The ingredients for a homemade hair dye usually depend on what a person's desired color is, as well as her natural color. Blonde dye can usually be made from chamomile or lemon juice, while brunette hair dye can often be made from a strong coffee brew. Henna and some vegetable juices, on the other hand, can be used to make red hair dye. More usual hair dye colors can often be made using unsweetened powdered drink mix. As with any type of hair dye, a test patch should be done before using a homemade hair dye.
A homemade hair dye can not usually be used to drastically change the color of a person's hair. For example, it can not usually dye blond hair jet black. These types of hair dyes must also be applied to the hair rather frequently, such as every few days. Experimenting with hair dye recipes can help a person achieve the desired results.
Homemade blond hair dye can be used to lighten blond or light brown hair. Chamomile tea is a common ingredient in homemade blond hair dyes. Some people also add lemon juice. After this mixture is applied to the hair, it should be dried naturally in the sun.
People with brunette hair can often darken their hair or cover gray hair with coffee. A strongly brewed coffee can be poured onto the hair, and apple cider vinegar can be used as a setting agent. This will often help the color stay longer. Most people let the mixture stay on the hair for several minutes, or even overnight. Tucking the hair into a plastic shower or swimming cap can make this task less messy.
Henna is a type of shrub native to parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. The leaves of this plant have been used for centuries as a dye. An acidic liquid, like lemon juice or red wine, is added to powdered henna until a paste forms to make a henna hair dye. The paste is then applied to the hair and allowed to set for several hours before being shampooed out.
Vibrant and unusual homemade hair dye colors can easily be made from packets of unsweetened powdered drink mix. Bright blue can be made from blue raspberry flavored drink mix, for instance, and purple hair dye can be made from grape drink mix. These types of homemade hair dyes will usually show up better in light hair, but they may create unusual highlights in dark hair.
To make a homemade hair dye of this sort, several packets of drink mix can be mixed with conditioner. This mixture can then be combed into the hair. The longer the mixture is left on the hair, the brighter the color will be.
Homemade hair dyes will typically react differently on different people. One should always test a homemade hair dye on an inconspicuous area before applying it to the whole head. This will help a person determine what color the hair will turn. Also, if any symptoms of an allergic reaction occur, the dye should not be used.
