How To Naturally Darken Hair – smartesthairstyles.com – It is possible to darken your hair without having to use dyes. Many of the natural methods for darkening your hair use household ingredients — coffee or tea, for example — while others, like amla powder and mustard oil, may be harder to find. Most natural methods will only darken your hair very slightly over time; If you want a more drastic change, henna is a popular natural dye.
- Darken with Mustard Oil
Buy some mustard oil. You should be able to find it at a spice store or a grocery store that stocks Indian and South Asian foods. Be sure to buy the cooking oil (preferably cold-pressed), not the essential oil: mustard essential oil can irritate the skin.
Stop using the oil immediately if you notice skin irritation. You can even do a patch test (by placing a coin-sized amount of the oil behind your ear) 48 hours before using the oil.
You may also be able to find mustard oil in the international grocery section of your local grocery store.
Note that mustard oil is for external use only. Mustard oil is banned for consumption in the EU, US and Canada. The oil is rich in erucic acid, which can cause heart problems, anemia, and increase the risk of lung cancer.
Heat mustard oil. Before applying the oil to your hair, place it in a small bowl and gently warm it in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove. Be careful not to overheat it: just a little warmer than room temperature is fine.
If you haven’t warmed the oil in a bowl, after warming it up, put it in a bowl and take it to where you’re going to apply the oil to your hair.
Protect your clothing, skin and work area from stains. The oil could contaminate your clothing, skin, and work area. Take the following precautions:
Make sure you have old clothes or at least a towel over your shoulders to protect your clothes.
Wear gloves to protect your hands from oil stains.
Apply a layer of petroleum jelly or a thick moisturizer to your neck, ears, and hairline to protect from stains.
Cover your work area with newspaper or old towels.
Apply the mustard oil to your hair. Start with the ends of your hair. Once your ends are saturated with oil, work your way up towards your roots. Ensure that the oil is evenly applied to your hair as you go by gently massaging the strands between your fingers and/or hands.
You can apply the oil with your hands, with a hair dye application brush, or with a bottle applicator, which is made for runny products. You can purchase a hair dyeing brush or a bottle applicator at a drugstore or beauty supplies shop.
Massage the oil into your scalp. Once you’ve reached your roots, give yourself a scalp massage. This will help moisturize your scalp. Many people claim that rubbing mustard oil into your scalp can also promote hair growth, but there is little to no scientific evidence for this.
Make sure the oil is evenly distributed. Work your hands through your hair to ensure all of your hair is evenly coated with oil. Run a wide-toothed comb through your hair to ensure an even distribution.
Wrap your hair in a shower cap. In a pinch, you can also make a plastic grocery bag into a hat around your hair.
Leave the oil on for at least two hours. The oil takes time to soak into your hair. You can even leave it on overnight.
wash your hair Wash your hair with a mild shampoo. You may need to wash it twice to get rid of the oily feeling. Since your hair likely still has some oil in it, you might want to skip the conditioner so it doesn’t make your hair look greasy.
If you really want to use conditioner, only apply a small amount to the bottom half of your hair.
Repeat this up to three times a week. You can apply mustard oil to your hair up to three times a week.
- Darken with Amla Powder
Buy amla powder. Amla powder — a powder made from Indian gooseberries — is easy to find online but might be harder to find in your local stores. If you prefer to buy it in person, you may be able to find it in stores that carry Indian products or natural/herbal products.
Make a paste from the amla powder. Place 2 teaspoons (9.86 ml) of amla into a bowl. Then, add 1 teaspoon (4.92 ml) of any oil to the bowl— many people use coconut oil. Next, add 1 teaspoon (4.92 ml) of water to cover the amla and oil — hot water is recommended. Stir the ingredients together so that the mixture is smooth.
Add conditioner to the amla-oil-water mixture. Measure out 3 teaspoons (14.8 ml) of conditioner and add it to the mixture. If you have very long hair, you might want to double or even triple the amla-oil-water-conditioner recipe. Use a ratio of 2 parts amla, 1 part oil, 1 part water, and 2 parts conditioner.
Ensure that you’re wearing protective clothing. As amla does have darkening properties, wear clothes that you don’t mind being stained. You can also just put a towel over your shoulders if you’re confident that you won’t spill any of the mixture on your pants or socks.
