Homemade Hair Dyes to Colour Your Hair at Home

Whether it’s about experimenting with our look or to cover the greys, we all have different reasons for colouring our hair. You may get your hair coloured at a salon – but why should you let your hair face the torture of harmful chemicals when you can try some homemade hair dyes and achieve almost similar results? If you wish to know more, read on to find out some interesting and easy ways of making hair dyes at home!

DIY Hair Dye Recipes

Try these simple and easy hair dye recipes and get that beautiful colour and shine in your tresses:

1. Beetroot Dye

A homemade hair dye with beetroot will give your hair a deep burgundy colour.

You Will Need

  • Beetroot
  • Carrier Oil

Prep-Time

4-5 minutes0:08/1:00Skip in 5

Processing Time

1 hour or more

How to Make

Here’s how you can make beetroot dye:

  • Take the beetroot and mix it with carrier oil.
  • Apply this mixture liberally on your hair and wrap it with a plastic cap. Wash after an hour. You can keep it for a little longer if you wish.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You can apply this once a month.
beetroot dye

2. Carrot Dye

Thinking of giving a reddish or orange tinge to your hair? Try carrot juice dye.

You Will Need

  • Carrots
  • Carrier Oil

Prep-Time

4-5 minutes

Processing Time

1 hour

How to Make

Follow these steps to make carrot dye:

  • Mix carrot juice with coconut oil or any other oil that you use for your hair.
  • Apply the oil and juice mixture on your hair. Cover with a shower cap. Wash after one hour.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You can apply this dye once in a month.

3. Lemon Dye

This dye is for lightening your hair.

You Will Need

  • 1 part water
  • 2 parts lemon juice
  • a spray bottle

Prep-Time

2-3 minutes

Processing Time

45 minutes to 1 hour

How to Make

Here’s what you need to do:

  • Mix lemon juice and water and fill it in a spray bottle.
  • Spray this mixture all over your hair.
  • Sit outside in the sun or blow-dry your hair.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You can apply this once a week.
lemon dye

4. Coffee Dye

Looking for brown hair dye? Try a DIY coffee hair dye. This is a great homemade hair dye to cover grey hair.

You Will Need

  • 1 tablespoon coffee
  • 1 cup water

Prep-Time

15-20 minutes

Processing Time

5 minutes

How to Make

Here are some steps that you should follow:

  • Mix coffee in water and let it boil until it is reduced to one-third of the original amount.
  • Shampoo your hair as usual and give one last rinse with the decoction.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You can apply this dye one or two times in a week.

5. Henna Dye

The most preferred option of hair dying that not only nourishes the hair, but also gives it a beautiful shine:

You Will Need

  • 1 cup henna
  • 1 cup water

Prep-Time

5-6 minutes

Processing Time

2 hours or more

How to Make

Here’s how you can prepare homemade hair dye with henna:

  • Mix water and henna in a bowl.
  • Apply nicely on your hair, covering the roots.
  • Wash and condition after 2 hours. Ideally, you must wait till the entire henna dries up, which could take 4 hours or more, depending on the amount used.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You can use this dye once a month.
henna hair dye

6. Cinnamon Dye

This dye will lighten your hair and render a reddish tinge to it. If you are looking for a homemade hair dye for black hair, try this option.

You Will Need

  • ½ cup cinnamon powder
  • ½ cup conditioner

Prep-Time

4-5 minutes

Processing Time

45 minutes to an hour

How to Make

You need to follow the following steps:

  • In a bowl, mix cinnamon powder and conditioner.
  • Apply liberally all over your hair.
  • Keep for an hour and wash with tepid water.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You can use this dye once every 15 days.

7. Saffron Dye

This homemade black hair dye without henna is good for covering your greys.

You Will Need 

  • 1 tablespoon saffron strands
  • 2 cups water

Prep-Time 

15-20 minutes

Processing Time 

1 to 2 hours

How To Make

Follow these simple steps:

  • Boil saffron and water for approximately 20 minutes.
  • Cool it down; apply all over hair and scalp.
  • Follow with shampoo and conditioner.

