Essential Tips

• Hair prep is extremely important. If you are using oil or a leave-in conditioner, you will want to make sure that no residue is still in the hair. Be sure to shampoo thoroughly prior to application using a clarifying shampoo, no conditioner. You can use conditioner again after your first shampoo 24 hours later.
• Always shampoo your hair after you rinse the dye out at least 24 hours later. Use a gentle shampoo and do not go longer than 48 hours. Waiting can cause the hair to oxidize and turn multiple colors. You will not wash the color out.
• Do not leave dye in your hair longer than 1.5 hours. Doing so can cause reds to appear if using browns or darker colors.
• Never mix any other ingredients with the powder unless you have done so in the past. Things like lemon and oil can restrict the coverage or keep it from working entirely.
• There is no need to mix the paste and let it set out overnight. Our hair dye is fresh and releases instantly. Leaving mixed paste out for long periods can keep the dyes from working properly. Only mix what you need and store the rest in a sealed pouch in a cool area. It is good for 1 year once opened, and up to 5 years non-opened.
• If you have been dying your hair for a long time and have major roots in the front, start the application from the side, working up and over the top of the head and then down towards the back.

Shampoo & Product Compatibility

When it comes to shampoos, there are millions of different brands on the market. It is extremely hard to know which shampoo or product will react. A shampoo will rarely cause a problem however, some absolutely do. We do know that:

• Baby shampoo will keep hair green/blue using Ash Beach Brown
• V05 gives multiple colors
• Aveda will turn browns red/green
• Dr. Bonners causes multiple issues, especially with browns
• Grandpas pine soap will turn strawberry blond golden blond
• Alcohol hair gels will cause purple
• Neutrogena (specifically Anti-Residue Shampoo)
• Any conditioner is fine unless it has alcohol or oil in the ingredients

To make your color last longer: Shampoo hair and then rinse hair with apple cider vinegar (you can dilute if you wish). Rinse with water and then apply the mix following the instructions on the back.

Hair straighteners can cause green, especially "It's a 10." If you do any hair treatments, please wait a few days and do a test area. If you want to cover chemically treated hair, this is fine. You can use EarthDye before or after doing chemicals, but keep in mind that the darker your hair color, the harder it is to do highlights.

Oil treatments - you will need to wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo 3 times prior to application. Oils keep the dye from working and will strip color over time. You can also do an apple cider vinegar rinse prior to application; this will help get any extra oil out.

How to Make Your Color Last Longer

We have had customers report to us that they have not dyed their entire heads for several years; one, in particular, said it had been over 4 years. She was only touching up her roots as they grew in.

While on most the color will fade over a month to several months, this was most remarkable. Vanessa was excited and said, "Don't you wanna know how I did it?"

So below is exactly what she did, step by step.

EarthDye Application For Longer Lasting Natural Hair Color

1. Prepare the Water: Boil 2 cups of water. Turn off the heat and allow the water to cool before you begin the process. Ensure the water is warm, not boiling, to avoid any risk of burns.
2. Prepare the Mix: Combine the dry powders. In this example, mahogany powder is mixed with a small amount of burgundy powder. Adjust the ratios to achieve your desired color.
3. Shampoo Your Hair: Wash your hair thoroughly with shampoo twice to ensure it is clean and free of oils and residues.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse: Rinse your hair with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and let it sit for 3 minutes. This step helps to prepare your hair for the application. Rinse thoroughly with water afterward.
5. Mix the Paste: Gradually add the warm water to the powder mixture, stirring continuously. Aim for a thick, pudding-like consistency, using only as much water as needed to achieve this texture.
6. Apply the Paste: Using a hair dye application brush, apply the paste evenly throughout your hair. Ensure all strands are well-coated. Let the paste sit on your hair for 1 to 1.5 hours.
7. Rinse Out the Paste: Rinse your hair thoroughly until the water runs clear. Make sure all the paste is removed from your hair.
8. Post-Application Care: Avoid washing your hair for up to 48 hours (sooner if hair starts to oxidize). This waiting period allows the darker pigments to set and gives your natural hair oils time to rejuvenate.

Following these steps will help you achieve vibrant, long-lasting color with EarthDye.

Quick Application for Redheads

This is an excellent tip for redheads on the go who want to apply natural red henna or strawberry blond henna. Keep in mind that you can achieve strawberry blond using pure natural red and get more out of it!

So let's say your roots are showing: Grab some EarthDye natural red, mix up 1/4 of a pack or less with water in a bowl, or use an empty ketchup bottle and keep in the shower. Now add some shampoo and mix slowly (make sure to wear gloves!), you now have a one-step natural red application ready to go! One is in the shower, shampooing into their hair, and leave for 5 minutes or longer for more red. Rinse and keep on going!

See Heather's henna before and after video doing a similar technique with 20-30 minutes.

Multi-Colored Hair

Some people are changing colors or gray/white is growing out. Or maybe you have strands of white mixed in with your dark brown.

When you color your hair over white, gray, or light-colored hair, using a darker color, it more than likely will be green, red, or yellow, or all of the above, after you rinse it out; this is normal. Overnight, it will settle into the color it is supposed to be.

If you are doing strands or roots, they might come out lighter or as highlights. Some people want this. Some do not. Normally, the color will blend in unless you use a color lighter than your current color. The only way to know is to test and trial.

Also, keep in mind you can use EarthDye as often as you like, so you do not have to wait weeks to change up the color. Just remember you cannot lighten your color. You can only go equal or darker. If you go too dark, it is not easy to lighten. The best thing to do is work your way up. Once you get the color you want, then focus on the roots as doing your entire head over and over will cause it to get darker and darker. You can use an application brush to do the roots for best results.