Q&A for How to Dye Your Hair With Indigo

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Question

Is Indigo harmful to hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Indigo is safe to use on your hair and much less likely to trigger an allergic reaction than permanent hair dye.

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Question

What colors to mix for Indigo?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You can apply indigo by itself for a deep blue-black hue. For a softer color, you can mix it with henna, or you can apply over henna to increase its staying power.

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Question

Is Indigo natural?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Yes, Indigo is a natural dye made from a powdered crystal. It is the same dye used on jeans.

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Question

Can indigo hurt my eyesight?

Community Answer

Getting anything in your eyes can potentially hurt your eyesight, so be very careful to avoid getting the dye in your eyes.

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Question

Does indigo with henna cause dryness to my hair?

Community Answer

Yes, sometimes. You should be sure to use conditioner after, to avoid dryness.

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Question

Can I use indigo powder alone without henna?

Community Answer

No, you have to use henna for a black hair color. Using indigo only will give you a cool toned brown color.

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Question

How often indigo can be used?

Community Answer

You can use indigo weekly. However, each time you use it, it will make your hair darker.

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Question

Every time I apply indigo, I end up with a severe headache and body pain. How do I avoid this pain?

Community Answer

You could be allergic or your body does not react well to the dye. Try a different dye to see if that helps.

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Question

My hair is 90% white. Is it possible to turn it black with indigo?

Community Answer

Yes. Do it in two steps. First, henna your hair with good quality henna a few times over the next few weeks. The day after your last henna application, apply good quality indigo paste over your hair, and leave it in for two hours.

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Question

I want blue hair. Can I use indigo without henna?

alice gray marks

Community Answer

Only if you have a very light platinum color already. Brown + indigo = black. Orange + indigo = brown. Yellow + indigo = green. If a greenish blue is good for you, then rock on. You'd have to get close to colorless + indigo for it to look truly blue.

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Question

I did this but my hair turned reddish brown, not black. What can I do?

Community Answer

Mix henna with a heaped dessert spoon of coffee and warm tea water (5 teabags to 2 cups of water), mix till it forms a smooth paste, about the texture of cake batter, with a fork. Cover in a wrap and let it rest for a day. If you need to use it earlier, heat up with a hair dryer or heater, you will see the colour turn deeper brown. Apply to your hair and leave for two hours. During this time, mix indigo with two to three egg whites, water and a teaspoon of salt, mix with a fork till it forms a smooth paste, again like cake mix. Let to stand. Once the henna is washed off, semi dry and apply the indigo mix. The longer you leave it, the darker it will be. Measurements are dependent on length of hair.

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Question

If my hair turns blue or brown instead of black, then what should I do?

Community Answer

Mix henna with lemon juice and prepare a paste with the texture of yogurt. Wrap it with aluminium foil and leave it overnight. Next morning, just before applying it to hair, mix indigo with water, add to the henna mixture, and combine them thoroughly. Do not forget to mix twice the amount of indigo than henna, that’s what gives you the black color. If you mix less indigo and more henna, it will give you brown.

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Question

Can I use henna and indigo powder together in one application?

Community Answer

People say so. I have tried to combine the two without success. A time consuming part of the process is having to wait at least 2 hours for your henna paste to release color before using. I've found that you can actually prep the paste in advance and, as long as you use it within the week, or even two if you want to push it, it works just as well as using henna prepared the same day. Then you can easily do your henna-then-indigo two step application in 3-5 hours total.

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Question

Why does the indigo powder I bought look green?

Community Answer

It only looks green as a powder. Once you add water to it and leave it for about 15 minutes, you will notice that the paste is blueish black on top.

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Question

After how many days of applying indigo can I put oil in my hair?

Community Answer

You can use jojoba and argan oil on your hair after just a day or two with no adverse effects. The indigo tends to dry hair quite a bit.

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Question

Can I use any other hair color after using Indigo hair color

Community Answer

You can but results might be mixed. For example, if you bleach your hair, then it can turn green.

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Question

How can I get bluish-black hair?

Community Answer

You have to use a "blue black" hair dye. Using henna and indigo will not give you the blue undertones you want. Henna has warm undertones commonly seen as red.

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Question

How do I dye my hair with indigo if I have dark hair?

Community Answer

Indigo is used to make hair darker with the aid of henna. Regardless of what color hair you have, indigo will release its dye. You don't have to do anything differently.

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Question

Does this henna-indigo treatment work on grey hair (white hair)?

Community Answer

Yes, it will. But it may take repeated application in frequent intervals to gain the desired color.

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Question

Is indigo powder safe for hair?

Community Answer

Yes, it's safe. Indigo will not damage your hair whatsoever. But it will stain your skin like henna, so use Vaseline around your hairline.

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Question

I use henna and indigo from Henna Guys. I have a lot of stress in my life, and I am losing a lot of hair. What could be causing this?

Community Answer

Stress can certainly cause hair loss, but you may be allergic to that henna type. I've used henna for many years and tried a new brand which caused LOTS of hair loss.

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Question

After applying indigo and before shampooing the hair (after two or three days), can we oil our hair and then shampoo?

Community Answer

Yes, and you can use any oil immediately after you've washed your hair after the indigo treatment.

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Question

Why is my hair no longer shiny after using henna/indigo?

Community Answer

Both henna and indigo can dry your hair if used too often. Be sure to deep condition your hair. You can even add some oil to your indigo mixture, especially when covering the ends.

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Question

How do I maintain henna and indigo treated hair so that they will last a long time?

Community Answer

It depends on your hair styling regime, but generally you should avoid shampooing too often. Also, use an umbrella, scarf or hat when going out in the sun.

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Question

Do I need to use color-protecting shampoo and conditioner if I am using indigo?

Community Answer

No, you can use any shampoo to wash your indigo-treated hair. It will not strip the color unless you wash it excessively.

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Question

Is an allergy test necessary before using indigo hair dye?

Community Answer

Some people complain of skin irritation after use, so as a precaution, it is always recommended that you do a patch test.

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Question

Is this process still the same for dark hair?

Community Answer

You can skip the henna and apply indigo directly on dark hair. However, if you find that the dye does not last very long, you may want to apply henna anyway, as indigo sticks to henna, so having hair that is pre-processed with henna will help the indigo.

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Question

Can I use hair oil after using the indigo powder?

Community Answer

Yes, it’s actually recommended that you put coconut oil on the ends of your hair before you wash it to preserve color.

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Question

Can indigo powder turn a grey mustache black?

Community Answer

It will mostly be a bluish-black color if the hair is grey. I recommend using henna first and then dyeing with indigo over it.

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Question

I applied henna in the morning. Can I also apply indigo in the evening?

Community Answer

Yes, you can, although it's recommended you do it the next day. It is required to keep the indigo for 2 hours for full effect.

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