Natural hair color

‘Color’ your hair naturally, without chemicals, without lead, without artificial dyes. Commercially available hair coloring uses chemicals that remove, replace, or enhance the natural pigments in the hair shaft. There are many adverse effects that can result from its use.

– skin irritation, itching, burning, irritation, redness, discomfort
– allergies to chemicals such as PPD (p-phenylenediamine)
– breakage or weakening of the hair, over-processing
– discoloration or dryness of the skin
– unpredictable coloring (mainly with homemade dyes)

In addition to the undesirable effects listed above, there are more serious health problems that are potential problems from chemical hair coloring. While there is some debate about the reality of hair coloring issues, you just don’t need to take the risk.

There are posts on the dangers of hair dyes including:

– An FDA study that found lead acetate in many dyes to be toxic.
– Articles that refer to the development of some forms of cancer, such as leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bladder cancer, blood cancer and multiple myeloma as a result of the use of hair dyes.
– Long-term use of permanent dark hair dyes can potentially double a person’s risk of contracting various types of blood cancers.
– Some experts suspect that hair bleach can kill brain cells.
– A known human carcinogen, 4-ABP, was found in some household hair dyes.

Natural hair colorants like Henna, Indigo, Cassia and Amla vegetable powders (click on each to read more about them) can be safely used to enhance or change the color of your hair. They are plant powders that are mixed with lemon juice, water and / or yogurt, in your own home, to make a paste that is applied to your hair and scalp.

Since they are natural and do not remove the natural pigment from your hair, the color you get from these powders will depend on the color of the hair you are coloring. For example, henna alone used on white hair will produce red, while straight henna on brown hair will result in reddish brown hair.

These powders are also safe to use on chemically treated or colored hair. They are safe to use as many times as you like. If you dye your hair with these powders and get a color that is not dark enough, you can easily deepen it with another application.

It takes a few days to realize the final color of your treatment, as the color will continue to rise up the hair shaft for a couple of days, due to the oxidation process. This natural process occurs when plant dyes are exposed to the air in a similar way to how a cut apple turns brown over time.

You will likely find that most hairdressers are “anti-henna” as they have only been exposed to “compound” henna mixed with dyes, lead acetate, or other metallic fixers. Our powders are pure leaf powders with no fixatives or anything else. You can be sure that it is of the best quality and will not give bad results.

As with any product, test for allergic reactions. You should also test the paste on a small sample of hair (take the hair out of your brush for this) to see what the resulting color will be in your hair.

HOW TO USE NATURAL COLOR THESES

If you are using Amla or Indigo, you do not need to pre-mix the powder with lemon juice. ONLY HENNA or CASSIA SHOULD BE MIXED WITH LEMON JUICE AND SIT OVER NIGHT. Indigo and Amla can be mixed and matched with the henna when you are ready to apply it.

Whichever combination of powders you use, follow these guidelines for mixing:

100g of combination powder for short hair

200 g for straight hair up to the neck

300g for shoulder-length straight hair

500 g for straight hair to the waist

Please note that these are initial guidelines and your hair may need more or less.

Mix henna or cassia with enough lemon juice to make a paste with the consistency of mashed potatoes. If your skin is sensitive to lemon and itches after using henna, use orange juice, grapefruit juice, or a liquid that is less acidic than lemon juice.

Cover the pasta container with cling film and let it sit overnight at room temperature or in a warm place. As the henna or cassia sets, the acid in the lemon juice will release the color from the plant powder. This slow, acidic release will give you the best results. If you are in a hurry, put it in a warm place, but NOT in a hot place! Your henna will be ready in two hours at 95F.

Once the paste is done settling, add a little more lemon juice or an aromatic tea to make the paste as thick as yogurt. Add a little at a time to get just the right consistency.

For Indigo or Amla, simply mix with enough water to make a paste with the consistency of yogurt. This does not need lemon juice. Just use warm water, adding a little at a time so you don’t get too thin. Once you have mixed your Indigo or Amla, you can mix all the pastes you plan to mix. Make sure to stir it all the way so you don’t get streaked.

You can also apply a paste first, let it sit, rinse it off, and then apply another paste to your hair later. If you apply the pastes at separate times, you will get a darker or darker color.

For example, to get a very deep black hair color, you must first dye your hair with henna and then dye it with indigo after the hair has been dried with henna. If you don’t want such a deep black, you can simply mix the henna and indigo and apply as a single paste.

This process can be tricky, so wear gloves to avoid getting tattooed with the paste. You can prepare smaller amounts to cover the roots between full colors. There is medical evidence evidence that henna is relaxing and can relieve headaches. The paste can feel heavy on your head if you have a lot of hair.

