Henna.
It’s such a pretty word, isn’t it? Such a pretty word, for such a mess I made. But we’ll get to that later.
If you’re looking for an alternative to chemical-laden hair dyes (in fact, I just read on cancer.gov that over 5000 chemicals are used to produce hair dyes … ugh) – or if you just want shiny, bouncy hair – stop and take a long look at henna. Just look at it. (It’s right up there.)
And in lieu of trying to write a fact-filled, informative post, please, please take a look at these two VERY well-written, VERY helpful posts by Hilda Blue. If you’re thinking about using henna hair dye, for the love of cheese, use her posts as reference.
Dye Your Hair Naturally Using Henna
She’s outlined the basics on henna in ways even I can understand.
I just wish I’d have tried to understand them all before experimenting. In the wacky, wonderful ways of the universe, my jacked up experience gives me authority to talk to you today about what mistakes you SHOULDN’T make while trying to dye your hair with henna. Because I now corner the market on making henna mistakes.
However, before we get to that, here are just a couple of quick facts about henna as a hair dye.
Quick Henna Info
- The flowering plant called henna has been used for millenia as body art and staining leather. You may have recently seen a henna tattoo (a process called mehndi in India) on Vanessa Hudgens. I mention this because, of course, she’s the standard of ancient body art beauty. Ahem.
- True henna dyes your hair a reddish brown color. The henna I bought wasn’t actually henna – it was a mixture of indigo, “neutral henna,” and other plants. There were no ingredients on the container, but I can only assume there was no henna in the mixture I used, because there were zero red highlights left after I finished. We’re going to call it “henna” for reading ease, though.
- You can purchase henna at natural food stores, and Nepalese or Indian shops. It will be considerably less expensive than traditional chemical hair colorants.
- Neutral henna is actually a plant called Cassia obovata – it’s not “true henna” at all. But it gives your hair incredible shine and bounce, nonetheless.
- Henna seals the oil into your hair, leaving it super conditioned, and it helps close off the cuticle. After a henna (true or neutral) treatment, you can expect less frizz, more manageability, and a very healthy shine. (I’ve even read that it helps stop dandruff and gets rid of head lice.)
- Henna color fades naturally within about 4 months, so it won’t leave you with weird-looking roots or otherwise scary streaks.
For even more information on henna, I found this most interesting:
Henna also helps protect hair from sun damage. As a matter of fact, Henna has gained commercial leverage as a hair conditioner and to stimulate hair growth; scientific studies have even proven that Henna is a better hair conditioner than other commercial conditioners. Regular use texturizes hair, giving it more body and making it visibly fuller.
Okay. Now for the fun part.
What NOT to Do When Dying Your Hair With Henna
I’m no stranger to messes. I revel in them. I create them. I own the art of the mess.
Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the chaos that ensued while trying to dye my hair with henna.
It wouldn’t have been so bad, had the potential mess just been gunk to wipe off the counters.
But it wasn’t just any gunk. It was about to become black gunk – that stained. And I know my landlord well. She wouldn’t have taken black blotchy stains on the beautiful granite countertops well.
So with the heavy fear of immediate eviction on my mind, I mixed the henna with water and apple cider vinegar (which Mountain Rose Herbs assured me would help the indigo cover the grays).
And it looked like this:
The consistency and sheer volume of this mixture should have immediately alerted my Spidey senses that something was amiss.
The first thing NOT to do while dying your hair with henna: Read only one brochure that accompanies the henna preparation. See, usually, before I do anything, I’ll read several instructions from different sources and decide which sounds the best. Instead, I decided just THIS ONE time I’d follow only the instructions on the brochure. Precisely.
The problem was, the brochure didn’t say how much water to use. It just said, “Mix in water until you get a creamy paste.”
What I thought was a creamy paste turned into a spongy blob by the time I reached the bathroom to apply it. But I applied it anyway. With a small, fanned paintbrush.
The second thing NOT to do while dying your hair with henna: Apply it with a small, fanned paintbrush. After you section off your hair and carefully dip your paintbrush into the mixture, giant globs will immediately fall onto your cheeks.
Then you will panic, because it’s the first time you’ve ever died your hair with henna and all you can imagine is blotchy spots of black or red that no amount of concealer could cover.
At that precise moment of freaking out, you’ll completely lose your mind and scoop it up by the handful to shove into your hair. With your uncovered hands.
The third thing NOT to do while dying your hair with henna: Rationalize that using olive oil to coat your hands will protect them from staining. You need gloves, dummy.
This is why:
It’s been three days since the henna experiment, and they still look exactly like that. The only public outings I’m allowed to go on now are Zombie Crawls.
The fourth thing NOT to do while dying your hair with henna: Leave the bowl on the counter unattended while you cover your hair frantically with your hands, run around the house, and yell at your significant other to PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, FIND ME SOME GLOVES.
Cats like the smell of henna. And if cats like it, I can only assume small children and spiders like it, too.
Don’t leave your henna unattended.
Paw prints will happen.
The fifth thing NOT to do while dying your hair with henna: Apply it anywhere but in the bathtub. Trust me. You want to be in the tub covered with 800 old towels behind a specially-built glass gunk-guard. It might not hurt to lay tarp over your bathtub, either. Why? Because if you’re applying it with your fingers, your bathtub is eventually going to look like this:
The sixth thing NOT to do while dying your hair with henna: Assume that you can, single-handed, in a bathtub covered with grass-smelling, soon-to-stain splatter, successfully tear off pieces of plastic wrap to cover your head with.
I went through half a roll of plastic wrap (which was all I had left) just trying to get it to cover the hair that hangs onto my neck. What I ended up with was a ball of soggy, black plastic wrap falling into my shirt.
So I kissed my microfiber head-wrap goodbye for the last time, and shoved it over my head instead. It was for the best. I mean, it’s green, for pity’s sake.
And now it’s black on the inside.
Much unlike my hair, though. I wouldn’t call the color I ended up with “black.” But the natural red highlights I’ve always had in my dark brown hair are now gone.
What color would you say it is?
My Thoughts on Henna Dye: In a Nutshell
Your experience doesn’t have to be my experience. In fact, I’d wager a bet that you couldn’t recreate my disaster if you drank a fifth of Jack Daniels, tied both hands behind your back, dunked your hair in henna, and shook your head like a wild woman.
I won’t be dying my hair with henna again, though.
I’m rather fond of my natural haircolor. This was just a fun experiment.
What I WILL do, though, is buy some “neutral henna,” mix it up little by little, and do monthly treatments with it.
I may not have a lot of love for the color of my hair at the moment, but the way it feels is like … like … tiny strands of silky thick spiderweb wrapped in butter wrapped in satin wrapped in the softest baby kisses.
And for that reason, I recommend giving henna (of any variety) a try.
—
Have you ever tried dying your hair with henna?
Did I scar you for life on the idea of trying?
I dye mine outside in my backyard with an old sports bra on, an old card table, and a mirror so it’s not anywhere near the house.
I just used henna for the first time & had a very similar experience ?
Feels good to know I’m not the only one ?
OMG, you are so witty and hilarious! I laughed out loud and really, I was just looking for a tutorial! Thank you for this gleeful, dire warning. You’re a lovely writer, too. Keep it up!
It’s great to see the use of henna gain popularity as a natural way to add colour and personality to one’s hairstyle. Awesome post!
Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Taking a
few minutes and actual effort to generate a top notch article…
but what can I say… I hesitate a whole lot and never manage to get
nearly anything done.
Thanks FOr Such and amazing article
HAHA thanks for the laughs, but also for sharing your experience. I would like to switch to henna or henna-ish products from the chemical hair color, and have been researching the best way to do it, so I appreciate all the info you provided. Thanks!
Btw, the coconut milk is for mixing with the henna before applying to hair instead of mixing with water. You can also add other hair treatments as well. The same company has treatment packs like detox and Indian gooseberry.
Hi, the best henna I’ve tried and am currently using is from etsy.com It is called Henna Color Lab. I have naturally black hair with a lot of gray roots. I use the auburn henna hair dye. This product is a blend so that your hair, when the henna fades doesn’t leave your hair a ghastly orange like natural Indian henna even the recommended body art quality brands. It tints my resistant grays completely. I take it to my hair salon lady to apply evenly(and not mess up my clothes and bathroom. I also take saran wrap to her to cover my hair afterwards. Make sure you put vaseline or something to your ears and hairline. This brand is finely sifted so you don’t have to mix for a long time. My salon lady uses a fork to mix and applies with a brush. I go home with my hair wrapped and leave the henna in for about two hours. Then I apply a lot of suave cherry blossom conditioner onto my wet hair in the shower(try to use lukewarm water and when you rinse out, use cool water) and leave in for a while. This conditioner will help get the henna out. I have read that coconut milk can be used instead of water to keep the hair in good condition as henna can be drying and make your hair tangle or get brittle. I’m going to try that next time. I have long hair and all I need is one pack of this brand of henna, it costs about $10. There are other colors, too and you can try combining. I’ve tried combining wine red and auburn. I’m not in any way affiliated with the company. Just passing along what works for me. I started using henna because regular hair dye was thinning and damaging my scalp and hair. My hairline was disappearing. My hair only started growing back in when I stopped regular hair dye and started taking vitamins and oiling once a week. Let me know if this helps!
First of all, I love your posts. I think if you and I ever met, we’d be the best of friends. (I’m not a crazy stalker-type. I swear.)
OK…I have been toying with the idea of hennaing my hair for a while now. I have been slowly but surely weeding out the chemicals in my life and replacing them with home-made natural remedies. Since doing so, that meant store-bought hair dye was out of the question, which I used to do somewhat often. So, I recently purchased red henna from Mountain Rose Herbs, knowing that it’s going to be amazing quality, and have none of the hidden chemicals a lot of store bought “henna” has. My natural color is a medium auburn, and when I’ve dyed my hair before it was always just to punch up the red a bit.
Cut to two weeks ago when I was getting my hair cut (a super fun asymmetrical pixie, the handy-work of the amazing Mandi at Birds Barbershop). I mentioned that I just purchased henna. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers and she practically was on her knees begging me NOT to henna my hair! She explained it like this: “Think of henna like a sharpie and you just take that sharpie and are coloring your hair with it. Once it’s on there, you can’t get it off. There is no amount of work that can be done to remove it. Store-bought hair dyes and the dyes we use will eventually fade out with shampoos, but henna is just there. I see so many people come in here and spend hours and hundreds of dollars trying to fix henna. The reason other dye works is because the chemicals actually open up the hair shaft and deposit the color in, while henna just coats the outside of the hair strands.” I mean she went on and on saying, “please don’t do it!” I even gave her my spiel, “well, I’ve heard that a lot of henna isn’t really henna and that it’s very damaging, what I got is the good stuff that’s just real, pure henna.” She didn’t budge. And I know that she wasn’t just trying to lure me into dying my hair there with her, because she doesn’t even do color.
So here’s my dilemma. Of course, after that, I’m slightly terrified of trying henna. On the other hand, I still really want to try it ’cause I’m a stubborn red-head! I felt like the reasons she was giving me were more about the permanency of henna, and not that it’s damaging. So, I mean, if I like the color…what’s to lose, right? Am I just rationalizing that to make myself feel OK going ahead with the henna? I would feel super foolish if I didn’t like it and went crawling in to see her listening to her ‘I told you so’s.
I guess what I’m trying to say with this (long) comment is…any suggestions?
it’s not the henna after dyeing that’s the problem, in my understanding its going back to dyes after henna. Mine said to keep getting hair cut and wait at least a year before trying commercial dyes again.
My natural hair color WAS Black.
Now at age over 50 I am graying [naturally]
Maybe a better word is ‘WHITE’. They skip
gray first.
I decided to embrace the gray but Problem
is the GRAYS mostly comes in just above my
my temples. Giving me a Grandpa Monsters
look.My Grays have become very resistant to
coloring. The last commercial hair coloring
I bought on sale washed out with the shampoo.
I just want to give the rest of my head of
hair TIME to catch up to the stubborn
patches of Gray Framing my face.
I WISH they would make something to
make Gray silver white hairs turn the colors
of Autumn, that is GOLD-Copper-Bronze
I think HENNA would be my best bet. I have
used Henna before. I stopped because it is
difficult to rise HENNA out as it is a
grainy.
My last hope may be Henna.
a darker tone
When I was in my 20s, long before I needed to, I used Henna to give my naturally Auburn hair some shine and to tame my curls. I loved it. It was messy, but nothing like what you describe. LOL I started going gray a few years ago and started coloring my hair. I’ve decided to stop using commercial hair color, even though my stylist uses a plant-based colorant by Schwartzkopft. I’ll be going back to using Henna as soon as I’m sure it won’t react poorly with what’s left of the professionally colored hair. Your post made me laugh, though. My boyfriend used to apply the Henna for me. He really was pretty awesome like that. 🙂
“The first thing NOT to do while dying your hair with henna: Read only one brochure that accompanies the henna preparation.” This is WHY I found your article. Thank you for writing such valuable information!
