Is Indigo Powder Safe? What's in It, PPD, Toxicity and How to Spot Fake Indigo

The short answer: pure indigo powder is one plant ingredient, dried Indigofera tinctoria leaf, and it contains no PPD. It isn't the synthetic indigo made for textiles, and it isn't "black henna", some of which contains PPD, a synthetic dye that can cause severe allergic reactions. It's for external use on hair only, and like any hair colour it can cause a reaction in some people: allergy to natural indigo has been reported. So check the label, patch test 24–48 hours before first use, and stop if your skin reacts.

Where the worry comes from

"Indigo" names several different materials: the plant, the blue pigment it forms, synthetic indigo made in factories for textiles, and compound dark dyes sold with plant words on the front. Some products sold as "black henna" or "natural black" have contained PPD (p-phenylenediamine), a synthetic dye that can cause severe allergic reactions. When a search result warns about "indigo", check which material it means. For leaf powder on hair, the cautions that apply are below.

For what indigo powder is and the colour it gives, see our indigo page.

Is indigo dye toxic to humans?

Indigo powder for hair is a leaf powder for external use on hair only. It isn't food, so don't swallow it, keep it out of your eyes, pour it gently so you don't breathe in the dust, and patch test before first use: like any hair colour, it can cause a reaction in some people.

Is indigo carcinogenic?

Research on indigo has mostly looked at other materials: synthetic textile indigo, isolated pigment, plant extracts and laboratory tests. Those results don't carry over to leaf powder on hair in either direction, so neither "all indigo causes cancer" nor "indigo is harmless" is accurate. Use it on hair only, keep it out of your eyes and mouth, and patch test first.

Is indigo powder safe for hair?

Like any hair colour, indigo can cause problems for some people. Hair can feel dry, rough or tangled afterwards if the paste dries hard, stays on too long or is rinsed roughly, so keep it moist, stay within 1–2 hours and rinse gently. Some people's scalps itch after colouring, from residue, a paste that dried tight, too much salt, another mix-in or sensitivity to indigo itself, and some people are allergic to it.

Watch for burning, itching that gets worse, redness, swelling, blisters or a spreading rash. If you notice any of these, rinse the paste off with plenty of water and stop using it. Flat blue-green colour on comfortable skin is most likely staining. Our page on itchy scalp after indigo covers what to do.

Is indigo powder safe for skin?

It isn't meant for skin. Spierb Indigo Powder is a hair colour, not a face mask or a body-art paste. Apart from the patch test, keep it off your skin where you can: fresh paste can stain the skin at your hairline blue-green for a while, which is why petroleum jelly goes along the hairline, ears and neck, kept off the hair, before you start.

Is indigo powder natural or chemical?

Everything, plant or synthetic, is made of chemicals, so "chemical-free" isn't a real category for any hair colour. The useful question is what's on the label. Pure indigo powder lists one ingredient, indigo leaf, with no added dye. Synthetic indigo is made in factories, mostly for textiles; its main blue can be the same molecule, but it's a different product from ground leaf.

Does indigo contain PPD?

Pure indigo leaf powder doesn't. PPD is a synthetic hair-dye ingredient, and a product with "indigo" or "henna" on the front can still contain it if it's in the formula, so read the ingredient list. If you've reacted to a hair dye or a "black henna" tattoo before, take particular care with any new colour, whatever the label says: PPD in hair dyes and some "black henna" can cause severe allergic reactions.

How to spot fake indigo

• The label names one plant. Indigo leaf, Indigofera tinctoria, and nothing else.
• The powder is green. Green, olive or grey-green is normal for dried indigo leaf. A jet-black or bright blue powder is unlikely to be plain indigo leaf, though colour alone doesn't prove what's in it: read the label.
• The promises are realistic. Be wary of instant black on grey or light hair without henna, several shade names for one "pure" product, or a missing ingredient list.
• A strand test agrees. Pure indigo alone on grey or light hair usually looks blue or green, not black.

What to do before you use indigo

1. Check the label: one ingredient, indigo leaf.
2. Patch test 24–48 hours before first use, with a little of the mix you plan to use, on a small patch of clean, unbroken skin. Don't go ahead if the skin burns, swells, blisters or turns red, or if it itches and the itch doesn't settle. A patch test can't rule out a reaction later.
3. Strand test a hidden lock to see the colour first.
4. Use it on hair only, never on eyebrows, eyelashes or near your eyes, and not on a cut or irritated scalp. Wear gloves and keep the pouch away from children.

The full method, from mixing to aftercare, is in how to use indigo powder for hair.

If a reaction doesn't settle, see a doctor or pharmacist; if your face, lips or eyes swell or you have trouble breathing, call 911; and if any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Canada 1-844-764-7669, in Quebec 1-800-463-5060; in the US, Poison Help 1-800-222-1222).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is indigo natural or synthetic?

Both exist. Indigo powder for hair is the natural kind: the ground leaf of the indigo plant. Synthetic indigo is made in factories, mostly for dyeing textiles. The label tells you which you have.

Is indigo powder all natural?

Pure indigo powder is a single plant ingredient: dried, finely ground indigo leaf, with nothing added. Natural doesn't mean reaction-free, so patch test before first use.

Is there chemical-free indigo powder available?

No product is literally chemical-free, plant powders included. What you can find is indigo powder with one ingredient, indigo leaf, and no added dye or PPD. That's what to look for on the label.

What is indigo powder made of?

Spierb Indigo Powder is made of one thing: dried, finely ground and triple-sifted indigo leaf from India. The ingredient line reads Indigofera Tinctoria Leaf Powder – 100 %.

Why is indigo not colouring my hair?

Usually the paste was mixed too early, there was no henna under grey hair, or oil or product was on the hair. See indigo not working for the checks and fixes.

Can I dye my hair with indigo only?

On hair that's already dark or already hennaed, yes. On grey, white or light hair, indigo alone usually looks blue or green. See indigo for jet black hair.

Does indigo hair dye damage hair?

Indigo isn't a bleach or lightener, but a paste that dries hard, frequent full-length colouring or rough rinsing can leave hair dry, rough or tangled. See indigo powder side effects for what to watch for and how to avoid it.