Although conventional products used to colour hair are much more gentle these days, there are a few people who prefer to colour their hair naturally without the use of harsh chemicals.

Luckily, there are natural hair-colour ranges available in a variety of different shades. These products however, are only semi-permanent, so need applying more often.

Other people prefer to make these products themselves and one of the most popular ways to colour hair naturally, is to use henna. This only darkens hair, so if you are looking to lighten it use natural products such as chamomile and/or lemon juice.

Henna has been used to colour hair since the time of the Ancient Egyptians. It is the most popular vegetable dye, although many others have been used in the past. These include marigold petals, rhubard stalks, cloves and tea bags. Henna stains the outside of the hair and enhances naural highlights making the colour appear richer. The final colour depends very much on the original hair colour. The effects are:

  • Brunette or black hair – produces a warm reddish glow.
  • Light brown hair – turns it a coppery colour.
  • Blonde, white, bleached or highlighted hair – bright orange, so should not really be used.

Henna comes as a powder which is mixed with water to make a paste, it is then applied on the hair and left for one to two hours depending on the colour you are aiming for. Results are obviously more intense the longer henna is left on the hair so it is best to keep it on for a short period the first time you use it. Another type of henna called neutral henna does not add colour to the hair, but instead adds gloss and a feeling of lustre.

Chamomile is good for sun streaking blonde and light brown hair and for gently lightening red hair. Chamomile is very gentle so its effects can take several treatments to be seen. The upside is that compared to bleach, it does not strip the hair of moisture or produce an undesirable yellow colour.

Chamomile can be used as a hair rinse, however an even better option is to make a special conditioner. This is achieved taking 125 g of chamomile flowers and adding them to around a 300 ml of boiling water. This should be left to steep for 15 minutes and then strained. At this stage the juice of a fresh lemon should be squeezed into the mix, in addition to 30 ml of a rich cream conditioner. This should be mixed, combed into the hair and left to dry, ideally in the sun. After this the hair should be washed and conditioned as normal.