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Have you been looking for a chemical-free alternative to colouring your gray or dull hair black? Henna and Indigo are natural dyes that have been used for ages by men and women in Africa and India.

Henna and Indigo Powder combo works and you’ll get a natural black hair colour (that does not look too black. Men use Henna-Indigo dye to colour gray beard black (see images down below).

Be sure to read to the end of this article, including the section on FAQs and our answers, benefits of Henna and Indigo on hair, written steps on how to mix Henna Paste and Indigo Paste before applying on hair, and How to Remove/ Get out Stuck Henna Particles from Your Hair.

Video: Step by Step Colouring White/ Grey Hair to Black Using Henna-Indigo Powder (No Chemical)

Watch video below to see how to mix and prepare the henna before applying to the hair, and also how to prepare and apply Indigo as the second step. I’ll leave a step by step explanation (below the video).

*If you prefer reading to watching video, I wrote the steps down-down below in this post.

Video: How to Dye Men’s Gray Beard and Mustache to Black Naturally Using Henna and Indigo Powder

Henna-Indigo Dye Also Works for Colouring White/ Grey Beard and Mustache Black

To colour white/ grey beard black, the application process is the same as for applying Henna-Indigo on the hair – two steps. (first apply henna, wrap beard with a nylon or plastic and wait for 4 to 8 hours before rinsing.

STEP 2: Apply Indigo paste, wrap facial hair with plastic/ nylon; wait for 4 to 8 hours before rinsing).

Why 2-Step Process When Using Henna-Indigo Dye to Colour Grey/ White or Dull Hair Black?

Now, let me tell you how it works. To get black hair, you’ll have to do a 2-step process – (1) henna application, and (2) Indigo application. Here’s why: in the fist step (Henna alone), white/ gray hair will become reddish/ orange colour.

In the second step, the reddish hair are coloured to black, so that your entire hair looks natural black (not too black and does not scream ‘dyed hair’ like we see with grannies).

When used alone, Henna powder colours the hair to a reddish/ orange tone. When Indigo is used alone, it colours the hair bluish-green tone. However, if you apply Indigo to a henna’d hair, you’ll get a natural black hair colour. That’s the power of colour-mixing theory.

When to Use the 1-Step Process

The one-step process does not result in a black hair colour. Instead, you will get a brownish/ brunette colour – similar to using a brown hair dye.

So, if you want to colour your hair brown (not-too-brown) colour, add your Indigo paste into Henna paste just when you are ready to apply to your hair.

Henna needs to be soaked in warm water for 4 to 8 hours so that it can release its dye, but Indigo needs to soaked for not more than 15 minutes, as its dye releases fast – but you must apply it immediately after that 15-20 minutes or it will not work.

Benefits of Using Henna and Indigo on the Hair or Beard

Many people prefer colouring their hair with Henna and Indigo because it is natural and safe. However, they offer other benefits:

1. Henna and Indigo are natural hair conditioners. Some people do Henna conditioning treatment from time to time, to boost their hair and give it radiance. So, if you use it as a natural dye, you also get the conditioning benefits.
2. They help make the hair shiny
3. They strengthen the hair strands, thereby preventing breakage
4. They make the hair fuller

Henna-Indigo Really Works to Colour White or Dull Hair to Natural Black Colour

Henna and Indigo hair treatments are not new, are not hype. This combo truly works. I have been selling it for a long while and get amazing feedback from my customers. I am speaking as someone that use Henna-Indigo on her hair. I also use it on my mom’s hair. It works! You have to try it for yourself to testify.

In addition to covering your dull or gray hair, Henna and Indigo are amazing natural hair conditioners and strengthening treatments.

If you try Henna-Indigo natural hair dye, leave me a comment below to let me know how it came out. And, if you’ve ever used natural Henna-Indigo combo to colour your hair, also comment down below to tell me how it worked for you.

Where to Buy Henna and Indigo for Black Hair Colouring?

We sell quality Henna and Indigo Powder here on ElsieOrganics online store. We stock the combo pack that contains Henna and Indigo, and we also stock Henna Powder alone, and Indigo powder alone. Head over to our store and place your order. Our Henna and Indigo Powder are very smooth.

How to Mix/ Prepare Henna-Indigo Hair Dye Before Application

1. Pour some henna or indigo into a bowl
2. Add warm water and then stir with a spoon.
3. The mixture/ paste should not be too thin or too thick. It should be as thick as yoghurt, pap (akamu) or hair relaxer.
4. HENNA: Keep the henna mixture aside and leave it overnight or between 4 to 8 hours to enable the henna dye to release.
5. INDIGO: Add a teaspoon of salt to the mixture. Then leave the Indigo mixture for only 10 to 15 minutes and then apply it to henna’d hair. Indigo Paste that’s been mixed with water loses its dye-ability when exposed to air for long. Therefore, if you have a long hair, mix your Indigo paste in small batches that you can completely apply before 30 minutes. If you need more, mix a new batch. Any leftover Indigo paste should be thrown away.

