DIY Natural Hair Colours
Colouring your hairs has been a huge trend for god knows how long. If you thought this was something started by the fashion industry you are probably wrong people have been colouring their hairs since the age of Neanderthals !!!
Obviously, there were no hair colours back then but still, the ancient people managed pretty well. It was common to use different plant and animal extracts to colour their hairs, clearly for reasons other than just looking good.
Take the example of red hairs which were initially thought to be related to witchcraft but later people started using henna to colour their hairs red. People used to bleach their hairs with caustic soda to get blonde hairs!!
But all thanks to the discovery of Paraphenylenediamine and hydrogen peroxide ‘ L’Oreal’ and the concept of chemical hair colours was born!!
How Do Hair Colours work?
There are three different types of hair colours available in the market and each of them works differently.
Temporary Colours: These are more like hair paints. The large colour molecules enter the spaces between the hair cuticles and just coat the outside of the hair. The colour fades quickly within a few washes. They are generally available in bright colours like blue, red, etc.
Semi-Permanent or Demi-Permanent Colours: This type of colour bonds with the hairs chemically. The small colour molecules penetrate the hair follicles and enter the edge of the cortex of the hair. They fade regularly but stay for longer than temporary colours. They don’t have ammonia but a little peroxide is present.
Permanent Hair colours: This type of colour penetrates hair follicles and the cortex of hairs and reacts with melanin (natural hair pigment). It never washes off. Usually contains both ammonia and peroxide.
Why Chemical Hair Colours Are Dangerous?
They can cause cancer !!! Hair colours contain a lot of chemicals and these can enter the skin causing a cancerous environment. There is a lot of research going on this but think about this, “How can something which can penetrate your hair cortex be not harmful?”
It contains heavy metals. There are a lot of metals in chemical hair colours which can penetrate your skin and cause heavy metal poisoning. The darker the colour, more heavy metals it contains.
It damages hairs. Chemical hair colours damage your hair texture, strength, and overall health.
Benefits Of Natural Hair Colours
They have no Heavy Metals.
No ammonia and peroxide (if used regularly chemicals such as these can build-up)
Can be used even if you have already coloured your hairs with synthetic colours.
Can be applied anytime, no gap needed.
Even if you have sensitive skin you can use it.
DIY Hair Colours
Before starting let me warn you that these are natural colours don’t expect your hair to turn from black to blonde, for that you will have to change your hair colour pigment and that can only be done by chemicals. If you are expecting that then natural hair colours are not for you but if you are looking for enhancing your natural colour, covering greys, giving a natural coloured tint to your hairs or highlighting depending on your actual hair colour then go ahead.
Brunette/ Brown Hair Darkening Tips
Walnut Hair Color
Ingredients:
2 cups of walnut shells
2 cups of water
6 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups apple cider vinegar
⅔ cup of sunflower oil
20 drops rosemary essential oil
Directions:
Take walnut shells and crush to a fine powder in blender or food processor.
Add the powder to 2 cups of water and simmer for 30 minutes.
Let the solution cool down for an hour.
Strain the solution and keep in a glass jar.
Apply the solution on your hairs from roots to ends and let it stay for at least 2 hours ( longer if you want a deeper shade).
Rinse with lukewarm or cold water.
In a bowl mix, 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 cups apple cider vinegar, ⅔ cup of sunflower oil, and 20 drops of rosemary essential oil.
Add this lemon solution to the walnut solution and apply on your hairs.
Let it stay for 5 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm or cold water.
Blackberry Hair Colour
Ingredients:
2 ½ cup of water
3 fresh blackberries
¾ cups of fresh blackberry leaves
Directions:
Add blackberry leaves and blackberries to a saucepan filled with water and cover.
Heat on medium and once the water starts boiling turn the flame to low.
Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Let the mixture cool down for 20 minutes.
Strain the solution.
After shampoo rinse your hair with this solution.
Coffee Hair Colour
Ingredients:
4 cups organic dark roast or espresso coffee
1 cup of water
1 ½ cup apple cider vinegar
8 drops lavender oil
5 tablespoon almond oil
Directions:
Add coffee to the water (1 cup) and stir.
Brew the coffee mixture and then let it cool.
Add lavender oil, almond oil to the brewed coffee and mix well.
Apply this solution to your hairs after washing them and let it stay for 1 hour.
Now rinse with apple cider vinegar.
Potato Hair Color
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup of fresh peels from 5 potatoes.
3 cups cold water
1 ½ drop of rosemary oil
Directions:
Fill a saucepan with water and add potato peel to it.
Keep the saucepan on medium heat.
Turn the flame to low when water starts boiling.
Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Set the mixture aside and let it cool.
Strain the mixture and add rosemary oil to it.
Apply the mixture to your hairs after shampooing.
Let it dry.
Know which is the best hair removal method for you?
Black Hair Darkening Tips
Lavender And Mint Black Tea
Ingredients:
½ cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of fresh lavender leaves
1 cup of water.
Directions:
Mix the herbs and vinegar together in a bowl.
Add water and boil it.
Let the mixture cool.
Strain the mixture and apply on your hairs after shampoo.
Rinse after an hour with cold water.
Thyme And Rosemary
Ingredients:
1 ½ tablespoon fresh thyme
1 ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary
3 cups of water
1 cup of coconut milk
3 papaya slices
7 drops rosemary oil
3 tablespoons almond oil
Directions:
Add thyme and rosemary to water and let it boil.
Set the solution aside and let it cool down.
Strain the solution and place in a bowl.
