Pretty by Nature » Hair-color

Homemade Hair Color Brighteners

Michelle Smith — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:02:18 +0000

My first experience with natural hair color came about when I found a box of red hennaunder the sink at my stepmom’s house. I don’t know if my stepmom had ever used it before - I didn’t ask, I just put it on. I started coloring my hair young – the first of any of my friends to do so at 15. That’s no big deal now, in fact I helped my daughter put bright crimson streaks in her hair in the 5th grade, but I was 15 back in 1982. Things were different then.

So, the henna…..it turned me a bright crayon-orange and I loved it. It had this mud smell to it, that I also liked. I used it a few times, wore my hair in a modified flat-top-like thing. Not very feminine, but I believe I was more into shock than awe in ‘82.

If you’d like to try something natural and a lot less mud-smelling than my old friend, Henna, I suggest using a chamomile or citrus rinsefor your blonde to light brown hair.

To use the chamomile, steep a very strong cup of chamomile for 30 minutes. Wash your hair, then towel dry. Lean over the sink, pour the cup of tea over your hair, letting it drain into the sink. Refill the cup and and repeat with the pouring. Do this 12-15 times, then let it sit in your hair, without rinsing, for 40 minutes. Rinse, then style. If you have long hair, make a double batch.

Lemons are easy to usein the Summer time. Squeeze the juice of 3 lemons into a cup of water, strain, then pour into a spray bottle. Mist your hair with the lemon water as you sit in the sun (with sunscreen, of course). The combination of the citrus acids and the sun will brighten your blonde tones.

To be on the safe side, try a strand test before applying either mixture. Cut a small lock from an area of your head where it’s easily hidden, then try your natural color procedure. This way, if it goes wrong, you don’t have to walk around with the mistake on your head.

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Color Treated Hair Rescue

Noel Boehm — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:56:20 +0000

Some of us are slaves to hair treatments, myself included. The trick is to extend your hair color and keep your hair healthy. I don’t color my hair anymore but I did try Rene Furterer’s Okara Restructuring Mask for color treated hair and it was wonderful. I thought, “what could it possibly do for me since my hair isn’t colored?”

Well let me tell you, it can make my hair soft and shiny. Oh what else…it made my natural hair color pop. Cha ching. It has Vitamin E and Witch Hazel which is what helps the color.

Just think what this could do for your hair if it was actually colored. I may have to go get my hair colored just to try it out. I wonder if it works just as well with a Henna treatment? It also has a UV filter, perfect for protection against the Summer sun. If Summer ever actually comes. Please, please hurry. I have sandals that need to be worn.

Via Sephora.

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Some Highlights Would Be Nice

Noel Boehm — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:50:03 +0000

Today on Planet Green there’s a great article about how to kinda sorta green your hair color. If you just can’t give it up and the more natural alternatives don’t work for you, they offer some easy ways to limit your exposure to chemicals.

Come summer I want to give my hair some warm highlights, maybe find a way to lighten me up using henna. LUSH has some great products for that.

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Your Strands Will Thank You

Noel Boehm — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:10:38 +0000

In response to a request for natural (or at least more natural) hair dye alternatives, I went on a hunt. I found Ecocolors, a non-toxic hair color system. It touts itself as being the do-all solution for chemically aware or chemically sensitive people. It’s paraben, sulfite, gluten and mineral oil free. I haven’t tried it but it looks pretty promising. It says that it provides excellent gray coverage, if that’s what you’re into. Personally, I say embrace the gray. Revel in the fact that you will never have to vote for homecoming queen again.

Lush also has some great henna based hair products. The nice thing about the henna products is that you can get so many variations from one henna bar. Leave it on longer or cover your head with saran wrap and get different shades. I’m staying as far away from permanent haircolor as possible, since the caramel highlights massacre of 2004. I ended up with golden clumps that looked like a leopard crapped on my head. Henna to me seems idiot proof, which is what I need. Any takers? Let me know how it turns out.We need before and afters. Well, unless the after is really fugly. In that case keep the pics to yourself.

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