The dye mixtures formed from three commercial hair colour formers were purified by absorption onto human hair wefts, washed and dried, extracted with dichloromethane:trifluoroacetic acid (75:25) and then analysed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Only 1–2 dyes were identified from each complex mixture of commercial aromatic amines along with a broad UV absorption mainly consisting of mixtures of quaternary ammonium salts from shampoos and some surfactants. Mecetronium ethyl sulfate and didecyldimethylammonium chloride were the main ammonium salts.