A strong cup of java can perk up your hair color

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Foreword by Alex: You never done it with your Java cofee cup!

I reprinted this article from http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/12541434.htm
I think it has realtion to Java and can be funny to read.

In a fit of boredom, I recently poured the dark remains of morning coffee -- black, chilled and filtered -- over my head. In the process, I stained a favorite T-shirt, but emerged with vibrant hair color without the cost or possible hazards of harsh chemicals.

Previously, I had considered using conventional dyes, conditioners and shampoos made for brunets. But my fear of commercial dyes outweighed my vanity. Researchers continually debate the health risks of hair dyes.

In an effort to be safe and cheap, I looked into hair dyes and color boosters created from natural supplies stocked in the family refrigerator, cupboard or health food store.

There are several options for brunets, blonds and redheads, according to the Aug. 16 issue of Woman's World, a weekly magazine sold on the newsstand for $1.49. Here are a few ''kitchen cures'' for hair that has faded from the summer sun or age.

Blonds: Fresh rosemary, an herb sold at health food stores and many groceries, provides a boost for blond hair that will endure for about a week. Boil fresh needles of rosemary in water at the ratio of one tablespoon per quart. Cool, then strain the liquid, which can be stored in an air-tight vessel. Use a half-cup as a final hair rinse after each washing. The pale yellow oil from the plant will brighten your color.

Redheads: Use cranberry juice as a natural rinse for red hair that should last for a month. Apply a half-cup of juice to dry hair and leave it in place for 10 minutes. Then use cool water as a final rinse.

Black hair: Blueberry juice -- sold at health food stores -- will deepen color, according to the staff at Woman's World. Apply a half-cup to dry hair and rinse after 10 minutes. Use every two weeks.

Brunet: Coffee will boost dark hair for as long as a month. Use a Ѕ cup of cooled black coffee as a final rinse.

I can vouch for the effectiveness of java dye. Do strand test first.

Meanwhile, other recipes for natural hair dyes appear in Ageless Natural Beauty, by Sally Freeman (Barnes & Nobles Books, 2000). In addition to hair dyes made from henna, the book has other excellent vegetable-based recipes.

''If you have seen fabrics dyed with berries, nuts and flowers, you have an idea of what a vegetable dye can do for your hair,'' Freeman writes. She recommends using protective clothing, towels and petroleum jelly to keep clothing and skin from staining.

Likewise, The Starving Artist's Way: Easy projects for Low-Budget Living (Three Rivers Press, $14) has great recipes for natural dyes using tea, coffee, beets and other ingredients.

Armed with those formulas, I'm now in the market for a recipe to remove coffee stains from clothing. For future experiments, I definitely will use protective gear.

BY SHARON HARVEY ROSENBERG

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