Wet and divide your hair into sections. If you’ve washed your hair in the last 48 hours, then you needn’t wash your hair, as you’ll be shampooing the mixture out afterward.
If it’s been more than 48 hours since you’ve washed your hair, then your natural oils can prevent the amla from absorbing.
Add the mixture to your hair. Distribute the amla conditioner blend through your hair as you would a conditioning treatment. Make sure it’s evenly distributed, paying special attention to your scalp and the ends of your hair.
Amla has powerful antioxidant properties that make it very good for your scalp, so take the time to give yourself a little like a scalp massage while the mixture is on your head!
Leave the mixture on for 30 to 90 minutes. You may want to put a shower cap or plastic bag over your hair to protect your furniture and clothing.
wash your hair Use lukewarm water to wash away the mixture. Hot water can remove some of the color.
Repeat once a week. Amla has only very mild darkening effects; it could take time for any results to show. In general, amla powder is more widely known for its moisturizing and thickening properties.
It is more common to use amla in conjunction with henna, to aid with darkening and moisturizing the hair.
- Going Darker with Henna Powder
Purchase henna hair dye. You can purchase henna hair dye from a number of retailers — both in person and online. Most natural food stores and even some drug stores will carry henna hair dye. Many people swear by the hennas sold at shops that carry Indian products as these are believed to be purer.
If you buy henna from a natural foods or drugstore, read the ingredients to ensure that it only contains natural ingredients. Some manufacturers combine henna with the harmful chemicals commonly found in regular hair dyes.
Note that pure henna powder will dye your hair a reddish brown color. If you’re looking to go dark brown or black, it will likely have other plants (for example, indigo) in it. Just be sure to read the label to make sure that all of the ingredients in the package are natural!
If you want to use henna, remember that it is a vegetable dye, so it cannot be removed from your hair or lightened with bleach or other dyes.
Gather your other materials. You will need a stain-resistant bowl to mix the henna paste in and a whisk to mix the henna paste with. You’ll also need bobby pins to section your hair while you apply the paste, gloves to protect your hands, and a brush to apply hair dye.
You’ll also need something to cover your hair once the henna is applied: shrink wrap is a popular choice, but a shower cap or plastic bag will do just fine.
Protect your clothing, skin and work area. Dyeing your hair with henna can be pretty messy. Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting stained on. At least cover your shoulders with an old towel. To keep the henna from staining your skin, rub petroleum jelly or a heavy moisturizer around your forehead, neck, and ears. Protect your workspace with some newspapers or old towels.
Make a paste with the henna powder. How you make this paste will depend on the manufacturer’s directions, how much henna you need, and what color you prefer.
Common ingredients for a basic henna paste are boiling hot water, lemon juice, and the henna powder. The desired texture is similar to mashed potatoes.
Some henna manufacturers require you to leave the paste on for several hours before applying it. Read the instructions that came with your henna pack to see if you need to leave it on.
Divide your hair into sections. Use hair clips to divide your hair into sections. How many sections you need to part your hair into depends on the thickness and length of your hair. Aim for at least six: two at the nape of your neck, two near the middle of your head, and two at the top.
Apply the henna paste to your hair. With gloves on, apply the henna paste to your hair starting at the base of your neck. For each section of hair, start at the ends and work your way down to the roots. Once you’ve applied the paste to a section, clip the section back up so it doesn’t get in the way of the other sections of hair.
Make sure to add plenty of paste to each section of hair. You want your hair to be fully saturated.
It can be helpful to apply the henna with a hair dye brush. If it’s too clunky for the brush, don’t worry! It’s also okay to apply with your (gloved!) hands.
Wrap your head. Many people recommend using plastic wrap to cover the henna after it’s been applied. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you can also use a shower cap or a plastic grocery bag. The key is to ensure that your hair is covered and close to your head.
Wrapping your head is very important because it will keep the henna from drying out, which would make it stop working.
Wait. How long you let the henna sit on your hair will depend on the manufacturer’s instructions and how intense you want your color to be. You will likely need at least a couple of hours. Some people even leave it overnight.
wash it off Make sure you’re wearing gloves for this part or your hands will get stained. Once you’ve rinsed all of the henna out of your hair, you can shampoo and condition it as usual.
