Try a Coffee Hair Dye for a Natural and Healthy Makeover

Hair dye is a wonderful thing. It allows you to change up your whole look, and if you’re worried about people seeing those pesky gray hairs, you can easily cover them up with a good, quick dye job. That being said, your usual salon-grade hair dye may have some pretty scary chemicals in it. According to the National Cancer Institute, conventional hair dyes may contain as many as 5,000 different chemicals, some of which have been implicated as carcinogens. Yikes! Fortunately, your favorite morning pick-me-up can also be used as a hair dye. You read that correctly: you can dye your hair with coffee! And as an added bonus, a study published in the International Journal of Dermatology found that caffeine is “a stimulator of hair growth.” If you’re graying and getting a little thin on top, it sounds like coffee dye could be the miracle cure you’re looking for.

Get Prepped

Before dying your hair with coffee, wash your hair thoroughly with your usual shampoo to get rid of buildup or debris. This will allow the coffee dye to fully penetrate the hair. You’ll also want to brush out any tangles that could result in an uneven application. Finally, wear clothes that you’re not too attached to. If you get this stuff on a white t-shirt or towel, you’ll quickly find yourself searching for our post about how to remove coffee stains.

How to Dye Your Hair With Coffee

Start off with a strong pot of coffee brewed from espresso beans. If you’re really serious about avoiding chemicals, you may want to opt for organic coffee, but regular coffee will work just as well. Let the coffee cool at least to room temperature. You don’t want to burn your scalp! Next, mix two cups of the leave-in conditioner of your choice with 2 tablespoons of fine-ground coffee and a cup of the cooled coffee you’ve just brewed from espresso beans. Stir the mixture until the color is evenly distributed, then apply it generously to your hair and leave it in for 60-90 minutes. Finally, rinse out your hair with apple cider vinegar to help seal in the color. Oh, and take a shower, rinsing your hair thoroughly with warm water. We love the smell of coffee, but espresso mixed with conditioner and apple cider vinegar? Not so much. When you’ve finished the process, your hair should be a rich, lustrous new color. If you don’t achieve the desired result on the first try, or have particularly stubborn gray hairs, then just repeat the process every day until your hair reaches the color you prefer. That’s a nice color on you! Coffee wakes you up and helps you stay beautiful! Who knew that was going to be the case?