hair dye

i answer google search terms that brought people to my blog – PT 2

welcome back! 🙂

here we are again, almost exactly 1 year later (ha…), reviewing my blog stats and getting to read what people searched to wind up on this site.

black walnut hair dye

this was by far the most searched term that drove organic views to this site in the last year. yes, i have dyed my hair with black walnuts, and yes, it actually works. here’s the original post from 7 years ago (wow).

norwex cloths

among the phrases in this search term were things like “home cleaning” and “private parts”…. when i first used norwex cloths in 2013, it was because a rep provided them to me to review. i ended loving them so much that i purchased a pack with my own money. those washcloths are still in my bathroom to this day, lovingly being used and in great shape. highly recommend!

dragon’s blood

dragon what? what blood? good ol croton lechleri sap is fantastic for skin-support. i first wrote about it here, but it’s now found in countless green beauty products. and guys – it can be used undiluted on skin as a liquid bandaid. super cool!

msm face mask

methylsulfonylmethane (msm) is a sulfur compound that is great both externally and internally. if you want to learn more and try it in an exfoliating mask, try this post. if you want to combine it with anti-inflammatory powerhouse turmeric, try this post. and if you want something moisturizing and skin-softening, try this post. happy mixing!

hydrojelly face mask

hydro-gel face masks have become my favorite, since i live in a high-altitude, dry, polluted city. think: 100% Pure but make it DIY. they’re easy to customize and easy to make, making them a fun diy tailored for your skin needs. the coolest part is they come right off with no scrubbing and no mess. i usually make/use these every other week. here’s a post!

water-only washing

while i personally can’t follow this method anymore, because i live in a high-altitude, dry, and polluted city, i think it’s a fantastic option for those that can. it’s exactly what it sounds like, and no, you won’t end up stinking. my hair ended up shinier and softer than ever, and could actually hold a curl. here’s a post on w.o.w. for hair and one for body.

(product name) dupe

i do have a formulation educational series on this blog, which took inspiration from actual green beauty products on the market. while no companies or product names are used, it’s a nice series on learning to read ingredient labels and understand how that translates into a formula. it’s also a nice starting point for those wanting to get into diys, but don’t know where to start. here’s the full series. there’s lot of good info in those posts, if i do say so myself!

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anything else you’re curious about? maybe we’ll have part 3 in another year 😉

XO, ALEXRAYE

lighten your hair naturally

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

after my post about dying your hair darker with walnuts went live on AE, i’ve had lots of questions about how to lighten hair naturally.

lightening hair is always more involved, because it involves removing color from the hair (instead of depositing color for “darker” shades). by removing color, you’re typically using harsher chemicals and are being harder on your hair. your hair can become more brittle and dry by going lighter.

with that in mind, we need to make sure our hair’s getting a little extra TLC –

keep your hair conditioned
scritch and preen to use your natural scalp oils to moisturize the length of your hair (video HERE)
look into using leave-in conditioners
if your hair becomes brittle, give it a dose of protein with an egg yolk mask or gelatin mask

since we’re steering clear of the toxic stuff, here are some tried n’ true ways to naturally lighten your hair (over time, of course. ’tis the price we pay for being crunchy)!

quick note: these methods work best on hair colors that are not very dark (not dark browns/black), and these are more than likely NOT going to have “dye-like” effects. the shades you’ll get will be more of the sun-kissed variety.

lighten hair naturally

Continue reading lighten your hair naturally

no-‘poo/low-‘poo for dyed hair

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

the long awaited post is here! (and the long awaited source list is on its way!)

we’re finally going to formally address going no-‘poo/low-‘poo with dyed hair!
insight on going no-'poo or low-poo with dyed hair

when i first decided to follow my hippie heart and become a no-‘poo-er, i had dyed hair…that had been dyed over dye…over dye. it wasn’t a good hair situation, haha. i’m a natural brunette that accidentally dyed my hair almost black, let it fade, lightened it to a honey brown, dyed it to a medium auburn brown, let it fade, and then dyed it dark brown (wait for iiiiit….)… all within a year and a half and all out of a freakin box! before that, i dyed it dark brown every month to 2 months. and this was post-bleach blonde, post-cherry coke, and post-black-underneath hair. my hair hadn’t been it’s natural color since about the 7th grade. no joke. like i said, it wasn’t a good hair situation!

my hair started to split on the ends in between my yearly cuts (yes, yearly), and i was SO fed up with my hair. i knew i wanted to stop dying it, so i also decided to look into “healthier” shampoos to help my hair, too.

little did i know that my life was LITERALLY going to change because i decided to not dye my hair. but that’s a story for another time i suppose.

so is going no’poo/low-‘poo with dyed hair possible? YES. is it safe? YES.
but here are a few things to consider before your switch (or during!)

some things to consider:

how damaged is your hair?
– ANY type of permanent/semiperm/etc, hair dye is damaging. period. end of story. it sucks, i know! so for example, if your hair is dry and breaking with your current store-bought shampoo/conditioner/products, chances are that the bs/acv routine isn’t going to the best option for you. long story short, if your hair is damaged, go low-poo. if your hair is healthy, you can try no-poo, and always keep low-poo in your back pocket 😉
are you okay with your dye fading quicker?
– you won’t be using the specialized shampoos that help color last. my hair dye faded between 3/4 of the time and 1/2 the time it would’ve usually taken with the bs/acv routine. i know that’s a deal breaker for some people. but that’s where low-poo is your best bet! low-poo won’t fade dye quickly like no-poo.
are you okay with finding more natural dye alternatives?
– because your hair will thank you! and it’ll fit into your no-poo/low-poo routine!
are you going to continue to dye your hair?
– if you’re an avid dyer, chances are no-poo isn’t the route for you. you can try low-poo. never think you need to stick to commercial products! but please do keep in mind the damage will be more apparent. the damage is the same as it always is, but commercial products smooth out hairs and “glue” split ends together. you don’t get that with no-poo/low-poo.

how to successfully transition away from commercial hair products as a “dyee” :

only wash your hair every few days or longer. it’ll be less harsh on your color-damaged hair.
keep. your. hair. moisturized!! whether that means CO masks weekly, or raw honey conditioning every wash (or both), you have to listen to your hair. YOU know YOUR hair better than anyone.
eat right & supplement when you need it.
avoid heat as much as possible! whether than be a curling iron, blow dryer, or hot shower, it’s all heat to steer clear of.
nurse your hair back to health!! & be patient with it! you may need to treat it with a heavy dose of protein (egg yolks), or seal in some serious moisture (raw honey). it’ll get better as time goes on.
use a boar bristle brush to pull scalp oils to the ends of your hair. your own scalp oils and sebum are magic for your hair!

some other posts you might find helpful:
– low-‘poo options
– no-‘poo resource page (where you can find info on everything from deep conditioners to salon trips to troubleshooting)
– coconut oil mask

any tips from fellow dyers out there?

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