How-to
How to Use Indigo Powder for Jet Black Hair: The Henna-Then-Indigo Two-Step Method
For black hair, apply rested henna for at least 2 hours and rinse with water. Then, on dry or damp hair, apply fresh indigo mixed 80:20 with saved henna for 1–2 hours, and skip shampoo and oil for 24 hours.
The short answer: for black hair, especially over grey, use two steps on the same day. First apply rested henna for at least 2 hours and rinse it out with water only. When your hair is dry or damp, mix indigo fresh with warm water and a pinch of salt, stir it into some of the saved henna at 80% indigo to 20% henna, and apply it straight away for 1–2 hours. Rinse with water, then no shampoo or oil for 24 hours.
Does indigo turn your hair black?
Over a henna base, it can. Indigo gives cool blue; henna gives warm copper-red; together your eye reads them as very dark brown to black. On grey or white hair, indigo on its own usually turns blue or green, because there's nothing warm underneath to balance it. That's why the black method starts with henna. It colours the strands you have; new growth comes through in your natural colour.
| Your starting colour | What the two steps usually give |
|---|---|
| White or grey | Black to very dark brown |
| Blonde or light | Very dark brown to black |
| Light brown | Very dark brown to black |
| Medium brown | Deep dark brown to black |
| Dark brown | Deeper dark brown to black |
| Black | Little visible change; may look cooler |
These are directions, not guaranteed shades. Your starting colour, how much grey you have and your hair's history all change the result, so strand test a hidden lock first. For brown rather than black, use the one-step mix in how to mix henna and indigo for brown hair. Can grey hair turn black again? explains why grey needs colour added, and is there a "chemical-free" hair dye? compares plant colour with box dye.
The two-step method for black hair
You need henna and indigo powder, a non-metallic bowl, comfortably warm water, salt, gloves, petroleum jelly and a shower cap or damp towel. Spierb Henna Powder and Spierb Indigo Powder are each a single leaf ingredient.
Patch test 24–48 hours before first use, with a little of each mix on a small patch of clean, unbroken skin, and don't go ahead if the skin burns, swells, blisters or turns red, or if it itches and the itch doesn't settle.
Step 1: the henna base
- Mix the henna with comfortably warm water in a non-metallic bowl to a smooth paste. Cover and rest it 3–4 hours, ideally 8. Make enough for your whole head plus a little extra to save for step 2.
- Start with clean hair with no oil or product on it. Put petroleum jelly along your hairline, ears and neck, keeping it off the hair, and wear gloves.
- Apply the henna in sections from roots to ends, working it thoroughly into grey roots.
- Cover and wait at least 2 hours; longer gives a deeper result, as long as the paste stays moist under a shower cap or damp towel.
- Rinse with water only. No shampoo, no oil. Let your hair dry until it's damp, not soaking wet.
Step 2: indigo with a little henna
- Mix the indigo only now, with comfortably warm water and a pinch of salt, to a smooth paste like yogurt.
- Combine the fresh indigo paste with the saved henna paste at 80% indigo to 20% henna, about four parts indigo to one part henna.
- Apply straight away to dry or damp hair, saturating grey roots completely.
- Cover and wait 1–2 hours: at least 1, no more than 2.
- Rinse with plenty of water, gently. Conditioner is fine; no shampoo or oil for 24 hours.
Judge the colour once your hair is dry and has settled for a day. Straight after rinsing it can look bluish or uneven. More on mixing and aftercare is in how to use indigo powder for hair.
Can I apply indigo the same day after henna?
Yes, and that's how the method is designed: once the henna is rinsed out and your hair is dry or damp, step 2 can follow straight away. There's no need to wait overnight. Don't shampoo or oil between the two steps, and don't put step 2 on soaking-wet hair.
Can I dye my hair with indigo only?
It depends on what's underneath. Indigo alone works most predictably on hair that's already dark or already has a strong henna base, where it cools and deepens the colour. It isn't a reliable way to get black on grey, white or light hair.
What happens if you apply only indigo powder on hair?
On grey, white, blonde or bleached hair it tends to look blue, green or patchy. On dark brown hair you'll usually see a subtle cooling and deepening. On black hair there's little change beyond a blue-black sheen in strong light.
Can I apply indigo directly on hair?
Yes, on clean hair that's dry or damp, as long as your hair is dark or already hennaed. Mix it fresh, apply it straight away and leave it 1–2 hours. On grey or light hair, put henna on first.
Getting grey roots to take
Resistant grey often fails because of the method, not because the indigo needed longer in the bowl. Build a strong henna base in step 1, use fresh indigo in step 2, start with clean hair that's dry or damp, work in small sections and press the paste all the way into the roots. If some greys still look light after the colour settles, check whether the henna base took evenly before adding more indigo, and strand test the correction. Once the colour is where you want it, touch up only the roots, repeating both steps on the new growth. If greys come out green or blue, see hair turned green after indigo; for dryness or itching afterwards, see indigo powder side effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long after henna can I apply indigo?
As soon as the henna is rinsed out and your hair has dried to damp. In the two-step method that's the same day.
Can we apply indigo powder the next day after henna?
You don't need to wait. The method is one session: step 2 goes on as soon as the henna is rinsed out and your hair is dry or damp, using henna paste saved from the same batch.
Can I oil my hair after henna and indigo?
Wait 24 hours after the indigo step. The colour is still settling, and oil can coat the hair during that time. Don't oil between the two steps either. More aftercare is in how to use indigo powder for hair.
Can I use indigo on top of henna?
Yes. That's the second step of the black method, and it also works on hair that was hennaed earlier: indigo over a strong henna base usually darkens it strongly. Strand test first if the henna is patchy, because the result can be patchy too.
How long should I leave indigo in my hair after henna?
1–2 hours, covered so the paste stays moist. Leaving it longer doesn't make the result blacker.
What colour does indigo powder turn your hair?
Cool blue over your own colour: usually black-looking over henna, brown when mixed with henna, blue or green on grey hair on its own. Our indigo page has a table by starting colour.
How do I get indigo dye out of my hair?
Indigo can't be quickly washed out: it fades with washing and grows out. See indigo not working for what you can do.
