 If you are anything like me, you love the look of a fresh new hair colour, but hate the chemical ingredients that go into most conventional hair dyes.
Even many of the so-called "natural" dyes actually contain a number of nasty chemicals, if you read the fine print.
So is there such a thing as a truly chemical-free hair dye? Thankfully, yes, there are some safe and naturally effective plant-based ingredients you can use.
Henna is the original, and possibly the best-known, of all natural hair dye ingredients, having a history thousands of years long. Henna, scientifically named 'lawsonia inermis', gives the hair a lovely red-orange tone.
The depth and intensity depends on the hair's natural colour, because henna, like other natural dyes, coats the hair shaft rather than chemically altering its structure. And yes, it even works on greys.
Natural henna has only one colour, so beware of any pre-packaged "hennas" that claim to colour your hair blonde, brown or black. Some of them contain chemical additives, so make sure you read the ingredients labels carefully.
Luckily, it is possible to dye your hair naturally with colours other than red. Indigo, or 'indigofera tinctoria', is a plant that produces a dark voilet-blue dye. It can be used in conjunction with henna for dying the hair various shades of black or brown.
The percentage of henna and indigo in the mix can be adjusted to suit your desired result, for example, if you want an auburn colour try a ratio of 2 parts henna to 1 part indigo. If you want a dark brown try mixing 1 part henna to 2 parts indigo.
Jet black hair can be achieved in a two-step process by applying henna first (to "fill" the hair, giving it a red base colour), then applying pure indigo second (for the blue-black finish).
Cassia, or 'cassia obovata' is sometimes (incorrectly) labelled 'neutral henna'. When used alone, it offers a subtle golden blonde shade to naturally light-coloured hair, or alternatively it can be combined with henna for strawberry blonde shades.
Amla, or 'emblica officinalis' offers a conditioning treatment for medium to dark-coloured hair, and while it does not contain a dye pigment as such, it can be effectively used in conjunction with henna and indigo to create cooler tones and enhance dye absorption.
So where do you find these ingredients?
If you're lucky, your local health food store may stock henna (but make sure you read the ingredients labels, as per the note above, to ensure you are getting a pure product).
Otherwise, check out Henna Moon, an Australian company that stocks all of the above ingredients, in addition to a selection of all-natural pre-blended hair colours, complete with application instructions.
Happy colouring!
x Penny
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