You may find washing your hair in the sink or under the faucet in the bath more effective. It’ll be pretty messy if chunks of henna come out of your hair, which is why many people prefer not to do it when they’re in the shower.
Look out for discoloration. For the first few days after henna dying your hair, the dye may bleed onto pillowcases and clothing, so be careful where you put your head until you’ve washed your hair a few times!
Avoid overuse of henna. If you use henna too often, it can dry out your hair and will build up on your ends, making them very dark and dull. Instead of doing an all-over application, just touch up your roots.
- Using Walnut Shells
Crush the walnut shells. Use discarded walnut shells or buy a walnut powder to use in place of the shells. The more shells you use, the more concentrated your color will be.
Boil the walnut shells for half an hour. Place the shells in a pot and cover them with water. Boil them on high for 30 minutes.
Allow the water to cool. You can let the water sit out to cool, or you can place it in the refrigerator to speed up the process. You must let it fully cool before handing it because you could burn yourself.
Strain the water into a container. You’ll be using the toned water to darken your hair, so strain it into a container that you can use. Remember that the water stains everything it touches, so be careful not to spill it or get it on your skin.
Apply the tinted water to your hair. Use your tint brush, squeeze bottle, or cotton ball to apply the tinted water. Make sure it covers your hair completely.
Let it rest for an hour. Leave the product in your hair for an hour. If you want a really dark shade, leave it on longer. The longer you wait, the darker your hair will become.
Wash in lukewarm water. Hot water can wash out some of the color, so wash in lukewarm water instead. Keep washing your hair in lukewarm water to keep your darker color.
- Darken with Conditioner
Buy a shampoo and conditioner made for brunette hair. Use the darkest shade possible. These products will bring out your highlights and deepen your darker tones if you already have brunette hair.
You can buy these products at most drug stores. Some hair salons may have more effective (but also more expensive) versions.
Wash and condition your hair as usual. Use the brunette-specific hair products as a regular shampoo and conditioner.
To repeat. The more often you wash your hair, the sooner you will see results. If you wash your hair every day or two, you should see results within a week or two.
Add cocoa powder to your shampoo. If you don’t want to buy brunette-specific shampoos, many people claim that you can darken your hair by adding cocoa powder to your shampoo in a roughly 1:1 ratio.
Fill a bottle 1/2 full with shampoo and 1/2 full with cocoa powder, then shake vigorously until the two are fully mixed together.
- Go Darker with Black Tea
Make a strong pot of black tea. Let it cool to a temperature where you can insert your fingers into the tea and move them around without it hurting.
Place the black tea in a large bowl. Ensure that the bowl is large enough that you can fit your hair into it.
Soak your hair in the tea for about 15 minutes. Allow the product time to absorb into your hair.
Wash your hair. Rinse the product from your hair using lukewarm water.
Repeat every day for two weeks. It will likely take about two weeks for your hair to look darker. After that, you may be able to maintain the color by soaking your hair once a week. Depending on the quality of your hair, it could return to its lighter color sooner.
Try a variant. A variation of this method is to steep 3 heaping tablespoons (44.36 mL) of loose black tea leaves and 1 heaping tablespoon (14.79 mL) of rosemary leaves in 4 cups (960 mL) of boiling water for about 45 minutes, then allow to cool to let.
After shampooing and rinsing your hair, pour the mixture over your hair. Leave it on under a plastic cap for at least 30 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water.
Get Darker with Coffee
Prepare a strong pot of coffee. Add enough water for about 3 cups of coffee. Add at least twice the amount of ground coffee you would normally use for drinking.
Let the coffee cool down. Be careful not to burn yourself. You can let the coffee cool to room temperature or put it in the fridge to cool it down faster.
Pour the coffee over your hair. Put your head in the sink or stand in the shower, and then rinse your hair with the coffee at least three times.
Another method would be to pour the coffee into a large bowl and then dip your hair in and hold it there for a few seconds.
Wash and condition your hair. Remove the coffee from your hair with lukewarm water.
To repeat. You should find that your hair gets a few shades darker each time you use this method.
Try a variant. Mix 2 cups (480 ml) of leave-in conditioner with 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) of organic coffee grounds and 1 cup (240 ml) of brewed coffee (make sure the coffee is cold first!). Add this to your hair and leave it on for about an hour before rinsing it out.
