How to Naturally Dye Your Hair

Lightening Your Hair

Try lemon. If you want to lighten your hair naturally, try using lemon. Lemon may be able to lighten your hair a shade or 2. Mix a cup of water with two tablespoons of lemon juice. Then, apply it to wet hair and allow your hair to dry naturally. See if you notice a lightening effect. Wait until your hair has dried on its own to wash or rinse. Repeat this treatment once a week to slowly lighten your hair. Don't do it any more than this or you could damage your hair.

Use honey and vinegar. Honey and vinegar can also work together to lighten hair naturally. A simple recipe using honey and vinegar can be used on your hair if you want to lighten its natural shade. Use raw, unpasteurized honey, which you can find at most health food stores. Use a cup of raw honey, two cups of distilled vinegar, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and a tablespoon of ground cardamon or cinnamon. Mix the ingredients together into a paste. Run your hair under the shower to get it damp. Divide your hair into sections. Apply the paste to each section from roots to tips. Wrap your hair using plastic wrap and keep the wrap secure using a shower cap or swim cap. Leave the mixture in overnight. Then, wash it out in the morning.

Use baking soda. Simple baking soda works by stripping your hair of the chemical buildup that can darken your locks. Mix a small bit of baking soda into your shampoo when showering once a week. With time, your hair should begin to lighten. This method might take a few weeks before you get your desired effect. This method works well for people who have already dyed their hair using professional dye or who use many styling products.

Consider cinnamon. The common spice cinnamon can actually help lighten hair. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to a small handful of your regular conditioner. Evenly coat your hair, working from the roots to the tips. Pull your hair back, securing it with clips or ties when necessary. Cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Leave in overnight and then rinse and shampoo in the morning.

Add salt. Salt mixed with water creates a natural lightening agent you can safely use on your hair. Mix one part salt without about 5 parts water. Rinse the mixture into your hair and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Then, wash your hair. See if it gets any lighter.

Lighten hair with a homemade leave-in conditioner. Gather juice from three lemons, two bags (four grams) of camomile tea steeped in one cup (eight ounces) of boiling water, one teaspoon (5 grams) of cinnamon, and one tablespoon (0.5 ounces) of almond oil. When the tea has cooled, strain out the leaves and combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and transfer to a spray bottle. Shake before use and spray the mixture on the areas of your hair that you want to lighten. Expose your hair to the sun for 10 to 15 minutes, making sure to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from the UV rays.

Enhancing Blond Hair

Prepare for a chamomile rinse. To enhance the natural blond color of your hair, rinse chamomile tea into your hair. If your hair has brown streaks from sun exposure, for example, a chamomile rinse may be helpful. First, prepare the tea. You can use a regular tea bag, but for best effects try to purchase chamomile flowers online or at a local health food store. Steep half a cup of flowers in a quart of boiling water for half an hour. Then, strain and cool the mixture.

Shampoo your hair. While waiting for the tea to cool, shampoo your hair. Do so as you normally would, using your regular hair care products. You will add the chamomile after your regular washing regimen.

Add the chamomile. Once you finish washing your hair, you can add the chamomile. Soak your hair in a basin of the rinse at least 15 times. You can also apply it to your hair and cover your head with a shower cap. When you finish, wring out any excess moisture. Let the mixture set for half an hour and then rinse out your hair using clear water. If you can't find chamomile flowers, you can also use calendula, mullein blossoms, yellow broom flowers, saffron, turmeric, or quassia chips.

Try rhubarb if chamomile is ineffective. A chamomile rinse might not work for everyone. Many blonds use rhubarb root to enhance their hair color. Rhubarb tends to add a honey-colored glow to naturally blond or light brown hair. Take three cups of hot water and pour them over four tablespoons of rhubarb root, chopped into small chunks. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the concoction and soak your hair in it. Rinse your hair with clear water and let your hair air dry. If possible, let your hair dry in the sun as this will enhance the dyeing effects.

Getting a Brunette Shade

Decide on the right henna mixture for you. You can use henna powder to bring out your hair's natural brunette shades. However, how you prepare a henna mixture depends on the specific shade of brown you're trying to achieve. When used alone, henna can produce an orange-red shade. For a brunette color, it's a good idea to mix henna with other herbs or roots. However, if your hair white, gray, or another very light shade you may be better off using henna solo. If you have dark hair already, mix henna with some chamomile to lighten its effects while keeping the red-brown tone. Use one part powdered chamomile and two parts powdered henna.

