The kitchen has become a safe harbor in my search for hair dyes. Concerns about the health of my body and bank account prompt me to look for safe color treatments for gray hair.

Do-it-yourself color kits cost $60 to $120 a year. Salons charge $1,000 to $3,600 a year for color treatments. Beyond the money, I worry about the long-term health effects of hair dyes, parabens and other chemicals packaged with color treatments.

Here are alternatives:

Sage wisdom: On the Internet and in beauty books, there are recipes for color rinses made from boiled sage leaves, rosemary and black tea. After boiling an herb mix for 10 minutes, I let the sage tea cool for a few hours before rinsing my hair with the brew. Gray coverage was not complete, but even my 14-year-old son was impressed. For best results, Pioneerthinking.com, a do-it-yourself bulletin board, recommends weekly sage tea rinses until the desired color is reached. Ehow.com has a sage recipe that includes brewed coffee, apple cider vinegar and thyme.

Henna: Powdered henna can be mixed with olive oil, brewed coffee and other kitchen ingredients to produce a range of colors. I've tried various recipes and have had mixed results. Henna is available at the health food store, but be wary of commercial henna products with artificial ingredients.

Crayons and wands: Mascara — the wand of eye make-up used to darken and lengthen eyelashes — is effective for short-term hair color. With a wand exclusively used on my hair, I darken my gray temples and add random low-lights of black, dark brown or medium brown. Beauty supply stores sell hair crayons in a variety of shades ranging from dark blond to deep black. These color sticks are great for covering gray hair.

Wigs and hats: A shoulder-length wig which closely resembles my own hair — let's me cover and keep my gray hair. Scarves, hats and other headgear also provide gray coverage and style, without chemicals.

Of course, a simple recipe of acceptance is the ultimate frugal, non-toxic cure for gray hair blues. If I can embrace my gray hair like actress Jamie Lee Curtis and other silver-streaked beauties, I can save money, time and sanity.

Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of the "Frugal Duchess: How to Live Well and Save Money" — a coming-of-age memoir about money — and a contributing writer in Wise Bread's "10,0001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget."