1.  Why Color Hair?

2.  How are Indigo and Henna Used?

3.  How is Henna Powder Used Alone?

4.  How is Soap Nut Juice Made?

1.  WHY COLOR HAIR?

Color therapy is rooted in Ayurveda, an ancient form of medicine practiced in India for thousands of years. Ayurveda is based on the idea that every individual contains the five basic elements of the universe: earth, water, air, fire, and ether (space). These elements are present in specific proportions unique to an individual's personality and constitution. When these elements are thrown out of balance through unhealthy living habits or outside forces, illness results. Ayurvedic medicine uses the energies inherent in the colors of the spectrum to restore this balance.

2.  HOW ARE INDIGO AND HENNA USED?

Using henna and indigo for hair coloring can result in black, raven black, blue-black, purplish black or burgundy black hair. The exact color result depends upon your original hair coloring as well as how you use your henna and indigo in this process. Henna and Indigo application can be done in either a two-step or one-step process. Making Indigo for conditioning your hair:The indigo leaves should be boiled 2 oz to 32 oz of water. Boil for 5- 10 minutes, closed. Allow to cool down and then strain the leaves out.Shampoo your hair as you would and rinse with the Indigo leaf water - you will be amazed at how shiny and manageable your hair will be! Please remember that this will not color your hair - just condition it!

Indigo paste with Henna powder (makes color)

Boil 4 oz of indigo leaves with 12 oz of water and grind in a food processor to a smooth paste, should be as thick as stirred up yogurt, though it will be very lumpy like porridge. It will be a green mush that smells like frozen peas. In about half an hour the top of this mush will start to turn dark blue. Wear plastic gloves or your hands will have grey-blue stains. When the indigo has sat for a couple of hours, add the henna powder.  Slather it in by the handfull. Work it down to the scalp, and mush it in like you're trying to plaster a wall with guacamole. Try to get indigo henna paste evenly into all the hair. It's messy. It's stinky. Remember that women believed the uglier they got with their beauty preparations, the lovelier they'd be when they were done. Wrap the indigo henna-laden hair with plastic wrap into a great mooshy sloppy peas-smelling turban and let it stay there half an hour. Wipe all the indigo henna paste drops off as they dribble down the neck, forehead and back! These will leave red brown blue gray streaks if you don't wipe them away. Rinse this all out of your hair. And then your hair will be amazing, natural plant color which is a deep blue to purple. A safe natural color that helps your hair!

3. HOW IS HENNA POWDER USED ALONE?

Using natural henna to color and condition the hair requires patience and a slight learning curve. There are things that henna loves, needs and wants. · Henna loves an acidic environment for optimal dye release. · Henna loves a warm and humid environment for optimal dye release.· Henna loves to take her time to release her dye and must be given the required time to do so. · Henna loves a warm and humid environment to color the hair optimally. · Henna loves to take her time when coloring the hair and must be given the required time to do so. · Henna loves a long lingering rinse in order to be removed from the hair and scalp thoroughly. · Henna loves skin and textiles and will happily stain your skin and clothing unless you wear gloves, old or protective clothing and cover your rugs and shower curtains.

MIXING HENNA POWDER:

HOW TO APPLY TO YOUR HAIR:

Take your time and make sure that you have covered all of your hair with the paste from roots to ends. When you are sure that you have all of the hair covered thoroughly, cover your hair with a plastic cap. Then cover with a towel or scarf. Leave the paste on your hair for the length of time required to get both the coloring and conditioning desired. To avoid henna from staining your skin, apply a protective oil or grease like petroleum jelly around your forehead, ears and neckline.

WASHING OFF:

This is best done while standing in your shower and allowing warm water to rinse the henna paste from your hair.

While your hair is still wet, apply a moisturizer. While your hair is still moist from rinsing (but not dripping) work your moisturizing oils or other conditioner through your hair with your fingers. You will find your hair to be softer, easier to manage and detangled. Then style as usual.

4.  HOW IS SOAP NUT JUICE MADE?

1. Pour approx. 1 quart of water into a cooking pot
2. Add about 50g (handful) cracked soap nuts (excluding seeds)
3. Cover and boil, then simmer for approximately 30 minutes. The boiling process extracts the saponin from the nut shells and combines with water.
4. Let the infusion cool and you can use it immediately, or let it steep overnight. Strain into appropriate container.

 The liquid that is left can then be used as shampoo, all purpose cleaner, car wash, liquid soap, pet shampoo, washing up liquid and many other uses. The soapnut infusion is theoretically suitable for every kind of cleaning - even wash your car with it!