TIPS
Moisten ur hair
Pre Soak henna and indigo in separate container and then mix them just b4 application. pereoil ur hair to avoid dryness can add pinch of salt in indigo colour for colour absorption. keep varying the proportion to suit to ur need.
Use INDIGO To naturally dye your hair deep reddish, brown or black shades
COMBINE henna and Indigo FOR YOUR PERFECT SHADE What it is
Indigo, Indigofera tinctoria
Indigo powder is from the ground leaves of the indigo plant which contains a deep blue dye used for centuries for textiles including the original blue Levi Strauss jeans!
The leaves are harvested, dried, and ground into a powder for use in textiles, arts, and as a natural hair colorant.
What it does * Indigo combined with a henna application on hair can produce deep rich red/brown shades through a rich jet black color without any chemicals!
This is considered safe for those with chemical sensitivities and during pregnancy or while nursing. A doctor should be consulted if you have any concerns.
Indigo with Henna is a great replacement for modern chemical dyes if you are having a reaction or eczema caused by chemical color. This is your solution! * Indigo blended with henna creates a medium brown to rich deep brown hair dye * Indigo applied over henna treated hair makes a lush black hair color * Adds richness, shine, and texture * Covers gray hair * Use as often as you like for healthy dark brown to black hair color * Non drying * NO chemicals, preservatives, PPD or nut derivatives
How to use it:
As a BROWN dye: * Go brown, auburn, chestnut, or chocolate with your hair naturally!
For Brown, auburn, chestnut, or chocolate hair coloring use a 1 step process by combining indigo with henna * First
Prepare henna paste and allow to sit for 12-24 hours until the dye has released. * Second * Mix indigo into the henna paste, you may adjust the consistency with warm water until it’s the consistency of thick yogurt.
Allow to sit for 15 minutes * Apply the indigo/henna paste to dry or damp hair in sections, completely coating all the hair down to the roots.
It’s easiest if you Start from the back and move forward. Wear gloves to protect your hands from being stained and drape an old towel over your shoulders to protect clothing. * Wrap your hair in a shower cap or plastic wrap and allow to soak in for 1-6 hours * Rinse or shampoo to remove any residue
Condition to soften hair (some people skip the shampoo) * Repeat: Monthly for healthy, thick and shiny, dark locks
*the higher proportion of indigo to henna the darker the color will be
*the longer you allow the paste to soak in the darker and richer the color will be
*Takes about 2 days for the color to oxidize and show it’s true shade
As a BLACK or Deep Brown dye: * Go bold. black and deep brown hair naturally!
Use henna first for your base tone and then indigo to create rich black hair color in this 2 step process * For Black and deep brown hair coloring use a 2 step process. Apply henna to your hair for a deep red base then apply the blue indigo to create the rich deep browns and blacks. * First
Apply a henna paste to your hair to create a rich red base. Follow directions for henna here. * Second
Apply indigo over the freshly hennaed and washed hair to create the deep black color * Mix indigo with warm water until it’s the consistency of thick yogurt.
Optional, add 1 teaspoon salt per 100 grams of indigo powder for darker color. Allow to sit for 15 minutes * Apply the indigo paste to dry or damp (previously hennaed) hair in sections, completely coating al the hair down to the roots. It’s easiest if you Start from the back and move forward. Wear gloves to protect your hands from being stained, drape an old towel over your shoulders to protect clothing. * Wrap your hair in a shower cap or plastic wrap and allow to soak in for 1-2 hours * Rinse or shampoo to remove any residue
Condition to soften hair (some people prefer to just use conditioner) * Repeat: Monthly for healthy, thick and shiny black locks
Takes about 2 days for the color to oxidize and show it’s true shade
For a scent you may add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your paste mixture.
Storage
indigo powder: fridge, or cool dark place. paste: use immediately as indigo paste does not freeze or keep well.
How Much do I need
Short Hair 1 Box or 100 Grams
Shoulder Length Hair 2-3 Boxes or 200-300 Grams
Long Hair 4-5 Boxes or 400-500 Grams
What else you need to know Disclaimer
*We recommend you perform a strand test before using any of these recipes or products on your hair to be sure you like the color and result.
Test the product on a small section of your hair or on hair harvested from your hair brush.
When using natural products please keep in mind that every product will react and color your hair uniquely. The result will be different and unique on everyone depending on hair type and condition. There are many ingredients and recipes to try, have fun experimenting!
You may deep condition after the herbal dye treatments to counteract dryness.