Great article! I’ve dyed my hair myself for way too many years and am now covering gray. I use a medium brown color, permanent, Clairol dye with a #20 developer that I buy at Sally’s. Can I use henna over this or do I need to do something with the permanent color, like get rid of it somehow, first? I’d like to stay with a medium brown color that could have a touch of red in it so what color would you suggest? Thank you.
I am dying laughing because I am reading this AFTER I did exactly like you did.
I’m so sorry for your adventure. I like Jamila henna the best. I have used henna for more than 20 years with wonderful auburn results. For new users I suggest harvesting the hair from your brush to test the color. Have a friend help you the first time you apply it. And do lots of research before you take the plunge. I like the Henna for Hair website.
Thank you for your article. I also thought if I followed the directions that came with my first henna, but panicked as I saw the black little spatters all over! Once I had the rug, counters and sink cleaned I thought I better go see if any ideas. So I second the tub idea, because this isn’t near as easy to apply as bottled dye.
I am looking forward to try this tips
Am using henna with water for my hair every week since the past couple of years. My hair is short / curly and dry. Henna makes it thick and gives a reddish tint . Last time a few months back I used la Oreal hair colour which cost me a neat 20.00 Euros and half my hair was on the floor in a few days time . I have vowed never to use artificial colouring again. Back to my henna. I mix it with just water and apply it at 09 00 when the family goes out and wash it off with water at 15 00 when its T time . That night , oil it ( even if its half dry ) , wash it with a shampoo as normal the next day morning . This has been my rewarding routine for the past few years.
Several people I know who are hair stylists say that Henna has a metallic base to it that interacts with hair dye and will make your hair brittle and break. If you want to dye after long term henna use, they.recommend you grow hair out till you can cut.most of the henna hair off. I have been playing with henna from Lish. I bought a small crock pot to great henna coconut oil and a bit of lemon juice in. it seems to work really good. I also keep it fairly thick, like gloopy brownie batter. I have a peice of old towel I wrap around the outside of hair before saran wrapping, and covering with a bath cap. so far I love it. I also got smart and engaged a girlfriend to help. Its cleaner and more fun..
Reading this was like a comic version of watching Intervention. I’m definitely going to try henna and do it PREPARED–and still screw something up. Thanks for the laughter and the information.
enjoyed reading your post. Very funny. I have used henna for several years and really like it.. : )) thank you for your story and aides in using henna. lol L
I have been flirting with the idea of henna and I’m so glad I came to you first, mainly because that story will likely end up as the highlight of my day (see what I did there?) I’m naturally a honey-reddish-but-more-honey blonde and I want a really light red to push me over into ginger territory and keep me there most of the time. I’ve seen “hennas” in that color range, but I’ve been a little scared. Hearing your description of its effect on texture I am now determined. Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m almost done laughing now.
LMAO…! Dear Crunchy Betty, so glad that I had found your tips page about henna…and yes MaidMerawyn henna is like a “gateway drug” I just love the stuff. I was using a brand called Colora but have been unable to find it online recently, so I started to use the hennaking.com brand, and so far its been good. I really got a lot of useful tips here, before, I was making a right turn at wrong and only leaving on my hair for only an hour. This time I left it on for 4 and had great results! Next time I am going to brew up some coffee and try that out.
Hullo, tell me, crunchy ones, I of gray-silver hair at age fifty eight I love intensely, want to use Henna. Tell me what does Henna do for gray silver hair. Will it make it shiny and strong. Are there dangers. Tell me, tell me. Do not want color. Just gleam and strength and supergirlness.
I have a question for all the red-head ladies. I am not a natural red-head, so I have to keep up with it every couple of weeks. The thing is, my natural hair color is very dark, almost black, so when my roots begin to show they really SHOW. I don’t want to have to re-bleach them before using the Pure Henna Hair Dye from Henna Color Lab, but I’m afraid the color will not stick, I will end up wasting my time, and be left with two completely different tones. All help is greatly appreciated!
Because your hair is very dark you would end up with two different tones.
I hv a few tips for henna application – always put a shower cap or plastic bag on the hair after applying henna. If U don’t the henna will dry on the hair making the hair dry. This will lead to hair breakage which means subsequent hair loss. The henna does not need to dry on the scalp.
Hi does anyone know how can I dye my black hair dark borwn using Henna. I don’t want to use any chemical on my hair. My hair is already very dry. Do you think using Henna would make them any better??
Henna does not lighten the hair BC it doesn’t have any chemicals in it. If you apply dark brown henna to the black the only thing it will do is condition your hair and make it look healthy and shiny.
You can use lemon juice, to slightly lighten your hair.
Oh gosh I love how this was written. Your humour is awesome :D. Quite the experience you had,eh!
I’ve been dyeing my hair since I was a teenager with henna. My mom is from iraq, so she can always find the purest forms around here (given I can’t read arabic).
Gloves are mandatory! And…perhaps, amongst everything, you would fair better with braiding/tying/clipping your hair once finished, then double-bagging two grocery bags over your head. I never knew about the saran wrap method myself!
Cheers!
I bought the Natural Black from Henna Color Lab and the process was not bad my fist time but I didn’t see a difference at all in color, it’s still the same. My grays are still there, I’m so disappointed. Does anyone know of a good brand that will actually work?
I’ve just laughed my head off reading this post. After dying my hair several times with henna I could relate to all of it. This is the wittiest thing I’ve ever read about henna.
Personally I used body art quality henna, unadulterated, as I wanted fiery red hair. It was a hugely messy business. I started out methodically and calmly but before you know it a blob has appeared, from nowhere, on your face or the wall creating an instant orange stain. I left the henna on for 3 hours wrapped tightly underneath a modified carrier bag.
When I rinsed it out it over the bath it looked like a hippo from a river bank had been playing in my bath. It took several rinses and washing my hair thoroughly to remove all the loose henna. I then let my hair air dry.
Something almost magical happened when it dried though. My hair was a rich vibrant red that I’d always wanted and it was incredibly silky and smooth and seemed twice as thick. I was truly delighted. The amazing condition was not something I was expecting. It’s this experience that has converted me to henna.
I now make up batches of it and freeze it in the freezer. I have to say though… Henna is very messy. It stains and can easily turn into a disaster if you don’t plan ahead and take your time. I understand why chemical hair dyes exist now.
The only problem with henna (apart the hassle and the mess) is they it tends to fade faster than I anticipated. My next goal is to develop a routine that’s easy and mess proof. For me the mess and hassle is worth it just for the amazing colour and condition.
Shielo is my new holy grail shampoo! It leaves my chemically treated hair very clean, very moisturized, fuller looking and softer feeling, no matter which conditioner I pair it with. I use the Shielo Hydrate Shampoo & Conditioner and I seem to get fuller and healthier looking hair with each and every use. It’s the best shampoo I have ever used. In addition, it’s sulfate free.
I recently found I was allergic to sulfa and sulfates, which meant to me no more hair color kits from the store. Which lead me to GREY HAIR!!! A whole head of awful granny grey hair which used to be beautifully colored regularly black.. I feel OLD!! And now I see this post, and have hope. Well, I hope I don’t make the mess that you made, first of all, but I have hope that I can cover this awful grey and feel and look young again!!! Oh thank you SOOO very much for the hope!! I’m off to the whole food store to find my black henna!!! Whooo!!
I do not understand henna does not hold on my hear, I did black with a spoon olive oil and water just worled three days and does not cover my white haire properly
please help ! 😉 thanks
One other comment. All Hennas will oxidize over the first few days. My hair was coopery red (think Carrot Top) once, and then turned a medium Alburn. In my panic I forgot about the oxidation process. Life lesson here…stay calm!
The Dark Brn Light Mountain Henna turned my hair green. I got most of the green out with Baking Soda (leave on 5 minutes) and another shampooing. I read that the lighter stands will look green until the brown color oxidizes. Wow, it’s my husband’s B-Day and he thought I went “Mrs. Grinch” to surprise him. LOL
I was panicked until I did my due diligence. OK, I can leave the house this week.
I thought the write up was hilarious. I had to cover my mouth, not to wake my husband in our bedroom, next to my home office, having almost peed my pants. You should write comedy. You’re so funny!
I am trying to tame the red, so I bought Light Mountain Dark Brown (mix) for a more conservative brown with red highlights. I agree about the bathtub. I bring a “door” mirror in the bathroom with me, and I don’t leave until the disposable shower cap and towel over it are secure. White furniture idiot here.
I’m a WAR Breast Cancer watcher (Women At Risk) so I am using natural hair color, but who knows…Arsenic is natural as well.
CrunchyBetty… You’re terrific.
What’s up, this weekend is fastidious for me, as
this occasion i am reading this great informative piece of
writing here at my home.
Buy powdered natural henna, I use Morocco Method. I use the whole pot per treatment. Wash hair with shampoo and dry thoroughly before treatment. I cook up some fresh ground coffee in a french press and use that as my mixer, straight in hot. I keep mixing all of the powder in a bowl until there’s a cake batter consistency. Pop on some gloves (cheap medical gloves will do) and test temperature until cool enough to touch your scalp, sit bowl of mixture inside larger container e.g plastic sink basin. You could layer some newspaper on the floor around the larger container if you think you’re going to be really messy. I don’t bother putting vaseline on my hairline to stop the henna staining my skin like some people do, i’ve colored my hair with henna numerous times without this step and it’s never stained my skin, even after being left on for 8hrs, it washes off immediately. Sit on your haunches and just bend your head over the basin, gather all your hair in, and just start scooping it up with your hands and massage it in like it’s conditioner. Keep going until all of your hair is coated from root to tip and the mixture is gone. As the mixture cools is begins to thicken and harden, so by the time it’s all applied it usually stops dripping. I usually then gather all the hair up and hold it in place in a bun on top of my head with a hair tie. If there’s no shower cap around or it won’t fit, grab a plastic grocery bag and use that to cover your head, after that i usually shove a beanie hat on my head to hold everything in place as well as not look too stupid. I hang a towel over my shoulders for the rest of the day, as if I just got out the shower, to catch any drips rolling down my neck. I leave it in for a whole 8hrs, which means it’s best to do on the morning of your day off. When it’s sat for a good length of time, I take a shower and massage conditioner into my hair which helps loosen all of the henna mixture and wash it out. Don’t shampoo your hair for 24hrs after this. Use special henna-care shampoos and conditioners to protect the color and not strip it out over time. Color should maintain vibrancy this way for 4-6months before another treatment will be required.
I have really thick fine hair. I tried Henna for the first time this spring. I got my henna at Sprouts. Since I have previously used chemical dyes I stayed away from any metal bowls or spoons Awesome results. Had the hubby help put it on in the tub(he broke out his black nitrile gloves). Worked awesome, so have done it twice since, just need better applicator. The condiment bottle I tried just got clumped in the tip. Thinking about getting one of those spatula things from the hair shop. instead of the cellophane, I put a shower cap over the top, then an old crappy towel to catch the drips. smells better than the chemical dyes and no migraine afterward so I am a happy camper.
Thank you for telling us about your first outing with henna…mine was just a little less traumatic. I used a brand that I now know was not pure henna…did NOT read the label(I washed it out after 1 hour).
I live in Jamaica and have natural African American hair – today (Sept. 4 2014) is the 6th time I am using henna. Thank God it really does get easier – the process is long but it is easier. I now use Nupur 9 (henna with 9 herbs); I mix my henna with coconut milk; when the henna is set I add 2Tbs of oil (today I used almond)
The coconut milk makes the henna have a conditioner type consistency – easy to apply and easy to wash out with water (I use the tub in my wash-room).
I started mixing henna with coconut milk when I read about it on Dawn Michelle’s blog at minimalist beauty – this is the 3rd time I am using this method and it works for me.
I’ve been meaning to comment and say how much I love reading your blog. So informative and always entertaining. You’ve definitely inspired some of the crunchiness in my life!
Just wanted to share: I’ve been a hennahead for a few years now. Started out using just pure henna and lemon juice on my naturally blonde hair and got the fiery orange look, which I thought was fun for a while. With repeated applications if developed into a nice, deep red. I experimented with indigo in my mix for an auburn color. I thought the indigo faded pretty quickly though.
About a year ago I fell off the wagon and lightened my hair with chemicals (it was lighter but still quite red). Since then I’ve been mixing progressively less and less henna with mostly cassia (and chamomile tea instead of lemon juice) and just using it at my roots. I’ve got a kind of strawberry blonde ombré-ish thing going on now, which I actually kinda like. Still, I’m trying to go more towards my natural blonde and am slowly weening the henna out until I get to where I’m just using cassia.
