Don’t like coppery tones in plant-based hair dye? This is for you.

Today I want to talk about something that’s been coming up a lot lately:
copper tones in plant-based hair color.

I know some of you love them… but for others, they’re a hard no.
So if you’re on “team anti-copper,” this post is for you.

A little background on plant-based hair color

Plant-based hair color comes from a blend of dye plants.
For example:

• Orange (lawsonia inermis) + blue (indigofera tinctoria) create a brown shade.

Depending on the ratio of the two, that brown can be darker… or lean coppery.

Why do coppery tones appear?

1. Henna binds strongly

Lawsonia (henna) is very potent and binds strongly to the hair.
It’s a permanent dye, so once it sets… it stays.

2. Indigo fades with washing

Indigo, which gives hair its dark blue tone, is more delicate.
It doesn’t bind as easily and also washes out more quickly.
That’s why the color often looks great at first… then turns warmer or more orange over time.

3. Gray hair is a blank canvas

White hair (gray hair) acts like a clean canvas.
Think of plant-based hair color as watercolor:
if you paint on white paper, the colors will stand out more than they would on dark paper.

How can you prevent or correct coppery tones?

Here are some super practical tips to prevent and correct coppery tones and help indigo last longer:

1. A strategic two-step process

First apply a dark shade (such as Black or Cocoa), then apply Brown.
Even if the first shade doesn’t fully cover the gray, the second one locks in the color and helps the indigo last longer.