Scalp Irritation
Cream of tartar, AKA potassium bitartrate, is one of the ingredients in Sweet'N Low. It has a low pH buffer, while saccharin [another main ingredient in it] also has an acidic pH. Because of these properties, it is believed that the addition of artificial sweeteners helps neutralize some of the ammonia used in hair color and mitigate irritation."
Witch Hazel is a natural astringent that can help relieve itchy scalp. This herb is beneficial when you have an itchy scalp due to hair coloring and daily blow drying.
Allergens: paraphenylenediamine (PPD),Peroxide and ammonia
Recently, many manufacturers have started to produce permanent and demipermanent hair coloring products in which PPD has been replaced with para-toluenediamine sulfate (PTDS). These products are as cosmetically elegant as the corresponding products containing PPD.[1] Unfortunately, PPD and PTDS are closely related ingredients (Fig 1), and it is possible that individuals who are allergic to one of these ingredients may also be allergic to the other.
Go for Alternative Products that Might not Trigger Hair Dye Allergies
As we have seen, paraphenylenediamine and other chemicals, it is a good idea to go for based on Para-amino diphenylamine (PADA), 3-nitro-p-hydroxyethylaminophenol or paratoluene diamine (PTDA) which are much safer. They are though less dark or deeper in color but they are less sensitizer for most people. In addition, buy vegetable-based dyes or henna dyes, which normally do not cause allergic reactions.
Some of the safe products to buy include the ammonia free hair dyes, hypoallergenic hair dyes as well as all natural hair dye. Furthermore, use temporary hair dyes, sprays, rinses, and highlight (bleaching agents) without PPDA and go for lead oxide dyes that can help in darkening grey hair. Some of the safe hair dyes to buy include Advanced Cosmetic Technologies Permanent Hair Coloring Kit

Treatment with Sweet N Low
It never fails. Every time I color my hair, I end up with a miserably itchy scalp that flakes a few days after treatment. You might think I'm crazy to put myself through this torture every six weeks or so (unless you're the same way), but I just can't stand to have glistening silver roots. And if you're wondering why I haven't tried other brands to correct the problem. Trust me, I have. No matter how natural or gentle a brand claims to be, my scalp gets irritated.

So when I explained my situation to pro hairstylist David John at the Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon in Los Angeles, he had a simple, but surprising, solution: Sweet'N Low. Yes, as in the artificial sweetener.

He just added a few packets of the sweet stuff to the hair dye, before application, then let it sit in my hair to develop. It was just one extra little step that felt like a complete miracle to me. My scalp didn't itch, the color still looked beautiful post-rinse and I didn't see any change in my scalp a few days later.

Of course, I had to find out the science behind this discovery so I asked cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos to explain. She says, "Cream of tartar, AKA potassium bitartrate, is one of the ingredients in Sweet'N Low. It has a low pH buffer, while saccharin [another main ingredient in it] also has an acidic pH. Because of these properties, it is believed that the addition of artificial sweeteners helps neutralize some of the ammonia used in hair color and mitigate irritation."

Really? I couldn't believe someone hadn't suggested this to me before, after all these years of coloring and complaining. Either way, I had to share my newfound knowledge. If you get an irritated scalp when you dye your hair, you might as well suggest this solution to your colorist to see if it works. I'm completely sold on it and think it's worth a try before you commit yourself to a dye-free lifestyle.