Originally published February 16 2011
For blonde hair - Try natural dyes, rinses and treatments
by Fleur Hupston
(NaturalNews) Try natural treatments to dye or enhance the color of blonde hair. Herbal, home-made treatments leave hair looking and feeling wonderful, are gentle and do not strip and damage hair.
A visit to a hair salon is usually hard on hair because of the toxic chemical dyes that are generally used. Natural hair dyes and rinses made at home leave hair clean, without a product build-up. They bring out natural highlights of the hair and they are also surprisingly inexpensive to make.
Flowers and herbs for blonde hair
Marigold gives golden highlights to light hair. Also try saffron, turmeric or calendula or add mullein to any yellow blossomed herbs or flowers to add color to blonde hair. Chamomile flowers have been used for generations to lighten hair.
Natural Hair Dye for Blondes
Try this recipe to lighten blonde hair. It works best on shades of hair that range from light brown to medium blonde.
Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons marigold flowers
2 teaspoons calendula
2 teaspoons chamomile flowers
4 teaspoons rhubarb root powder
3 tablespoons honey
40ml vodka
2 lemons, freshly squeezed
Method:
1) Heat the vinegar in a stainless steel saucepan, and then add the rhubarb root powder.
2) Add the chamomile, calendula and marigold flowers.
3) Turn heat off and allow to steep for ten minutes.
4) Strain the mixture into a glass jar and add the honey, vodka and lemon juice.
5) Keep dye refrigerated for two to three weeks.
6) Apply dye to hair and leave it on for 20 - 30 minutes. Shampoo with a natural shampoo and rinse.
Hair Rinses for Blondes
Rinse hair with a solution of lemon juice and water after shampooing. After rinsing, dry hair outside in the sun, if possible. Note that, in order to lighten hair, this needs to be repeated regularly, since hair lightening results won't be immediate.
To enhance faded blonde hair, mix 2 teaspoons liquorice root with 2 teaspoons dried oat straw (otherwise known as groats) and add a pinch of saffron. Cover with water, boil and then simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Strain, cool and use to rinse hair. Don't wash out immediately but leave it in the hair for a few hours.
An infusion made with chamomile flowers and freshly boiled water makes a rinse that will bring out highlights and lighten blonde hair. Add a cup of chamomile flowers to a liter and a half of water that has almost come to a boil. Allow to steep for 15 minutes, and then strain. Use the rinse after shampooing hair.
Sources:
http://www.ageless.co.za/oat_straw.htm
http://www.suite101.com/content/all-natural-...
http://herbs.lovetoknow.com/Homemade_Herbal_...
About the author
Fleur Hupston is a professional freelance writer. She is passionate about natural, healthy living and is currently studying to be a naturopath. She divides her time between writing for Natural News and various other sites, home schooling her children and studying part time.
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