The moment you want to look different and new, changing the hair color is the first thing that strikes your mind. isn’t it? But how do you color your hair naturally? Nothing feels better than transformed hair because, oh it’s so amazing, it revitalizes your look and makes you confident. But don’t you think slathering your hair in the chemicals and risking your health is a little too much for a new look?
There’s nothing to worry about, there are certain natural ways to dye your hair. you can use these DIYs to darken, lighten or highlight your hair saving them from all the chemicals.
The Dangers of Regular Dye
Hair needs love and care just like we do, exposing them to dangerous chemicals is totally unfair. Did you know all that time when you were getting your hair dyed at a salon how much health have you been compromising on? The National Cancer Institute (NCI) states that there are over 5000 chemicals in hair dye products, with many of them being carcinogenic?
This means that long-term exposure to these chemicals can increase your risk of cancer. Although, most of the manufacturers have eliminated some of the chemicals, but a lot of the hair dyes still have:
Quaternium-15, which can release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen);
Alkylphenol ethoxylates (apes), which may lead to hormone disruption;
Phenylenediamine (ppd), which is a skin and respiratory irritant and has been classified in the European union as toxic and dangerous to the environment.
The NCI notes that some studies have found that hairdressers and barbers are at an increased risk of bladder cancer, potentially because of coloring chemicals. Other studies have found the personal use of hair dyes could potentially increase the risk of leukemia and non-hodgkin lymphoma, but results have been mixed.
Damn, this is bad! I am sure it is no more pleasant to be seated comfortably at a hair salon while the chemicals are seeping into your scalp. is it? Who doesn’t like to experiment with the looks? But there’s got to be a safer way…fortunately, there is!
Reaching out to natural solutions may save your glossy locks from the threats of chemical-ridden dyes.
DIYs
You have been pampering your skin all that while using your pantry and preparing some amazing DIY masks and lotions. But did you know, your kitchen has a lot for your hair too?
Your kitchen cabinets have everything you need to play stylist. Whether you want to darken or lighten up the hair color, add red, pink or any unnatural color to your hair I’ve got everything you will need!
The DIY hair colors will consist of all the natural products present in your pantry. The natural is more enhancing that the chemical ones, however, the results are temporary hence you need to follow the procedure once a week in order to maintain the vibrancy.
PRO-TIP: In order for the color to last longer rinse out your color with apple cider vinegar. You can also make an apple cider plus water solution, spray it on your hair after the application of color and don’t wash it off.
Going Dark
Coffee is this one ingredient that is going to help you if you are looking forward to dark hair or if you want to add some dimension to your tresses. All you need to do is, brew a coffee (I would prefer expresso because it does wonders) and let it cool.
Now, mix two cups of leave-in conditioner with one cup of your brewed coffee and two tablespoons of coffee grounds. Apply the mixture to clean hair, cover it with a shower cap and give it an hour to settle itself. You will need to repeat the same procedure several times in order to achieve the desired look.
Just like coffee, black tea can also help you in darkening your hair and hiding your grey hair. Chamomile tea is suggested for blondes, while rooibos tea may work for redheads. tea works best with your natural color which means you won’t be able to blonde hair brunette, or otherwise.
Make highly concentrated tea (including 3-5 tea bags), for two cups of water. You can either apply the cooled tea directly to hair, or you can mix it with conditioner (as noted in the coffee recipe). If you are looking forward to covering your grays, mix it with some fresh or dried sage, this helps to open up the hair follicles.
Looking for Highlights?
Wanting to get some highlights? Extract fresh lemon juice out of the lemons, store it in a spray bottle and spray it over your hair. Leave the mixture onto your hair for several hours. Sitting in the sun will help in bringing the color even more. Lemon juice, however, works extremely slowly hence you will need to repeat the process several times in order to get the desired look. Blondes can achieve further lightening of hair by mixing it with chamomile tea.
Be Bold and Go Red
Red dyed hair represents confidence and boldness. Dying your hair red will immediately turn you into a fashionista. Beetroot and carrot juice can be used for creating a red dye. For a deeper reddish tinge, use beet juice (strawberry blonde, deeper red, or auburn).
On the other hand, the carrot will produce a quieter reddish orange. Boil the sliced beetroot a little until the water turns deep red and the slices soften a little. Now use the mixture and apply it on your hair. For deeper red color, you can blend the entire mixture along with the slices of beetroot in a blender and then apply it on your hair.
Leave it for 20 to 30 mins on your hair and then rinse. If you have dark colored hair you will need to repeat this process the next day as well. Add a tablespoon of fresh ground ginger and two teaspoons of olive oil, this will add moisture and shine to your hair.
Henna
Henna has been one of the most popular ingredients for hair dye for decades. It is a natural product and does no harm to the hair. But you better be careful with henna, because at times the results are more orange than you’d like. You can, however, tame the color using chamomile tea.
You can also make your own henna dye by mixing about one cup of henna powder with 2 cups lemon juice. Let is set for 4 to 6 hours until it settles and then apply it to your hair and comb it. Wrap your hair in plastic wrap and allow to sit 2-3 hours before rinsing.
Wanna Rock an Unnatural Color?
Do you want to experiment with your hair and dye it blue or green or any other unnatural color? Using food coloring to dye your hair is the perfect way to test out an unnatural hair color. It’s easy to do and if you don’t like the result, the color will only last for about a month.
Add a few drops of food coloring into you conditioner until the desired shade is achieved. using a toothbrush comb the color into your hair evenly, cover the hair with a shower cap and sit for 5 to 6 hours. rinse the hair once the process is over, try lightening your hair using the lemon method in order to achieve best results.