Get Red or Dark Hair Color Naturally: 5 DIY Ways
Hair dyes are packed with chemicals that not only damage your hair, but also your skin and overall health. Just as your hair strands absorb dye, so too do your scalp and skin pores. Thank Mother Nature for her bounty, as there are many ways you can go about coloring your hair without using toxic dyes. The following five ways to get dark hair color naturally are effective, cheap, and accessible.
1. Black Coffee or Tea
For a light darkening, feed your hair coffee or tea. Brew a pot of black coffee or tea and let cool. Pour about ½-1 cup at a time over your hair, using your hands to massage it into the strands. Let cool before repeating. Collect the excess in a bowl or a plugged sink to reuse. After 8-10 rounds of pouring and drying, let the coffee dry one last time before rinsing with water and washing and styling per usual.
2. Beet Juice
For a reddish tint, slowly massage 1 cup of beet juice into dry hair (you may want to use gloves to avoid staining your hands), being careful to avoid surrounding skin on your face and neck. Place a towel you wouldn’t mind throwing away around your shoulders and let your beet-juice-damp hair hang out for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before rinsing. Repeat daily until satisfied with your hair color, then repeat as you see necessary to maintain.
3. Black Walnuts
This is a great technique for blondes who want a drastic dark, but natural, change to their hair color. Crack about 10 black walnuts without removing the shells and place them into a medium-sized pot of water. Bring the water to a boil before reducing heat to a simmer. Let the mixture cook for about 15-25 minutes with a lid. Take the pot off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Strain and apply the remaining liquid to your hair with a hair dye brush. To be thorough, apply the liquid layer by layer, making sure the get from the root to the tip from the bottom to the top of your head. Pull hair up with a clip and cover with a shower cap. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes before rinsing. Be sure to check its progress every 5-10 minutes so that you don’t overdo it. Also, because black walnuts make for a very effective dye, wear clothes you don’t care much about and be careful not to get any of the mixture on your skin or surrounding area – it will stain!
4. Sage and Rosemary
Sage and rosemary act much in the same way black tea does – it offers subtle darkening. Boil dried sage and/or rosemary in a pot of water until the water becomes dark like black tea. Remove from heat, let cool, and strain the mixture. Apply to hair and brush through strands so that it is evenly and thoroughly distributed. Let the sage and rosemary water set for 20 minutes before rinsing. Repeat as necessary.
5. Rose Hip
For a light reddish tint, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup of rose hips. Let boil until the water becomes dark red. Remove from heat, let cool, strain, and massage into hair. Let the rose hip water set for 20 minutes before rinsing. Repeat as necessary.
Photo Credit: See Creatures
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