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Tinting White or Gray Hair with Herbs

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How to Use Herbs and Spices to Color White/Gray Hair

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By: Anne Hart
Copyright © 2006 All rights reserved.
 

The goal focused on tinting my white hair using only natural herbs or spices. The color had to be such that the white roots wouldn't show obviously after several weeks, but delicately blend in with the surrounding colors. The herbs and spices selected had to have no stimulant effect on the body.

Before I could recommend to others herbs to tint white hair, the herbs chosen had to be neutral in effect or calming, and not capable of raising blood pressure or stimulating the body in a way that would promote nervousness, seizures, panic attacks, or organ problems in the elderly, in epileptics, or in people who are electro-sensitive or have sensitivity to stimulants. Always research the effect of spices and herbs on the body or on your particular condition before using them.

The process also emphasized using natural, organic herbs and spices and not artificial hair tints containing substances known to change the electrical or chemical systems or the organs in the body. To comply with my requirements I chose to use dried, powdered (or crushed and ground) chamomile, sage, turmeric, and cinnamon. After all, what you put on your scalp is absorbed through the skin.

In a pot of water containing about a quart of cool water I added a half cup of sage and three tea bags of chamomile tea. I also added a small pinch of turmeric and a small pinch of cinnamon. I simmered the liquid for 30 minutes.  I let the liquid stand for two hours to cool. Then I strained the liquid. Finally, I poured the brownish brew twice over my short, white hair and let it dry for several hours. A good combing removed some of the grains of sage. Finally, I rinsed twice with clear water and patted my hair dry with a towel.

The results, at least on my hair, are satisfying to me. The white hair turned a light ash blonde. The grey hair became a darker blonde with some gold and cinnamon highlights. And the ash brown hair that did not turn gray naturally, remained brown. The colors blend and look natural. I am happy with this result.

You can leave out the cinnamon and turmeric if you wish. Please don't use too much turmeric as it turns white hair an artificially looking bright yellow and looks like a clown's wig. The most natural colors I found came from the sage. Sage seems to make white hair a natural ash brown or blonde hue, at least on me. Here are some pictures of the hair color before combing and after one rinsing and towel-drying with the dried sage and chamomile mixture simmered in water and cooled.

What I like (at least on me) is the natural ash-blonde appearance of the tinted hair using primarily the sage and chamomile mixture on white hair. My hair turned white about twenty years ago. Notice that each time you put this mixture on your white or gray hair, your hair will keep getting darker, and you may end up with brown hair.

Herbalists suggest that sage be used on brunette hair. On white hair, used only one time, it produced (on me) a natural-appearing shade of ash blonde. Keep in mind that I used this only one time to arrive at the ash blonde tone in the picture. I let the mixture stay on my hair at least two hours before rinsing it out. If your hair is very porous, it quickly will absorb a lot more color.Use at your own risk. I'm not liable or responsible for any allergic or other reaction to the herbs and spices or other materials mentioned in this article. The article offers information only for educational use or study as to my own results on my own hair and person.

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