There are a few things you should keep in mind the next time you’re shopping for hair dye.

Coverage

When it comes to natural hair dyes, you’re going to have to settle for less coverage, says Dosso. “It’s always best to expect more translucent coverage with more natural dyes, as they don’t have certain chemicals to fully saturate the hair’s cuticle,” adds Cuadra.

Additionally, Dosso notes that it’s important to keep in mind that natural hair dyes may not cover gray hairs as well as chemical-based dyes can.

Ingredients

If you’re looking to take the most natural route when it comes to hair dye, you should probably steer clear of ammonia. “There are hair dyes that are ammonia and alcohol-free, which are drastically more gentle on the hair,” says Cuadra. “Most hair dyes contain p-phenylenediamine to help open the hair cuticle, but there are options to avoid this particular chemical, too.”

When looking for a more natural or clean hair dye, Dosso says to make sure to look for labels that say ‘cruelty-free’ or ‘leaping bunny certified,’ as these often steer clear of harsh chemicals.

Do all hair dyes have chemicals in them?

The bad new is that yes, all hair dyes—except for henna and vegetable-based dyes—contain chemicals. However, chemicals have varying levels of harshness. For example, PPD is one of the harsher chemicals since it’s a petroleum-derived ingredient that can cause skin irritation, Cuadra says. Before committing to a dye, you can do a patch test on somewhere like your inner elbow to make sure it won’t irritate you.