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The natural way to dye

by Sidra Shaukat

question
I am an Asian woman in my late 50s and my hair has started going grey - but annoyingly only in a few places. Is there a natural way of dyeing my hair? I have heard that chemical treatments can damage the hair and am keen to find a natural alternative. I tried Henna, but the effect is far too reddish. Any ideas?

answer
Try mixing medium brown and dark brown henna with coffee that is lukewarm and very hot or boiling. The henna is usually in powder form, so mix in the coffee gradually to have the consistency of porridge, the henna should not be too watery, but a semi-solid paste. Coffee will give a richer colour, or you may also want to try tea, which gives a deep colour due to it's tannins. Add apple cider vinegar (available from most supermarkets), 1-2 tablespoons should be enough(add more henna powder if needed to thicken the paste), to act as a fixative. These results should last five to six weeks.

Another famous vegetable dye is chamomile which gives a yellowish shade. Mix two parts of powdered chamomile flowers (available from health food shops, perfumeries or pharmacies, if you have difficulty finding this, try using chamomile tea, brewed strong, so that the colour is very rich) with one part kaolin (available over the counter at most pharmacies, this is a clay like paste used in most masks). Mix to a semi-solid paste with hot water, and smear directly onto hair, leaving for as long as possible.

To buy Sidra Shaukat's book Natural Beauty (Chrysalis Books, £5.99) click here

Why not chat to other iVillagers about hair on the Hair Care message board. Take a look at some of the LIVE discussions happening now on the board:

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