How to Dye your hair with natural ingredients

Dyeing your hair with natural ingredients takes more work than using regular hair dye. However, natural products can stay on hair longer than chemicals during dyeing, so you can adjust the color as desired. Cassia obovata, henna and indigo are herbs that you can use as a dye to cover gray hair. Hair dyed with henna has bright tones such as red, brown, bronze and golden highlights. If you don’t like bright tones, you can mix henna with other herbs like indigo to soften the tone. ^{[1] X Research Source} With indigo, your hair will have cooler tones, from medium brown to black. Dyeing gray hair to black is the process that takes the longest, as you will have to treat with the henna first, and then apply the indigo mixture. Completely herbal dyes are non-toxic and less damaging than chemical dyes. You can adjust your hair color with ingredients like coffee, tea, lemon or potato skins to darken, lighten or correct gray hair. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Table of Contents

Experiment with natural colors

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Think about whether natural dye is right for you. Natural dyeing can be more tedious and time consuming than using chemical dyes. However, if your hair is damaged or prone to damage, natural dyes will be more gentle on your hair. Depending on your situation, consider whether the benefits outweigh the inconveniences. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If you have sensitive skin, herbal dyes may be your best bet, as chemical hair dyes can cause contact dermatitis. ^{[4] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}
Natural dyes like cassia obovata, henna and indigo when mixed into a paste need to stay on the hair overnight. This type of dye also lasts longer (from 1 to 6 hours) after being applied to the hair.
Note that natural dyes may give different results. If you want to have a certain color hair then this is probably not a good choice.

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Understand that the results may not be what you expected. While you can plan to dye a certain color, natural dyes will react differently depending on the type of hair and hair condition. Your hair may be colored unlike others, it may be lighter, darker, or a different shade than you envisioned.

Dyes, especially water-based dyes, may not cover the silver completely. How good the effect depends on the dyeing method, how long the dye stays on your hair and your hair type. You may have to repeat the staining process after 48 hours if it still doesn’t work. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Test the hair color first. Your hair type and the hair care products you have used in the past will affect the ability of natural dyes. The next time you have a haircut, save the hair cut or cut a little hair at the nape of the neck to try. Apply a small amount of the color you intend to dye your hair according to the instructions of the method of your choice. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

After applying the dye, you will wait for the time indicated in the instructions, then rinse and dry in direct sunlight, if possible.
Check the final result under natural light. If necessary, you can adjust the ingredients or treatment time to suit your hair – more or less, depending on the tone you want.
Remember that testing on a single strand of hair may not give accurate results on all hair. Some parts of the hair, such as the top of the head, may be slightly different in color. This is because factors such as styling, touch or environmental exposure can affect hair.

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Choose a place to dye your hair. Natural dyes are often more messy than regular hair dyes, so you need to find the best place to dye your hair. Cassia obovata does not stain, unless mixed with other ingredients, such as rhubarb. However, henna and indigo are more difficult to work with and stain very easily. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

If the weather is good, you can take a large mirror outside to dye your hair.
If you’re going to dye your hair in the bathroom, get in the tub or shower.
When dyeing your hair, you should wear old clothes or a haircut cape. Cover all surfaces in the area where you plan to dye your hair with a towel or plastic cloth.
You can also ask a friend to help you dye your hair to limit staining.

Using henna

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Consider cassia obovata for strawberry blonde hair. For blonde hair, you can use cassia powder mixed with water or lime juice. If you want your hair to have a golden brown color, add henna. Use pure cassia powder for blonde hair, or 80% cassia powder and 20% henna powder to dye your hair strawberry blonde. Mix the dye with water into a paste, or if you prefer a lighter color, you can mix it with orange or lemon juice. Pour the liquid into the dough little by little until the mixture is like yogurt. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

Use cassia obovata for blonde or gray hair. If you have gray hair but some parts are darker than blonde, cassia obovata will only lighten and correct the dark hair color, not dye it blonde.
Use 1 box (100 g) of cassia powder for short hair.
Use 2-3 boxes (200-300 g) of cassia powder for shoulder length hair.
Use 4-5 cans (400-500 g) of cassia powder for long hair.

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Prepare a henna paste to dye your hair red, brown, or black. Mix henna powder with 3 teaspoons of amla powder, 1 teaspoon of coffee powder and a little curd or yogurt. Stir the ingredients. ^{[12] X Research Source} Slowly add 1-2 cups of hot (not boiling) water to the henna mixture in the bowl until the mixture has a paste-like texture but is not liquid. Cover the bowl or cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 24 hours. Do not keep in the refrigerator.

Amla (Indian gooseberry) doesn’t dry out and adds a cool shade to the red, so the hair color won’t stand out too much. You can skip amla powder if you prefer vibrant red-orange hair. Amla powder also adds volume and curls to the hair.
Use 100 g of henna powder for shoulder length hair, and 200 g for long hair.
Henna can dry out your hair, so the next morning you should add a conditioning ingredient to the henna mixture, such as 2-3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/5 cup moisturizing conditioner.

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Add indigo powder to the mixture for brown hair. After letting the henna mixture sit for 12-24 hours, mix in the indigo powder. If the mixture doesn’t have a thick yogurt-like texture, add the warm water little by little until the desired consistency is reached. Leave it like that for 15 minutes.

If you have short hair, you can use 1 box (100 g) of indigo powder.
For shoulder length hair, use 2-3 cans (200-300 g) of indigo powder.
For long hair, use 4-5 cans (400 – 500 g) of indigo powder.

