All Natural Brunette Hair Dye

All Natural Brunette Hair Dye

I don’t have the world’s best hair. It’s very fine and therefore prone to breaking. It gets dry and frizzy (oh the joys of having curly hair) unless I condition it properly. That all would actually be kind of ok if I also didn’t start getting gray hairs at

the ripe ol’ age of 21. Sigh. What’s a gal to do?

Thankfully, this mask has been my saving grace!

I actually started using henna alone during junior high…my grandma used to dye her hair with henna all the time and used use some on me for shorter periods of time for its amazing conditioning and strengthening properties. When I haven’t been looking for any color-boosting properties, I’ve used a henna and yogurt conditioning mask with great success.

Once I started getting gray hairs, however, I started to look for an option that would not only get rid of the grays but also richen up my hair color. My hair is already pretty dark but I like the sheen and chocolate-y tones this hair dye gives me. I tried indigo alone but it faded quite quickly and made my hair look kind of flat in the color department. Then I combined the henna and indigo…I loved the color but I didn’t like the texture it gave my hair so much. Over time, I’ve added a few final tweaks to the recipe and really love the end result: great color and it actually leaves my hair in better condition!

Note: I’ve only seen this done on brunette or dark blonde hair so I can’t speak for how it will look on someone who is trying to go from light blonde to dark brunette…experiment at your own risk!

Note 2: This recipe was the perfect amount for my shoulder length hair. If your hair is very thick or long, I suggest doubling or tripling the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons indigo powder
• 1 tablespoon henna
• 1 teaspoon lime juice (or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid)
• 1 tablespoon aloe vera juice (optional, it is for conditioning…you can replace it with 1 tbsp water)
• 1 tablespoon lukewarm water

Steps:

1. Combine the indigo, henna, and lime juice/citric acid into an applicator bottle (I actually bought a condiments bottle for $1 at my grocery store instead).

2. Add in your aloe vera juice (if using) and water. Mix well.

3. While the mix “develops”, wash your hair with shampoo (or whatever it is you use to wash your hair with). I like using more of a “detergent-y” shampoo to remove any build up before doing this mask so I use my homemade shampoo (that works for hard water)…but I have used my soapnut shampoo or homemade moisturizing foaming shampoo when I didn’t feel like I needed that.

4. While still in the shower, gently press excess water out of your hair and then apply the henna and indigo mask all over your hair.

5. Put on a shower cap and get out of the shower. I suggest wearing clothes that you won’t mind getting a couple drips on and I usually wrap a towel over my shoulders as well.

6. Leave the mask on anywhere from 30-90 minutes. I highly suggest starting with a short amount of time and then increasing for the next application as necessary. I know how this color develops on my hair (plus it is pretty dark to begin with) so I leave mine on for a minimum of 90 minutes.

7. When it’s time to take the mask off, I either rinse my hair well while bending over my sink or I just hop in the shower again. I highly recommend finishing off the mask with an apple cider vinegar rinse because it seals the hair cuticle so that the color stays for longer and because it makes your hair look extra shiny afterwards!

Have you dyed your hair with henna or indigo? Tell me all about it in the comment section below!

Original article and pictures take http://digprimal.com/2014/05/12/all-natural-brunette-hair-dye/ site