Men's Soft Black - Organic Facial Hair Coloring
$22.95
Soft Black – Men's Beard & Whiskers Colorant
Radico Colour Me Organic · Two-step organic beard colour · 3.5 oz (100 g)
Men kept writing to ask us for a beard colour. Almost all of them gave the same reason: sensitive skin, and very little beard dye that isn't built on PPD. Beard colour goes on your face, not your scalp — so we made one from plants alone.
It took a long time. Beard hair is harder to colour than head hair, and getting a true Soft Black from herbs alone meant splitting them into two packs, applied one after the other. It takes longer than a one-step dye. That is the trade for having nothing synthetic in it.
- Six organic plant powders, in two packs — no synthetic dyes
- No PPD, no PTD, no ammonia, no peroxide, no resorcinol
- Certified COSMOS ORGANIC by ECOCERT GREENLIFE
- Two applications of one hour each, at home
- Colour settles to Soft Black over the following two to three days
Ingredients
Pack 1 — the base
- Organic Henna Leaf Powder (Lawsonia inermis)
- Organic Amla Fruit Powder (Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis)
- Organic Bhringraj Leaf Powder (Eclipta prostrata, syn. E. alba)
Pack 2 — the depth
- Organic Indigo Leaf Powder (Indigofera tinctoria)
- Organic Brahmi Leaf Powder (Bacopa monnieri)
- Organic Reetha Fruit Powder (Sapindus mukorossi)
Important: This product contains henna and indigo. If you have ever reacted to either, don't use it. Do a patch test on a small area of skin 48 hours before your first application.
100% organic. Made in India.
Pack 1 on the left, Pack 2 on the right. The pack number is printed on each bag.
Why two packs, and why in that order
Pack 1 is henna-based. It lays down a warm base that bonds to the hair.
Pack 2 is indigo-based, and indigo behaves differently: it keeps developing after you rinse it off, while the hair is still damp. That is where the black comes from. Put indigo on first and it spends that time underneath a second layer of henna paste instead — so it has to go second.
What we measured
We mixed both packs ourselves and took the numbers, so the instructions below are measurements rather than estimates. Both pastes came out mildly acidic: Pack 1 at pH 4.58, right at the level of the skin's own surface, and Pack 2 at pH 6.24. Conventional permanent dyes work at pH 9 to 10.5. For sensitive skin, that is one less thing to worry about — though plants can still cause reactions, so patch test first.
| Water | pH of the paste | |
|---|---|---|
| Pack 1 — henna, amla, bhringraj | 1 part powder : 3 parts water | 4.58 at 78.9°F |
| Pack 2 — indigo, brahmi, reetha | 1 part powder : 3 parts water | 6.24 at 80.4°F |
Two useful things follow from that.
First, the ratio is the same for both packs — 5 oz (150 g) of water to a 1.76 oz (50 g) pack — so there is only one number to remember. Pack 2 comes out slightly firmer than Pack 1 at that ratio. That is normal: it still spreads without dripping, and it does not need extra water.
Second, the two pastes are chemically different, and each sits on the side its own pigment prefers. Henna releases its colour in mildly acidic conditions; indigo does not. Amla, the acid in the blend, is in Pack 1 with the henna — which is why Pack 1 measures well on the acid side while Pack 2 comes out close to neutral. Splitting the kit in two does more than separate the colours.
What's in the kit
- Organic beard colour powder, 1.76 oz (50 g) × 2 packs
- Resealable outer pouch × 1
- Beard dye brush × 1
- Disposable gloves × 1
How to Use
- Wash your beard with shampoo. No conditioner or beard oil — they stop the paste reaching the hair. Towel-blot until damp.
- Mix Pack 1 with 5 oz (150 g) of warm tap water. That is three parts water to one part powder by weight, which is what we measured. Keep stirring for two to three minutes — it will look too dry at first, and that's normal. (※1)
- Apply to beard and moustache with the brush, working it down to the roots. Wear the gloves. Henna can stain skin for a day or two, so wipe the edges as you go.
- Leave it on for 1 hour. If the paste starts to dry and crack, mist it lightly with water — dried paste has stopped working.
- Rinse with water only. Towel-blot.
- Now mix Pack 2 the same way, with the same 5 oz (150 g) of water. It will come out a little firmer than Pack 1 — leave it there rather than thinning it down. Mix it only when you're ready to use it, since indigo is best applied soon after mixing.
