Everyone is familiar with indigo – it is the stuff that makes blue jeans blue. How come indigo is found in the natural colors from VOONO, what is it made of and how to mix it properly? You will find out all about it in this article.
TYPES OF INDIGO:
NATURAL INDIGO
Natural indigo has been used in the past as a dye for denim, uniforms, workwear and other textiles. It is a natural dye that is obtained from the plant of the same name. The leaves of the Indigo plant are soaked and allowed to ferment. During the fermentation process, the leaves decompose to produce indoxyl and glucose. After completion of the process, the solution is exposed to oxygen, dried and ground to a powder. This is the indigo for use in your hair! It is a natural product that is sustainable and eco-friendly.
INDUSTRIAL INDIGO
In the textile industry, however, natural dye has been replaced by synthetic alternatives. It is made by mixing the petrochemicals aniline, hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde. This substance is toxic to humans and animals! When buying henna, always look at whether it is natural indigo or industrial. Never trust sellers with products of unknown composition or origin.
FALSE INDIGO
Another plant source of indigo is the plant Isatis tinctoria, also known as dyer’s woad, or false indigo. It is the only species of the genus Isatis that grows on the territory of the Czech Republic. Nowadays, this method is almost forgotten, but it is definitely worth mentioning.
Indigo can also originate from animals, when it is obtained from the shells of marine snails from the species Bolinus brandaris and Hexaplex trunculus, whose common names are spiny dye-murex and banded dye-murex, respectively. Of course, this type of indigo would not be vegan and animal friendly. That’s why we don’t want it on our hair!
USE OF INDIGO IN NATURAL COLORS
Often customers consider indigo to be black henna. This isn’t the case. The pure powdered indigo itself has a green coloration, the blue pigment develops when mixed with hot water at 50 degrees Celsius. When using indigo, it is not recommended to use vegetable oils and it is best to omit applying conditioner before the process in the case of two-phase dyeing. The less the hair is wrapped in different substances, the better the color will catch.
Indigo itself is never applied directly to blond hair, it is only mixed into colors. This doesn’t apply to dyeing dark hair.
