How do you colour your hair naturally?

The fundamental distinction between plant-based and chemical hair dyes lies in the ingredients and process.

• Plant-based dyes use natural plant-based powders, such as henna and indigo. These plants provide natural pigments that dye the hair. Plant-based hair colour generally contains no ammonia, hydrogen peroxide or other harsh chemicals. It is gentle on the hair and can even improve it by strengthening it and making it shiny.

• Chemical colouring, on the other hand, uses aggressive chemicals such as ammonia and peroxide. These chemicals penetrate the hair cuticle, remove the natural pigments and then deposit new artificial pigments. Although chemical colourings offer a wider range of colours, they can damage the hair, leaving it dry, brittle and sensitive. What's more, frequent exposure to these chemicals can weaken hair over time.

Plant-based hair dye takes a gentler, more respectful approach to hair.

Vegan dye: what's in it?

Vegan hair dye means that no ingredients of animal origin are used in the product, either in its manufacture or in its application. Plant-based vegan dyes are formulated from plants, plant extracts and other natural ingredients, offering an alternative that respects animals and the environment.

Plant-based hair dye is a natural hair dyeing process based on pigments extracted from plants. These pigments, such as henna, indigo and other herbs, are ground into a fine powder. When mixed with hot water, they release natural colourants to create a paste that is applied to the hair. These dyes penetrate the hair cuticle and attach themselves to the keratin, the protein that makes up the hair. After the application time, the hair should be carefully rinsed with warm water. It's important to remember that the plant-based dye continues to develop after rinsing. The natural pigments oxidise on contact with air and stabilise, which means that the colour may deepen slightly in the days following colouring.

Unlike chemical dyes, plant-based dyes do not chemically alter the structure of the hair, but dye it in a gradual, less forceful way. The colour obtained depends on the hair's natural shade, the blend of plants used and the application time. What's more, plant-based dyes offer a semi-permanent result that gradually fades with each wash, avoiding visible roots.

Are there hairdressers who use plant-based dye?

Finding a hairdresser who specialises in plant-based dye can sometimes be a challenge, but more and more salons are offering this option. It's a good idea to check with salons in your area or visit online platforms specialising in plant-based dye to find a qualified and experienced professional.

First of all, it's important to know that plant-based hair colours do not lighten hair. We advise you to always choose a shade darker than your original colour or, if you want a tone-on-tone effect to enhance and bring out the best in your colour or to cover up your grey hair, choose a plant-based colour identical to your natural colour.

Current hair colour

Golden blond henna

A complete 100% plant-based, organic colouring treatment that coats and strengthens hair while soothing the scalp. A combination of 8 plants, including chamomile, it makes light hair bright and shiny. It also covers grey hair, giving it a pretty honey-blonde colour.

Who is it for? Blonde to light brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: golden blonde henna

Honey chestnut henna

A combination of 9 plants with colouring and hair enhancing properties, this 100% plant-based, organic hair colour provides intense, natural colour, volume and shine. This colour-care product combines turmeric, chamomile and Rajasthani henna to give light hair lovely warm, bright, honeyed highlights.

Who's it for? Blonde to light brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: honey chestnut henna

Natural chestnut henna

A complete 100% plant-based, organic treatment with a natural, radiant, full-coverage tint. A combination of eight plants with colouring and beneficial properties, it coats, smoothes and strengthens the hair. The combination of indigo and Rajasthani henna, with a dash of turmeric, produces a warm, radiant, natural colour with exceptional coverage.

Who's it for? Blonde to medium brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: natural chestnut henna

Copper henna

A 100% natural, organic, full-coverage colouring treatment that enhances hair with intense, bright coppery highlights. The combination of Rajasthani henna with manjishta and indigo produces intense, deep, shimmering coppery highlights.

Who's it for? Blonde to brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: copper henna

Caramel henna

A skilful blend of Rajasthani henna, indigo, turmeric and chamomile, this 100% natural and organic hair colour enhances hair with warm, luscious, shimmering highlights.

