Indigo for hair is a powder obtained from the fermentation and drying of the leaves of the tropical plant Indigofera Tinctoria .
Indigo for hair has dyeing properties and is used in Black Henna for its ability to give hair dark tones ranging from brown to black, with light shades of blue.
In addition to dyeing hair, indigo has beneficial properties for hair: it envelops the hair cuticles, protecting them from external stress and making the hair thicker and shinier.
Indigo powder is therefore useful in the restructuring treatment of fine, fragile or damaged hair ; it is also excellent as a treatment for greasy hair due to its antibacterial and sebum-balancing action.
How to dye your hair with indigo?
Indigo is a completely natural dye that allows you to obtain dark tones, from brown to black.
To color your hair with indigo, simply mix the powder with hot water, adding a pinch of bicarbonate or salt to improve the release of pigments and to fix the color.
There is no need to let the mixture rest, you can apply it immediately on clean hair.
Indigo alone cannot bind to the hair's keratin and therefore, if used alone, will tend to discharge very quickly.
To keep the color longer, you can prepare a dye mixture with red henna (lawsonia) or other herbs depending on the effect you want to achieve.
To intensify the color and fix it well, I recommend you apply indigo close together, even once a week, to allow the pigments to fix well on the hair.
Remember that indigo releases a blue pigment and cannot be used alone on blonde or white hair, which would turn green or light blue!
Be careful if you use indigo and want to bleach your hair : the risk of green-blue reflections is very high!
Indigo for hair: preparation and application
Preparing Indigo requires some essential accessories for a safe, precise and clean application.
Prepare gloves, a bowl, an application brush, a cream to protect the skin at the hairline, and dark towels.
I recommend applying the mixture to clean hair to optimize the color yield.
How much indigo powder to use?
The quantities suggested are general and vary based on the total mass of the hair. If in doubt, I recommend preparing a more generous dose of product: the hair must be well covered by the mixture. If there is any left, you can always freeze it for a later application.
- Very short hair: 50 gr
- Short hair: 100 gr
- Hair on shoulders: 150 gr
- Very long hair: 200 - 250 gr
How to prepare indigo?
If you don't have white hair, just prepare the mixture with hot water, mixing until you obtain a creamy paste and apply it to clean hair.
If you have white hair , remember that indigo does not cover the whites but makes them bluish.
To cover gray hair with indigo, I recommend you proceed with a double pass :
- 1st step should be done only with Lawsonia to tone the whites, with a pose of approximately 40 - 50 minutes;
- 2nd step with a mix of Lawsonia and Indigo to fix the color and allow you to obtain hair with full and uniform color.
Create a thick, non-drip mixture (the ideal consistency is that of yogurt) and distribute it all over your hair.
Cover your hair carefully with cling film or a shower cap and leave it on for at least 40 minutes.
To get the most benefits from indigo for hair, make sure you use pure indigo, without the addition of chemical additives .
Often, in fact, low-quality powders are added with synthetic dyes, which increase their dyeing power; always use a pure, high-quality indigo for healthy and shiny hair.
Yumibio Curiosities:
Did you know that the use of indigo is very ancient?
The people of Asia used Indigo to dye clothes as early as 2000 BC, and the ancient Egyptians also used it in the same way. There is even an ancient Babylonian tablet from the 7th century BC that contains a recipe for using this dyeing herb on wool. In Europe, on the other hand, the population used Indigo as a cosmetic herb, as a medicine, and as a paint pigment.
Did you get a result that is too dark? You can get rid of your unwanted dye quickly and naturally! Find out everything in our guide !
If you want to know everything about how to dye your hair with henna naturally, discover all our tips in the henna and natural dyes section of our blog !
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