Since the days of the Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt, the quest for the perfect hair coloring solution has gone on far and wide. In ancient times, those hoping to change the color of their long, flowing locks used berries, the bark of brightly-hued trees and concoctions made of different mineral compounds. The results were varied, and nearly always temporary.
With time and technological advances, hair coloring went from subtle changes using natural ingredients to chemical cocktails that are used every day without a second thought. The introduction of chemically-treated hair colorants has now evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. Hair shows are competitive events that fill convention centers in major cities all over the world. Make no mistake, hair color is a really big business, and it could be making us sick.
People, and especially women, have been altering their hair color for thousands of years. It’s not some passing fad that is going to go away when given enough time. However, we need to consider that women can absorb as many as five pounds of damaging chemicals every year thanks to beauty products we use on a daily basis.
In recent years we have started to do a much better job of focusing on what we put IN our bodies, but we have lost sight of the impact of what we put ON our bodies. Can you imagine what percentage of those pounds of chemicals is being absorbed through your scalp as you sit for up to an hour under the foils at the hair salon? Just think about what rinsing all of those chemicals down the drain might be doing to our environment too! Surely there must be a safer alternative to the harsh chemical compounds found in today’s hair coloring products?
A Safe Alternative to Dangerous Chemical Formulas?
Though it’s hard to find an unbiased source on the exact numbers, to say that roughly half of American women color their hair is a pretty conservative estimate. That’s A LOT of added chemicals if they’re all using commercial hair dye! Thankfully, after thousands of years of continuous use, we can safely say that there are alternatives to the harsh chemicals and strong odors typically found in commercial hair coloring products.
There are many natural approaches that allow great results without the health risks that are associated with commercial hair dyes. From natural ingredients like henna, to vegetable dyes and even garden variety tea steeped in your kitchen at home, there are many safe ways to deepen rich shades of brown, add highlights to blonde locks or add a little extra heat to red hair.
While the steeped tea method is certainly a safe and fun way to spend an afternoon playing alchemist in the kitchen, the results are pretty unpredictable. It can take multiple applications to get it just right, and who has time for that?
The granddaddy of natural hair colors, henna, has been used in many cultures around the world for centuries. Like steeped tea, henna also coats the hair rather than penetrating the shaft, though it does last longer. The trouble with henna, and especially the purest sources of henna, is that the color selection is somewhat limited. The good news is that you can buy quality brands online. We recommend the Henna Guys brand.
The most consistent, radiant hair colors are actually found in another plant-derived dye- Indigo Powder. It has also been used for centuries to add beauty and depth to the hair color of men and women alike. The challenge with indigo powders is finding a good, clean source of the plant, without traveling to Southeast Asia.
Choosing the Best Indigo Powder for Hair Color
Just like finding the perfect color in commercial hair dyes can take a lot of trial and error to get the right shade, the right blend, and the right frequency, so can finding the perfect blend of natural hair color. We can tell you that we have done a lot of reviews to come up with a source that we felt was worthy of recommending to our readers, and the hands-down winner was
Indigo Powder from The Henna Guys.
Their formulation is completely natural with no chemicals or metallic salts, and it is derived from sources that are completely free from the use of pesticides. Better still, it is vegan-friendly and never tested on animals. Indigo Powder can be used on its own, after a Pure Henna application, or it can mixed with directly with henna for different, dramatic results.
Is Indigo Powder Safe for Everyone to Use?
The best thing about the natural formulation of Indigo Powder is that it is safe for use by everybody. While the use of the Indian Mehndi, or henna, is more widely known for use in body art, Indigo has also been widely used for body decoration in since the days of ancient Persia. The beautiful hues can be safely used everywhere on the body because it is natural – assuming it comes from a natural source!
Any reports you may have heard about skin reactions when using Indigo Powder or henna are likely due to chemical additives to modify the color or to add a different scent. Check the label to make sure the ingredients are listed clearly. For example, Indigo Powder from The Henna Guys lists only one ingredient: Indigofera Tinctoria. That is the scientific name for 100% pure indigo.
Does Indigo Powder Cover Grey Hair?
Because it is 100% natural, everybody CAN use Indigo Powder safely. However using it alone will not work well to cover grey hair. Those hoping to use it to cover grey hair can get much better results by using Indigo Powder on pure henna dyed hair.
Choosing to live with fewer chemicals in our lives is a good choice for our overall health, but it doesn’t have to mean going back to the days of covering up outgrown roots with a decorative scarf! The richness and depth of color that can be achieved with Henna Guys Indigo Powder, on its own or mixed with henna, can provide stunning results on hair of every color.
