Indigofera tinctoria also called true indigo, is a species of plant from the bean family that was one of the original sources of indigo dye. It has been naturalized to tropical and temperate Asia, as well as parts of Africa, but its native habitat is unknown since it has been in cultivation worldwide for many centuries. 

Today most dye is synthetic, but natural dye from I. tinctoria is still available, marketed as natural coloring where it is known as tarum in Indonesia and nila in Malaysia. 

Indigo is one of the oldest known dyes. In the earlier days, it was extensively used for dyeing textiles. Derived by grinding leaves of the plant genre Indigofera, Indigo was a considered precious commodity, referred to as ‘blue gold’. 
 

Over the years, people discovered the use of Indigo to colour hair black naturally, and the dye became popular as Indigo hair colour.

Benefits of using Indigo Powder: 

• It treats and prevents premature greying.
• It can lead to new hair growth and treat baldness.
• It treats dandruff and conditions dry hair.
• It prevents scalp infections and soothes the scalp.
• It smoothens the tangles, makes your hair thicker, more manageable and lustrous.

HOW TO COLOUR YOUR HAIR BLACK NATURALLY?

Step 1 - Treat your hair with Henna 

1. Soak the Henna Powder (100 gms for short hair, 200 gms for shoulder-length hair, 300 gms for long hair) with Tea Water or Coffee Water overnight. (Adding coffee makes the red color of henna more visible.) Add only a dash of Lemon Juice if you wish.
2. Add Yoghurt or Egg for additional conditioning.
3. The next day, apply the paste on clean, product-free hair for 45-60 minutes, depending on preferred intensity.
4. Rinse thoroughly only with water, repeating as many times as you intuitively need. Do not use shampoo.

Step 2 - Treat your hair with Indigo

1. After rinsing your hair, let them dry.
2. Mix the Indigo Powder (100 gms for short hair, 200 gms for shoulder-length hair, 300 gms for long hair) in warm water to prepare a paste.
3. Apply on your hair, using gloves if applying with your hands, or a spatula.
4. Leave on for 45 minutes, or more, depending on preferred intensity. It’s advisable to keep it on hair for up to 2 hours to get rich black color.
5. Rinse thoroughly with water.
6. Wash your hair with a cleansing shampoo the next day.

Country of Origin: India