Guide
Is There a Chemical-Free Hair Dye? What Henna and Indigo Really Are
No hair dye is truly "chemical-free", since everything is made of chemicals. Henna and indigo are plant leaf powders that color hair without synthetic dyes, PPD, ammonia or peroxide: henna gives copper to red; with indigo, brown to black.
The short answer: no hair dye is truly "chemical-free", because everything, water and plant leaves included, is made of chemicals. What most people mean is a dye without synthetic dyes, PPD, ammonia or peroxide, and that you can check on an ingredient list. Henna and indigo are plant leaf powders that color hair without them: henna gives copper to red, and henna with indigo gives brown to black. They're still dyes, so patch test first.
What do people mean by "chemical-free" hair dye?
Usually three things they can check on a label: no PPD, no ammonia and no peroxide. Many also mean no synthetic dyes or metallic salts. "Natural" or "Ayurvedic" on the front of a pack tells you none of that; the ingredient list does.
Spierb Henna Powder is one ingredient, Lawsonia inermis leaf, with no PPD, ammonia or peroxide. Spierb Indigo Powder is one ingredient too, Indigofera tinctoria leaf, with nothing added. A short ingredient list doesn't rule out a reaction, though; that's what the patch test is for.
What is the healthiest hair dye to use?
No hair dye is right for everyone: any color can cause a reaction, and the choice depends on the result you want. Plant powders can't make hair lighter, ashier or blonde. If you want warmth or depth without a developer, henna and indigo color hair with one plant ingredient each. Compare ingredient lists, then test.
| Henna and indigo | Permanent box or salon color | |
|---|---|---|
| How the color gets there | A see-through plant color sits over the color you already have | An alkaline system and peroxide change your natural pigment and form new color inside the hair |
| Can it lighten? | No: it only adds color | Yes, within limits |
| Shades | Copper and red, through brown, to black-looking | A wide range, including ash and blonde |
| Time on the hair | At least 2 hours for henna; 1–2 hours for indigo | Shorter; see the pack |
| Changing it later | Hard: plant color builds up and lifts slowly | Easier to correct in a salon |
Which hair color is 100% natural?
A single plant powder is as close as the phrase gets: pure henna names Lawsonia inermis leaf and nothing else, and pure indigo names Indigofera tinctoria leaf. Confirm it on the ingredient list, not the front of the pack. "Natural" still doesn't mean a product can't cause a reaction.
What is the best natural black hair dye, including for gray hair?
For black from plants, use two steps on the same day: henna first, then indigo. Pure henna is never black, and indigo on its own over gray or white hair usually turns blue or green, because there's nothing warm underneath to balance it.
- Henna: mix it with warm water, let it rest 3–4 hours (ideally 8), then apply it for at least 2 hours and rinse with water only. Let your hair dry, or leave it just damp.
- Indigo: mix it fresh with warm water and a pinch of salt, stir it into saved henna paste at 80% indigo to 20% henna, and apply it straight away for 1–2 hours.
The full method is in how to use indigo powder for jet black hair. For natural brown at home, mix henna and indigo in one step, 70:30 for light brown, 50:50 for medium or 30:70 for dark, and leave it 1–2 hours: see how to mix henna and indigo for brown hair. Henna alone gives copper, orange-red or auburn, brightest on gray. After any of these, henna alone included, leave your hair without shampoo or oil for 24 hours. Strand test a hidden lock first: your starting color and how much gray you have change the result.
Which hair dye brands should you avoid?
We won't name brands; look for these signs on any pack:
- "Black henna", "brown henna" or "burgundy henna": pure henna only gives copper-red, so a shade name on a single herb means other plants or dyes are in it, and some "black henna" contains PPD, a synthetic dye that can cause severe allergic reactions. Read the full ingredient list before you buy.
- Instant black from one powder: plant black takes henna first, then indigo.
- No ingredient list, or "herbal blend" with no breakdown: you can't know what's going on your hair or patch test it properly. Choose a pack that lists every ingredient.
- Metallic salts: some compound "henna" products contain them, and they can react with later salon color or bleach. Skip anything that lists them, and tell your colorist what you've used.
- A perfumed powder that lists no fragrance: something has been added that the label doesn't own up to.
Some "black henna" contains PPD, a synthetic dye that can cause severe allergic reactions. If you've reacted to a "black henna" temporary tattoo, PPD hair dyes can cause a severe reaction too, so tell your hairdresser and take extra care with any new color.
Side effects, thinning hair and testing first
Which is the best hair color without any side effects?
None can promise that: any hair color, plant color included, can cause a reaction in some people. Henna can also leave hair feeling dry or stiff until you condition it, and indigo over pale or gray hair without a henna base can turn blue or green. The patch test and the strand test tell you before you color your whole head.
What is the safest hair dye for thinning hair?
It depends on you more than on the dye. Coloring doesn't treat thinning, and no dye makes hair grow, so choose on comfort and handling. A color that needs no bleach skips the lightening step. Henna paste is heavy, so apply it in sections and rinse gently.
Patch test 24–48 hours before first use, with the mix you plan to apply, including anything you add: put a little on a small patch of clean, unbroken skin. Don't go ahead if the skin burns, swells, blisters or turns red, or if it itches and the itch doesn't settle. A patch test can't rule out a reaction later. If your face, lips or eyes swell or you have trouble breathing, call 911. Henna and indigo are for hair only: keep them away from your eyes, eyebrows and eyelashes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the safest hair dye to use?
There isn't one answer for everyone. Choose by the ingredient list and the result you want, patch test 24–48 hours before first use and strand test before coloring your whole head. If you've reacted to a hair dye before, tell whoever colors your hair.
What hair dye should I avoid?
Anything that won't tell you what's in it: no ingredient list, a shade name on a single herb, instant black from one powder, or metallic salts. And any dye you've reacted to before.
What is the best hair dye for dark brown hair?
For a deeper, cooler brown, mix henna and indigo in one step at about 30:70. Henna alone on dark brown hair gives warmer, auburn tones. Neither can make dark brown hair lighter.
How to cover gray hair without dye?
Henna and indigo are plant dyes, and they're how plants color gray: copper with henna alone, brown with the one-step mix, black with the two steps. Covering gray hair with henna and indigo walks through all three.
Which henna is better, black or brown?
Neither is pure henna, which only comes in copper-red: their shade comes from other plants or dyes, and some "black henna" contains PPD, a synthetic dye that can cause severe allergic reactions. Is henna bad for your hair? explains what to look for.
What color will henna dye my hair?
Copper to red over your own color: bright copper on gray or blonde, auburn on brown and a warm red glint on black. The henna page has the details.
