According to a survey from the U.K., women alter their hairstyles about 150 times throughout their lifetime. Many times, coloring is a part of the process.
About 65 percent of women change their natural hair color. That's about a 7 percent increase from the 1950s. There is a good reason women do this: color makes us feel good!
However, traditional hair dyes are full of harmful chemicals that at high levels, have been linked to cancer, skin and respiratory irritation, and suppressed immune systems.
CHEMICALS FOUND IN HAIR DYES:
- Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs)- hormone disruptors
- Quaternium-15- releases formaldehyde, a known carcinogen
- Phenylenediamine (PPD)- a skin and respiratory irritant and dangerous to the environment
The NCI notes that hairdressers are prone to increased risk of bladder cancer, potentially because of coloring chemicals. Other studies have found correlations between personal use of chemical dyes and leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
WE AREN'T RISKING IT.
Upon reviewing the research, it's clear that we don't have enough studies to understand how coloring our hair maybe 6-10 times a year harms our health. But why take the risk?
Natural Options
There are so many natural ingredients we can use to create new hair colors. It depends on how much time you have, what color you want, and how intense you want it.
Keep in mind that natural dyes are not the same as chemical ones.
Also, it may take a few trials to get the color you're looking for.
USEFUL TIPS:
- If you're cautious about color, test a small amount of natural dye on a few strands that come off while combing.
- Rinse out the dye with apple cider vinegar to help the color last longer (one-tablespoon ACV in a cup of water).
1. COFFEE
Coffee is perfect for achieving darker color, covering gray hairs, or adding volume to dark hair strands. Brew a strong coffee (for example, espresso), then let it cool. Mix one cup with leave-in conditioner and two tablespoons of ground coffee.
Apply to clean hair and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Using apple cider vinegar as a final rinse makes the color last longer.
2. TEA
Black tea can help darken hair color and cover grays. For lighter hair, we recommend other types of tea. For instance, chamomile for blondes and rooibos for redheads.
Remember though; tea works best with your natural hair color. You can't turn blonde hair to brunette using tea.
For best results, make the tea highly concentrated. Use 3-5 tea bags in two cups of water. The cooled tea can be used alone or mixed with conditioner. To cover grays, add fresh or dried sage to the tea. It helps open up the hair follicles.
The longer you leave the tea in, the deeper the color turns out.
3. HERBS
- Red hair: Calendula, rosehips, marigold, and hibiscus will deepen red shades or add a few fiery highlights. The effects build up over time—if you keep using the dye regularly, the color intensifies. Simmer the flowers in water for half an hour, strain, cool, and then spray or pour on hair. Sun-dry the hair if possible.
- Brunette/dark hair: Sage, rosemary, and nettle work well for dark hair. Simmer all these herbs in water for 30 minutes, cool, strain, and brush/ spray through hair. Allow it to sit for about an hour. You may also rinse daily after showering. As with natural solutions, it may take several days to take effect.
- Blonde hair: In addition to chamomile tea, you can try saffron, calendula, marigold, and sunflower petals. If you want to hide grays, steep rhubarb root in two cups of water, simmer, strain, and rinse hair with it.
Adding black tea to the darker colors above helps the color last longer, while catnip does the trick for lighter colors.
4. BEET AND CARROT JUICE
These juices give beautiful, natural red tints. You can use each individually, or mix them depending on the desired shade. To achieve a more reddish hue, use more beet juice. Carrot gives a quieter reddish-orange.
Apply about a cup of the juice. Hack: If your hair is dry, mix in some olive or coconut oil to condition it. After applying, wrap your hair in a shower cap and leave on for at least an hour. Rinse, then seal in the dye using apple cider vinegar spray. Repeat this process the next day if the color isn't dark enough.
5. HENNA
Henna is a powdered form of henna plant leaves. Their coloring pigment has been used for generations to dye skin, hair, and nails.
Unadulterated natural henna gives a red-orange color. Products that produce other colors have mixed henna with other ingredients.
Henna works best for redheads and brunettes. Caution: the result can be overly orange. Mixing a little chamomile with the henna tames the color.
DIY henna hair dye: Mix one cup of henna powder with 2 cups lemon juice. (Adding a tablespoon of vinegar helps release the color). Give it 4-6 hours to thicken. Apply to hair and comb through gently. Cover your hair in a plastic cap and allow to sit 2-3 hours before rinsing.
Henna is also considered a good conditioner for your hair. As a result, it can make your hair stronger, thicker and shinier. It may also help to restore the natural pH balance of your hair, and scalp, too.
Henna is a permanent hair color. The color is most intense for the first 4 - 6 weeks. It gradually starts to fade after that, but can remain in the hair for quite some time.
6. LEMON JUICE
Jazz up your hair by doing a few highlights. Spray and brush freshly-squeezed lemon juice through your hair. Allow to set for several hours. Sitting in the sun causes more lightening. Blonde-haired girls can get more lightening by mixing with chamomile tea.
Since lemon juice works slowly, you'll need several treatments before seeing results.
7. WALNUT SHELLS
Looking for dark brown color? Walnut shells are the natural way to go. Crush the shells and boil for about half an hour. Cool, pour through a strainer, then apply to your hair. This dye catches on firmly and will stain everything it touches, so take precaution.
For a more intense dye, boil the strained juice again. Let it simmer down to a quarter of the original volume. Refrigerate to cool and pour through hair.
If you're short on time, use walnut powder instead of the shells.
Let the dye sit for at least an hour (more if you want more color), before rinsing. Use lukewarm to ensure the color lasts longer. Avoid hot water- this will remove the color.
Happy coloring!
With love,
The Sole Toscana Skincare Team.
