Despite the name, Black Walnut dye will not color your hair jet black but will enrich and darken your hair and cover grey. If you want jet black hair without chemicals then you wil need to use a dye such as indigo to blacken your hair.
GATHER TOGETHER
1lb Black walnut hulls – hulls must be green and ripe
1tbsp jojoba oil
Thick white conditioner of your choice
Shampoo
A few pairs of non-latex rubber gloves
Hammer
Pot for boiling
Sheet of muslin cloth or sieve for straining
Funnel
Plastic jar for mixing (large enough to contain equal parts conditioner and walnut mixture)
Applicator brush and bowl (optional)
Pick or comb (optional)
Towels
Cape to protect your clothes
METHOD
- Put rubber gloves on and proceed to peel the hulls off the walnuts. If the hulls are hard, you can use a hammer or small mallet, even a mortar and pestle to crack open the hulls to peel them. You may need more than one pair of gloves just in case the hulls tear through them.
- Once you have peeled the hulls, place them in the pot and cover with water (about 16oz) and boil.
- Immediately reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat (change pots if necessary to accelerate cooling) and allow to cool until lukewarm.
- Once cool pour through the sieve or muslin into your storage jar and squeeze and press to get as much liquid as possible.
- Pour the dye through a funnel into a plastic squeeze bottle with some conditioner in it.
- Fill the bottle to the top with your conditioner add the jojoba oil and shake to mix.
- Do not use the no-shampoo method. You should wash your hair with shampoo and rinse thoroughly.
- Put on the cape or lay a towel across your shoulders to protect your clothes.
- Put gloves on.
- Section your freshly shampooed wet hair and apply the dye from scalp to ends. You can use a brush and bowl just like a hairdresser does, or you can just use your hands and fingers. Use a wide toothed comb to comb the dye through if you can but if your hair does not comb through, skip this step.
- Wait 15 - 20 minutes, (do not sit under a processor or dryer) then rinse it out very thoroughly until the water runs clear.
Optinal: You can follow up your color treatment with a rosemary or nettle infusion to seal the color in.
Do not wash your hair for at least a few days after applying this color, to allow it time to fully set into your hair.
And don't forget to eat the yummy walnuts! They are a superfood and excellent for memory.
Not recommended if you have a nut allergy or are sensitive to anything contained in this recipe. If you are concerned, do a patch test first on your inner elbow and wait 24hrs to see if any reaction occurs.
