Natural Black Hair Dye: Using Henna & Indigo for Chemical-Free Color

Turning a year older and you are freaked out about your white hair? While we love the look a new hair dye gives, and we know most of them have been our saviour in times of crisis and are also certified absolutely safe for use, we have to confess that most of us are equally freaked out by the chemicals used in our hair treatment and colours.

Fortunately, we now have the perfect solution for you, a natural and healthier alternative option that will help you cut down on chemicals, which happens to be our favourite too – Henna mixed with Indigo!

So read ahead and discover a new mix of natural hair dyes that could do wonders to your hair, literally.

What is Indigo?

Indigo is a natural hair dye obtained from a plant of species Indigofera tinctoria. This dye is dark blue in color. Indigo is mainly used for dying clothes (jeans, etc) and at other times used to treat scorpion bites and ovarian and stomach cancer.

Advantages Of Indigo:

• Indigo mixed with Henna gives your Hair rich brown colour
• Indigo applied over Henna treated Hair gives it a lush black colour
• Completely natural and doesn’t have any chemicals
• Gives your hair Shine and Texture

Note: Indigo could be a mild ocular irritant, it is advised to consult a doctor first.

Process to dye hair using indigo

Step 1: Dye you hair with Henna

• Use some petroleum jelly around your hairline so that the henna’s color does not get onto your forehead.
• Take a small portion of your hair and then apply henna to that portion. Wind that portion of hair in one direction tightly.
• Take another portion of hair, apply henna, and wind it in the opposite direction. Do it for all small portions of the hair.
• Due to the winding, hair will stay in its place without clips.
• Then wear a shower cap to make sure the color is not transferred here and there.
• Keep the Henna for at least 2 to 3 hours and then wash it using lukewarm water. It is advisable not to use shampoo or a conditioner.

Your white hair will become orangish in color. But don’t worry, that’s where we use Indigo.

Step 2: Use Indigo

If you have short hair then, take 100 grams of indigo, if you have medium length hair, then 200 grams of indigo will do and if you have long hair then you will need 300 grams of indigo. But if you have thick and curly then you may need more amount. Please do not do this process if you want to have light highlights.

• Mix indigo with water to get yogurt like consistency and apply it to your hair immediately.
• Cover your head with a shower cap and let it stay on for 30 minutes.
• Then wash it off with lukewarm water.
• Indigo will take one day to oxidize completely and thus you will have amazing black hair.
• Mix both henna and indigo separately with warm water, after some time add both the mixes together apply it on your head if you want to enhance the browning effect of indigo dye. This will darken you hair a bit.

And there you go! Jet black hair is all yours!

Here is a Video to help you with the process:

So there you have it, a lowdown on your new favourite hair colour treatment, henna and indigo. Hope you liked the post and do let us know in the comments below which are your preferred choices.