Plant-Dye vs Synthetic Hair DyeUsing a plant-dye is becoming a more and more popular choice as more and more people suffer from chemical dye-related hair problems. Unfortunately, in spite of all the advertising that appears to say otherwise, modern sophisticated dyes do not come trouble free, they contain quite a cocktail of strong chemicals that require allergy testing before use (every DIY dye kit comes with instructions to do an allergy test) because some individuals may have a severe allergic reaction to the mixture. 
Apart from any possible medical concerns the most obvious result from using a synthetic hair dye rather than a natural plant-dye is that the synthetic dye will change the feel of the hair, alter the natural lustre and weaken the hair shaft so that it is prone to breakage. No matter what qualities your hair has before you begin to dye it, after using chemical hair dyes you must get used to thinking of your hair as ‘damaged and dry’ and treat it accordingly. (Find a recipe for a natural hair conditioner
here).
It could look great, but if you don’t treat it very carefully it will not stay looking great. Changing the colour of your hair is not a spur of the moment thing (as many synthetic hair dye packs suggest) it is a long-term commitment. You might want to think carefully about whether the temporary pleasure of a change in your reflection is worth the long term damage. Yes, I use the word temporary. Even permanent dye is temporary. The effect fades a little each time you wash your hair and is also prone to fading in sunlight to the extent that many women repeat or change the application after only a very few weeks, rather than just touching up the roots. The damage done to the hair shaft by using a chemical or synthetic hair dye is permanent - until it grows out or is cut off.
Chemical Hair DyesYour first choice is whether to go for a permanent dye or a temporary dye. And whether you prefer a chemical application or a natural hair dye. I will deal with chemical dyes first. The difference between temporary and permanent as far as appearance goes is not quite as well defined as it appears. Even permanent dyes are fairly temporary, in appearance anyway, since the initial effect fades quite quickly. Temporary dyes (one’s designed to wash out) can become more permanent with the use of hair styling appliances which ‘bake’ the colour into the hair making it more difficult for the dye to wash away. The Temporary colour coats the external area of the hair shaft and is designed to wash away, however some absorption into the hair can occur (depending upon the nature and quality of the individual hair as well as the use of heat) causing a more long-term effect.A permanent dye (usually containing hydrogen peroxide) enters into the structure of the hair shaft destroys the natural colour and replaces it with a false one. The hair shaft remains permanently damaged until it grows out. The long term effect does not look as good as immediately after the initial application. The hair shaft is damaged, looses strength and lustre, often breaks or splits giving a less than satisfactory overall appearance.
P-Phenylenediamine or PPD is a very common chemical found in Preparatory hair dyes. Even in the so called natural hair dye or herbal hair dyes. It is more abundant in the darker colours but will turn up pretty much in all of them no matter which brand you buy. This is the chemical usually responsible for any allergic reaction you might have which is often followed by hair loss. If you come out in a rash after colouring, have an itchy or burning sensation or simply go red, it is more than likely to be this chemical that is the culprit. Ah well I hear you say… I haven’t had any of those symptoms so that doesn’t apply to me… wrong. Repeated exposure to this chemical may cause heightened sensitivity that ultimately results in a full allergic reaction. Basically you may get away with it for many years but eventually it could catch up with you. The worst case scenario (though very rare) is toxic shock and death. In between a mild red rash and this worst case scenario is a great deal of pain, discomfort and possible skin and hair damage. The makers of PPD are very clear that it should not be used on the skin, but it can be very difficult to dye the hair without getting dye on the scalp, especially if you are doing it at home yourself.
Although commercial hair dyes seem to offer a large range of colours the results are often very disappointingly like everyone else’s hair colour. If you would like to try something more personal, more individual, then you might want to look at the most natural hair dye - Plant-dye.
Plant-Dye
There are a number of natural plant substances that can be used to dye the hair. Most of these are not permanent but repeated use of a plant-dye can often build up to a depth of colour that is close to permanent. Although achieving a predictable shade using a natural plant-dye can be an art form, they are not likely to cause damage to the hair and in many cases improve hair quality immeasurably. The most well known of these is Henna (Lawsonia inermis), but there are less well known ones becoming more readily available to western women with the growth of internet shopping. Other natural plant-dye includes Amla Powder (Emblica officianalis) which enhances the brown tones in your hair, Hibiscus Tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) which when used on its own will give very light hair a lovely red tint. When combined with henna Hibiscus will ensure a true red shade is achieved, toning down any tendency to orange which can be the result when your natural hair shade is very grey or pale. Walnut Powder produces a brunette colour and Saffron threads or Rhubarb root (Rhuem palmatum not the common rhubarb variety) will highlight the golden blonde tints in hair. The addition of Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria) to henna will produce a blue/black colour which is very attractive if you have the right skin tones. Indigo applied to white or grey hair will turn it blue, the original blue rinse perhaps! The art of this kind of dying is in creating a blend of plant-dye that will produce the colour best suited to you. It is possible to buy ready blended natural plant-dye which may be the answer you are looking for. Certainly it could be the best first step. If you find the results not to your taste however you may then wish to experiment with blending your own.Most of these herbal dyes were first used for the dying of cloth but have a long and safe history of use in hair care by Asian and Middle Eastern women. The drawbacks of using a plant-dye is the amount of time required, they usually have to stay on the hair for several hours and application and rinsing out can be very difficult and messy.
Information and step by step instructions on how to apply Henna to your hair coming soon. Please check back.
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