To apply the paste to your hair, wash and dry it, then style it. You may want to section your hair for easier application. Start at the back and work the paste up to the scalp. Apply the thick paste as a frosting. More henna makes for a richer stain and better coverage. Download the next section and cover that part.

Continue until all of your hair is covered, then pile all of your hair on top of your head and wrap it in plastic wrap. Cover it with an old towel if you like, but the towel can be stained if the paste gets stained. Clean exposed skin to avoid staining it.

Let the paste sit on your hair for 2-4 hours before checking the color. If your hair is very resistant to the dye, you can keep it longer. Find a comfortable place and rest if you want. If you plan to move, make sure to wrap the hair securely or it will start to drip or seep out of the plastic.

Finally, wash the henna mixture out of your hair. Just rinse with lukewarm water. You can get into the shower or hang your head over the tub and rinse most of it off. Finish removing the paste by shampooing the last of it. Dry and style as usual.

Your hair will likely smell different for a couple of days. If you don’t like the smell of the paste / powder, simmer a teaspoon of lavender bud or rosemary powder in water, strain the plant residue, and rinse your hair with lavender or rosemary tea to combat the smell of herbs. Or you can add cinnamon to the paste before applying it.

At first, henna-dyed hair may appear shiny copper. Do not panic. This will darken for the next several days if you used an acidic mix. Body art quality henna easily stains the hands and feet, but not the ears or the back of the neck. If you cleaned the henna, you won’t see anything at all. If you didn’t clean it, the stain will fade in about three days.

It will take 3 days for your hair to settle into true color. This is the oxidation process like when an apple browns when exposed to air. Be patient and don’t panic. The coloring may be best done on a Friday night when you have no plans for the weekend, so you can let it settle before going back to work on Monday. Thicker and longer applications mean richer color. Apply henna as a cake frosting. Apply it to the scalp.

This also works on beards and mustaches.

Henna powder is ground from the dried leaves of the “Lawsonia inermis” plant. When mixed with a slightly acidic liquid, henna stains the skin, hair and nails a reddish orange color. Strengthens hair, adds shine and is antifungal, helping to eliminate problems such as dandruff, lice and ringworm. Strengthens the hair shaft as it is colored, leaving it shiny, healthy and beautiful.

Henna has long been used as a natural temporary tattoo. The skin is painted with henna and allowed to rest for a while. Then the skin wears the color in the form of a tattoo, but it fades with the shedding of the skin. It is often used abroad in wedding rituals and much more.

Indigo is one of the oldest dyes used to dye and print textiles. It is also a ground powder from a variety of plants, including many of the Indigofera species. It is used as a food coloring, known as FD&C Blue No. 2 in the US Indigo sodium salt is used as a coloring in kidney function tests and as a reagent in milk tests. When used with henna or amla, it can produce a wide range of colors, resulting in the dark tones in brown colors. It is a basic or alkaline paste, unlike henna, so you do not need lemon juice to activate it. Creates strength and shine throughout the hair shaft.

Amla is the fruit of a deciduous tree, which is called Emblica officinalis. All parts of the plant are used for various Ayurvedic herbal preparations, including fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark, and flowers. It is commonly used in inks, shampoos, hair oils, and to set fabric dyes. It is also taken internally for a variety of reasons.

Used with henna and indigo, it creates a softer brown. It’s probably nature’s best hair conditioner. Use the paste weekly to protect, strengthen and create shine in your hair. It can also be made into an oil and applied to hair on a daily basis. It has a smell of raw blueberries and tree bark. Amla improves waves and curls, but can also be used on the skin as a mask to tighten and firm the skin.

TO USE: After the henna sets overnight, mix in the amla (1/3 to 1/2 the amount of henna you used to start with), then add water to make the yogurt consistency mixture. Complete the process as above.

Cassia is an excellent conditioner for any hair, regardless of color. Cassia is a green leafy powder that smells strongly of cut grass when mixed with water. It is alkaline like indigo and does not require lemon juice to activate the color molecule.

Makes hair shiny and thick, shiny, silky and strong, even damaged or bleached hair. Cassia has a golden yellow dye molecule. It will not alter the color of dark or red hair, but it will make gray or blonde hair golden. You can mix it with any other combination of powders, or on its own, with equally fantastic effects. The conditioning effects last for about a month. Mix cassia and henna to make shades of blonde, strawberry blonde, and coppery red.

These plant powders work great and give you beautiful hair without worrying about chemicals and side effects. Give it a try for yourself and you’ll be glad you did.