Herbatint

Herbatint is an Italian hair-colour brand, the principal label of the Rome-based company Antica Erboristeria. It is known for permanent hair colour made without ammonia, built around herbal extracts and a reduced level of hydrogen peroxide. The brand launched in 1970 [6] and is sold in more than 41 countries [1]. Since 2012 it has been part of the French natural-cosmetics group La Financière Maconnaise [7].

The company traces two related origin dates. The Herbatint brand itself launched in 1970, a date that is consistent across the brand's own sites. Its parent company, Antica Erboristeria, is described on a regional brand page as having been founded in Rome in the 1960s by the same person [7]; the 1970 date refers specifically to the Herbatint product line per the brand's corporate timeline.

Herbatint was created by Michele Albergo, a herbalist who, according to the brand's UK site, had trained under a Swiss herbalist mentor during his apprenticeship. Albergo set out to make a permanent hair-colour formula that combined colouring performance with the health of the hair and scalp. Drawing on his knowledge of medicinal herbs, he developed a colour based on plant extracts that reduced the use of chemical ingredients, particularly hydrogen peroxide.

The company frames this as a departure from the market of the time, which it describes as dominated by ammonia-based colourants from large multinationals. Albergo's formula used herbal extracts with no ammonia and very low hydrogen peroxide, which the brand presents as its founding innovation [6].

By the brand's account, Herbatint grew over its first four decades into what its UK site calls the market leader in permanent colour without ammonia, reaching consumers across more than 40 countries [6]. The company says it manages the full production chain in-house, from research and development through manufacturing and marketing.

A formulation change in 2005 removed resorcinol and parabens and introduced new herbal extracts, which the brand records as a significant reformulation. In 2012 the business was acquired by La Financière Maconnaise [7]. The company was recognised as a B Corporation and Benefit Corporation in 2016 [1], and in 2017 it relocated to a LEED-certified headquarters north of Rome. More recent milestones reported by the company include a commitment to carbon neutrality, the installation of a photovoltaic system and the launch of a dedicated haircare line in 2023, followed by a packaging redesign in 2024.

Herbatint is operated by Antica Erboristeria S.p.A., which is registered as a Benefit Corporation in Italy. In 2012 Antica Erboristeria was purchased by the French group La Financière Maconnaise, described as a specialist in natural cosmetics; the regional brand page states the acquisition was intended to build on the company's heritage while expanding the Herbatint brand [7].

The company positions Herbatint around what it summarises as "Natural Beauty, Respect and Sustainability," and describes its approach as caring for hair gently while respecting both personal health and the environment. Its stated tagline is "Empower Your Nature," and the brand sets out five founding principles: expertise, circularity, balance, inclusivity and safety. Herbatint associates itself with the clean-beauty movement and emphasises formulas developed for skin tolerance, including for sensitive skin.

Permanent ammonia-free hair colour remains the brand's core product, sold as a gel formula that the company describes as vegan, plant-based and offering full grey coverage. Alongside it, Herbatint offers Vegetal Color, a range the company presents as 100% organic plant-based colour made from henna and other dyeing and Ayurvedic plants, with eight ready-to-use shades [5]. The line-up also includes a colour-safe shampoo and conditioner intended to protect and extend colour, and a hair mascara in marker format for temporary root touch-ups. Listed hero ingredients include herbal extracts, henna, Ayurvedic plants and aloe vera.

The Vegetal Color range carries ECOCERT COSMOS Organic certification, which the brand states certifies that at least 95% of the natural-origin ingredients are organic [5]. Herbatint also cites Fair for Life certification and membership of 1% for the Planet for that line.

Sustainability is central to how Herbatint presents itself. The company has set a target of net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050 at the latest [3], and reports that its production runs on 100% renewable electricity, with a 190-kilowatt photovoltaic system covering about 45% of its electricity needs as of 2025 and a target of 50% self-generation by 2027. It says its operations are fully electrified, having eliminated fossil fuels from production, and that products use upcycled ingredients and post-consumer recycled, recyclable packaging. The company manufactures in Italy and describes itself as a 100% Made in Italy certified manufacturer.

Herbatint was included in a 2026 StyleCraze listicle of trichologist-approved ammonia-free hair dyes, which noted the colour as free from ammonia, resorcinol, parabens, alcohol and fragrance, containing eight herbal extracts including aloe vera, with full grey coverage [8]. No dedicated English-language Wikipedia article exists for the brand, and major beauty editorial titles carry no substantive feature on it.

Herbatint is active. It is present in more than 41 countries, owned by La Financière Maconnaise since 2012, and operates as a B Corp and Benefit Corporation. Recent activity includes a 2023 haircare launch, a 2024 packaging redesign, and 2025 emissions reporting under its climate plan.