Prepare your paste. Once you've decided how dark you want to go, prepare your paste. Take the henna powder, with whatever additives you're using, and throw in enough boiling water to produce a paste. Then, add a tablespoon of vinegar. Blend well and allow the mixture to sit until lukewarm to the touch.

Apply to your hair. First, run your hair under clean running water to get it damp. Then, slip on a pair of rubber gloves. Massage the paste into your scalp and hair. Brush your hair using a fine-toothed comb to make sure the mixture is evenly distributed throughout your hair. Then, place all your hair under a shower cap or swim cap. Leave the paste in for 30 minutes to 2 hours. If your hair is darker, wait longer.

Rinse your hair. Remove the shower cap and rinse your hair under clean running water. When you are don, the water should run clean when leaving your hair. Allow your hair to air dry. Dry your hair in the sun, if possible, to increase the dye's effects.

Increasing Your Hair's Dark Colors

Try a sage rinse. If your hair is black or very dark brown, you can bring out these natural colors using sage. If your hair is graying, sage can also serve to hide gray hairs. Use dry sage, which you can buy at most supermarkets. Steep about a handful of sage in a quart of boiling water for at least 30 minutes. Allow it to cool. Strain the sage and water. Then, pour the mixture over your hair 15 times. Make sure to catch the mixture as it falls through your hair, using a bowl or basin. You'll want to re-use the same substance. Allow it to sit in your hair for 30 minutes before washing it out with cool water. This is a method that takes awhile to work. The effect will build over the course of a few weeks. Repeat this process weekly until you get the shade you want. From there, re-dye your hair once a month to maintain that shade.

Use alder bark. If sage does not work for you, you can try using alder bark. This is a botanical substance that produces a slightly lighter shade than sage. It can be used to lighten graying locks or darken naturally blond hair. Obtain bark chips from a health food store or buy them online. Simmer an ounce of the chips in a quart of water for about half an hour. Cool, drain, and use the mixture the same way you would use a sage mix.

Try walnut hulls. Simple walnut hulls are something many swear by when it comes to darkening hair. Walnut hulls (the nuts' outer casings) stain easily, so be careful when using this method. It's a good idea to wear gloves. Walnut hulls also require a lot of preparation before they can be used on hair. Crush the hulls into a paste. How much you use depends on how much hair you have. You want to be able to coat your hair completely, so you'll need more for longer hair. Cover the paste with boiling water and a dash of salt. Allow the paste to soak for three days. Then, add 3 more cups of boiling water and simmer for five hours. Make sure to simmer the walnut paste in a non-metal pan. Strain the liquid and place the remaining bits of walnut hulls in a cloth sack. Twist the sack very tight, making sure to strain out any remaining juice. Place the remaining liquid in a pot and boil it until it's about a quarter of its original volume. Add a teaspoon of ground allspice to the remaining water. Place the mixture in your refrigerator for about a week. Then, apply to your hair as you would a sage or alder bark mixture.

Use tea to change your hair color. Although the coloring teas made by steeping plants in water aren’t as permanent or strong as commercial dyes, they can still change the color of your hair, especially if you repeat the treatment frequently. To darken hair with tea: Choose a loose-leaf black tea or black tea powder and steep one-half cup (72 grams) of tea in two cups (16 ounces) of boiling water. Allow the water to cool with the leaves still in it. When it reaches room temperature, strain out the leaves and transfer the tea to a spritzer or spray bottle. Spray your scalp with the tea water and massage it gently in to the roots of your hair down towards the tips of your hair. Twist your hair or pile it on top of your head and secure it with a large plastic clip. Then, cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap and let the tea sit for an hour. Rinse with lukewarm water only and style as usual. For best results, repeat on a weekly basis.

Make hair darker with coffee. Like tea, coffee also contains tannins that can be used to change your hair color. With coffee, it’s easiest to grind one tablespoon (15 grams) of instant coffee granules into a coarse powder in a coffee grinder or with a pestle and mortar. Mix the powder into a cup (eight ounces) of your favorite conditioner. When you bathe, use the coffee conditioner instead of regular conditioner. Each time you use it, let the conditioner sit in your hair for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing it out.