- Apply and leave for 1 hour, keeping it damp as before.
- Rinse with water only, and let your beard dry on its own. No hair dryer, warm or cool. (※2)
Over the next two to three days, the colour settles to Soft Black. No shampoo during that time — water only. (※3)
※1. Water reaches the powder more slowly than it looks. What seems like a finished paste after a minute is still dry powder wrapped in wet powder — keep working it and it turns smooth and fluid on its own. If yours still feels too stiff after three minutes of stirring, add water a tablespoon at a time: thick enough not to drip, loose enough to coat each hair.
※2. This is the one step that can't be undone. Indigo only develops while the hair stays damp — dry it fast and the reaction stops where it is, leaving the beard warmer than Soft Black. We tested this, and re-wetting afterwards did not bring the colour back.
※3. Right after rinsing it may look green or blue-grey, especially on grey hairs. That is indigo mid-reaction, not a fault. It clears on its own.
All items on Radico USA website ship for a flat-rate to any address in the continental US for just $4.99.
Get free shipping on any order above $25.
If you are unsatisfied with the result, please contact us for a free replacement of the color of your choice. Returns within 30 days receive a full refund.
Ingredients
Six certified organic herbs in two packs, and only two of them carry pigment: henna in Pack 1, indigo in Pack 2. There is no manjistha, hibiscus or colorless henna in this kit. Ingredient lists run in order of quantity, so henna leads the first pack and indigo leads the second. Warmth first, blue over it, applied in that order — that is what makes Soft Black on a beard. Mixed at 1 part powder to 3 parts water by weight, Pack 1 comes out at pH 4.58 and Pack 2 at 6.24 — our own measurements, and each on the side its pigment prefers.
Important: this kit contains henna and indigo, which a small number of people react to. Beard colour sits on your face, so patch test on a small area of skin 48 hours before use — especially if you have sensitive skin or have reacted to plant dyes before. Stop use if irritation occurs. Henna can stain skin for a day or two. 100% organic. Made in India.
FAQ
Beard hair is harder to colour than head hair, and getting a true Soft Black from plants alone meant separating them. Pack 1 is henna-based and lays down a warm base that bonds to the hair. Pack 2 is indigo-based and adds the depth.
No. Indigo keeps developing after it is rinsed off, while the hair is still damp — that is where the black comes from. Applied first, it would spend that time under a second layer of henna paste instead. Mixed together, you would get a different colour from the one the kit is designed for.
About two and a half hours on the day: one hour for each pack, plus washing, mixing and rinsing. After that, the colour keeps settling for two to three days.
No. Indigo arrives as green and deepens over the following day or two. It shows most clearly on grey hairs, because there is no pigment underneath to hide it. Leave it alone and it clears on its own.
Please don't — not with warm air and not with cool. Indigo only develops while the hair stays damp, and drying it fast stops the reaction where it is, leaving the beard warmer than Soft Black. We tested this on grey hair swatches, and re-wetting afterwards did not bring the colour back.
Beard hair is harder to colour than head hair, and results vary with the hair. If the first result is lighter than you want, a second round builds on the first — plant colour layers rather than clashing.
It contains no PPD, PTD, ammonia or peroxide — the ingredients most people with sensitive skin are trying to avoid in beard dye. It does contain henna and indigo, and some people react to plants too. Do a patch test on a small area of skin 48 hours before your first application, and if you have a medical condition, check with your doctor.
Henna can stain skin for a day or two. Wear the gloves provided and wipe the skin along the edges of your beard as you apply.
It fades gradually rather than growing out in a line. Henna bonds to the hair and wears down as the hair does; indigo sits in the outer layers and fades sooner. Most men re-colour as the beard grows.
The kit is formulated and tested for beards. For head hair, we make five men's shades: Soft Black, Dark Brown, Brown, Light Brown and Darkest Ash Blonde.
Currently Soft Black only. It is the shade men ask for most, and each new beard shade takes a great deal of testing.
Two packs of organic beard colour powder, 1.76 oz (50 g) each; a resealable outer pouch; a beard dye brush; and a pair of disposable gloves.
- ・100% Pure Plants, No Synthetic Chemicals
- ・Free from Additives, Artificial Fragrance & Harsh Preservatives
- ・Crafted with Traditional Ayurvedic Herbs
We create products rooted in nature and tradition.
Made with certified organic plant ingredients and no synthetic chemicals, our formulas support naturally healthy hair and skin—without compromise.