Who is it for? Blonde to medium brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: caramel henna

Ebony black henna

Indigo warmed with Rajasthani henna creates a 100% natural, organic colouring treatment that gives hair a deep, intense ebony colour with great coverage.

Who is it for? Blonde to brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: ebony black henna

Dark chestnut henna

Indigo is combined with Rajasthani henna and delicately warmed with turmeric in this 100% natural and organic hair dye treatment, which gives hair a deep, bright and particularly full-bodied chestnut colour.

Who's it for? Blonde to brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: dark chestnut henna

Auburn henna

Blended with Rajasthani henna and indigo, hibiscus brings its red and mahogany highlights to this 100% natural and organic hair colour for a warm, shimmering, and intensely covering auburn colour.

Who's it for? Blonde to brown hair. Covers grey hair.

Discover: auburn henna

Aroma-Zone hair dyes generally provide full coverage in a single application, but the result depends on your natural hair colour, the proportion of grey hair and the processing time.

Step 1: choose your dosage

• For roots: 50 g or 1/4 of a 250 g sachet

• For short hair: 1 x 100g sachet or 1/3 of a 250 g pack

• For medium-length hair: 2-3 x 50 g sachets or 1/2 of a 250 g pack

• For long hair: 4-5 x 50g sachets or 1 whole 250 g pack

Step 2: make your own henna paste

1. Depending on the length of your hair, pour the required number of sachets into a bowl.

2. Gradually pour lukewarm (35-40°C) tap water over the powder, mixing until you obtain a smooth, consistent paste.

3. Apply the paste to your hair immediately, following the advice below.

Step 3: how do I apply the paste?

1. Comb through clean, dry hair and divide into 2 sections, securing the top of the hair. You can use a piping bag, bottle, brush or your (gloved) fingers.

2. Apply the paste strand by strand, starting at the back of the head. Work it all the way through to the scalp. You can use a piping bag, an applicator bottle, a brush or your (gloved) fingers.

3. Continue with the top of the head, applying thick layers strand by strand.

4. Massage to ensure all the hair is well covered and pull the hair together into a bun.

5. Clean around your face and ears, then bundle all your hair into the shower cap. Leave on for 1.5 to 3 hours (1.5 hours for porous or chemically-coloured hair).

6. Rinse thoroughly. If necessary, apply a detangling conditioner after colouring.

Our tips to make the most of your natural colouring

• Do a trial on hair from your brush and wait 24 hours to see the final result.

• To acidify your mixtures or your rinse lotion, you can use bottled lemon juice.

• For very dry hair, the first wash after colouring can be done with conditioner (using the no-poo principle).

• Lemon can be irritating to sensitive scalps, so a milder acid such as orange juice can be used instead.

• To release as much lawsone as possible, cover the mixture with cling film and leave overnight at room temperature or for 2 hours at 35°C.

• Between applications, you can dye just your roots.

• Natural henna pastes (Egyptian henna, Rajasthani henna and Yemeni red henna) can be frozen.

• To close the hair cuticles, use an acidic rinse or vinegar, which will bring shine and softness to your hair.

Our tips for making your own plant-based hair dye

• Wear gloves.

• Avoid using metal utensils to make the paste.

• Protect your clothes (especially the shoulders) with an old t-shirt, for example.

• Apply the henna paste to clean, dry hair.

• Apply a thick layer of henna for deep, rich colour.

• Do not wash your hair for 3-4 days after colouring.

• If you wish to colour hair that has been chemically coloured, wait 1 month after applying the chemical colour before applying the plant-based dye.

• After applying the paste, cover the hair in the hair wrap provided to keep in the heat and for added comfort. The henna paste should remain moist throughout the application.

• The final colour will appear 3 to 4 days after the application of your colouring paste, as this is the time needed for the pigments to oxidise.

• To limit colour bleeding (especially with indigo and katam), first shampoo with Sidr powder.

Why choose our plant-based colours?

• They don't damage the hair fibre because they don't open the hair cuticles like chemical dyes do, and they don't bleach the hair and then re-colour it.

• They colour the hair very naturally.

• Genuine hair care products, they protect and strengthen the hair, sheathing it and restoring all its health and vitality.

