You Can Naturally Cover Gray Hair With An Ingredient Straight From Your Pantry

There's nothing quite like the look and feel of radiant hair to inspire confidence. Maintaining the health of your tresses is one thing, but keeping the color rich and vibrant is a job all its own. It doesn't take long for gray strays to appear, and you shouldn't pull out gray hairs, so what do you do when they start peeking through? 

Gray hair happens to some earlier than others, but going gray is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, there are many celebrities who proudly show off their gray hair. But what you don't want is inconsistent color covering your hair. This is especially true for folks with a deep-brunette color, as grays can easily stand out and make their overall tone look uneven. If you want a natural solution — sorry, box dye — you can reach for a common kitchen ingredient that's low in cost and even delicious. 

That's right: Cocoa powder can help hide gray hairs. Its dark tint can help not only deepen the tone of your locks but also make them stronger thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants. The minerals found in cocoa powder, like iron and magnesium, are further secret weapons, as they can protect the cells that form melanin (color) in addition to staining the graying strands. If that weren't enough, cocoa powder also includes copper, which helps hair growth and thickness. Together, these factors make it worth turning your baking staple into a hair paste.

How to use cocoa powder to cover up gray hair

To use cocoa powder to calm your grays, it should be turned into a gentle paste with conditioner. The ratio should be about 1:3, so if you're targeting a small area and use 1 tsp of cocoa powder, you'd use 3 tsp (or 1 tbsp) of conditioner. Apply the mask to your hair and scalp — your hair should be clean and mostly dry when using the mixture — and then leave it on for anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes. Once completed, rinse the mask fully from your hair. This practice can be repeated a few times a week to rejuvenate your hair and strengthen your color to disguise those pesky grays, though it may not work well for folks with blond hair for obvious reasons. Remember: It's not a miracle, and it will take time for the color to build since you're essentially staining your strands, so it needs to compound.

The best thing about using cocoa powder for grays is that it's natural and doesn't include chemicals that can be found in common hair dye. This is safer and gentler on your scalp; plus, it won't make an irreversible change to your hair or its texture. Using cocoa powder also eliminates the burning sensation that can happen when you use box dye on your hair and has an enticing smell rather than a harsh chemical odor. Since cocoa powder is primarily a kitchen staple, don't expect to use it as a permanent alternative to hair dye. It can be used sparingly to help touch up roots so grays don't take over. You should still continue regular hair maintenance in terms of cutting and full coloring. 

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