time. I know I was forewarned, but this process really was messy! Again, I think this is another thing that will improve with experience. For now, I just need to invest in some black towels and a black salon cape!

As you can see from my pics, I did not get perfect gray coverage. However, I went into this process expecting that as a possibility. The areas that didn’t cover perfectly are more muted though. I did make a few mistakes, that I wanted to mention, as they likely contributed to my results. Hairprint has a few application videos that I watched prior to ordering my kit. I wish I had rewatched them again as there were a few tips that I missed.

First mistake…my final wash with the chelating shampoo was about 36 hours before application. Next time, I will shampoo with the chelating shampoo right before doing Hairprint. Second mistake, and I think this is a huge one. I added the pre-treatment shampoo (Prepare) to dry hair. Not sure what I was thinking and why I made this mistake. Prepare should be applied to wet or damp hair, so you can get a really good lather. This prepares the hair follicle to accept the pigment.

So, would I do Hairprint again?

Short answer…Yes.

Long answer…I am not ready to throw in the towel, especially since I made some mistakes that I would like to correct. I was actually pretty impressed with my results and with some corrections, I think I can achieve much better coverage. I’m also at the point where I would accept a small number of grays for a truly clean formula and for the overall health of my hair.

If you decide to give Hairprint a try, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND watching their application videos multiple times and reaching out for a personal consultation! I hope you found this review helpful. If you have tried Hairprint before and have any additional tips, please let me know in the comments! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

*This post was not sponsored and does not include affiliate links. I purchased Hairprint on my own, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.