Naturally Dyed Brows!
Naturally dye your brows with henna! The color lasts 7-10 days, which makes it super low maintenance. It’s so easy to do yourself. It literally only takes 20 minutes!
GETTING STARTED
If you’ve been around on our website then you know we’re passionate about all-natural products. No synthetics, no pesticides or other adulterants. So, let’s talk about natural color options.
To get natural, temporary eyebrow color there are two products available. Both will last the same amount of time: 7-10 days or so. Start by choosing the one that’s best for you:
Jagua henna: Brown to dark brown color. Avoid this product if you are sensitive/allergic to citrus, berries, or tropical fruits (read more*).
Henna: Light to medium reddish-brown color.
SUPPLIES NEEDED
Either jagua henna or fresh henna, depending on whichever one you’ve decided to use. You only need a tiny amount, so one applicator is more than enough. You can buy jagua henna ready to use, or learn to mix your own. You can buy henna ready to use, or follow my recipe to mix your own!
Headband / hair clips - something to hold your hair back
Access to a sink + soap and water
Optional: fine point cotton swabs for making minor adjustments
DIRECTIONS
First, we recommend getting started when you don’t plan to go anywhere for the rest of the day. The color needs a little time to develop, and in the first few hours it will be a bright orange. It will be brown by morning, so it’s safe to do right before bed if you like.
Read on for our step-by-step tutorial, or head over to our video if you prefer learning that way.
Start with clean skin and no moisturizers of any kind (these will inhibit the stain).
Using your jagua henna or henna, draw a light outline where you want to apply the color. If you make mistakes, just wipe it off with a cotton swab, a bit of tissue or your finger. It doesn’t have to be totally perfect, so don’t stress! Once the color comes in, the borders will have soft edges, not harsh lines like an eye pencil. Just adjust until you get it the way you like it.
Once you’re happy with the outline, go back over it with a thicker line.
Fill in! Make sure to apply somewhat thickly, and press down a bit here and there to make sure that the paste makes full contact with your skin underneath the eyebrow hair. Remember, you’re actually dyeing your skin underneath - not really the hair. Technically, it does stain the hairs slightly but it’s very subtle (except on very pale blonde eyebrows).
Repeat on the second brow.
Let the paste rest for 5-15 minutes. I usually let mine sit for 10 minutes. Less time = lighter color, more time = darker color.
Time to remove the paste! I usually use my fingernail or a spoon to gently scoop off the thick layer first. BE CAREFUL: Be sure to lean over your sink while doing this, to ensure that the paste falls into the sink. DO NOT allow the paste to get into your eyes! Once the paste has been scraped off, hold a dry washcloth over your eyes to protect them and gently wash your eyebrows with soap and water. Pat dry with a dry towel (do not scrub).
Surprise! The color of the stain will initially be bright orange - this is normal and not permanent! It looks this way for a few hours, and gradually shifts to brown. By the next morning, it will be brown; and it will fully darken in 48 hours.
MAINTENANCE
Wash your face as you normally would. Gentle, non-exfoliating soaps will prolong the stain (basic castile soaps work great). Look for simple ingredients.
When drying, always pat your brows dry - don’t rub. Rubbing exfoliates the skin which will cause the stain to fade faster.
When you’re ready for more color, repeat the process*! Your longevity will vary depending on how you care for it; but you can usually expect it to last 1-2 weeks.
*We don’t recommend applying jagua henna more often than 1x/week. As a tropical fruit, jagua juice may cause irritation if used too frequently.
ALLERGEN NOTICE
*Jagua is an unpasteurized berry and may cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals. In particular, those with citrus, berry or tropical fruit sensitivity should avoid products containing jagua. Irritation can show up a couple of weeks after application, so we always recommend a small spot test on your inner wrist and waiting 2 weeks to ensure no sign of reaction.
What is jagua?
Jagua (genipa americana) is a tropical fruit, technically a berry, found in Central and South America. The juice of the unripe fruit stains the top few layers of skin, typically lasting for 1-2 weeks until it fades due to exfoliation.
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