How to dye hair at home using natural hair colour

We recommend you embrace your hair however you wish, and if you want to embrace it with colour we highly recommend the Desert Shadow range of certified organic natural hair dye. They have been a staff favourite at Biome for years, and while it is not a quick process (it can take up to 6 hours from start to finish), you will be left with a shiny natural colour and beautifully conditioned, healthy hair and scalp, and hopefully feeling nice and relaxed after some me time. While you wait for the natural hair colour to work its magic why not take some time for yourself - make a cup of herbal tea, take a bath, apply a face mask or do something creative. We have some ideas below.

How is natural hair dye different to mainstream hair dye?

Mainstream permanent hair dye works via a harsh chemical process that opens the hair cuticle, removes pigments, imparts new colour, and then closes and smoothes the cuticle to lock in the colour. They can contain coal tar dyes, formaldehyde and ammonia, of which can cause respiratory irritation and contact dermatitis. These hair dyes are also known to damage the cuticle of your hair, causing it to become brittle, porous and susceptible to breakage. Australia's Desert Shadow is a fantastic alternative, that is gentle and effective. It is vegan, certified organic and instead of harsh synthetic ingredients, they use henna, plant leaves, berries and aloe vera. While it won't reverse the damage of mainstream hair dye, it can help improve it over time.

What colour should you choose

See the table at the end of this blog post. It was a bit too big and cumbersome to place in the body here! Choose your current hair colour from the top row and see the likely results each Desert Shadow hair colour will produce. Desert Shadow natural hair colours can not lighten the hair as they do not contain bleaches or harsh chemicals that strip colour. They can however help you embrace what you've got and provide a long lasting lustrous colour. The lighter and closer you go to your natural colour, the easier it will be for you to maintain. Hair that has been dyed using mainstream hair dye may behave differently than natural hair. We recommend a strand test on the underside of your hair before you apply the hair colour to your whole head.

How to apply Desert Shadow natural hair dye

Wash and dry your hair at least 24 hour before applying the natural hair dye, and avoid putting any styling product in it. Give your hair a good brush to remove any tangles. Mix the hair colour powder and spices with water, according to the instructions found in the pack. Then apply the colour paste thickly to sections of your hair, from roots to tips, covering your whole head. Use a paint brush to make it easier. This video shows you how. Once you've applied the paste, cover your head with a reusable shower cap (or cling wrap - recycle via RedCycle), and then wrap in a towel. Now it's time to pick up a book, watch a movie or have some me time. We have some ideas for you below! For subtle colour, leave the dye to work its magic for 1-2 hours. For richer colour, and for optimum grey coverage, leave the dye for 3-6 hours. Before you begin: We recommend you do a strand test on the underside of your hair to determine processing time and final colour result. Some hair will pick up on tones more than others, and more quickly than others.

What to do while waiting for natural hair dye to work its magic!

Take a relaxing bath: add some bath salts for extra relaxing benefits.   Apply a face mask: for an instant instant glow we can't go past this one by Retreatment Botanics. Do some waxing: Moom sugar based wax is gentle on skin, free from harmful chemicals, and will keep you hair free for up to two months. Create a beautiful piece of embroidery art: the stylish Brynn & Co kits have everything you need. Have fun DIYing: visit our blog for simple DIY skin care recipes, from bath soaks to facial scrubs, or have a read of Naturally Inspired or other DIY books.  

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How your hair colour will look after using Desert Shadow dye

	100% grey, light blonde	Medium to dark blonde	Natural red auburn	Light to medium brown	Dark brown	Black
Sun shadow (warm golden blonde)	Warm golden glow	Subtle golden glow
Strawberry shadow (strawberry blonde)	Warm strawberry glow	Subtle warm strawberry glow	Subtle warm strawberry glow	Subtle warm strawberry glow
Copper shadow (hot copper red)	Will add a bold, hot tangerine hue	Will add a bold, hot tangerine hue	Will add a bold, hot tangerine hue to lighter red hair or give a copper glow to dark red har	Will add a hot tangerine hue to light brown hair and a deep tangerine glow to medium brown hair
Red shadow (medium copper red)	Will give a pop of fire red	Will give a pop of fire red	Will give a pop of fire red to light red hair, and add extra depth to dark red hair	Will give a fire red glow	Will give a fire red glow in the sunlight
Deep red shadow (deep copper red)	Will give a deep copper fire red	Will give a deep copper fire red	Will add warmth to light red hair but may not work on dark red hair	Will give a deep fire red to burgundy glow	Will give a deep fire red glow in the sunlight	Will give a fire red glow in the sunlight
Honey shadow (light golden brown)	Will give a sweet, golden light brown colour	Will give a sweet, golden light brown colour
Walnut shadow (medium brown)	Will give medium brown tones	Will give medium brown tones	Will give medium brown tones	Will give medium brown tones
Chestnut shadow (medium warm brown)	Will give a warm, medium reddish brown colour	Will give a warm, medium reddish brown colour	Will give a warm, medium reddish brown colour	Will give a warm medium on light brown hair, and add red tones to medium brown hair
Chocolate shadow (dark brown)	Apply a red base colour first (copper or red shadow), then apply this darker colour	Apply a red base colour first (copper or red shadow), then apply this darker colour	Will give dark chocolate tones	Will give dark chocolate tones
Deep chestnut shadow (dark warm brown)	Apply a red base colour first (copper or red shadow), then apply this darker colour	Apply a red base colour first (copper or red shadow), then apply this darker colour	Close to black, and will give a dark brown with subtle red highlights in the sun	Close to black, and will give a dark brown with subtle red highlights in the sun	Close to black, and will give a dark brown with subtle red highlights in the sun	Close to black, and will give a dark brown with subtle red highlights in the sun
Indigo shadow (blue black)	Apply a red base colour first (copper or red shadow), then apply this darker colour	Apply a red base colour first (copper or red shadow), then apply this darker colour	Will give a blue black tone	Will give a blue black tone	Will give a blue black tone	Will give a blue black tone