How to Make Hair Colorant to Cover Gray Hair

Hair coloring kits do not cover gray hair well. Some of the kits for gray hair do not offer a palette of colors to choose from, and the color does not turn out as vibrant as other kits. Now, those with gray hair can pick and choose the color they want simply by making your own. You can customize the color and be confident of getting gray coverage that offers a brilliant hue and sheen. There are no harsh chemicals and it fortifies the dry, gray hair with nutrients. Follow these steps to cover your gray naturally and fortify your hair with vitamins and minerals.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 6 cups chopped fresh sage leaves or 3 cups dried sage leaves (color option for light hair)
• 3 cups of elderberries (color option for dark hair)
• 1½ cups cider vinegar
• kaolin powder
• 1 egg yoke
• 1 tbsp. olive oil (optional)

Light Blonde to Medium Brown Hair Color

1. Prepare the sage. Pour the sage and vinegar into a pan on the stove. Simmer for 15 minutes and strain. Use cheesecloth to strain if you used dried sage leaves. Allow the sage and vinegar to cool until lukewarm.

2. Add the remaining ingredients. Use a sieve to sift the kaolin. The amount of kaolin to use depends on your preference. Use less kaolin for a creamy consistency and more kaolin for a mask-like consistency. Add the egg yolk and mix well. If the consistency is too runny, slowly sift in more kaolin powder.

3. Apply the colorant. Use hair clips to divide hair into four sections. You may apply the colorant using a color bottle, a color brush, or manually scooping it with your hands. Apply the colorant from the roots to the ends of your hair.

4. Wrap your hair in a plastic cap. Leave on for one hour with a warm towel wrapped around the plastic cap or under a dryer bonnet.

5. Rinse the colorant. Use warm water to rinse out the color to ensure a thorough, even color. Rinse hair with cold water and wrap your wet hair in a towel.

6. Use the colorant weekly. Shampoo and condition your hair as usual. To preserve color, consider washing your hair once or twice a week. This colorant will cover gray hair temporarily, so a weekly refresher will keep those grays out of your hair.

Medium Brown to Blackest Black Hair Color

7. Prepare the elderberries. Pour the vinegar and elderberries into a pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until mixture has reached room temperature.

8. Add the remaining ingredients. Use a sieve to sift the kaolin. The amount of kaolin to use depends on your preference. Use less kaolin for a creamy consistency and more kaolin for a mask-like consistency. Add the egg yolk and mix well. If the consistency is too runny, slowly sift in more kaolin powder.

9. Apply the colorant. Use hair clips to divide hair into four sections. You may apply the colorant using a color bottle, a color brush, or manually scooping it with your hands. Apply the colorant from the roots to the ends of your hair.

10. Wrap your hair in a plastic cap. Leave on for one hour with a warm towel wrapped around the plastic cap or under a dryer bonnet.

11. Rinse the colorant. Use warm water to rinse out the color to ensure a thorough, even color. Rinse hair with cold water and wrap your wet hair in a towel.

12. Use the colorant weekly. Shampoo and condition your hair as usual. To preserve color, consider washing your hair once or twice a week. This colorant will cover gray hair temporarily, so a weekly refresher will keep those grays out of your hair.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with the amount of sage leaves to customize the hue. For light to medium brown hair, use 4 cups of fresh sage leaves or 2 cups dried sage leaves.
• Try an additional cup of elderberry for those with black hair. The results are fabulous.
• You can purchase dryer bonnets at your local beauty store or from on-line retail shops. The hands-free dryer is practical and multi-purpose. It processes hair color, conditioning treatments, and styles hair as it dries.
• Always test a small part of your hair with the colorant before applying to your entire head.
• Avoid contact with eyes. Do not color your eyebrows with this colorant.
• Use petroleum jelly around the outer edge of your face to keep the colorant off your face.
• Wear an old shirt while applying the colorant and be sure to protect furniture, floors, and other items from the colorant.