Dying hair with henna and indigo --- Please help. :)
By Oneironaut
@_sketch_ (5742)
United States
March 12, 2012 4:54pm CST
Has anyone here dyed their hair with henna and/or indigo? I am going to do it this week and I was wondering:
a) if anyone knows how to dye it a dark blue color. I have looked on line and I have read of people dying it black, sometimes with bluish tint; and a light blue using only the indigo. My plan is to dye it first with henna. Then doing two applications of the indigo. I plan on leaving all applications in for a long time before rinsing. I have a dirty blonde to light brown natural color hair. If I cannot achieve the dark blue, I am hoping for a blue-black.
b) After it is dyed, should I use a color safe shampoo and conditioner or does it not matter as with synthetic dyes? If so, any recommendations that fit a small budget?
Any other tips?
2 responses
@almond24 (1248)
• Hungary
13 Mar 12
Hi Sketch, I never tried indigo, only used henna.
Maybe you should do a test with just hair strands first?
I don't know if it's possible to get dark blue with henna+indigo, it's more likely to color your hair dark brown. Henna itself always gives a reddish color, I guess it depends on your luck and your natural color if you can get a dark blue or black color. I can only suggest to do a test...
Henna needs 2-3-4 days to oxidize and become darker after using it. When I use henna I don't even apply shampoo until the next wash, but I use a lot of conditioner. Henna can be drying. I don't think you need any special shampoo or conditioner.
Henna is permanent, you don't need to be afraid that it washes out if you use 100% pure henna. I read that indigo can fade though, so maybe color safe shampoo helps with that.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
13 Mar 12
Henna and indigo is only supposed to get a brown color if you mix the two when dying. I am going to first do an application of the henna and then the indigo which makes a black. I know that the black sometimes has a blue tint to it, so I am hoping that by doing two applications of the indigo it will make it more blue. It's so weird how much of a variation a person can get with natural dyes. It's not so simple as the synthetic dyes.
A few websites suggested doing a test with the hair from my brush, but I was having all sorts of issues with it, so I don't know. I am thinking I am just going to wing it.
@almond24 (1248)
• Hungary
14 Mar 12
It's true that with natural dyes we get all sorts of variations, depending on the original color, the time we leave the dyes on, etc... But I have only seen pretty henna and indigo results on hair. I admit I almost never did strand tests either.
I have read too that if you apply indigo after the henna, you are more likey to get blue or black color. I have fingers crossed that it will turn out the way you like it!
@fantasticbabe (981)
• Philippines
13 Mar 12
i do not really apply hair dye by myself, except black. the other color dye i use to have it in the parlor and the expert handle. since, i have sensitive hair so extra care should be need before undergone such as dyeing my hair get so difficult as the chemicals seep getting my hair dry and out of control. so definitely for a good result i only rely on an expert. there a lot of cheap dye hair but some makes me feel itchy.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
13 Mar 12
What I am talking about is not chemicals. They are plants.