Pour coconut milk in a blender.
Add papaya, rosemary oil, and almond oil.
Blend till you get a creamy texture.
Add thyme and rosemary water to this creamy mixture and apply on your hairs.
Leave for 5 hours.
Rinse with cold water.
Red Hair Enhancing Colors
Beetroot And Pumpkin Colouring Mask
Ingredients:
Juice from 4 beetroots
½ cup honey
6 sliced and cooked pumpkins
12 drops of sea buckthorn oil
Directions:
Place the beetroots in a blender and blend it to form a pulp and then strain the juice in a bowl.
Add honey to this juice.
Place the ingredients left in the blender and make a creamy mixture.
Now combine beet juice with the pumpkin cream.
Shampoo and then dry your hairs.
Apply the mask on your hairs.
Cover your head with a plastic wrap or a shower cap.
Leave this mask overnight.
Rinse your hairs with warm water in the morning and apply conditioner.
Marigold Highlighter
Ingredients:
⅔ cup of crushed marigold flowers
Water
¼ cup of red wine
Directions:
Add the crushed flowers to distilled water and then heat on medium.
Once the water starts simmering reduce the heat and let it boil for 20 minutes.
Let the liquid cool and then strain it in a bowl.
Stir red wine into the liquid.
Now shampoo and then rinse your hairs with this liquid and keep a bowl in the sink to catch this liquid.
Rinse at least three times with the solution.
Let your hair dry under the sun.
Know how you can get a flawless makeup look?
Grey Hair Coverage
RoseMary-Sage Hair Colour (For Dark Hairs)
Ingredients:
2 cups hot water
½ cup dried sage leaves
½ cup dried rosemary leaves
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a pot and let it simmer for 30minutes. Now, keep this solution for several hours.
Strain and pour the liquid onto your hair and leave to dry. Rinse and dry hairs.
Repeat this weekly until you obtain the desired shade and then repeat monthly to maintain that colour.
Sadly the colour builds up cumulatively over some time. Being natural this is not an instant fix.
To build up faster you can rinse your hairs with this solution daily also.
Golden Blonde Hair Colour (For Light Hairs)
Ingredients:
2 cups of water
¼ cup of fresh turmeric or 2 tablespoons of ground turmeric
Directions:
Pour water in a saucepan and boil it.
Stir the turmeric in boiling water until it completely dissolves.
Remove the turmeric mixture from heat and let it cool.
Protect your neck with a towel and hands with gloves and apply the solution on your hairs roots to tips.
Leave for 15 minutes.
Rinse afterward.
Highlighting Tricks For Light Coloured Hairs Or Blonde Hairs
Saffron Golden Hair Tint
Ingredients:
1 Bunch of saffron threads
Water
1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
¾ avocado
8 cherries (peeled and pitted)
A handful of lavender
15 drops of vanilla oil
Directions:
Boil water in a saucepan and add some saffron threads to it.
Allow saffron to soak in the water.
Strain the water and add lemon juice to it.
Now rinse your shampooed hairs with this water and repeat this 15-20 times.
After the last rinse let it stay for 15 minutes.
Rinse your hairs with cold water.
Combine the remaining saffron and lemon water with the other ingredients left and blend it to get a creamy texture.
Apply it to your hairs and leave for 15-20 minutes.
Rinse with cold water.
Lemon-Chamomile Hair Streaking Tea
Ingredients:
½ cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons of chamomile tea (strong)
Directions:
Pour the lemon juice and chamomile tea in a spray bottle.
Shake well.
Pull a straw hat over your hairs and pull out selected hairs you want to streak out of the holes using a pencil. If you don’t have a straw hat just use a shower cap and cut out some holes in it.
Spray the mixture on the selected hairs.
Sit in the sun for two hours and don’ forget to apply sunscreen.
The Ultimate Henna Colour
This is by far the most common natural colouring method used by women. But as soon as you visit any salon the first thing the professionals there would say that henna damages hairs it makes your hair rough. As far as damage is concerned I don’t think henna can damage your hairs more than synthetic colours can and it won’t cause cancer for sure !!!
Henna is a versatile hair colour. You can use henna to cover greys, get a reddish tint ( if you don’t have jet black hairs) and to enhance your naturally red hairs. But henna does make your hairs dry. So, I am giving you the ultimate solution. By using this DIY henna mask you can easily colour your hair without any dryness.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon amla (Indian Gooseberry) powder
2 tablespoon yogurt
1 tablespoon fenugreek
1 tablespoon Nigella seeds / Kalonji
5-6 curry leaves
Henna powder according to the length of your hairs
Any hair oil
Water
Directions:
Boil fenugreek, nigella seeds, and curry leaves in water and let it simmer for at least 15-20 minutes.
Use this water to make a henna paste. Make sure that the paste is made in an iron utensil only.
Add yogurt and amla powder to this paste.
Keep this paste overnight.
Now apply oil on your hairs from roots to tips. (Don’t worry you will get the colour even with oil on and this will not make your hairs dry)
Apply henna paste all over your hairs.
Cover your hair with a plastic wrap or shower cap otherwise if henna dries out it will be really difficult to wash it off and it will cause a lot breakage.
Keep it for at least 4 hours
Now wash your hairs thoroughly with cold water and then shampoo.
So, now you are ready to colour your hairs naturally. So, throw those harmful colours away and just give the salon staff a look the next time they laugh at the mention of natural hair colouring.
Feel free to browse through my other DIY beauty tips to stay healthy and beautiful and if you tried any of these recipes please mention your experience in the comment section.
