Agent for coloring keratin fibres

1. An aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic agent for coloring keratin fibers, said aqueous-alcoholic agent comprising a combination oxidation dyes and at least three direct dyes;

wherein a quantitative ratio of said oxidation dyes to said direct dyes is from 5:1 to 0.5:1 and said dye-containing preparation is free of chemical oxidants.

2. The agent as defined in claim 1 , wherein said oxidation dyes are each selected from the group consisting of 2,5-diaminotoluene, 2,4-diaminophenoxyethanol, resorcinol, 2-methylresorcinol, m-aminophenol, 4-amino-3-methylphenol, 4-amino-2-hydroxytoluene, 6-amino-3-methylphenol, 2-amino-4-hydroxyethylaminoanisole, 1-naphthol, hydroxyethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyaniline, 2,5-diaminophenylethanol, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine, phenylmethylpyrazolone, 1-hydroxyethyl-4,5-diaminopyrazole, and salts thereof.

3. The agent as defined in claim 1 , wherein said at least three direct dyes are each selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl-2-nitro-p-toluidine, 2-hydroxyethylpicramic acid, 4-nitrophenylaminourea, Basic Violet 2, Disperse Violet 1, HC Blue No. 2, HC Blue No. 12, HC Red No. 13, HC Yellow No. 6, HC Red No. 3,4-amino-3-nitrophenol, 4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-3-nitrophenol, HC Red No. 10, HC Red No. 11, 2-chloro-6-ethylamino-4-nitrophenol, 2-amino-6-chloro-4-nitrophenol, HC Yellow, No. 13, Basic Blue No. 99, Basic Brown No. 16, Basic Brown No. 17, Basic Red No. 76, Basic Yellow No. 57, 2,6-diamino-3-[(pyridin-3-yl)-azo]-pyridine and salts thereof.

4. The agent as defined in claim 1 , wherein the agent further comprises at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, glycerol, and 1,2-polyethylene glycol.

5. The agent as defined in claim 1 , consisting of a hair colorant.

6. A method for coloring keratin fibers, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing an aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation comprising a combination oxidation dyes and at least three direct dyes, in which a quantitative ratio of said oxidation dyes to said direct dyes is from 5:1 to 0.5:1, said dye-containing preparation being free of chemical oxidants;

b) applying said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation of step a) to the keratin fibers;

c) after applying of step b), allowing said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation to act on the keratin fibers for an exposure time of from 5 to 60 minutes; and

d) after the exposure time of step c), rinsing said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation from the keratin fibers with water and then drying the keratin fibers;

said method being performed without addition of any said chemical oxidants.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 , further comprising washing the keratin fibers with a shampoo and then rinsing with said water before the keratin fibers are dried.

8. The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein air oxidation of said oxidation dyes occurs while said aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation acts on the keratin fibers.

9. The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein said keratin fibers consist of hair.

10. The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein said oxidation dyes are each selected from the group consisting of 2,5-diaminotoluene, 2,4-diaminophenoxyethanol, resorcinol, 2-methylresorcinol, m-aminophenol, 4-amino-3-methylphenol, 4-amino-2-hydroxytoluene, 6-amino-3-methylphenol, 2-amino-4-hydroxyethylaminoanisole, 1-naphthol, hydroxyethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyaniline, 2,5-diaminophenylethanol, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine, phenylmethylpyrazolone, 1-hydroxyethyl-4,5-diaminopyrazole and salts thereof.

11. The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein said at least three direct dyes are each selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl-2-nitro-p-toluidine, 2-hydroxyethylpicramic acid, 4-nitrophenylaminourea, Basic Violet 2, Disperse Violet 1, HC Blue No. 2, HC Blue No. 12, HC Red No. 13, HC Yellow No. 6, HC Red No. 3,4-amino-3-nitrophenol, 4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-3-nitrophenol, HC Red No. 10, HC Red No. 11, 2-chloro-6-ethylamino-4-nitrophenol, 2-amino-6-chloro-4-nitrophenol, HC Yellow, No. 13, Basic Blue No. 99, Basic Brown No. 16, Basic Brown No. 17, Basic Red No. 76, Basic Yellow No. 57, 2,6-diamino-3-[(pyridin-3-yl)-azo]-pyridine and salts thereof.

12. The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein said dye-containing preparation comprises at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, glycerol and 1,2-polyethylene glycol.

