You can't stop your hair once it starts turning gray, but you can color it for a more youthful look. Salon and store-bought dyes contain harsh chemicals that might weaken your hair or cause skin irritation. If you're sensitive to these dyes, try using coffee as a more natural alternative. Brewed ground beans and instant coffee granules may temporarily stain your hair a dark brown. This is a good way to get a quick color boost -- and if you don't like the result, the coffee rinses out easily.
Brew a very strong pot of coffee, then allow it to come to room temperature. Wet and shampoo your hair as usual. Pour the cooled coffee slowly over your head while standing in the shower. Massage it into your roots and all the way down to the tips of your hair. Repeat this until you've used all of the coffee. Cover your head with a shower cap, wait for about 20 minutes minutes and then rinse the coffee out of your hair with cool water. Repeat this coffee rinse twice per week until you achieve your desired shade of brown.
Fill a spray bottle with strong black coffee. Mist your hair with the coffee once a week after shampooing, then comb through from your roots to ends. Let the coffee set for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse with clean, lukewarm water.
Make a mixture of two parts conditioner to one part brewed espresso. Mix the espresso in until the conditioner turns brown. Apply the conditioner as usual after shampooing. Put on a shower cap, then rinse with clean water after 15 to 20 minutes.
Tip
You can also use black tea to darken your hair. Steep one black tea bag in very hot water until the liquid has turned brown. Let the tea cool, then rinse your hair with it. Rinse your hair under cool water, but do not shampoo.
Warning
Coffee will not color your hair permanently. If your hair gets wet, the coloring will wash away. This can stain clothing or other fabrics.
References
- The Dr. Oz Show: Revolutionary Ways to Repair Your Hair
- Who Knew? Beauty Bargains; Bruce Lubin, Jeanne Bossolina-Lubin; 2011
- Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Company: Coffee Hair Rinse
- The Kitchen Beautician: Natural Hair Care Recipes for Beautiful Healthy Hair; Dezarae Henderson; 2013
- All Women Stalk: 7 Recipes for Homemade Natural Dye...
- Seventeen: At-Home Recipes for Pretty Prom Hair!
Writer Bio
Melissa King began writing in 2001. She spent three years writing for her local newspaper, "The Colt," writing editorials, news stories, product reviews and entertainment pieces. She is also the owner and operator of Howbert Freelance Writing. King holds an Associate of Arts in communications from Tarrant County College.