Naturally ‘dye’ your hair, no chemicals, no lead, no 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)
– hair breakage or weakening, excessive processing
– discoloration or drying of the skin
– unpredictable coloring (mainly with homemade dyes)
In addition to the undesirable effects listed above, there are more serious health issues that are potential problems from chemical hair dyes. While there is some debate about the reality of hair coloring problems, you simply don’t need to take the risk.
There are posts about 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 various blood cancers.
– Some experts suspect that hair bleaching can kill brain cells.
– A known human carcinogen, 4-ABP, has been found in some household hair dyes.
Natural hair colorants such as Henna, Indigo, Cassia and Amla vegetable powders (click on each to read more about it) can be safely used to enhance or change the color of your hair. They are vegetable powders that are mixed with lemon juice, water and/or yogurt, in your own home, to make a paste that is applied to the hair and scalp.
Since they are natural and do not remove the natural pigment in your hair, the color you get with these powders will depend on the color of the hair you are dyeing. For example, henna alone used on white hair will produce red, while pure henna on brown hair will result in auburn hair.
These powders are also safe to use on colored or chemically treated hair. They are safe to use as often as you like. If you dye your hair with these powders and get a color that isn’t 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 settle into 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 similar 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 fixatives in them. 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 swatch of hair (pull the hair out of your brush for this) to see what the resulting color will be on your hair.
HOW TO USE THESIS NATURAL DYES
If you are using Amla or Indigo, you do not need to pre-mix the powder with lemon juice. JUST MIX HENNA or CASSIA WITH LEMON JUICE AND LET STAND OVERNIGHT. Indigo and Amla can be mixed and matched with the henna when you are ready to apply it.
Regardless of which combination of powders you use, follow these guidelines when mixing:
100g combination powders for short hair
200 g for straight hair up to the neck
300 g for shoulder-length straight hair
500 g for waist-length straight hair
Keep in mind 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 plastic wrap and let it rest overnight at room temperature or in a warm area. As henna or cassia remains, the acid in the lemon juice will release the color of 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 a hot place! Your henna will be ready in two hours at 95F.
Once the paste has finished settling, add a little more lemon juice or fragrant tea to make the paste as thick as yogurt. Add a little at a time to get the right consistency.
For Indigo or Amla, simply mix with enough water to make a paste with the consistency of yogurt. This doesn’t need lemon juice. Just use warm water, adding a little at a time so it doesn’t get too diluted. Once you have mixed your Indigo or Amla, you can mix all the pastes you plan on mixing. Be sure to stir it all the way through so you don’t get any strands.
You can also apply a paste first, let it sit, rinse it out, and then apply another paste to your hair later. If you apply the pastes at separate times, you will get a deeper or darker color.
For example, to get a very deep black hair color, you should dye your hair with henna first, and then dye it with indigo after the henna hair has dried. 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 messy, so wear gloves to avoid getting tattooed with the paste. You can prepare smaller amounts to cover the roots between full colorings. There is evidence from medical tests 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 your hair, then comb it through. 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 icing. More henna makes for a richer stain and better coverage. Go down 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 with plastic wrap. Cover with an old towel if you like, but the towel can be stained if the paste gets on it. Clean exposed skin to avoid staining it.
Allow the paste to sit in your hair for 2-4 hours before checking the color. If your hair is very resistant to dye, you can keep it longer. Find a comfortable place and rest if you wish. If you plan to move, make sure you wrap the hair well or it will start to drip or seep out of the plastic.
Finally, wash the henna mixture out of your hair. Simply rinse with warm water. You can jump in the shower or hang your head over the tub and rinse most of it off. Finish removing the paste by washing the last with shampoo. Dry and style as usual.
Your hair will likely have a distinctive odor 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 out the plant residue, and rinse your hair with lavender or rosemary tea to combat the odor. herbs. Or, you can add cinnamon to the paste before applying it.
At first, henna-dyed hair may appear shiny brassy. Do not panic. This will darken over the next few days if you used an acid mix. Body art-quality henna easily stains the hands and feet, but not the ears or the back of the neck. If you wiped off the henna, you won’t see anything at all. If you didn’t clean it, the stain will fade in about three days.
Your hair will take 3 days to settle into true color. This is the oxidation process like when an apple turns brown when exposed to air. Be patient and don’t panic. Coloring is best done on a Friday night when you don’t have plans for the weekend so you can let it settle before heading back to work on Monday. Thicker and longer applications mean richer color. Apply henna as cake icing. Lower 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 skin, hair, and nails a reddish-orange color. It strengthens the 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 sit for some time. The skin then carries 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 among 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 colorant, known as FD&C Blue No. 2 in the US. The sodium salt of indigo is used as a colorant 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 dark tones in chestnut colors. It’s a basic, or alkaline, paste, unlike henna, so it doesn’t need lemon juice to activate. Creates strength and shine along the hair shaft.
Amla comes from the fruit of a deciduous tree, which is called Emblica Officinalis. All parts of the plant are used for various Ayurvedic herbal preparations, including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark, and flowers. It is commonly used in inks, shampoos, hair oils, and to fix dyes in fabrics. 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 your hair every day. It has a smell of raw blueberries and tree bark. Amla enhances 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 sits overnight, mix in the amla (1/3 to 1/2 the amount of henna you used at first), then add water to make the mixture a yogurt-like consistency. Complete the process as above.
Cassia is an excellent conditioner for any type of 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 turn 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 for 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. Try it for yourself, and you’ll be glad you did.