Anyway, long story short, I love dying my hair with plant dyes. I think it’s pretty fun smooshing the mud-like goop on! And I really believe with patience and experimentation you can achieve almost any color (the exception is anything lighter than the color you start out with). It’s good to be in control of the ingredients you slather on your head — no burn-your-scalp (and nose!) chemicals. And it leaves your hair looking and feeling soooo healthy.
I am an Indian girl with brown hair and haven’t used henna a lot, but looking forward to try some soon. My mom has been using henna forever. We had a beautician who used to come to our place to apply henna. Its a very useful tip for all you henna lovers, after leaving in the henna in the hair for about 2-3 hours, just wash away the henna with plain water (no shampoo), and then when you hair dries, apply a good lot of mustard oil and leave it over night. You will have the shiniest, and softest locks ever, also the color will stay in much longer.
You’re hilarious, I love this article!!! xD
I live in Australia, but I searched around and found a good quality pure henna from Yemen on eBay for pretty cheap, $8 or $9 and I have short hair from growing out a buzz cut, couple inches long. Time to get ‘sperimental !!
From my research I discovered
– it matters that you get a pure natural henna with only indigo added if you want darker, as a lot of the products advertised as red have chemical added which is no good. Apparently don’t add wine, you can try tea, coffee, paprika or amla powder for various results, and apple cider vinegar can be substituted for lemon juice as just the mild acid is needed to activate the dye.
-apparently the freshness and growing region of the henna matters. Different varieties have different dye content and fineness of grind, some hennas are made as a conditioning treatment more than a dye. It’s important to get pure, body art quality henna powder.
– I did some hennas in high school with a BonVita or whatever was at the health food store and they were a big globby mess. This was much smoother for 2 reasons:
1. I think the henna powder was a finer, better quality this time
2. I mixed my henna/warm water/vinegar mix to pancake batter consistency and let it sit for 24 hours in a covered metal bowl before application. I only meant to leave it for the day and do it at night, but I got tired and left it until next morning. It had been clumpy when I left it, now with a stir it was really dissolved and even and went on smooth and creamy instead of chunky drops falling everywhere.
3. I also put pawpaw ointment all around the hairline before I started, applied it straight to the head with the gloves over the metal bowl, and did it on a winter morning so the paste was cold and I used all cold water for rinsing stuff – as the heat helps the dye set, I thought this would reduce staining if it got anywhere before I could clean up, and in the end I had made virtually no mess except the gloves and sink, used a dark, damp facewash and toilet paper to clean around my forehead and ears. I had a big commercial glad wrap dispenser so it was pretty easy to wind my head around it before I tore it off, but probably recommend getting a hand with the plastic wrap otherwise. Then find an old beanie or scarf to wrap over the plastic – more heat and less alien-head feeling.
Hope that helps!!:-)
I found this site through Google searching “dying hair with henna”, and I honestly thought I’d have to sit through a boring hoity-toity tutorial that sounded like the teacher from Feris Bueller’s Day Off was teaching it, as with most tutorials on blogs.
I gladly I admit I was wrong. I didn’t exactly learn how to dye my hair but you definitely made me conscious about the dangerous mess it can be, and most importantly, how research is critical for henna dying methods. Thank you for being honest and HILARIOUS. I hope you get paid for this stuff.
THANKS FOR THIS ARTICAL.
I used natural henna to dye my hair today 5/15/14 an my edges tuen reddish otange how do i turn my edges brown with out causing so much damage i need help fast
Oh my…I feel so much better about my 1st henna experience now!!! I made the mistake of enlisting my 2 sons to help with the back of my waist length hair. Not one of my better ideas!!! Brothers + mud(what they claimed henna was) = mud fight. Fun for them…not so much for me.
I also use the Rajasthani Twilight henna from mehandi.com. I have naturally curly auburn hair & just want to cover the gray. I use 3/4 henna & 1/4 amla. Amla is acidic so there is no need for lemon juice & it also prevents the curl loosening effects of the henna. This mix matches my natural color perfectly. I just rinse the henna out & do nothing but conditioner wash my hair for about a week. It looks a little coppery the first day or two but then darkens to the auburn color I want & does not ever fade. I only do my roots using a carrot bag now & that is a much easier & less messy process.
Side note: I don’t like the smell of henna so I add ginger root powder to my mix.
I’m super excited to try henna! I have been chemically coloring and highlighting my hair for YEARS now. I’m tired of my grey roots showing and having to pay boo-coo dollars every 8 weeks to have them retouched. I have dark brown hair with 10% grey hairs around my front crown area and underneath the sides. Can anyone tell me how long does the henna last with dark hair with greys? Will the roots start to show again like chemically treated hair?thanks so much!!
I love henna and using it for a long time, more then twenty years. My hair are very healthy and don’t like to use colors to dye my hair.
Henna is natural and I use most thing natural.
Nice site and the information is great!
Just found your blog and I love it. Using henna for the first time today and found this very, very helpful. Thanks!
I’m about to do my 4th treatment & I LOVE IT. This stuff is magical! A few things I’ve found (I read a lot before I tried … the directions the stuff came with were crapperific). If I’m repeating info already given, sorry.
Glove yes – I buy boxes of latex gloves @ Smart & Final (they are also great for cat sand & dog poo clean up). SIFT THE DRY STUFF before mixing (makes a HUGE difference in how it mixes, no clumps). Apple cider vinegar – yes. Super strong black coffee instead of water – YES (for brunettes, it’s the bomb). I infuse the coffee w/ rosemary and orange peel and add vanilla (helps w/ the weird alfalfa smell). I also add honey and a few tablespoons of coconut oil (deep conditioning). Mix HOURS before you’re going to use (it has to oxidize or something). Let sit in a warm place (like bread ready to rise), then mix and get busy … There is no exact amount of liquid, I aim for slightly runny yogurt. It makes a mess, but with practice it does get better. Vaseline along the hair line & a nasty old t-shirt help too. And while plastic wrap is a great 1st layer, add a shower cap on top of that. Finally, leave it on for HOURS, 4 minimum. Preferably sit in front of a hot fire or in the sun (heat helps, who knows why). Rinse w/ conditioner only & wait a good 24 hours (longer if you can stand it, I can’t) to do a full wash. I’ve also learned that the color you get right away is NOT the color you get by day 3 (something about oxidizing again, but it was all in scary science speak and I got bored). I re-apply every 4 weeks and my hair is amazing. Grows like a week, cool highlight effect where my gray is, and it’s a color I tried for years to get from a box & from a pro and never could. Once you get hooked, you’ll never go back.
Where do you buy your henna from?
Oh, I forgot to add that I always wear gloves and I make sure my roots are covered well and just glop it all over my head. I wrap two Wal-Mart bags over my head, clipping the top one, and then put my henna towel (the one with red stains from my monthly use) on top, clip it, and go about my household chores or take a nap. I do like to put Vaseline around my hairline and attach rolled cotton around the edges, over the Vaseline, to help catch any drips. The biggest problem is trying to sleep with the bags making the crinkly noise, but I do not have to fiddle with plastic wrap, the FREE Wal-Mart bags work like a charm, and I can throw the bags away after use. 🙂 Good luck ladies!
I have used henna for about 9 years, and I buy it online at rainbowresearch.com with no problems whatsoever. I am a natural redhead that went grey early. I boil raspberry tea, then add henna and let that cure overnight, usually about 24 hours, in the fridge. I add a little grapeseed oil, about a tablespoon (I have long hair down to my mid-back but it is baby fine and thin)and leave it on at least 3 hours, but it works best if I can leave it on for 5-6 hours. I do not shampoo, but I rinse it and sometimes use conditioner to help get all the henna feel out. About 3 days after the treatment, I shampoo. My henna never washes out, my roots only grow out. The ends of my hair are as rich and vibrant as the day they were colored. Just my two cents.
Many years ago (no I won’t tell you that it was more than 35) I tried using Nestle’s henna. It came in a lovely metal bottle with Egyptian pictures on it. I couldn’t see much of a difference, but when I got to work, my friends obviously could. It took years to live down my “fire engine red” (their words) hair.
Over the years, I had thought of trying henna again, and leaving it in a shorter time for less dramatic results. But now that I have silver streaks (so much better sounding than annoying greys) I don’t want to end up with them turning a lovely flourescent orange, so I am interested in the comments about so-called “neutral henna”. I think I will seek it out.
The natural henna will give your hair strength and shine and everyone I know that has used it, they love it.
I’ve been using henna bricks from Lush, probably not as natural as it should be, but not as bad as box dyes I think. only thing is though, I had read that you cant use henna on chemically treated hair (and I had been dying my hair with box dyes before that). So I waited about just over a year without doing anything to the colour(boy that was a painful phase, but it was long and I just couldnt wait for it all to grow out) and then used the henna. It seems to pretty fast – I use a black one and over the first few days it gets darker, but then red pieces come through a lot. But its good enough. So I’m trying to convince my mum to switch to henna, She used it when she as my age (early twenties) but pretty much for the last 15 years at least she’s been using drug store dye, every 3 months to cover greys. I’m trying so hard to get her to switch to henna, because its terrifying to think of all the chemicals being absorbed through the skull (and going down the drain)! She’s worried it wont cover her greys, plus that it wont work on recently chemically treated hair. Does she really have to grow it all out (so a full head of grey) to use henna, or do you know if people have had luck switching right away? thanks!
Hi,
I use Lush Henna Caca Noir every 2 months (my hair seems to hold any dye very well, so I don’t have to do it much more). Lush Henna is all-natural (ingredients are on the Lush website) without heavy metals & can be used over chemically treated hair. I used it a month after dyeing my hair black to touch up the roots and have not stopped using henna since. Loads of people have also said that they have no problem going back to normal dye after if they want more color range. I say give it a try – no need to wait.
I used naturtint to color my hair. Switched to henna after going 3 weeks from the last hair dye. I used amla and indigo and it worked out fine. I am 80% gray and I find that after I need to do the indigo and water on the roots. I do not color my whole head so I get nice highlights. my hair has never been shinier, except when I did henna years ago. I do not use conditioner as I don’t need it.
I am getting inching from the mehandi indigo so I switched to henna hut. It is better. Sue
Thanks for links! I have been using henna for years and years; I love it. I’ve often used Rainbow Henna, which sort of the “gateway drug,” available in many health food stores. I’ve also used Lush, though theirs contains oils and stuff as well as whatever combination of henna, indigo, and cassia is in the color you pick. I have also used henna from my local Indian grocery.
I have to admit that I rarely use gloves, but use a nail brush and sugar scrub as soon as I finish. Very little staining, probably because I use mixes with very little indigo and don’t let my mixture steep long.
If you want to buy the Mountain Rose henna, be sure to click on “Learn More,” right under the product listing. There you can find out what’s in each mix; there’s also a chart to help you figure out what result you’ll get. Betty, for instance, used “Black,” which is henna and indigo (probably lots of indigo). On medium brown hair, the typical result is black; on dark brown hair, “deep black.”
how to apply heena grown color for hair i don’t know
can you explain step to step early as possible
What a fantastic website! You are funny & witty and written a really enjoyable piece. Keep it up.
I read this article and my heart bled for you (although I did giggle slightly). Your posts are so informative and helpful. I did decide to give henna a try (reluctantly as I am a klutz and I have a cat). It did turn out really nice, although a bit stinky. I penned an article about my experience http://www.nomorepoo.com/used-rainbow-research-burgundy-henna-again-and-i-love-it/ I will admit it was not nearly as entertaining as your posts, but the color is great. Thanks for sharing and putting all this information here for us to learn from. Its truly appreciated.
You are awesome!! Thank you for the laughs. An all natural friend turned me to Henna and told me to give it a whirl on my not so natural blonde locks. I think I shall steer away, for now, due to the fact that you and I have so much in common and I would create a disaster. It’s what I’m good at. 🙂 Blonde doesn’t stain, hee hee. I do like the idea of much healthier, semi-permanent color, so ya never know. I do tend to color my hair when I get bored.
Also, thanks to you, I have been making my own deodorant for 2 months now and am in love. I keep coming back to your page for hints, tips and new tricks. Peace and love!
long time reader, first time commenting. Love your blog, btw. You and WellnessMama have changed my life!
Anyway, i just finished hennaing my hair for the first time, and thanks to your cautionary tale, I was extra careful, and i didn’t make a mess at all. I wore old painting clothes, sat in my shower, had a bowl full of clean wet rags for wiping off my mistakes. I used red henna, and my white gloves were traffic cone orange by the end! Can’t wait to see the results!
