In recent years, hair dye has become a popular trend through social media. Trends such as chunky highlights, fun colors, or even just gray hair cover ups have become increasingly common since the early 2000s. Celebrities such as Kiley Jenner have played a major influence in these trends, shaping the way people look at hair dye.

Although hair dye has been popular in recent years, it has been around as early as 1500B.C. Throughout antiquity, civilizations used natural dyes—plants, minerals, and toxic mixtures—to create black, red, and blonde shades. Not much changed until the 1800s, when English chemist William Henry Perkin made an accidental discovery that changed hair dye forever. While trying to create a cure for malaria, Perkins created the first synthesized dye in 1863. Soon after, his chemistry professor August Hoffman derived a color-changing molecule from Mauveine, which is still the foundation for most permanent hair dyes today. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century when modern-day hair coloring originated. Things such as synthetic dye, bleach caps, and balayages were invented throughout the 20th century.

Hair dye has become such a common popular thing that American passports stopped requiring people to list their natural hair color on there. The next time you are sitting in the salon, foils in your hair, you can thank all the developments throughout history (and the hairdresser) for your hair!