Walnut green husk is one of the main waste products from walnut and could be used as a source of natural dyeing compounds such as juglone. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effective use of walnut green husk extract as a natural hair dye. Dyeing properties, fastness and antimicrobial behaviours of dyed hair and also a skin irritation test for natural hair dye on rat skin were examined. When the extract was mixed with ascorbic acid as a developer, ferrous sulphate as a mordant, and Aloe vera extract used as a secondary mordant and also a cosmetic ingredient, the reaction resulted in a dark-brown colour on hair samples. The dyed hair exhibited appropriate colour strength having excellent morphology for a hair surface coated with dye molecules. In addition, the dyed hair possessed good resistance to washing and daylight fastness, without any irritant properties as shown in a rat model, although high concentrations of iron-based mordant may be problematic for long-term usage. This paper also suggests the use of natural mordants such as lactic and oxalic acids to avoid any probable risks. Walnut green husk extract was an appropriate natural hair dyeing agent in practice and showed maximum antimicrobial activity compared with semi-synthetic and commercial hair dyes. The results demonstrated that walnut green husk can be used as an economical, valuable, eco-friendly and safe source of dyeing and antimicrobial agents for cosmetic products. Coloration Technology Society of Dyers and ColouristsThis article was published online on 03 November 2017. Grammatical and formatting errors were subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected [25 Jan 2018]. The scientific content of the article is unaffected.

No abstract