That was my experience with henna to a T, except with red henna, and my hair is 26″ long… I resolved to never use henna again, though I had a great experience with a pre mixed henna hair dye that I found to be easier to use than regular dyes… It’s not 100% henna, of course, but its the next best thing. So yea now I’m off to color my hair with henna… Again… Because I guess Im just a glutton for punishment.
Well I’ve just used henna called bonvita, from a health food shop. I mixed it to the paste with hot water and left it to cool. I forgot about it for about an hour and it had got a bit thicker, no worries I just mixed it with some warm water.
I used gloves too, very smart I was, and then it was like applying cow poo to my hair, and it had little lumps and bits fell everywhere to my horror, all over the basin and floor. I added 1tsp of coffee to it to cover the grey, then after great difficulty ,with stuff flying everywhere, I covered my hair in it.
Now the instructions said to dry it with a hair dryer, none of this shower cap nonsense, but I could hardly get my comb thru my hair, it was awful, and tangled and I dried it over the shower.and massive clumps wouldn’t dry, I did my best. Then I couldn’t remember what to do next, and we have new carpet so no traipsing thru to the kitchen where the empty container was. I used shampoo and conditioner and wasted lots of water cleaning the shower and everything. Oh my hair is so silky smooth, and the grey isn’t completely covered but the colour is great!’
Hysterical, But I’m still gonna try it although I wish I knew what color Patti is using. Sounds pretty!
This had me chuckling also!! I have been henna-ing my hair for over 4 years and I don’t think that I will be going back to chemical dyes!! I have only used pure henna from mehandi.com. I follow the directions from their website and everything turns out good, my whites turn a dark strawberry blonde and the rest of my hair has a red tint, especially in the sunlight. Yes the actual process of henna can be messy but if you stick with it you will get better, my 14 year old daughter applies it for me, that helps a bunch!!
What color are you ordering? Do you have medium dark brown hair?
I have been using Rajasthani Twilight!! Yes my hair is dark brown with whites in a very noticable clump at my hairline!! I use lemon juice to mix my henna ( it has to sit overnight to release the dyes) I put it on at night and cover my head with a plastic cap ( got a bunch from Sally’s) and I sleep with it on!! Yes it stains my pillowcase ( just use the same one each Henna-night). In the morning I get in the tub to soak it out and use only conditioner. I resist shampooing for a few days. The colour develops over the next couple of days, and my colour does NOT fade!! The main reason I switched to henna was I was tired of dyeing my hair and watching my beautiful red colour go down the drain!! I hope this helps, good luck!!
I also sleep in henna, most of the time. Shower cap, then wrapped in an old tea towel, then I lay an old towel over my pillow. I sleep on the sofa when I do this, and barely move around while I sleep! Very intense results.
And I make way less mess in the application process than I used to!
I also use and love the henna from mehandi.com. Don’t want to sound like a commercial for them but I have never been disappointed in their products and services. I’ve tried mixing mine with everything from wine to vinegar because the lemon juice seemed to make a lighter color than I wanted. Using a little indigo with the henna usually gets me to the dark reddish brown I love. Trying cranberry juice for the first time today for something different. Soo much better results than chemical dyes that leave your scalp and hair stripped of all moisture. It does take some experimentation but worth the effort when you figure out what works for you.
Thank you! You made me laugh out loud several times and made me forget that my husband was neurotically trying to figure out how we are going to pay rent this month!
I started using straight Henna powder mixed with Indigo powder in July. It was not a packaged natural hair color kit, just the herb. I was not going to use any more commercial dyes on my hair, also, even though going a little gray. I found a great “how-to” for this in Diane Kidman’s “Hair Gone Wild” book. I did a few strand tests and got the ratio I needed and then did it and absolutely love the results. If I had not done strand tests, I would have had some funky turnouts. I ended up using 36 grams of henna powder and 50 grams of Indigo. I have shoulder length brown hair that is very fine and now it is a deeper brown with auburn highlights where the grey was. It is also fuller with a lot of shine. I also use your “sorta poo” method for washing hair (I did have to dilute the castille soap with distilled water)which has kept me from going back to commercial shampoo (yay!) and it keeps the color well. The Indigo seems to fade, so it gets a little lighter by the third week out. Don’t give up on the Henna.
I am laughing with you and not at you! I just did a henna treatment and it was such a comedy of errors I started googling to see if there were some tips/tricks which is how I found your blog. I thought I was prepared-I read ALOT of posts. I had gloves, covered the bathroom floor with plastic, had the saran wrap and my shower cap ready, and thought I was all set. And I turned one of those plastic hanging bags they give you when you buy a dress at the store into a great cover up by making the hanger hole into a neck hole and cutting “arm holes” in the sides. Genius that I am, I forgot-DUH-plastic is slippery. Lost my balance, grabbed the counter, upended the bowl of henna, and now I fear I will look like an oompa loompa for several days! Thanks for the laugh and making me feel a little less uncoordinated!
But think how wonderful it would be good to just set out a few reasons
some different some not so different on the best heater to buy and, while you shop online for.
Turning to Hot Spring in a Hot Tub. So you want to buy cheap hot tubs by choosing to buy
a hot tub aroma therapy sessions. Let us take a look at what causes hot tubs berkeley ca arthritis pain?
Keep in mind, so they are very therapeutic.
Thank you for this website! I just tried henna for the first time. UGH! First the good news, my hair feels like virgin hair. Soft, curly, no frizz. Wonderful! Too bad I can’t go through life with my eyes closed because my grey roots are O-R-A-N-G-E orange. My natural hair color is grey. A whole lotta grey. All my grey roots are orange. Did I mention the color orange? I read up on the whole henna deal, found some website by some lady who did her masters on henna.I am not making that up, although maybe she did. I did a henna, indigo, amla concoction that was suppose to produce medium brunette. I even called the website and spoke to a woman who assured me it would be a deep medium brunette. The amla was suppose to turn the red (aka ORANGE)a deep reddish brown. I hope I can say this without being censored, here goes… Liar, Liar pants on Fire – not unlike my roots! I have the nastiest shade of orange ever seen on the human head. My bathroom however has a lovely shade of medium brown speckles here there and everywhere. I am still washing brown color out of my hair and it has been a week and a half. Traumatized isn’t the half of it. I am torn between soft hair with that unique orange, glow in the dark feature or chemically colored hair that feels like straw but looks natural.
Using shampoo to wash your hair after applying henna turns it orange. After using henna only wash with water, then expose your hair out in the sun so the process continues. It’ll help your hair achieve the red color that looks more natural, It could take several days. Wash your hair after a day or two. I Use a cleansing conditioner the second day and my henna color becomes a beautiful red color, by the third day. I only use pure henna, and I use it to color my gray hair which is about 3% of my hair. The rest of my hair is black. The result: Black hair with red highlights. My hair shines, and when people look at my hair in the sun they always compliment me on my audacious red highlights. I love it. I have been using it for about two years as an alternative to chemical hair color, to cover my first grays. My hair is very long and wavy, but not frizzy thanks to henna.
You just explained why my hair turned carrot orange instead of the auburn red it was supposed to end up, I washed it with shampoo when I rinsed the henna out!! At least now I know what I did wrong and what not to do next time because I am definitely trying again. Even with the horrific patchy orange result I got my first time, I am hooked on henna!
but which kind of henna? I have the light mountain natural. It has cheetah on the front. i did a test strand, but didn’t notice much. maybe i would notice more if i did my whole head? at least to get the softening effects? it says it has a few different leaf powders. ie. cassia auriculata, lawsonia, and indigofera tinctoria.
Henna is a specific plant. I just did my hair for the first time with light mountain natural dark brown – the one with the lion on front – and I know that this one doesn’t contain henna, it’s mostly cassia. Cassia isn’t known for its red qualities and from what I’ve read doesn’t last as long, but is less extreme. I have to say that I didn’t notice much on the strand test, but absolutely yes, when I did my whole head there is a miraculous difference in texture, it’s the first thing after a long string of expensive commercial conditioner prayers that has actually made a real difference to my former straw hair. The color is a nice medium brown, there is a bit of red probably from the old dye job but it’s definitely brown hair, not red. My strategy for now is to go on using the cassia until my old dye job has grown out, and then try henna for more color pow.
Thank you for this post! I am about to go on a atw trip, and am about 15-20% grey (I’m only 35) so dealing with roots is a nightmare without a salon nearby. But I want to get away from chemical processes as well. Your “plan” above (using cassia until the old dye job grows out then experimenting with henna) pretty much answered (most) of my questions: Just a couple more, if you don’t mind:
1. Did the medium brown cassia have the same risk of staining your skin and everything around you when applying?
and
2. Did you try any other shades besides the dark brown? My hair is naturally dark brwn but looks better with my skin lifted a shade or two. Was wondering if you had any results with that.
Thanks again for the very informative post!
Apologies – in the post above I meant the dark brown cassia, not medium brown.
According to their website it contains henna and indigo. Curious where you saw cassia. http://www.light-mountain-hair-color.com/
Just a FYI –
Light Mountain, Dark Brown (with lion on the front) IS henna, along with indigo.
Here is the link to the product info on their website:
http://www.light-mountain-hair-color.com/
Dear Agnes,
I developed a PPD allergy to hair color and fabric dyes. I was a mess – I looked like someone threw hot oil on me. My only alternative to dye was henna. I tried a deep wine red and I had screaming orange roots. My husband was calling me Bozo. I went for Mahogany from Henna Color Labs and the color is perfect!
Agnes,
It is not Amla oil that gives any colour.. It is just oil, to condition, the best oil ever for hair. But it is the Indigo you need to use, completely sticking to instructions, to turn your orange colour henna dyed hair to neutralize into brown colour. You don’t keep indigo that long on the hair, after henna wash out, put indigo as instructed, just for 15-30 minutes, with my dark brown hair, 20 minutes is enough! Then you will have a perfect brown colour hair where your roots and rest of hair are not orange but medium brown! I have more than 80% grey, only 35 years old, I have tried henna and indigo after many years of chemical hair dyes (premature greying) and voila despite not being very experienced and not preparing henna right to get the perfect dye, also keeping it short-only 3 hrs on a winter day at home – I got the result! It’s just like hair dye, but better conditioned, covering greys and depending on the light of the place, giving different shades unlike the chemical hair dyes, which is great, isn’t it! 🙂 Read all and follow all instructions as told to get the right result.
I used henna for 20 years until I turned too gray and was getting a green color. I then dyed with naturtint but found it was harder on hair, lightened too much in the sun and my hair got thinner.
Switched to henna 3 weeks from the last hair dye. I used henna, amla and indigo and it was wonderful. I am 80% gray and I find that after I hennaed the second time, I got the orange roots, so I mixed indigo and water on the roots. I do not color my whole head so I get nice highlights. my hair has never been shinier, except when I did henna years ago. I do not use conditioner as I don’t need it.
I am getting inching from the mehandi indigo so I switched to henna hut. It is better. I also add salt to the indigo mix to hold the color. Indigo does lighten as you go along. I do also let the henna color rest for 8 hours covered before I apply. I leave on 5 hours.
I have had itching for indigo that lasts for 3 days, I had less with henna hut indigo, but still had some. any ideas on that issue? Sue
Chuckling away here, been there and done all that and some !
I have used henna for 30 years and have the best head of hair .
I have the technique sorted out now. thin latex gloves , disposable shower cap and an old plastic jug.and a tubular snood to wrap the whole head while the henna works.
mix the henna with the hottest water from the kettle,let it cool a bit but apply hot .
I use my hands, brushes etc just make more mess and you cant tell if you are right down in the roots.slather it on to sections of hair ( I keep the rest out of the way with a few hair clamps )when its all covered I just scoop out any left overs and rub them in to the bits round my ears and hairline .
take the gloves off now . Pop the shower cap over the lot and then the snood (we call them ‘Buffs’ but I think that is a trade name , anyway those versatile head or neck stretchy scarf things)or tie an old cotton scarf round your head.
relax for an hour or two and then as above , jump in the shower and rinse well- best to resist shampoo for 24 hours to let the colour mature
I use al kehira henna -cheap and very reliable for colour, available in markets and plenty of shops.
I used to do my hair at my own monthly red time- nice bit of ritual alchemy – but nowadays as a crone I just do it whenever I feel like it.
I love your references to moon times and being a crone. Makes me think I’ll wait until my own moon time and dye my hair with henna, I like the ritual of it. Besides I usually feel hideous, like I turn into a gorgon, during that time of the month, so pretty and healthy hair may make it better! Thank you for your post!
Sounds like you have had a lot of experience with henna! Could you tell me how long it usually lasts in your hair with this brand?