How to Apply Henna and/ Or Indigo to the Hair to Colour Gray or Dull Hair or Beard (The 2-Step Process)

Make sure that your hair is clean (no oil or dirt, no conditioner, no serum). It is advisable to shampoo your hair the day, week or a few days before doing the Henna-Indigo hair dye treatment. This ensures that the dye will not have any barrier penetrating into your hair.

*The way to apply Henna or Indigo is same as the way you apply hair relaxer to the hair – apply from root of the hair to the tip.

Step 1: First apply the henna to a damp hair. Next, cover hair with a plastic cap and leave it on for 4 to 8 hours, or overnight. Then rinse with water.
Step 2: Apply indigo to an already-henna’d-hair (damp hair). Next, properly cover with a shower cap or plastic and leave it on for 4 to 8 hours. Later rinse your hair with water. Optional: Apply a moisturizing conditioner.

Do not shampoo your hair afterwards, as it will get slightly darker the next day and after application, as the dye-release continues, which is cool. *Also, avoid applying oil immediately after a Henna/Indigo dye, to avoid the colour fading. You can apply oils and cream after a few days.

The One-Step Application Process for a Brown Hair/ Beard Colour (Henna-Indigo Natural Hair Dye)

The one-step process results to a brown colour, not black. Below are the steps.

1. Soak the Henna in warm water and keep aside for 4 to 8 hours) to allow it release its dye
2. Once the Henna is ready (after 4-8 hours), mix your Indigo Powder in another bowl and leave it for 20 minutes to enable the dye release
3. Once the Indigo is ready, combine both pastes in one bowl and mix them together
4. Next apply the combined paste to your hair, from root to tip
5. Cover your hair with a shower cap or a nylon/ plastic bag
6. Leave the paste on your hair for 4 to 8 hours. The longer it stays, the richer the colour you’ll get.
7. Rinse with water. Optional: apply a conditioner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Common Henna-Indigo Hair Dye Questions and Answers

1. Does Henna-Indigo natural dye work on facial hair, such as beard and mustache? Yes, natural Henna-Indigo Powder also works on beard and mustache, and are by men who do not like chemical hair dye. The application process is the same – two steps as explained in the video and article steps above.
2. How long does henna-Indigo dye last on the hair or beard? Typically, it lasts about 1 month (4 weeks) on the hair and about 2 weeks on the beard. Shampooing your hair between a dye treatment will shorten how long it will last on your hair.
3. Should I apply Henna-Indigo to dry hair or to wet/ damp hair? You can apply to both dry and damp (but not wet) hair. It’s easier to apply Henna-Indigo to a damp hair than to a dry hair. Besides, damp hair helps the colour release better onto the hair.
4. Should I wash my hair with shampoo after Henna-Indigo colour treatment? No. Instead, wash your hair before applying Henna-Indigo hair dye. You can wash it on same day or a few days before the dye application.
5. My hair still has some red/ orange highlights after the step 2 (Indigo application), what should I do? Some people’s hair does not latch on well with Indigo and if you experience this, you can reapply the Indigo step OR next time start with the 1-step process (applying the mixture of Henna + Indigo paste, instead of only Henna) to get a brown colour and after rinsing, follow up normally with the step 2 (applying the Indigo paste alone).
6. I have applied the Henna to my hair; when is it okay to apply the Indigo Natural Powder Dye? Immediately after rinsing the Henna, proceed to applying the Indigo. If you’re busy that day, ensure to apply it not longer than 3 days after.
7. Indigo Dye did not work on my hair. What should I do? Reapply to clean hair and ensure to properly cover your hair with a plastic wrap or cap. The fact is that some hair types are difficult to dye with natural Indigo. *Indigo does not penetrate well if the hair had some products on, such as conditioner, cream, oil, etc. Also, Indigo works best on freshly-henna’d hair (not fading Henna). Another tip: be fast when applying Indigo to your hair – if you’re still applying it after 30 minutes, that Indigo paste may not work again. So, mix in small batches that can be applied before 30 minutes, because Indigo Dye does not work if it’s been exposed to air too long.

How to Get Henna Powder Particles Out of Your Hair in 4 Steps

You are likely to have Henna Particles stuck to your hair after doing the Henna treatment for hair colouring of conditioning. Here are tips to ensure that you get most of the particles out of your hair:

1. Ensure to keep your hair moist by covering with a plastic cap after applying Henna paste. Dried Henna paste (on the hair) is difficult to wash off.
2. When ready to rinse off the Henna paste, start with warm water, and rinse over and over. Use plenty of water.
3. After rinsing, comb through your hair to get some more Henna particles off your hair.
4. Apply a detangling conditioner with god slip over your hair. This should help more Henna particles ‘slip out’ of your hair strands. You can also use Natural Ambunu Leaves to detangle and remove stuck Henna particles your hair after a Henna treatment (Ambunu has a lot of slip).

Have you tried Henna and Indigo Powder to colour your hair or beard to black? How did it work for you? Comment below to let me know.

You can buy Henna and Indigo Powder on our ElsieOrganics online store by clicking here.

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