Use Hibiscus Flowers for Red Hair Dye

5 Parts:

Preparation of the Hibiscus Tea Rinse

Application of the Hibiscus Hair Dye

Tips & Tricks

Questions and Answers

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Hibiscus flowers can be used as a natural herbal method to add or accentuate red colors and highlights in your hair. While hibiscus flowers can come in a variety of colors from white to yellow to pink to red, you're going to want to use red flowers to add red dye to your hair.

Hibiscus plants grow in many different climates in the world, so it is a relatively easy flower to find. It grows wild in many warm or tropical regions, but it is also possible to cultivate the plants yourself if you live in at least a somewhat temperate area - or you can always purchase dried flowers commercially.

If you're not looking to make a big change or a big commitment, another advantage of using hibiscus compared to chemical dyes or even other natural agents such as henna is that the hibiscus is less drastic and less permanent - it will enhance color more than completely change it, and will fade and wash out over a week or two.

Hibiscus flower color is most easily applied to the hair when you make a tea out of it and then apply it as a rinse. You'll have to experiment somewhat to find the right strength of concentration for your personal preferences. It will depend both on the amount of color that you want to add to your hair, as well as the amount of color that comes out of the flowers as they steep in the hot water. This can depend both on the specific species of hibiscus that you are using as well as whether you are starting with fresh or dried flowers. A good first recipe to start with is:

1. 1
   Boil 2 cups of water and remove from heat.

   

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2. 2
   Add 1/2c to 1c hibiscus flowers depending on how much color you want to add to your hair.

   

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3. 3
   Let it steep for 5-10 minutes and then remove the flowers from the water using a strainer.

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4. 4
   Let the water cool to room temperature.

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In addition to adding more (or less) flowers to the water, the other way to increase (or decrease) the strength of the color is to allow the mixture to steep longer (or less). If you're looking for the most red you can get, you can even leave the flowers in the water until it has cooled completely to room temperature.

1. 1
   One of the easiest ways to apply the color to your hair without getting it all over everything else is to use a spray bottle

   .

   

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2. 2
   Put the cooled hibiscus tea into an empty, clean spray bottle and then use it to apply onto clean, dry hair.

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3. 3
   Doing it this way also allows you to choose whether you want to highlight just some small areas instead applying to all your hair at once.

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4. 4
   Spray enough onto the areas you want to color to make the hair wet.

   

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5. 5
   If you'd like to ensure a more even application, you can run a comb through your hair to make sure the color is spread equally.

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6. 6
   Leave it in for 30-60 minutes and then rinse out in the shower.

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7. 7
   If possible, allow your hair to dry in the sun, or blow dry it to help bring out the highlights even more.

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• Be careful while your hair is wet with the hibiscus in it - although the dye is temporary on your hair, it can leave a stain on fabrics or furniture that may absorb some of the color.
• Although several tea blends are made with hibiscus flowers in them, and the flower is also sometimes used as an edible garnish, there are hundreds of species of hibiscus plants. Make sure you check exactly what you're using before considering to consume your leftovers!

Can I give a highlight to my hair from hibiscus dye, and how long will it last on my hair, also will it leak to my pillow case, and will my tub be red?

Please advice on how much hibiscus liquid I should drink to be good for health.

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