This is the funniest thing I have ever read!! I have been using Surya Brasil’s henna (mixed with a bunch of other ingredients), and it used to make my hair shiny, but no longer seems to do so (I may be using too much; it is temporary, and, at least for me, washes out easily, even with only water). I may resort to a different semi-natural dye soon. Eventually the dye stains come out in my experience: even on granite! Good luck! ( :
Hey, nice site! I’ve used henna for a few years now and love it. I DON’T love the henna from LUSH, it stinks to high Heaven and gives me a bloody headache. I get mine from HennaKing now and I also use the indigo from them too. Cheap, shipping is a little much, but I order a few packs at a time now to last me about 8 months. I have noticed, as you have, that henna makes the hair shinier, stronger, and covers the white hairs (yeah, I have a few haha) very nicely, giving some highlights in those areas. I feel ya, the mess…it’s unavoidable, so, I put two old towels on the floor, one on my shoulders, and when I’m done, I wipe around my face and neck, and put on a tight-fitting shower cap. Then I clean up. Jump in the shower after a couple of hours to make another mess! Fun times 😉
thank you for that blog!!! not only was it somewhat informative (being a somewhat seasoned henna user i already knew most of it. but i don’t wear gloves either – just because i don’t mind orange hands!) but it was so entertaining!!! i LITERALLY was sitting here alone in my living room, busting up laughing!!! totally made my night!!!! thank you!! 😀
Where can I buy Henna? Plus, I’m always doing blond highlights on my hair, can I keep it that way???
Thank you ladies!
Why does my scalp burn after I rinse the henna out of my hair? It didn’t burn or anything while the henna was on my hair, but when I started rinsing my scalp felt like it was on fire. It looks great, but it burns! I used an all henna natural product without any other chemicals or anything. Is it possible that I may be allergic to henna? Thanks for the help and listening to me whine. LOL
This is such a great post (hilarious by the way and which very closely resembles my latest henna attempt). It wasn’t my first it was probably my 10th but I haven’t dyed my hair with henna in 5 years and it used to be short’ish, so covering all my hair and getting it perfect every time was easy… this time I tried a dark brown henna, premixed with hibiscus, it also includes cloves, the product I used was Inecto, it’s AWESOME by the way (bought in Pretoria, South Africa where I live, I have no idea if they distribute in other countries). Any way, so my hair is about shoulder length now and instead of going with my gut feeling of adding extra water to the mixture and purchasing a second box (that includes 3 sachets), because I’ve used the premixed sachets before (5years ago) and I remember adding more water, I just followed the instructions on the box… Oh.. and my hair used to be black, I bleached it and then had a color shampoo dyed over the yellow and orange mess, I figured henna would prevent damage to my hair, which it did. But it came out blotchy and I look like a cheetah. So now I’m considering the idea of re-doing the henna but I’m not sure if I should apply it on all the hair again, or just the blotchy light areas? (I don’t want it black or uneven)any help please? I would appreciate it so much.
I just did my fourth henna application a few weeks ago, and it was my MOST successful. More color, less mess. I read a bunch of articles and this is what I came up with:
Mix the henna with a hot liquid (I used rooibus tea as it has a red tint) and any other additives such as hibiscus powder or alma, and a small amount of coconut oil (this will help to penetrate the shaft). I used a whole package and portioned it out into baby jars, which are then frozen. Freezing helps to weaken the henna cells and release the color, and also negates the bad smell! So just thaw it, and it is ready to use. I used a medium sized metal spoon to apply, and it worked really well – didn’t get any on my hands this time. After I apply it I get a small hand towel wet in a cup of tea or coffee and ring out so it is no longer drippy. Apply that over henna covered head, as the henna should NOT be allowed to dry on your head. Then wrap with plastic or the good old plastic bad trick. Leave on for 4 or more hours. I rinse in the sink before I go to the tub, just for less mess in the tub. After rinsing I apply a little jojoba oil, to just set the color in and make hair instantly soft. These are all the little tricks I have found that have improved my henna experience. Good luck and green wishes!
Love this post! I just ordered some henna and plan to give it a try. So glad I read through the comments! I was wondering how to apply it without making a huge mess. Luckily I dyed my hair using box color and still have the squeeze bottle in my bathroom trash can. Yes, I dug it out because I’m too cheap to buy those cheapy red and yellow condiment bottles. I hacked out a little of the tip to make it bigger and cleaned that sucker out. Voila! Henna applicator!
I’ve used henna just once and I love the highlights it gives my black hair…I guess I used too little henna as it did not look as thick as others I’ve seen. Can’t wait to find Indigo and give it a try too………..!!
I’m doing henna for my 2nd month in a row….the first time, I wrestled the plastic wrap…it worked well enough. Tonight, I’m attempting overnight while I sleep dying…I’ve decided covering my head with a plastic bag and then wrapping a towel around it was the easiest way to go about it. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. Plastic Target bags from now on! 🙂
I laughed hysterically when I read your blog about using henna! The first time I tried it was in the 80’s and I had almost the exact same experience! Very, very funny! But then I tend to laugh at the most unusual times, like at funerals….
On a serious note, the reason I stopped was because I started to loose hair. I think it’s because I have very fragile baby-fine hair. I don’t know it the henna today is the same as the one I used to use, but I recommend those with hair like mine pay attention to possible hair loss.
never heard of hair loss by using henna before
I’ve been using henna dyes for years. My favorite is Light Mountain in Red (don’t use if your hair is very blond!) or medium brown. They dye my hair in a very pretty copper/reddish brown color.
Here is how I do it and it covers all gray and stays for 4-6 weeks. Put contents of 1/2 (for short hair) or full pack of dye into a stainless small pot. Pour water to make a paste (not very thick). Set on the stove, get to boiling, reduce the heat, let it boil for a few minutes stirring constantly with the wodden/stainless spoon . Cover and let it sit for 0.5-2 hours or more.
In the bathroom prepare a shower cap (the cap included in the pack is not enough – you can use it as the first cap and put another thicker and tigher shower cap over it) and gloves (included in the pack).
Moisten your hair and pat with the towel so it doesn’t drip water. Kneel on the floor over the bathtub (undress waist up before doing this). Put henna paste over your hair with your gloved hands, rubbing it in your scalp and hair lightly (it’s healthy for both). If the paste is too thick, add hot water and stir before putting on your hair. The paste should be goey and have the sour cream consistency. Put a cap included in the dye pack over your hair. Cover with another thicker shower cap (sold in any store).
Keep the dye on for 1-2 hours. Then get in the shower and close the door or curtain tight. It is preferrable to use flexible shower head to rinse the dye off. Rinse the dye off as much as you can. Apply shampoo and wash your hair. Then apply balm or good moisturising conditioner. Let the conditioner sit on your hair for 5-10 minutes, then rinse off. This will remove the remainder of the dye. The dye may run slightly for a couple washes, so make sure you dry your hair well so it doesn’t stain your clothes. This process seems very involved, but it’s not when you get the hang of it. The payoff is beatiful natural-colored and healthy hair!
That was hilarious : ) I love the essence of “you” that you injected into your writing…I could definitely visualize your experience : )
I have used henna hair dye from Lush cosmetics, it’s great stuff as its mixed in with cocoa butter already and makes your hair so happy! It is messy, but I just do it in the bathroom, and vaccume up the “henna crumbs” as I call them when I am done! I haven’t stained anything yet! I used a plastic produce bag to wrap my hair with, and it worked brilliantly! I already have red hair, and I used the rouge variety of lush’s henna so it doesn’t really change the color of my hair so muh as just punch up the red that’s already in it! It’s awesome. Cinnamon and paprika add some great variations in the red highlights too!
Try mixing the henna powder and whatever liquid you are using in a ziplock bag! Add ingredients, seal, and squish to mix. Leave it for as long as your particular brand requires to start releasing the dyes, and then lop off a corner of the bag and apply like you’re piping out frosting!
that is the best tip i have read about applying henna hair dye – thanks
Oh my god you’re so funny! I want to share this to people who I know won’t care about hair dye, I just want them to see how funny you are. 😀
I LOVE using henna. I’m a first generation Vietnamese American, and
my grandmother gave me stories about using it on her sisters and mother.
I’ve been using for years now as part of an Ayurvedic hair routine. It really works.
haha. I dyed my butt-length hair monthly for years, and my experience was similar to yours every time. I did get it down to a science though- if you try it again, cut open a garbage bag (or two!) and lay it down in the tub before you start. Wear gloves, of course, but use a condiment dispenser (with the narrow nozzle) to apply it, starting at your roots and working towards the ends. If you miss your red highlights, I’d mix a dollop of henna made for skin into the mix- just a nickel-sized amount. It’s very fine and much more potent, but my hair shined red in the sun when I did this (no natural redness in my hair at all, and I was using black colora henna, 100% vegetable). The instructions that come with the box are terrible. You need tea tree oil to release the dye, and conditioners to get it into the hair shaft (I use mayonnaise!) You’re so right though, it’s REALLY messy!!! The conditioning effects are SO worth it though.
do you have any methods for red hair, i hate forcing bleach and ammonia in my hair.
If you use just henna your hair will turn red. There are some great suppliers, but the one in this post is not one of those great suppliers. Mix it with lemon juice or vinegar, not water. If you can’t deal with the smell of it, add a little ginger. Ginger neutralizes the scent of henna and adds a softness to vinegar.
The longer you leave it on, the more red your hair will become. Looks like (from your picture) you could leave it on for quite a while (like 4 or 5 hours) and end up with some really deep red hair. If you do a google search for “henna results on dark brown hair” you will find some examples of results. Good luck! I hope it works out for you.
LOL this is a great read! My favorite part is the spiderwebs wrapped in butter! I looove butter
Love your post. I used henna on my hair as well and found it gritty & messy, but awesome for conditioning.
Hey there! Just a quick tip. When dying my own hair, instead of trying to get plastic wrap on my head to help the dye set, I twist my hair into some kind of bun and pop a plastic grocery bag over my head. You can easily gather the edges and twist it up tightly at your forehead. Then just tuck the twisted part under the taught edge you’ve just made. Easy! The bag keeps your hair from falling onto your shoulders and the trapped heat from your head keeps the dye moist and helps it soak in.
Ha! Everything you warned your readers NOT to do with while using henna has happened to me – cats and all. It hasn’t put me off using it though. I like the results so much and experimenting with it that I’ve just learned how to work with it, around it and deal with the mess. Great article – thanks for posting your henna experience.
I dye my hair with pure henna and indigo, no other ingredients. It is never messy for me and if you don’t use gloves you can just wash your hands immediately since pure henna takes 48 hours to get to its final colour. Anything else WILL dye your hands. I also do not shampoo my hair, or condition it. But people tell me how beauitufl and full it looks all the time thanks to the henna. I usually have stringy straight white girl hair, for reference, and you can use henna as often as you like to keep it beautiful, but DO NOT USE anything but pure henna (plus indigo if you want black). Otherwise you get a mess. Like the OP.
Where are some good places to buy indigo?
What a great essay! I love it! You are hilarious and I was laughing out loud. Bravo!
Hahahaha, that was such a great write-up! No, you certainly didn’t scare me, because I made sure to do very *thorough* research before attempting anything. The best is still body art quality henna, which is made from pure henna leaves. As a general rule of the thumb, I make it a point to never buy anything that does not list the ingredients on the cover. EVAH! Buuut, my first experience with dyeing my hair went quite smoothly! No real messes, no gunk stuck in the drain or sink – it was quite clean. I did end up with red ears for my efforts, hahaha!
When I woke up the next morning, my hair – oh my gosh – my hair had beautiful wine red highlights! It’s naturally very dark, but in the sunlight… *sighs happily* I couldn’t stop staring and stroking it. =3
Of course, now the highlights have reduced to copper, so I’m due for another round of gingerification! :3
Plastic shopping bags are awesome! They fit great and you can use the handles to tie a good seal.
I recently saw a post on HelloGiggles about dying your hair with henna, but thought I would come back here to ask the serious question. I have been living the No Poo lifestyle for 4 months now, and had read that the baking soda would strip dyed color out of people’s hair. I have been wanting to try the henna dye for a while now, but wanted to know if it would just be stripped right out using the BS & ACV methods.
I have been dying my hair with henna for years. I have done it in many different ways, and have fallen in love with the page Henna for Hair, which is very helpful.
By the way – there is no such thing as “black henna”. Henna colours your hair red, and red only. So called “black henna” is a mixture with indigo. 🙂
i have to say, this made me laugh. i’m about 3 minutes away from dying my hair with natural henna and decided to get a bit of insight from the internet before hand. thank you, this helped as well as amused me. wish me luck!
