Indigo for Black Hair:

Sometimes indigo is called "black henna". But don't confuse this with PPD. Indigo is a natural plant. There are different qualities of indigo. Some poor quality indigo is coarse and unsifted...and often too old to color well. Our indigo is finely sifted and won't leave bothersome pieces of indigo plant in your hair and is not coarse to use. Our indigo is also fresh.

How to use:

1. Mix your indigo in hot water or hot lemon juice and allow to sit for a couple of hours until completely dissolved.
2. Put your indigo paste into an applicator bottle with a nozzle...the kind you can get from beauty supply stores.
3. Apply the indigo evenly throughout your hair.
4. Cover your hair with a plastic cap. Use tissue around the edges of your plastic cap to keep the indigo from running. Cover with a towel.
5. Keep on your hair for at least 2 hours. Some people will require longer time.
6. Remove cap and rinse the indigo thoroughly from your hair.

I find it is best to apply indigo after a henna application. You can also mix your indigo with neutral henna powder to condition during your indigo application.

To cover white hairs, it is best to henna the hair first to darken it and then use the indigo to shift the darkened hair to black.

Hair color results with indigo will range from very very dark dark brown, black to bluish black depending upon length of time you leave the indigo on your hair and how your hair takes the coloring. If dark brown results are obtained initially when using your indigo. Your second application will take your hair to black.

Some things to know:

• Use gloves when working with indigo.
• Indigo will dye your clothes, so use protective covering or just some old clothes you don't mind messing up.
• Your towel is going to have blue stains from the indigo. So designate yourself and indigo and henna towel.
• Indigo on bathroom tile and sinks washes right away. In grout, you have to work at it.
• Indigo on skin will wash away with little effort.

Logwood: May also be used to obtain black coloring.

Yellow... Blondes and light brownish blonde tones

Onion Skins: Pale yellow to light brown
Chamomille Flowers: Pale yellow. Conditions hair and makes it shiny.
Osage Orange Dust: Bright yellow
Tumeric Powder: Golden yellow
Ginger Powder or Roots: Soft Yellow
Fenugreek Powder or Seeds: Range of yellows
Safflower Powder: Pale to Golden yellows
Tansy: Range of yellows
Fustic: Pale to darker yellows
Goldenrod Powder: Mid Yellows
Marigold Flowers: Mid to pale yellows
Annatto Seeds: Full range of yellows from deep golden, golden to pale. Annatoo is used as a food coloring for cheese and butter. (Do not boil. Soak seeds and then crush with a potato masher or food processor.)

Reds:

Beets Root Powder: True red
Paprika Powder: Deep orangish red
Madder Root: Red to Red/Browns and orangish (Do not boil. Soak instead)
Brazilwood Dust: Reds to orangish/reds

Orange/Reds and Browns:

Black Walnut Hull Powder: Dark browns
Henna: Red and red browns*
Cutch: Light to mid range of browns
Red Sandalwood: Range of browns

You can mix these dyes with water and boil down to make a concentrated dye liquid. Mix the concentrated dye liquid with your neutral henna powder or Lotus Powder Plus or henna powder. The more concentrated your liquid, the better the color results. *Mix henna with lemon juice and follow instructions for preparing henna paste.

For best results place roots, skins and flowers in a teabag or tea ball. Powders will dissolve in hot water. Dust will release dye in hot water but resulting concentrated liquid may need to be strained.

Natural dyes have a window of effectiveness. Most should be mixed when you are ready to use them. Once mixed, most should be used within 24 hours. There are some exceptions to this like henna and indigo.

Your natural dyes are safe to mix together to try your hand at developing your own colors. How you mix and prepare your dyes determine their effectiveness and your color results. So you are in charge.

Check out our Natural Dyes available.

Not up to mixing your own? Check out our Herbal/Henna Hair Colors. We've done all the work for you.