Go Green! With Nature’s Own Hair Colorants

If you're concerned about the hazards that hair color ingredients present, you'll be glad to learn that you can achieve results similar to those possible with beauty shop products, quickly, inexpensively and safely. Just as men and women have done for thousands of years, you can change your basic hair color, put new highlights in your locks or naturally darken gray strands using natural hair colors. Most herbal dyes act progressively, that is, they should be used repetitively over a period of time until the desired shade is achieved. Herbal infusions cannot match the strength of commercial preparations; they simply enrich the natural color of your hair, so avoid trying to make drastic changes. Keep in mind that herbal dyes aren't permanent and will fade unless renewed occasionally.
Testing the desired herbal infusion is a must for ensuring the preferred color. You'll need to save some snips of hair from the nape of your neck or hair brush and prepare a small amount of whatever dye recipe you want to try. Apply it to a sample of hair, then rinse thoroughly and let it dry. Observe the result under strong, natural light, and if you want more or less color, simply adjust the number of rinses and/or the timing accordingly.

Chamomile is probably the most popular herbal hair colorant among blonds. Just about any yellow-blossomed flower or herb can be used on blond hair, including calendula, saffron, and turmeric. To prepare a chamomile rinse, steep half a cup of the flowers in a quart of boiling water for half an hour. The juice of two lemons can also be used the same way. Try to dry your hair in the sun after using a lemon rinse, in order to get the most from the treatment's lightening effect.
Egyptians have used henna for over 5,000 years to give their hair and an auburn tint. Henna is known as a safe, healthful dye, and — since it coats the cuticle layer of each strand — it'll actually make your hair feel thicker. Again, always try a timed test sample first. Otherwise, you might end up with an unexpectedly bizarre orange color. For reddish gold highlights on dark hair, measure one part of powdered chamomile and two parts of powdered henna into a nonmetal bowl, then add enough boiling water to make a thick paste. Stir in a tablespoon of vinegar (to help release the plants' colors) and let the blend cool for a few minutes. When the paste is lukewarm, put on a pair of rubber gloves (henna can stain your hands and fingernails) and massage it into your clean, wet or dry hair. Cover with a plastic cap and wrap a heavy towel around your head to hold in the heat. Leave the mixture in place for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The darker your natural hair is, the longer you'll have to wait for the blend to take effect. When the time is up, rinse your hair until the water comes clean, and then allow your newly colored tresses to air-dry. Do not shampoo for 24 hours, this will allow the color to “set”.

Sage is one of the oldest (and most effective) colorants for use on dark brown or black hair. A rinse made from sage leaves or ground sage can be used to deepen any brunet shade, and it'll also effectively cover gray in dark hair. A sage rinse can be made by steeping a handful of the dried herb in a quart of boiling water for 30 minutes (longer, if you want a darker tint). Cool the infusion, strain it and pour it through freshly shampooed hair 15 or more times. Then wait ten minutes before washing the liquid out with clear water. Again, do not shampoo. You'll have to apply sage rinses weekly until you produce the shade you want, and then continue using it once a month to maintain that color.

By experimenting with the formulas contained in this article, you'll be well on your way to achieving just about any hair shade you'd like, without resorting to expensive, unsafe chemical dyes.