Blend grey hairs with sage. Add to a small pot one tablespoon (15 grams) each of fresh or dried rosemary, nettle, and sage. Add two cups (16 ounces) of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. When it’s boiling, continue simmering for 30 minutes, and then remove it from the heat to cool. When the mixture has boiled and cooled to room temperature, strain out the herbs and transfer the infused water to a spray bottle. Spray the herb water on your hair after every shower, comb it through your hair, and style as usual. The sage will help cover greys, the rosemary will give your hair a nice shine, and the nettles are a great restorative.

Adding Red Tints

Give henna a try. Henna is a plant-based powder that has been used for centuries to dye hair, skin, nails, and much more. Although the powder is green, henna will naturally dye your hair a reddish-orange. Mix about three tablespoons (45 grams) of henna powder with enough boiling water to form a thick paste. Then, let the mixture sit in a cool, dark place for about 12 hours. When the mixture is ready, put on disposable gloves and apply it to your hair with a tint brush. Pile your hair on top of your head and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let sit for at least one hour, and for as long as four hours for a more intense color. Rinse with water and a gentle conditioner when your time is up.

Use beet or carrot juice. To add red tints to your hair, try beet or carrot juice. For deep reds and strawberry blonds, use beet juice. For a more orange-red color, go with carrot juice. All you have to do is add about a cup of juice to your hair. If your hair is dry, you can add in a splash of coconut oil to condition your hair at the same time. Beet and carrot juice be used to create deeper and more purple tones in your hair. When you finish, wrap your hair in a towel or shower cap and let the juice sit for about an hour. Wear older clothing and gloves while you wait, as these juices can stain easily. Beet stains, especially, are difficult to get out. Rinse the juice out after an hour. If you want a darker color, repeat the process the next day.

Give your hair a richer red with tomato juice. Open a fresh can of tomato juice. Reserve about two cups (16 ounces) of juice and refrigerate the rest for other uses. Either dip your fingers into the juice and then massage the juice into your hair and roots, or apply the juice to your hair with a tint brush. When all your hair is saturated, pile it on top of your head or twist your hair up and secure it with a clip or bobby pins. Cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Repeat weekly for best results.

Try tea. If you already have reddish hair, using tea can enhance your natural color. It will not, however, create a red tinge on its own. Use rooibos tea if you want to enhance your natural red shades. Other effective herbs and flowers to use for red hair include calendula (marigold) flowers, hibiscus, and rose hips. Use 3 to 5 teabags in two cups of water. Let cool, and then apply to your hair. You can mix the tea in with conditioner or simply add it on its own. You should let the tea sit in your hair for at least an hour. For a darker color, leave the tea in longer. Then, rinse out thoroughly. Alternative: Steep the herbs in the water until it has cooled to room temperature. Transfer to a spray bottle and apply as before. Wrap your hair in plastic and rinse with water after an hour. Repeat weekly.

Apply herbal treatments. Herbs can be used to create a reddish color for your hair. However, this is a slower method. You'll need to apply herbs over time to bring out your desired shade. Use 2 cups of water, half a cup of calendula flowers, and 2 tablespoons of hibiscus petals. You can buy herbs at a health food store or purchase them online. Add the herbs to boiling water and let simmer for at least an hour. Strain the flowers and then store the remaining water in the fridge. Every day, use the mixture as your final rinse in the shower. Repeat this process until you reach your desired hair color. Then, rinse your hair with the herbs every few days to maintain the color.

Avoiding Pitfalls

Test your hair first. You'll want to test out any natural hair dye method before using it. Your hair may react poorly to a certain method or produce a color you dislike. Dye a small portion of your hair first, using a lock from the back of your head. See if you like the results before attempting to dye your own hair.

Do not attempt major changes with natural dye. Natural hair dye will not dramatically change the color of your hair. It seeks primarily to enhance your hair's existing shades. For example, if your hair is a dirty blond using chamomile can produce a lighter, more yellow blond. However, adding henna to naturally blond hair will not turn your hair brown. If you want to completely change your hair color, it's better to go to a salon.

Use caution if you've dyed your hair at a salon previously. Some salon products may cause your hair to react poorly to certain natural hair dye methods. As always, test the method on a small piece of hair before attempting to dye all your hair. You may also want to call your stylist and ask her what products he or she used and whether they interact poorly with natural hair dyes.