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Apply the mixture to your hair. Wear gloves. Divide your hair into sections and apply the mixture to damp or dry hair using gloved hands, a food brush, or a hair dye brush purchased from a beauty supply store. Remember to cover the entire strand of hair all the way to the roots. After you finish spreading a section of hair, you should clip it up.

The henna mixture is quite thick, so don’t try to comb it through your hair.
Apply the mixture to the roots first, because the roots often need the most color and the longest processing time. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Cover your hair and wait for the mixture to soak in. If you have long hair, you need to clip it up first. Use cling film or a hair cap to protect the dye. ^{[14] X Research Source}

If you want to dye red, you will leave the mixture on your hair for about 4 hours.
If you want to have brown or black hair, you need to leave the mixture on your hair for 1 to 6 hours.
You can test the color by scraping a bit of henna on your hair to see the results. If the color is as desired, you can wash off the henna.

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Rinse off the mixture. Wear gloves when washing your hair to avoid staining your hands. ^{[15] X Research Source} Use a mild shampoo to wash your hair. ^{[16] X Research Source} You can use a moisturizing conditioner after rinsing off the dye if you wish. ^{[17] X Research Source}

With red hair, you can dry your hair and style it as usual. If you want to have black hair, you will have to dye it indigo.

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Continue using indigo to dye your hair black. Pour the water into the indigo dough little by little until the mixture has a yogurt-like texture. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt for every 100 g of indigo powder. Leave the mixture on for 15 minutes, then apply to damp or dry hair. Put on gloves and apply to your hair section by section, starting at the back of your head and working your way to the front. Covers the entire hair down to the roots.

For short hair, you will use 1 box (100 g) of indigo. For shoulder length hair, use 2-3 cans (200-300 g) of indigo. If you have long hair, you need 4-5 cans (400-500 g) of indigo.
Once you’ve covered your hair with the mixture, clip it up and cover with a shower cap or wrap your hair in plastic wrap. Leave the mixture on your hair for about 1-2 hours.
Rinse the mixture on your hair after waiting for 1-2 hours. You can use conditioner if you want. Blow-dry and style as usual.

Adjust hair color

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Use lemon juice to lighten hair color. You will need 4-5 sessions of sitting in the sun, 30 minutes each session. Squeeze 1-2 lemons (depending on the length of your hair) and apply it to your hair with a brush. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

You can also mix 2 parts coconut oil with one part lemon juice to lighten your hair color. ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Darken your hair with coffee. Dip your hair in a bowl of strong brewed black coffee. Squeeze out the excess water, then pour the coffee over your hair one cup at a time. For more visible results, you can mix instant coffee with hot water into a paste and apply it to your hair section by section. ^{[20] X Research Source}

Clip your hair up and wrap it in plastic for about 30 minutes. Rinse and dry your hair as usual.

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Lighten hair color with tea. Place ¼ cup of chopped chamomile flowers in a heatproof bowl. Pour 2 cups of boiling water into a bowl and let it cool. Strain the tea through a sieve and keep the water for a final rinse after rinsing. ^{[21] X Research Source}

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Try using potato skins. You can darken gray hair with a cup of potato skins. Put the potato skins in a pot, pour in 2 cups of water, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then remove the pot and let the mixture cool. ^{[22] X Research Source}

Squeeze the boiled potato skins into a hair conditioner. You can pour water into an empty shampoo bottle to make it easier to pour over your hair. Leave it as it is and dry your hair.

Advice

If you don’t want to dye your hair yourself, you can find a hair salon that uses natural ingredients. These salons use clean, less toxic cosmetics and are generally safer than regular hair salons. ^{[23] X Research Sources}
Have a few wet wipes ready so you can easily get them while your gloved hands are dirty. That way, you can wipe the dye off during the dyeing process, if needed. ^{[24] X Research Source}
Henna is most effective when warm. If you find the mixture on your head has cooled, try using a hair dryer to warm the mixture on your hair.
Natural dyes usually fade after a few days and take on its true color. If you’re worried that your hair color will stand out too much for a work or school environment, consider dyeing your hair over the weekend to give it a few days to cool down.
Use an oil-based product like Vaseline cream along the hairline to prevent dryness.
If the dye gets on your skin, you can use olive oil or baby oil to clean it up.
If using pre-mixed henna dye, follow the instructions and wait for the time indicated on the package.
Wear an old button-down shirt that you won’t regret if it gets stained with dye.
If using leaves instead of herb powder, you need to grind the leaves into a paste and use as directed.
Henna won’t fade, so you’ll only need to reapply the color to the roots instead of re-dyeing your entire hair.

Warning

Do not keep dye mixtures within the reach of children and pets. You should also label the bowl of the dye mix in the fridge so others won’t confuse it.
Henna does not give an even color, but it creates more color in the hair and is more difficult to evenly spread on the hair than normal dye.
Be careful not to get the color in your eyes.
If you’re using a food brush to dye your hair, be sure to set it aside for dyeing, or throw it away after use. You probably don’t want to use that brush to prepare food.
If you use the sink to wash your hair, you should use a filter basket to prevent debris from entering the drain.
Henna is quite colorfast, so you should make sure you like the color you intend to dye before you do it. ^{[25] X Research Sources}
It can be difficult to find a hair salon that accepts henna dyed hair if you want to go back to dyeing your hair with chemical dyes later. ^{[26] X Research Sources}
Henna can straighten curls. ^{[27] X Research Source}

Steps

Experiment with natural colors

Using henna

Adjust hair color

Advice

Warning

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