Hair colors & tints

For naturally blonde hair, shades such as Light Blonde, Golden Blonde, or Dark Blonde work best, since they stay close to your original colour and deliver a natural result. Brunettes have several finely graded options with Light Brown, Brown, Dark Brown, Caramel, or the chestnut variants, depending on whether you prefer a warmer or cooler undertone. If you like something more intense, reach for Copper Auburn, Mahogany, Wine Red, or Bordeaux for reddish accents, while Walnut and Dark Chestnut deliver especially deep, warm brown tones. Black-haired customers, or anyone looking for a very dark result, will find the right option with the organic plant hair colour Black, while the organic neutral henna is especially suited to anyone who mainly wants the nourishing effect without noticeably changing their shade. Since plant-based colours coat the hair rather than fully recolouring it, the result generally looks more natural the closer the chosen shade is to your starting colour.

The organic plant hair colours from CULTIVATOR'S are based on plant pigments such as henna and indigo, which coat the hair rather than penetrating deeply, and as a result have a nourishing effect instead of stressing the hair structure. Chemical colouring such as the Palette Compact Root Retouch from Schwarzkopf, on the other hand, relies on oxidative dyes that work faster, more fully opaque, and more precisely, for example for individual root areas. Plant-based colours generally cover grey hair less completely than chemical products and, depending on your starting colour, may need several applications to reach the desired shade. In return, plant-based colour fades more gently and without the typical, often unattractive regrowth line seen with classic colouring. If you need fast, targeted root touch-ups, the Root Retouch is the better fit; if you're looking for nourishing, natural-looking colour for your whole head of hair, the plant hair colours are the more suitable option.

Mix the powder with warm water according to the package instructions into a spreadable paste; the consistency should be creamy but not too runny, so it doesn't drip off the hair. Apply the paste to dry, unwashed hair - the slightly oily hair provides extra protection for the scalp during processing. Work in sections from roots to ends, ideally wearing gloves to avoid staining your hands, and distribute the paste as evenly as possible to avoid colour differences. Processing time is usually between 45 minutes and several hours depending on the intensity you want, with longer processing generally intensifying the result. Rinse the colour out thoroughly with clear water until the water runs clear before using a mild shampoo if needed; the final result often only develops fully over 24 to 48 hours, so a direct comparison with the package image can be misleading at first.

The Palette Compact Root Retouch is a powder product for quickly and precisely covering regrowth between two regular colourings, rather than colouring the whole head of hair. It's applied with an applicator directly to the affected root areas and can usually be washed out again after just a few minutes, which makes it especially handy for short-notice occasions, such as before an important appointment. Unlike a full colouring, it doesn't change the rest of your hair colour - it specifically evens out the colour difference between freshly grown roots and already coloured hair. It's therefore a practical stopgap solution, but it doesn't replace a regular re-colouring once the roots become more widely visible. As with any colour product, test beforehand whether the shade really matches your existing colour, since small nuance differences stand out especially quickly with targeted application.

The organic plant hair colours from CULTIVATOR'S are vegan and based on certified organic plant pigments such as henna and indigo, completely free of ammonia, PPD (para-phenylenediamine), or other frequently criticised chemical dyes found in classic colouring products. The Palette Compact Root Retouch from Schwarzkopf, on the other hand, is a conventional powder product, and as always you can find its exact ingredients in the INCI list on the product page. If you have known fragrance or dye allergies, it's always worth checking the full ingredient list before buying, regardless of the product. If you specifically want to avoid animal-derived ingredients or animal testing, the certified organic plant hair colours are the safe choice in every case.

Yes - even though plant-based dyes are generally considered gentler on the skin than classic chemical colouring, natural substances such as henna or indigo can, in rare cases, trigger allergic reactions too, which is why an allergy test still makes sense. To do this, apply a small amount of the mixed paste to an inconspicuous area of skin, such as the crook of your elbow, 48 hours before the actual application, and watch for redness, itching, or swelling. If you have a reaction, don't go ahead with the application and, if in doubt, consult a dermatologist before trying a different product. The same principle applies to the Palette Compact Root Retouch as to any colouring product: a patch test before first use is advisable, especially if you're prone to skin reactions. Safety always comes before saving time here, even if the test needs a day's lead time.

Plant-based hair colour generally fades more gently and gradually than chemical colouring, with a noticeable drop in colour intensity usually showing after around four to six weeks, depending on how often you wash your hair and your individual hair structure. Since the pigments coat the hair rather than permanently altering it, you can simply re-colour whenever needed without having to wait for a specific regrowth stage, as is often recommended with chemical colouring. Washing frequently with strongly cleansing, sulfate-containing shampoos speeds up fading further, while a milder, sulfate-free shampoo noticeably extends colour freshness. With each further application, colour intensity usually builds up further too, so regular re-colouring over time can lead to a fuller, richer result. If you want to cover your roots in between without recolouring your whole head, you can supplement with the Palette Compact Root Retouch.

CULTIVATOR'S offers a particularly wide, natural colour spectrum from Light Blonde to Black with its organic plant hair colours, which nourish the hair at the same time and are completely free of ammonia or PPD, though they cover grey hair less completely and need somewhat longer processing times. Schwarzkopf, on the other hand, brings a fast, targeted solution for root touch-ups between colourings with its Palette Compact Root Retouch, which can be applied and washed out again within minutes. For a full, nourishing colouring with a natural result, the plant hair colours are the better choice; for a quick stopgap solution for regrowing roots, the Root Retouch is better suited. Many customers combine both products, for example a plant-based base colour with the occasional targeted root touch-up in between.