5 Reasons Your Indigo Powder Faded Too Quickly

If your indigo hair dye washed out faster than expected, you likely missed a crucial step in the natural dyeing process. Indigo can be more finicky than henna. Indigo sits on the surface, gripping the henna that has bound to your hair. If it cannot grip the hair effectively, the indigo dye will fade quickly.

Here are five reasons why your indigo faded and how to fix it next time.

1. You Skipped the Henna Base

Indigo cannot stick to bare hair. If you have grey or light hair and applied indigo alone, it will wash out in one or two showers. Indigo needs the orange dye found in henna to act as a bridge. For some shades, this means combining the developed henna and indigo pastes together before applying. To get a lasting black, you must use a two-step process. Apply henna first, wash it out, and then apply the indigo. This creates a bond that will not budge.

2. Your Mix Was Acidic

Many people make the mistake of treating indigo like henna. Henna likes an acidic environment, and indigo does not. Acid breaks down the dye in indigo before it can reach your hair, making the dye molecule unstable.

If you added apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to your indigo paste, you ruined the dye. Only use warm bottled water as your liquid.

3. You Waited Too Long to Apply It

Henna needs to sit for hours to release its dye. Indigo is the opposite. Once you mix indigo powder with water, the dye release starts immediately and ends quickly.

If you let your indigo paste sit on the side for an hour before putting it on your head, the dye molecule has already started to demise. You should mix indigo and apply it to your hair within 15 minutes.

4. You Didn't Add Salt

Scientifically, salt improves the adhesion of indigo powder to the hair and can make a difference in the appearance of stubborn grey hairs. The salt helps the dye move into the hair more effectively without changing the pH chemical balance. Salts with lots of minerals in them are not your best bet here, so actually table salt works best on this occasion. Only use a very small pinch, as salt can be too harsh on the hair; salt is a natural "desiccant", which means it draws water out of whatever it touches. If you have a sensitive scalp or notice any dryness or irritation, then skip the salt next time.

5. You Washed Too Soon

The first 48 hours after dyeing are vital. Natural hair dyes need time to bind to the hair and go through what we call the "resting period".

If you used shampoo or heavy oils immediately after rinsing the paste, you interrupted the resting period. Always rinse all natural hair dyes out with cool water only. Wait at least two full days before using any soap or shampoo, or even going swimming or getting the scalp sweaty. This gives the colour time to set and become permanent.

Want to learn more about how to perfect your henna hair dye and natural hair dye routine? Check out our new e-book, available on Amazon or directly here.