Looks like it’s been a while since anyone commented, but I thought I’d throw in my $.02 anyway. I’ve been using henna on my hair for almost 10 years. I use body art quality henna (much less clumpy than other stuff). It took some trial and error, but I’ve gotten the application down to a science, and it takes only a little bit longer to apply than your standard at-home coloring application. I leave it on for 4 hours or so and then rinse out using conditioner. Lots of conditioner. It leaves my otherwise mousy-brown, going grey, limp hair lustrously shiny, red, bouncy, tangle free, and without a hint of grey. Bonus… it conditions my scalp (no more dandruff)!
Would henna be appropriate for a natural redhead, who has dyed there hair several times to get that natrual glow back? My natural hair colour (red) seems to fade a fair bit and over a few years I have tried to dye it a brighter red without using any perm colours. How long do I need to wait for my wash out colour to completely wash out before I apply henna? I dyed my hair roughly 5 weeks ago and there’s no sign of it dyed at the moment because it was a wash out. I’m hoping this will be suitable for my hair and it won’t go too bright seeing as i’m already a redhead. My hair is very dry and think also.
thick*
I’m also a natural redhead and I’ve been using henna for the last few years. I use Lush’s Cacca Rouge (it comes in a block which you grate. I highly reccommend this brand, they post to most countries). In my experience Henna works VERY well on natural red hair, but you’re going to want to do a strand test first because it might make your hair brighter than what you’re saying you want.. personally I think bright red henna hair is lovely 🙂 But also, there is no set colour that henna will dye your hair to because it depends on the colour you’re starting with. It does fade, so don’t freak if it’s REALLY bright to start with, but in my experience it doesn’t completely fade away; I can see my roots come through.
Regarding the colour you have in, I think that should be fine but to be sure you could check with the company you buy your henna from. My understanding is it’s okay to henna on top of dye or perm, but best not the other way around. And henna and bleach do not like each other, unless you want to risk green hair! It should help with the dryness too; I always feel that my hair is at it best just after a henna.
If you go ahead, I wanted to add a few tips. Mix it in a glass bowl or jar; never metal. I mix mine in a bain marie to get it really smooth but boiling water poured on and mixed well works fine (warm the jar first, I’ve cracked them before and lost my henna!). I mix with a wooden spoon then use this to help with applying, basically spooning the hot/warm gloop onto my head then massaging in with gloved hands. I find the most mess free way is to lay newpaper all over the bathroom floor, kneel down and tip your head upside down and work like that, because that way it’s not running down your back or face. Cover in plastic wrap or a head scarf, then wipe with a wet tissue any that has got onto your ears/neck/face because it WILL make your skin orange!
I hope you enjoy it; I did all sorts of thing to my hair for years until I started using henna and I would never use anything else now 🙂
Lol I have been using henna for years. Can’t say I ever had that experience though. I just wrap my head with an old shopping bag. Super easy and no mess…..
i dont know if ill try it ill probably talk my mom into letting me try it on her.
but i really loved this post who would of thought henna could be so funny?!?
I was laughing so much that I started crying and people at work asked me if there was something wrong. And no, you did not scar me for life on the idea of trying, but I will read again your Not To Do’s (thanks for the cat tip) and try not to recreate this scenario. Or… find a salon that will do the first one for me. Thanks for the laugh though; it was a smart, beautifully written post.
I just picked up my first batch of henna from my local LUSH store. It’s already pre-mixed with the natural add-ins (coffee, tea, lemon, etc) to tweak the color which is great, but the best part is that they will apply it for you… for free! Granted, I will have to walk through the mall with saran wrap on my head, but that’s a small price to pay for the safety of my bathroom surfaces. So excited to go in for my appointment on Friday.
a good way to ensure that natural reddish henna colour becomes stronger is by mixing in a iron bowl. also add black tea, beetroot juice, black coffee for more colour. you can also add eucalyptus oil and protein. leave the mix overnight and then put in the morning. leave for 4-5 hours for good impact. also side effect – hair becomes dry if used very frequently, so wud recommend once in a month or once in 2 months. we do this at home so pretty much gotten the system. the same mix can be used for tatoo as well. apply lemon+sugar mix once the heena dries on hand,. leave the tattoo overnight and wash next day for best results.
hey girl. i have used henna all my life, in fact, i have never dyed my hair in a salon ever. a word of advice, many kinds of henna out there are just chemicals with coloring, a real henna gives a natural red color, to have a color of your desire use coffee for more brown coloring, tea for more vibrant red color, i will ask mom what to add to have a black color. hope this helped..
aisha
Ha! Great post! I have been using henna for about 6 months now. I do it every 4-6 weeks. LOVE it! It took a little getting used to but I have done it on my own each time. I have to read the links you put above but I originally got all my info and research from http://www.hennaforhair.com They are very helpful & have tons of info. Their site is also packed with info on henna- in all its forms. I love their product. i use Henna (the red/orange plant base powder) and mix it with alma. Again, I LOVE it! My hair is very long so it does take a while to apply. I leave it on for 4 hours and then rinse, rinse, rinse. Then shampoo & condition about 3 times until most of it is out- perfect!! will never go back to conventional hair dyes!
I am laughing so hard right now! I had a bad experience trying to dye my hair with henna! Similar to yours! Oh it got every where! My hair while covered in henna as i was trying to glop it in there rubbed my neck the whole time. Looked like someone strangled me and left bruises! Seriously! I was mortified to go anywhere. I scrubbed my nekc with lemon juice and it faded it enough i could go out in public an not have peopl think i had been attacked. One day i may try again and try to find pure henna. It didn’t touch my grays either. I am 32 and have way too many grays. Genetics. Doomed from mom and dad’s side.
Just so everyone knows, do not purchase “Black Henna.” Black henna is not pure henna, but rather henna with a dangerous chemical mixed in (para-phenylenediamine). Here is a website with more info about henna: http://www.hennapage.com/
And I would love to try dying my hair with henna sometime. I didn’t know it helps protect against the sun (all the more reason to try it soon!)
this post made me laugh out loud, you should become a columnest if you arent already 🙂
After trying to apply henna in various recommended ways that ended up being a comedy of errors, I use a long tipped condiment bottle that allows me to squirt a line of henna along a hair part, section the next part over about 3/8 inch and comb the hair into the fresh line of henna. Then I go back and apply what’s left over to the ends…I have medium length hair. Works great although there’s no way to eliminate all the fall out so I apply it over the sink.
Back in the late 60s’ and early 70s’ my mother used Henna with religion and conviction! She has always been a redhead (henna red and then in later years from the box red) and whatever version of Henna she used it was red. and it STUNK! That’s the two things I remember, her lovely red hair and the smell! I post caught my eye and I continued to read just because it was so well written. Thanks!
I Love Henna!!! But I don’t like the powder henna of your experience. I’ve tried two different brands, neither was up to my satisfaction.
I do like Surya Brasil Henna Cream (I’ve used Burgundy and a dark brown, but I can’t remember what it was called.
These, too, leave one’s hair feeling quite wonderful and have a very nice color, which remains nice for a long time. I like the way it lasts, and the fact that if one doesn’t quite like it it can be redone without damage to one’s hair quite quickly afterward.
My dear husband even helped me with an application after shoulder surgery once.
It really is nice!!
This is what I use and I love it. I cannot use commercial type haircolor due to major allergic reaction to it. I use the dark brown
I laughed and laughed because the first henna product I used was a powder and I had to do it twice each time I applied it as it was a two step process. I finally tried Surya Brasil Henna Cream in medium brown and I too, love it! It’s so easy to apply since it is already mixed. I get at least two applications from one bottle. It looks very natural and wears off in a natural way. I highly recommend it.
Thanks for the information and for making me laugh out loud!
I used to dye my hair with henna when I was in highschool. My friend and I would do it together. We’d add coffee grinds and eggs. For darker color and shine. Great stuff. I think I’ll try it again because my hair is several decades older and I really need to freshen up my color.
I did laught a lot reading this as I’ve been dying my hair for years with Henna.I does get easier. I can do it by myself now in front of the bathroom mirror without the floor covered in newspapers. A few tips :- add sugar to the mix, cover the hair line with vaseline and wear latex gloves, use conditione to help get the henna out when rinsing.
Lord have mercy! You really did take yourself through the ringer! LOL! Well, I have hennaed my daughter’s hair several times and the accounts/instructions we read actually warned us of all of your pitfalls so we were able to avoid them… It seems like you got a-hold of some indigo, not henna if your hands (countertops and headwrap) were blackened. It may have been a mixture but I can’t tell by your container. I will say this, only buy henna from a reputable online place or an Indian grocer (I get mine from Patel Brothers in MD). I use Dulhan Henna, which comes in a green box. You can mix henna with indigo to make your hair black-cat black (which is what the Indian women call it) or with other herbs to make it golden etc… Here is a website where I got some valuable insight on the process and what to expect – In this post the young lady uses both henna and indigo in a two-step method:
http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/03/two-step-henna-indigo-process.html
Happy Henna-ing!
I just used henna for the first time and my bathroom got all dirty XD haha But I had lots of fun, adding to the fact that I’m an artist this was quite an artistic experiment XD I’m waiting now the next hours to come so I can finally see my henna hair 🙂 (I used too much water so It’s dropping on my face, i’m getting orange ROFL)
I’ve used henna a few times and loved it. I’ve been meaning to start using it again. When I would use it on my hair, I’d cover my henna coated head with a plastic shower cap. The cheap, disposable kind work well.
hilarious post. i came for the henna info and stayed for your writing style and wit. 🙂
intitle:phenylenediamine health risks studys ] Carcinogenicity
oh my gosh, I’m sorry. this did give me giggles though 😉 I’ve dyed my hair a few times with henna. I super-duper recommend this site:
http://www.mehandi.com/
Lots of great information and hair recipes.
You must have pure henna – body art quality. due to the site above, I now know that if you’d like to go black, you’d actually need to dye your hair with the reddish/natural henna first and then do an indigo mix right after to get the dark blue-ish black color.
You can also use any plastic garbage bags you may have about the house to wrap it up for letting it set. I hate using saran wrap, so it is a great alternative 😉
Thanks so much for your great blog.
Best wishes,
Em
What ever you ladies decided to do just make sure you are using natural henna, there is no such thing as other colors of henna and if so the names are completely different.
I can tell you that Henna that claims to to be or can change your hair to any other color is fake henna which contains metallic salts.
If you use henna in your hair and if you plan on using or visiting the Salon please note that the fake henna which can be found in stores locally such as beauty supplies do not mix at all with regular hair colors and other stuff. If you use Henna be sure to tell your stylist to test your hair for metallic salts.
If you know that you are using 100% henna you are find as it is good for your hair, but beware that there are companies that market some of their products as pure and it is not most of these are items from the beauty supply.
Here is a website that gives you all the facts about Henna, very easy to read.
http://www.hennaforhair.com/faq/index.html
I absolutely love dying my hair with henna! Fall of 2010 was my 16th year of using chemical hair dye, then my scalp rebelled, became super itchy and I started to lose a lot of hair. I assumed I’d developed an allergy and started researching alternatives. Hennaforhair.com answered many questions and the comments from the community there boosted my confidence to try it. I ordered henna powder from ebay and mixed it up according to directions with lemon juice and let it sit, covered, in a glass bowl overnight. Because I have 65-70% grey however, the colour turned out more “strawberry blonde” than auburn. So I asked my brother in law, who is a fancy European hair dresser, for an opinion. While I think he cringed at the whole henna idea, he was game to give me a pro opinion and suggested I mix the powder with an infusion of black tea and fresh ground coffee instead of lemon juice. He was right, the colour was nice and dark. I have since tweaked my recipe to include ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and clove oil, both because the colour turns out a stunning intense red/auburn and because it counteracts the grass-like natural scent of the henna. It even still smells like nutmeg after several washings 🙂 Oh and last tip: do not apply with a brush, it won’t work. I use Epicure’s Chocolate Decorator for applying at the roots and find that it fits perfectly in my hand and the spout is the right size for the consistency of the goop. When I’m done putting it all in, I cover my hair with an old plastic grocery bag and wrap a towel turban style over the bag to keep it all warm. After 4 hours, rinse it out and style as usual. I love, love, love the colour! 🙂
P.S. Just discovered your blog and think it’s wonderful! Keep up the great work 🙂 Also just starting the no-poo challenge after reading your posts, I think the colour will fade less quickly without using shampoo. To anyone debating henna, try it! Pure henna can go right over chemically processed hair without a problem, it worked for me.
i absolutely love henna. it’s the only thing i will dye my hair with. i have never had healthier hair before. i could live without the hot tea/spinach smell that comes from it after wrapping my hair in a towel after getting out of the shower but i can’t live without the gorgeous color that comes from it and how silky my hair feels. it is an extremely messy and long process but i have fallen in love. also, did you let the henna sit over night before you put it in your hair?
