Hair hypocrite!

I confess, I'm all into the whole 'natural hair revolution'... I love having my 'natural' hair and learning about what my hair likes and how hair behaves in response to different chemicals. Shaving my head back in 2009 has lead me on  an amazing journey, changing my eating habits (except chocolate!) and learning more about the benefits of what Mother Earth has to offer. But, to call myself  'natural' is a little misleading I think.

So, I confess... my hair is not 100% natural! I haven't relaxed my hair since 2009, BUT I still use crappy 'dark and lovely'-esque hair dye! Worse still, I dye it at home - myself! The reason is that I hate going to the salon only to be told 'ooooh you have SO many grey hairs..bla bla bla bla'. Obviously, I am aware of this - thanks!! So to avoid this public embarassment in front of some of hairs worst critics (black women - you know it is true!!), I do it at home. I mean if my hair was perfect would I really be sitting in their chair?!

So as part of my DIY, I make myself a natural (really!) moisturising treatment that really helps to restore what is lost with the harsh drying chemicals found in hair dye - can you spell ammonia! Still, the fact remains, I put this crap on my hair, knowing that every time I do it, it makes my hair weaker and weaker and weaker.... go figure?! In other respects my hair is doing well - but the greys  really are just not a part of who I am regardless of whether or not they sprout from my head!

SO, DO YOU KNOW OF ANY NATURAL (!) HAIR DYES THAT REALLY WORK!?

I dye my hair 'natural' black mostly or sometimes a deep mahogany colour - both of which I like equally. I don't dye my hair for any other reason than because of 'my silvers'.

Yes, I confess, I have  A LOT OF 'silver' hair. I wish I could blame my PhD for causing me so much stress that it turned my hair grey - but I can't. I started silvering at age 12 (close your mouths now!)... a fellow school traveller announced this is on the coach to France one year - and this was the first I had heard of it. I should really thank her but at the time I didn't.

The ONLY good thing to come of me silvering in random places is that when I do dye my hair deep mahogany, I get copper(!) highlights which look as though they are intentional. Apart from that, there really is nothing else good about silvering this early. I have already accepted that by the time I am 50, actually probably 45, I will just allow it and rock my silver fro...but I am just too young darn it to sport grey hair. I refuse and would not even contemplate doing so... so for now, dyeing my hair is the only way forward....

I am due to dye my hair (yes myself!) and this is why I am exposing myself on the www!

I am asking for anyone out there in the hair world, whatever you're hair texture:

DO YOU KNOW OF ANY NATURAL (!) HAIR DYES THAT REALLY WORKS!?

Has anyone tried Henna? Is it any good?
I heard black tea stains the hair but does this work?

I am clueless to the options.. and am open to all and any suggestions welcomed with open arms!!!!

Mrs O
x