How Often You Should Apply

  • This homemade hair dye can be applied once a week.
saffron dye

8. Food Colour Hair Dye

Thinking of trying crazy colours on your hair? Try this homemade hair dye with food colouring to highlight your quirky side:

You Will Need

  • Few drops of any food colour that you like
  • 2-3 teaspoons conditioner

Prep-Time

4-5 minutes

Processing Time

1 hour or more

How to Make

Here’s what you should do:

  • Mix the food colour of your choice with the conditioner.
  • Apply on your hair.
  • Rinse after an hour and air dry your hair.

How Often You Should Apply

  • As and when needed

9. Soy Sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Dye

Give a darker shade to your lighter hair, or cover your greys with this homemade dye.

You Will Need

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar

Prep-Time

2-3 minutes

Processing Time

20-25 minutes

How to Make

Here’s what you need to do:

  • Mix both the ingredients in a mug.
  • Wash and condition your hair, and give a last rinse with the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar mixture.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You can use this dye 2 to 3 times in a month.
soy sauce and apple cider vinegar

10. Sage Dye

This dye works well for darker hair shades as this can enhance your natural brunette hair while covering the greys perfectly.

You Will Need

  • ½ cup dried sage
  • 1 cup water

Prep-Time

25 to 30 minutes

Processing Time

15 minutes or more

How to Make

Here’s how you can make this homemade hair dye for black or darker shades of hair:

  • Boil dried sage in water for approx 30 minutes. Cool and strain.
  • Give a last rinse with the decoction after you shampoo and condition your hair.
  • Let it stay for 15 minutes or more and then wash with tepid water.

How Often You Should Apply

  • You may use this dye two or more times a month.

FAQs

Some frequently asked questions:

1. How to Make Your Natural Hair Dye Last Longer?

The drawback with natural hair dyes is that they can wither away easily. In order to keep your colour intact for longer, you may take following steps:

  • Avoid hot styling equipments like straightening irons or hair dryers on your hair.
  • Skip hot water baths.
  • Do not wash your hair often.
  • You can use a water filter in the showers that can help filter the colour fading agents from the water and protect your hair colour.

2. Why are Natural Hair Dyes Better?

Natural hair dyes are a better deal for your hair health because they are sans any harmful chemicals which can cause damage to your hair and scalp. The above-mentioned recipes are not only safe, but they also protect your hair. However, you can also procure natural hair dyes from the market – make sure to check the label for chemicals like parabens, sulphates and ammonia, which can cause harm to your hair.

3. Is Mehendi Used in Natural Hair Dyes?

Yes, mehendi or henna is usually one of the main ingredients of natural hair dyes. It is not only good for rendering a natural colour to your hair, but is also beneficial in providing deep conditioning to your hair too. However, there are natural dyes available without henna too.

4. How to Remove Natural Hair Dye Colour?

You can try these methods for removing natural hair dyes from your hair:

  • Mix lemon juice and baking soda in equal parts and apply this mixture on your hair to remove your colour.
  • Dish-washing soap works really well in removing the hair colour; however, it can make your hair extremely dry.
  • Spray hydrogen peroxide and water mixture in equal quantities on your hair. Leave for 30 minutes and wash to get rid of darker hair colours.
  • Sun exposure or swimming in the pool are great ways of naturally getting rid of your hair colours.

5. What Precautions Should Be Taken Before Making Natural Hair Dye?

When planning to make any natural dye, make sure your hair is in a healthy state and there are no scalp or hair issues. Though natural ingredients are safe, sometimes natural ingredients can cause allergic reactions too. Also, sometimes you may not achieve the colour you may be looking for; colour a small section of hair to see the end results. Always use the natural dyes preparations in one go, and do not keep them for future applications.

Ditch the chemical hair dyes and try these simple homemade hair dyes that are readily available on your kitchen self and which will also not be harmful for your hair.

Also Read:

Homemade Hair Masks for Beautiful Hair This Weekend
Hair Hacks on How to Get Perfect Ponytail
Tips on How to Choose Perfect Hair Dryer for Your Hair