13. A process of preparing an aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation for coloring keratin fibers, said process comprising adding a combination of oxidation dyes and at least three direct dyes to an aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic composition that is free of chemical oxidants so as to form said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation for coloring the keratin fibers that does not contain any chemical oxidants;

wherein a quantitative ratio of said oxidation dyes to said direct dyes in said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation is from 5:1 to 05:1 and wherein said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation is free of chemical oxidants.

14. The process as defined in claim 13 , wherein said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic preparation contains at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, glycerol and 1,2-polyethylene glycol.

15. An aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic agent for coloring keratin fibers, said agent comprising a combination of oxidation dyes and at least three direct dyes;

wherein said oxidation dyes are each selected from the group consisting of 2,5-diaminotoluene, 2,4-diaminophenoxyethanol, resorcinol, 2-methylresorcinol, m-aminophenol, 4-amino-3-methylphenol, 4-amino-2-hydroxytoluene, 6-amino-3-methylphenol, 2-amino-4-hydroxyethylaminoanisole, 1-naphthol, hydroxyethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyaniline, 2,5-diaminophenylethanol, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine, phenylmethylpyrazolone, 1-hydroxyethyl-4,5-diaminopyrazole and salts thereof; and

wherein said at least three direct dyes are each selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl-2-nitro-p-toluidine, 2-hydroxyethylpicramic acid, 4-nitrophenylaminourea, Basic Violet 2, Disperse Violet 1, HC Blue No. 2, HC Blue No. 12, HC Red No. 13, HC Yellow No. 6, HC Red No. 3,4-amino-3-nitrophenol, 4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-3-nitrophenol, HC Red No. 10, HC Red No. 11, 2-chloro-6-ethylamino-4-nitrophenol, 2-amino-6-chloro-4-nitrophenol, HC Yellow, No. 13, Basic Blue No. 99, Basic Brown No. 16, Basic Brown No 17, Basic Red No. 76, Basic Yellow No. 57, 2,6-diamino-3-[(pyridin-3-yl)-azo]-pyridine, and salts thereof; and

wherein a quantitative ratio of said oxidation dyes to said direct dyes is from 5:1 to 0.5:1 and said dye-containing preparation is free of chemical oxidants.

16. A method of coloring keratin fibers, said method said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing an aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation, said dye-containing preparation comprising a combination of oxidation dyes and at least three direct dyes, in which a quantitative ratio of said oxidation dyes to said direct dyes is from 5:1 to 0.5:1, said dye-containing preparation being free of chemical oxidants;

b) applying said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation of step a) to the keratin fibers;

c) after applying of step b), allowing said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation to act on the keratin fibers for an exposure time of from 5 to 60 minutes; and

d) after the exposure time of step c), rinsing said aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic dye-containing preparation from the keratin fibers with water and then drying the keratin fibers;

wherein said method is performed without addition of any of said chemical oxidants;

wherein said oxidation dyes are each selected from the group consisting of 2,5-diaminotoluene, 2,4-diaminophenoxyethanol, resorcinol, 2-methylresorcinol, m-aminophenol, 4-amino-3-methylphenol, 4-amino-2-hydroxytoluene, 6-amino-3-methylphenol, 2-amino-4-hydroxyethylaminoanisole, 1-naphthol, hydroxyethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyaniline, 2,5-diaminophenylethanol, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine, phenylmethylpyrazolone, 1-hydroxyethyl-4,5-diaminopyrazole, and salts thereof; and

wherein said at least three direct dyes are each selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl-2-nitro-p-toluidine 2-hydroxyethylpicramic acid, 4-nitrophenylaminourea, Basic Violet 2, Disperse Violet 1, HC Blue No. 2, HC Blue No. 12, HC Red No. 13, HC Yellow No. 6, HC Red No. 3,4-amino-3-nitrophenol, 4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-3-nitrophenol, HC Red No. 10, HC Red No. 11, 2-chloro-6-ethylamino-4-nitrophenol, 2-amino-6-chloro-4-nitrophenol, HC Yellow, No. 13, Basic Blue No. 99, Basic Brown No. 16, Basic Brown No. 17, Basic Red No. 76, Basic Yellow No. 57, 2,6-diamino-3-[(pyridin-3-yl)-azo]-pyridine, and salts thereof.