I have strawberry
blonde hair and I love Light Mountain Natural Hair Color in Light Red! I have been using it for about 9 months and
continue to love it! I will NEVER go
back to regular chemical dyes! My hair color is beautiful and now getting compliments
on my hair all the time like I used to, prior to using chemical dyes to cover
the beginning grays. It is soft (I have
always had “horse tail” course hair so I really appreciate the soft, smoothness
my hair now has), and has a great shine to it.
Light Mountain Natural Hair Color in Light Red has a mix of henna
(lawsonia… and cassia, which is another
plant/herb that will bring out a golden color in blondes but will only give
conditioning benefits to darker hair)
My natural hair
color is dark strawberry golden blonde- a very difficult, if not impossible
color to find in haircolor. As my hair began to get gray/white hairs I started
using non-permanent hair dye and then permanent (having to mix 2-3 colors to
get my color) but unfortunately, the various companies kept taking away my
favorite light reddish colors. Actually, this was a fortunate thing because it
caused me to reconsider using a henna type of hair tint. More importantly, I
didn’t like the toxic chemicals being put on my head every month. My scalp was red all the time and I was
breaking out in sores too. However, I am
not ready to be white/gray and have young kids at home! I also blame the
shampoos with sodium laurel sulfate for my scalp problems and switched over to
Trader Joe’s shampoo without SLS. My
scalp only rarely gets a “zit” and my scalp is no longer red!
Here is a stark
contrast between Revlon Colorsilk (the last chemical dye I used) and Henna:
At EWG (Environmental Working Group) a comparison of toxicity Henna only
rates a 1 (good) and Colorsilk is almost the worst at 9 (with 10 being the most
toxic!) Here is their website if you want to check it out: http://www.ewg.org/ This reminded me of
how toxic and full of chemicals hair color is and we put it right on our
scalp, near our brains and inhale the fumes .
Hot tips:
1. I strongly
urge people to do a strand test first: Gather hair from your hair brush and mat
together in a strand to test the henna product before using it on your
hair! I did this test and checked about
every 5 minutes to be sure that the Lt. Mt. Natural Light Red would not turn my
hair into a Bozo Clown or bright orange look. (it is brighter the first week
and is brighter on my white gray hairs, on my darker underneath hair, it
doesn’t do much and would need a darker henna mix to make a major change, the
majority of my hair is now a gorgeous dark strawberry blonde. Remember, henna products will not lighten
your hair, they can only add color and/or darker color.
2. I use an egg,
dollop of yogurt, a little olive oil, and honey to help it rinse out easier. I
always add some essential oils (usually grapefruit and lemongrass).
3. Wear gloves! I wear a shampoo cape, an
application brush and use a blowdryer briefly over my plastic covered hair. It
gets easier and less messy after you do it a few times.
4. I have found
that I only need to use ½ the package even though I have long hair below my
shoulders. I also always save a little of the prepared henna in a little snack
bag in the refrig for little touchups. I
can get 2 hair tinting “events” (2 months) plus 2 touchups out of a $6.99 box!
Let me tell you, Henna is for sure a natural sunscreen. I got a henna tattoo at a music festival, forgot my sunblock, and had a reverse sunburn tattoo for the rest of the summer!
I have been wanting to dye my hair with henna for quite a while now…the only problem is that I only want to dye the tips of my hair. Does anyone have a recommendation to keep the henna off my roots and sections of my hair I don’t want dyed? (I have dark brown hair in a pixie bob cut and want it blue black on the ends)
Do it the way hairdressers do it – section your hair & paint/brush the dye onto your hair, individually wrapping sections you want to separate. Just make sure henna is applied very thickly – like cake frosting – otherwise you won’t have very intense color deposited. Indigo can be applied more thinly, but I’m thinking you’d still see that greenish tinge all over your hair from it while it’s in.
Got henna in my hair right now. As I’ve got long, thick hair, clingfilm won’t work for me, so I’ve got a tower of towels, henna and hair on top of my head, giving me neckache. With a plastic bag on top. I was wondering how you washed it out… when I did it before it took hours and I had to bend right over the bathtub, washing it over ten times. Even after that I had tiny henna granules left in my hair that made my scalp itch. I don’t hoave a shower either. So how…?
did you use body art quality henna? the first time i dyed my hair with henna it was a super cheap brand that my aunt got me from a health food store. it wasn’t pure henna so it was like washing coffee grounds and mud out of my hair. it took quite a few washes and i didn’t get any color change from it. the mixture was very gritty and had stems in it. i would recommend going to mehandi.com which is where you can buy different kits to get the color you are looking for. i could see the difference in quality and it washed out SO much easier.
I have been dyeing my hair for about 25 years and have recently decided to let my natural hair color grow out. I have been using henna to color my hair since it fades out after a few months. I had to laugh because the first time I used it was pretty much like your experience. LOL. I have since become adept at it and love the way it makes my hair feel. I may just forgo the whole natural hair color idea and continue with the henna now.
This was brilliantly written, witty and informative at the same time. My daughter and myself were laughing out loud as we read through this article. Thank you!
I’ve been dying my hair with straight henna for about 8 or 9 years now. Here are some tips!
Mix with lemon juice instead of vinegar. It doesn’t smell as much.
You want it thicker than thinner. It won’t drip as much that way.
Apply it outside. If you can, rinse it outside in your bathing suit (or birthday suit, if you can).
Try to get your significant other to help. I sweet talk my girlfriend into applying and rinsing my henna for me. It’s so much easier for her to do it, since she can see what she’s doing better than I can.
I haven’t dyed with henna yet but I’m planning too. After 5 years of wearing my natural hair locked, I did a big chop at the end of May. Now I’m sporting what will become a teeny weeny afro if I let it grow out a few inches. LOL
What I’m looking for is the reddish sun-glow and the softening. Mostly because I hate using conditioner in my hair…
After going through your post again the pic in which you have shown your stained fingers which are stained even after several washes I can bet it is because of indigo.
When pure henna is used(with or without kattha which gives a richer color) your hands turn bright orange color. Once you shampoo your hair most of the color vanishes because of continuous contact with water when shampooing(I don’t shampoo my hair, I only rinse it well when henna is applied). Later the remaining color gets dull and turns light brown. This is not very much obvious on the Indian skin which is slightly darker.
I wanted to ask you whether the stains are black/blue. In that case the stains are because of indigo which is actually a dye. In rural areas it is used for dyeing fabrics. You can use only pure henna.
In my earlier post I had mentioned mixing kattha in the henna paste. The english name of kattha is ‘catechu’ which is got from Acacia tree. Hope this helps
You dont have to ditch it!
I use a worn out stretch of cloth, big enough, probably a little smaller than your bedspread. Instead of disposing this kind of cloth, seat yourself on this when applying henna. Whatever henna has spilt gets spilt on the cloth. Rinse this cloth well which is not much effort and wash. This will prevent your floor from getting stained when applying it.
I havent really seen mehndi stains remain on bathroom tiles. It need not remain because once you started rinsing your hair all the henna gets drained down the drain pipe, there is no possibilty of staining the foor unless it has remained on the floor. Even if the color remains it cannot remain for more than two days on wet bathroom floor. In India often ubtan, gramflour, shikakai, henna are used often by women. The bathrooms are scrubbed once in 2 or 3 days.
Fantastic! I’m SO excited to ditch this insanely expensive salon color habit & get crunchier in the process!
But, so that my husband doesn’t kill me, please confirm the precautions / maintenance required to keep my bathroom tiles / grout / plastic shower floor white? Is there a sure-fire way to clean the henna from these surfaces?
I am an Indian girl, and a quite used to using natural products.
Mehndi/henna is my Favorite because it tames my frizzy curly hair. Only thing is I cannot keep it for more than half an hour or else I catch a cold.
Mehndi gives different colors with different mixtures.
I use it with coffee and tea decoction. I exactly cant say the name of the beautiful color it renders to the hair.
TEa decoction alone can alo be used
My mum uses beetroot juice sometimes.
Here we get something called ‘kattha'(literally meaning maroon color) used in ‘paan beeda’. This mixed in henna mixture gives a different hair color.
What I like the most with henna treatment is the HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE’ whcih stays for days together. For this you have use pure henna
Hahaha. I would have to say that henna was my first crunchy adventure, almost 10 years ago. I’m a brunette, but I agree with the blondes here, henna does not really fade, it just doesn’t look very awkward when you let your highlights grown out normal. That said I’ve henna-ed (can we make that a verb?) many a friend. This is key to the experience, a glove handed friend who likes to laugh about rubbing something the consistency and color of baby poo in your hair. We even learned how to section out hair with aluminum foil to make highlights.
For my hair henna I like to boil some strong black tea with dried lime slices in it to mix with the henna powder to deepen the color a little, it also smells nice. Then I add an egg. After vigorous whisking I add a few drops of eucalyptus oil you let it hang out covered for an hour for full color potency. I rub some Vaseline on the edge of my hairline to keep the henna out, but it will dye your scalp. There is nothing to do about it. You will have a red or black scalp for a few days (it lasts for a shorter time if your hair is dirty and your scalp is nice and greased up without limiting the hair dying goodness) Then you beg your friend to rub this mud all over your head.
Thanks so much for the Laugh! For sure Henna isn’t the same as the grocery store box of dye. I found it easiest to use when my hair was short and harder as my hair got longer. especially in the getting it all coated and washing it out without pulling all my hair out part. Instead of cling wrap, I just used a plastic grocery bag. These days I’d be hard pressed to find one of those in my house, but when I was dying my hair with henna it was the easiest hair cover. Take care!
this is an article that I read when I need a lift of laughter in my day… excellent visuals.. I have hennaed many times and recognize the aftermath 😉
I do love neutral henna.. such a treat to the hair and a great way to spend time with a favorite friend… much easier to do this treatment with another person and fun to give each other some forrest creature-esque sculptural hair dos…
Thank you crunchy betty for sharing the real truths of henna treatments, and for those of you who haven’t tried it yet don’t be scared… tap into your sense of adventure 😉
HI,
Need help. i dyed my hair with black hair color about a year and half ago, and after a few months i started coloring my hair with Black henna “black rose” i did that since last year August (2010). I have not put henna on my hair since october 2010 but now i cant get it to go back to brown? I went to a stylist last week to dye it brown but after 2 hours ..color still was black only the roots changed somewhat brown but not exactly brown ..so she tried to bleach it and tried with a strand of hair for like 40 minutes but nothing changed ..so she put back a dark brown shade of color and came out after 5 hours STILL BLACK HAIR!!! i really want to go back to brown …any help???
getting married in May 2011 and want my hair to be brown for my special day?? Please share if anyone went through what i did …
As Far as I know, henna is permanent. I don’t know about the black rose stuff. I don’t know what’s in it.
I went through the same thing, except my hair is dark blonde. I’m afraid the only thing that will dye over henna is more henna. Absolutely nothing would change my auburn hair back to blonde….
The only thing I can think of (and you’ll want to ask other people about this before you do it) is to see if you can get a brown henna (Lush do a great one called Caca Brun) – and see if that dyes over it. In the UK these are about £6.95 – so it’s worth a shot even if it doesn’t work – it’s not like it can do more harm.
Hope you get it back to what you want for your wedding!
I’m too late to be of help to you, but from my understanding, straight henna and/or indigo can be stripped by using a solution of honey and water (look up ‘honey lightening’ on the long hair community for recipe and details), as this combination produces hydrogen peroxide. I’m not sure what your ‘black rose’ henna is, but it may have worked.
It totally depends on where you get your henna and what is inside the henna powder you buy. If you buy henna powder mixed with other ingredients the colour will be off, but pure henna will leave the hair brown/red. Just make sure to buy the right type of henna.
It is best to mix coffee and or tea with the henna instead of water. It will add colour and help your hair improve the quality of your hair. Lemon juice can be mixed as well.
Leaving the henna on for longer will deepen the colour. Mix other wet ingredients that will help your hair!
Oh & use pure henna, not indigo.
You scared me when you said Black Henna! Here’s why: youtube.com/freehandmehndi
If you also go to freehandmehndi.com she sells many henna products. I always buy from her. She has TONS of information and videos about it.
I love dying my hair with henna. It’s slightly reddish now and when it grows our you can hardly see the difference.
PS. CRUNCHY BETTY!! YOUR’E A NATURAL GODDESS IN MY BOOK! THANK YOU FOR HELPING US ALL TO BE HEALTHIER AND HELPING TO EDUCATE US, AND TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN AND ALL THE OTHER WONDERFUL GOODNESS YOU GIVE US HERE! FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS!