• Hair gains volume, suppleness, shine and thickness.

• Hair is shiny, lustrous and radiant.

• It covers grey hair in just one application!

• No more itching, irritation or dandruff!

• Suitable for hair that has been chemically coloured.

Colours perfectly for optimal long-lasting results

Thanks to their association with beneficial ayurvedic plants, the plant-based colour pigments in these new hair colours:

• Are more easily extracted from plant powders,

• Adhere easily to the hair fibre and set for a long time,

• And, above all, colours don't bleed over time.

The henna leaves are ground into an extra-fine powder using a cold process to guarantee:

• A high lawsone content (a heat-sensitive colour pigment)

• Optimal colouring power thanks to the fineness of the powder.

Quality is always a priority for us

Our henna and ayurvedic plants are of the highest purity, guaranteed:

• 100% pure plant

• No additives

• No PPD (paraphenylene diamine): the substance responsible for known allergies in henna, this substance is added to cheap hair dyes to accentuate the black colour.

• No sodium picramate: chemical red dye added to cheap hair dyes to accentuate the red colour.

• No metallic salts: often added to certain henna products to increase the colouring intensity.

• 100% certified organic (which is extremely rare for henna!)

• Free from undesirable contaminants: heavy metals and pesticides are analysed at each stage of production.

An ethical, responsible and eco-friendly approach

• An ethical and responsable supply chain with production directly in India

• Factory audited by Aroma-Zone teams

• No child labour

• 180 employees, 80% of whom are women.

• Professional integration of people with disabilities through adapted training

• Social protection and health cover for employees and their families

• Production site 100% powered by solar energy

A closer look at dye plants

To obtain these 8 nourishing colours, ranging from golden blonde to ebony black, honeyed chestnut or copper, we worked with precise dosages and a combination of 10 plants, each with its own colouring and/or beneficial properties for the hair.

Like a painter, we worked with a palette of three dye plants, representing the three primary colours. Mixed in different proportions, we were able to obtain a whole range of natural, intense colours to enhance the hair.

• Indigo (leaves), which contains a natural blue pigment: indigotine.

• Rajasthan henna (leaves), which contains a natural red/orange pigment: lawsone.

• Turmeric (roots), which contains a natural yellow pigment: curcumin.

These three plants, which provide the 3 essential primary colours (red/blue/yellow), are used to create a range of 8 hair colours. Our teams have created skilful blends of these three plants, working on the proportions to obtain different shades.

For a complete treatment, we've combined them with other plants to create a palette of varied shades, while at the same time enhancing the hair's beauty, like adding Manjishta (or Indian madder) to add depth to the copper. Chamomile adds golden highlights to golden blonde hair colour.

A closer look at ayurvedic plants, age-old secrets to amazing hair

To provide you with truly caring hair colours, we have combined dye plants with ayurvedic plants selected for their effectiveness in hair care:

• Amla or Emblica officinalis (fruit) makes it easier for the hair fibre to absorb colour.

• Sidr or Zizyphus jujuba (leaf) fixes the plant-based dye to the hair fibre, preventing it from fading with repeat washing.

• Neutral henna or Cassia Auriculata (leaf) gives hair light, volume and shine.

How do I prepare my hair for plant-based dye?

To optimise the take-up of plant dyes and ensure that the colour lasts over time, it is essential to open the hair cuticles using a basic solution (e.g. bicarbonate of soda, sodium hydroxide).

Once the hair cuticles are open, a larger surface area of the hair fibre is in contact with the colouring powder, which can then set more evenly and penetrate deep into the hair.

The rinsing stage is just as important: it should be done with an acidic solution (e.g. lemon juice, vinegar) to close the hair cuticles, trapping the colour, which will be protected and last longer. The acidic solution also has a protecting and smoothing effect and makes your hair shiny.

How do I wash my coloured hair?

Colour-treated hair needs special care to preserve the intensity of its colour and boost the hair fibre's shine and lustre. After all, as you shampoo your hair, the colour gradually fades, leaving it dull. Space out your shampooing to preserve the colour and natural beauty of your hair.

A closer look at our organic plant-based shampoo