Henna For Hair

If you have been looking for a natural alternative to chemical hair dyes and hair masks, you’ve come to the right place! Henna has been used for centuries in India, Pakistan, Africa and the Middle East for beauty and hair. Our henna is 100% natural and contains no chemicals. Thus, it is gentle and will not harm or damage the hair. In fact, it is very nourishing and makes the hair very soft and leaves it in great condition. 

Natural henna is not a dye, but a stain. It is applied in a thick layer and, when rinsed off, leaves a lovely copper red or auburn color, depending on the color of your natural hair.

Light blond to dark blond hair will be a rich copper color, medium brown or brunette hair will be a darker auburn. Please note that if your hair is black, henna will not change the color of your hair, yet will still yield the same wonderful benefits listed below.

Benefits of Henna For Hair

There are many benefits to using henna in your hair. Here are a few:

~ Natural hair dye: For those with white, blond or brown hair, henna is a great natural alternative for dyeing hair. Henna will leave your hair with a rich copper or auburn color, depending on the original color.

~ Gray coverage: Henna is good for naturally covering gray hair without it looking artificial. It blends subtly into the hair as an auburn/copper color does not fade like commercial dyes do.

~ Boosts hair growth: The nutrients in henna work to stop and prevent breakage, thus aiding you to retain more length. Proper scalp health, balanced pH levels and strengthened hair that henna provide all promote healthy hair growth.

~ Reduces shedding: Henna naturally strengthens the hair follicle. This will reduce shedding, stop hair fall and prevent hair from thinning.

~ Conditions hair: Henna itself already contains nourishing properties. Yet when combined with other hydrating and nourishing ingredients such as yogurt, oils, or tea, henna makes for a great natural conditioner. It will make your hair smooth, soft, shiny, and manageable after applying.

~ Balances pH & oil production: Henna naturally removes excess oils and dirt from the scalp, thus unclogging follicles and restoring the natural pH of your scalp.  

~ Anti-fungal properties: Henna has natural antifungal and antimicrobial properties that help prevent and get rid scalp infections and itchiness, dandruff, and lice.

 

 

How to Apply

 

Step-by-Step Henna Mixing and Application

  1. Make sure your henna powder is fresh, natural, and of good quality before mixing. Natural quality henna powder should be green in color and smell earthy.
  2. Pour your henna into a bowl and slowly mix in water until it is a thick, mashed potatoes consistency. Water is sufficient enough to reap the benefits of henna, but it is common to add ingredients such as yogurt, black or green tea, coffee, alma or olive oil, hibiscus, indigo, or conditioner depending on your specific hair’s needs. If you have light hair, and want a darker brown with no reddish tones, please add indigo to your henna mixture before applying.For a natural shine or gloss with no color, please use cassia obovata or neutral henna, as natural henna will color lighter hair. Note: Do not mix oils into the paste if you are using the henna as a hair dye. The oils will interfere with the staining process.
  3. Once mixed, completely cover the henna in the bowl with plastic wrap. Make sure there are no air pockets, so the paste does not dry out while sitting.
  4. Let the paste sit for 4-8 hours for dye release, although overnight is optimal. Dye release gives the henna its staining properties by releasing the pigment. (You will know if you henna is done by scraping the top layer of the henna. If the paste underneath is a lighter color than the top layer, then your henna has dye released and is ready to use.)
  5. Mix the henna again until it is thick and smooth, without lumps. You may add more liquid or more powder if necessary, to get to a pudding-like consistency.
  6. Apply a layer of Vaseline to your hairline, neck, and ears, so they don’t accidentally get stained. Wear gloves to protect your hands and nails from turning orange. Section your hair and apply the henna from root to tip on clean hair. Coat each section of hair with a generous amount, to make sure every strand is covered.
  7. When all the hair is covered in henna, place a shower cap over your hair. Wrap a towel or another cloth covering over the shower cap to hold the heat in, as body heat helps the color develop into a deeper tone.
  8. If using as a hair mask, leave it on for a minimum of 1 hour. If using as a hair dye, leave it on for several hours, or overnight if possible. The longer your keep the henna on your hair, the deeper and stronger the color will come out.  
  9. To remove, wet the hair to loosen the cast formed and thoroughly rinse. Condition your hair afterwards using a rinse out conditioner. This is important if you have a tighter curl pattern or are known to have a naturally drier hair texture.

Important Tips For Easier Application

  • Wear an old shirt or clothes that you don’t care about, because applying henna is very messy and may stain your clothes.
  • Use gloves in order to prevent your hands and nails from getting stained orange.
  • Apply a thin layer of Vaseline to your hairline and ears, and anywhere else you don’t want the henna to stain.
  • Buy the right amount of powder for your hair length. For short hair our 100g packet should suffice. For shoulder length or longer hair, we recommend our 250g henna packets.
  • Make sure the paste is thick enough (yogurt-like consistency) when applying, as the thicker the paste is the better it will stick to your hair and penetrate the follicles. Also, thicker paste will prevent dripping.

 

CAUTION: Make sure your henna is 100% organic and free of chemicals (If you have purchased our henna powder, no need to worry; ours is completely natural and pure). The market is flooded with products that claim to be natural but are filled with chemicals, including the toxic PPD. Any henna that claims to color your hair black, brown, or any color other than red, contains harmful chemicals, so use at your own risk. The dark color implies that the henna plant was mixed with chemical compounds like PPD to give it that color.

In addition, hair dyes that claim to be henna based occasionally contain other chemicals that can be harmful or cause allergic reactions for those who have sensitive skin, so read your labels carefully!