Henna! I am about to attempt henna for the first time! As soon as I find some I like! Yes I know! There is boxed Henna all over the web! However, I have read about Henna for DAAAYYSSS!! (I’m VERY leary about things, like Aunt Josephine on Lemonny Snicketts) I spend so much time on line reading about Natural Beauty and Health remedies, me and the Master of the Universe fight about it!) And FIRST OFF!! Let me tell you :)! There is no such thing as BLACK HENNA!!! ALL HENNA IS RED. If your Henna is claiming to be a color,,, it has OTHER STUFF in it!! There is also a product out there that is called “Neutral Henna”. This also is NOT Henna, however BUY IT!! It IS good for your hair!! It is called Cassia. It is a plant, a flower. It is used for conditioning and shining. It has NO COLOR! Just remember if you use Cassia in your hair, periodically and before you re-do your Henna to strip the Cassia from your hair using apple cider vinegar,,, several rinses at the same time to be sure! The Henna you want for your hair is BAQ (BODY ART QUALITY), and you only need to mix it with water, and yes, wear gloves! Henna is used to do temporary tattoos. It will stain your skin! Also, and VERY important is to pay attention to the Henna kits that claim to be a color. If you have colored your hair with a chemical hairdye DO NOT USE HENNA THAT CLAIMS TO BE A COLOR!!! Only BAQ Henna is safe to use. The other may contain stuff (salts and metals) that DO NOT mix with chemical hairdye and you will end up with (How did that site put it?) frog butt green hair, or sewer something black. Either way it was disgusting. My advice, Also that what you see when your done, is NOT what your are going to get!! What you see in 3-4 days is the actual color!! It takes that long to oxidize after application! Go for it!! HENNA! It is AWESOME! Just read, and read and read (How do you think I found Miss Crunchy Betty?)Happy Hennaing!!!
Actually, the product she used and called ‘black’ henna is perfectly safe. It’s a blend containing indigo, a plant that dyes a bluish color. It won’t give you good, natural looking black hair, but it will darken hair and tone down any reddish colors. In order to get naturally dyed hair, you need to use a two-step process: first apply pure BAQ henna according to proper instructions, and then, after washing it out, apply indigo according to instructions.
It is appropriate to be warning people about black henna, though. What is typically referred to as ‘black henna’ is a product used to dye hair or skin which may or may not contain any actual henna, and contains toxins like PPD – a sensitizer and carcinogen.
This has nothing to do with henna or hair or beauty…but I read this and thought that you would totally love it: http://amandeleine.com/2011/02/03/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/ — if you make these, please post pictures!! 😉
I love that I found this post. I died my hair with Henna a couple months ago…I too was not prepared for the mess! My bathtub has just begun to drain well after months of being clogged from the henna clumps.
Also, I was careful, but somehow there were two big chunks of green/brown henna that got flung onto my white bathroom walls- right by the toilet…and you can imagine what the stain those left behind looks like! I am now embarrassed to show company into my only bathroom 🙂 But my hair (while, no, was not the color I wanted) FELT awesome! Highly recommend neutral henna conditioning treatments.
I just love you! I’ve started getting a few grays wonder if this is the answer! Wish I could come to your house to try it! It would be much more fun!
I ADORE henna for covering my grays! I use body art quality henna and indigo from http://mehandi.com. It is so important to get quality BAQ henna (not a boxed dye labeled “henna” that includes other ingredients).
I’m sorry your experience was so messy! This is one of those times that you have to have everything ready and at your fingertips BEFORE you begin. Your natural color looks so pretty though, why cover it?
Just found your blog – love it! Thanks for all the great info.
just one question…. how’d it do on the grey hairs????
I can tell you that with pure henna, it dyes them bright red/orange. With the indigo/henna mix she used, I’m not so sure.
been dying my hair with henna for 4 years! please please PLEASE! tell me you didnt buy black henna, and that it was an indigo powder. D:
She clarifies in the article that she used a blend containing cassia and indigo. No PPD!
Hi Betty
I found your blog a few weeks ago, just had to say how much fun it is!!!
Now make my own facial cleanser,leave in conditioner and i whipp up my own body butter :-).
Sorry to hear(but funny to read) about your henna mishap. I use BAQ henna mixed with alma(indian herb)and honey. Makes my kinky coily hair super soft and shiny and covers all my grey hairs really well.
keep crunching!
I actually was at the store today and was thinking about getting henna or even cassia(similar to henna). I am still undecided if I want to try it out. I have heard that people put teas, oils, and essential oils in the henna mixture. I have also heard with african americans it loosens up the natural curls.I thought this was interest and that is one thing that deterred me from buying it bc I like my curls.
I would rather pay someone to dye my hair for me..wonder if there are any salons that use henna? Thanks for the laughs with this one!
Oh dear… I was hoping for better news than that! I color my hair (roots) every 3-4 weeks. I call it my anti-depressant. I didn’t think henna would cover the gray really well so I’ve never looked into it. Used to play around with it a long time ago (back when I used to dye my hair for fun) and I remember the hay smell, the goop, the mess… Thank you for going there first! I’m not sure if I trust the results enough to attempt it again… but I’ll definitely look into it some more.
I’m intrigued. My hair can use all the help it can get.
Ironically about a month ago I bought a box of brown “henna” dye. But as of now Ive been too scared to try it. 😛 I kinda forgot it was there (hiding behind my sewing machine) thanks for reminding me. And thanks for the heads up…I guess my fears were sort of justified. Anyhow, now that I’ve got the down low on what not to do I might just try it out this weekend. I will let you know how it goes!
I know it’s impolite to laugh at other peoples misfortune. But it’s also kind of hard not to! Also I love your photo of your tub. Very Pollock-like indeed.
I make a mess when doing henna too, but with time I’ve gotten better and better at making less of a mess. I’m lucky in the way that I like to keep my hair pretty short, makes the plastic wrapping a lot easier for instance.
Back in the day, I always used gloves. Now I usually don’t bother – the dye comes off quickly from my skin. The only downside is if I get too much on my nails, I look like a chain smoker for a few days.
One tip I’ve heard is to apply conditioner where the henna might stain, such as the forehead or cheeks. I’ve never tried that though.
Anyways, thanks for your warm words! And better luck next time 🙂
Dear lord you crack me up.
I used to use henna on a regular basis – the red kind. Haven’t done it in years, but just talking about it brings back the memory of the scent, in a good way. And, yes I loved how it felt after. And, yes, I sat in the tub while doing it.
Lucille Ball’s niece was one of my professors in college.
Lucille Ball used Egyptian henna to get that signature red.
And my professor inherited her supply when Lucille passed away.
She used it a little more sparingly, though.
Awesome! Yet a bit disheartening too. I saw henna as a hair dye for the first time on the weekend. I was seriously thinking about it to try to cover a streak of grey – I’m tired of people thinking my little ones are my grandkids. Now that I’ve seen your post, I Ned to psyche myself up a bit more, track down some gloves, buy plastic wrap and choose some towels to kiss goodbye.
Thanks for my laugh today.
Ok, that was hilarious!!!!
Am so glad I found your blog. Great info, keep up the good/messy work!
Wow. I came here this morning specifically to look for hair treatments. Great timing!
I have used henna several times and am just getting ready to do it again. I buy plain bulk henna powder from MoreThanAlive.com, and mix it with vinegar and water. I just read that adding a spoonful of ginger to the mix will reduce/eliminate the smell. I’m all for that!
My husband LOVES what henna does for my hair, but I get kinda nervous about the fact that it glows orange in the sun! I do have some natural red highlights, but this is way beyond those. Like, people have been known to have loud fits over my hair when I step out into the sunshine. Not what I’m going for! I’m looking up black walnut (cuz I have some, not necessarily a good reason!) to see if I dare mess with that to cut the red? I don’t know…
I really love the smooth satinyness and shine of my hair with henna though. It’s good stuff!
You can definitely mix walnut with the henna to tone down on the red! Actually I think walnut, as opposed to almost every other herb or plant, will give you a more or less permanent color. Other herbs just give more of a tint.
I’ll have to try the ginger next time! 🙂
The ginger seems to have worked! I’m still amazed, but my hair does NOT smell. In the past the smell has driven me crazy, or at least to wearing a pony tail a lot!
My black walnut didn’t seem to do anything so I don’t know if I didn’t let it sit long enough or didn’t use enough. I’ll just have to endure my 3 year old telling me that she “doesn’t like green hair” for now. She confuses the names for green and orange. I’m not green haired, but am definitely orange! My husband likes it and keeps telling me it’s not orange, but I have a mirror… : )
Awesome, I’m looking forward to trying the ginger in a a few weeks. Very cool. I love red-RED hair but having naturally black hair is a bit prohibitive. I’m anxious about bleaching my color out to re-color. Maybe I’ll get brave one of these days and do streaks. 🙂
Haha, I love red hair too, but as a kid I always wished I had really dark hair. I still love dark/black hair. Yours is probably naturally gorgeous!! : )
If it’s darker brown hair with less red in it that you want, do a henndigo blend: get your henna ready as usual, wait for dye release, then mix in some katam or indigo (different plants, similar effect on hair). hennaforhair.com and mehandi.com both detail different proportions of henndigo and henna/katam, and the tones you can expect to be added to your hair by those proportions. You can also try adding rosemary (probably a strong herbal tea made from dried rosemary, cooled before adding to the henndigo); that’s supposed to help darken the color.
If it’s black hair you’re after, you need a two-step process: henna to cover grays and form the base color, and indigo to tone it darker and towards black. First get your henna ready, and once dye release has occurred, apply it to your hair. Wait three or so hours, rinse it out thoroughly, and then mix up enough indigo (with a bit of salt added to help cover tough grays) for your hair and apply immediately over freshly henna’d hair. The result should be a rich, natural-looking black. I’ve heard the indigo can fade and run out a bit in the shower the first time, but repeat uses help set the dye (I’d say you could use henna or indigo or henndigo glosses in between to help keep the color looking consistent). :]
The grass is always greener, right? I like having black hair but it’s funny how many people have asked me over the years if I dye my hair. 🙂
ahem, Hilarious, but FUN. Need more coffee
I have black hair but I don’t use the henndigo – I just use regular henna. It hides the grays (makes them golden-red, very cool) so it looks like I have red highlights. I love henna-ing. I’ve got it down to a science. I mix it up to a thick yogurt consistency. Then, with a towel draped round my shoulders, I just section my hair, don my gloves and work a glob into each section and work my way up to the crown. Once everything’s well coated I ditch the gloves, and wrap my head in cling wrap. It’s hilarious but bun. And, I have a white bathroom. Doing it this way is much less messy than painting. I wipe off any excess on the skin around my hairline and ears, wipe down any errant splatters and I’m good to go. After 3 or 4 hours, I just hope in the shower, rinse out all the dried bits and shampoo. The only thing that’s slightly weird is that the henna makes my hair smell like hay for the first couple of weeks. 🙂
Can you apply henna outside? I’ve never done it b4, and I need some advice from an expert.
LOL. You had me cracking up. I actually prefer your hair BEFORE henna. It looks shinier that way. Sorry.
“Henna color fades naturally within about 4 months, so it won’t leave you with weird-looking roots or otherwise scary streaks.”
Can I please just offer a warning for dark blondes/mousey coloured hair?
DO NOT USE HENNA unless you want bad roots. I mean BAD. While the colour may fade on brunettes, the red sticks to blonde and lighter browns like no other. And you can’t dye over it. Except with more henna.
However, the auburn colour did look GORGEOUS on me! 🙂 It was just too much upkeep.
I dyed my hair with henna in my late teens. NEVER AGAIN. I have mousy light brown/dark blonde hair. And henna turned it a virulent, bloated pumpkin colour which NEVER WORE OFF. My skin tone looks bad with orange or red and it was a mess. Now I’m going white rapidly and I just wish it would hurry up so I could be snow white and look like an awesome kind of young/old elf.
Don’t totally swear off Henna!!! Try mixing your Henna (and only using BAQ Henna) with indigo, more indigo than henna to get a nice brownish red! Research!
you can tone down the red in henna by adding 1prt amla powder to 3 parts henna, it results in a cooler color instead of warmer undertones 🙂
Real 100% henna doesn’t fade, and it is very difficult to lift out without ruining the hair. Read here:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=9336
You can dye over it, as long as you use henna or henna/indigo mixture and not a henna dye, which usually contains lots of nasty things.
OMG, I apologize, but I am laughing so hard right now. This may be my new favorite post. From the mess, zombie hands and paw prints I can SEE me doing this….
I have had a love affair with henna for a few years, but have yet to try it for my hair. (red hair is my fave and somewhat natural for me, haven’t dyed in about a year)
Maybe with the knowledge I can get it at mountain rose herbs I can get some next month when I get a gallon of coconut oil…