A lot of people avoid henna. They don't believe that natural color will catch on. Or they are afraid that after using it, the hair will be too dark, rusty or, God forbid, green. They think that they simply cannot dye themselves with henna. But the opposite is true!
We tried henna, documented everything and created a small guide that will hopefully help everyone who is just getting ready to dye their hair with henna for the first time.
What is it?
Henna as such is a tropical plant that is correctly called the white henna tree. It is the powder from it, which colors hair or skin mahogany, rust or orange, that is the basis of all shades of henna. To create other colors and shades, the henna base is mixed with other herbs. Blonde henna hides, for example, chamomile and turmeric, coffee or tea in brown henna, and indigo in black henna.
Henna is therefore a safe, effective, cheap and completely natural alternative to conventional hair dyes.
What can it do?
We love henna not only because it colors the hair beautifully. It also regenerates, strengthens and hydrates them. It soothes the scalp, promotes healthy hair growth, has healing and antibacterial effects. It will help in the fight against dandruff, eczema, allergies or various skin inflammations. With regular use of henna, hair grows faster, and in combination with natural cosmetics, henna can reduce or even stop excessive hair loss. In addition, hair treated with henna is undoubtedly shinier, stronger, healthier and less frizzy.
Why is henna better than regular hair dyes?
The hair dyes we are all familiar with from the drugstore or hairdresser contain a mix of chemicals that disrupt the hair structure, allowing the hair to become colored. In this way, we can easily achieve the desired color, but at the cost of the fact that the chemicals damage the hair's protective layer. This then leads to the fact that the sebum does not get down to the ends, which therefore usually start to fray quickly after normal coloring, and because the hair is not hydrated and nourished along its entire length, the curls are dry and brittle. Synthetics in conventional hair dyes can also cause allergic reactions, rashes or irritations that can lead to serious problems.
Unlike ordinary colors, henna is safe, gentle and completely natural. It does not damage curls in any way, but on the contrary, it envelops each hair and acts as a protective layer. Nothing disturbs, does not change the structure or pigment of the hair. Henna does not wash out, as is the case with ordinary colors, its intensity only gradually weakens, and therefore the growths are not so visible.
A big plus of henna is also its smell. Let's be honest with ourselves, classic hair dyes just stink... Henna smells like herbs, some smell hay in it, others smell loose green tea. Whatever you find in her fragrance, you will definitely not have a headache caused by the smell of peroxide, burning eyes or an itchy nose due to harsh chemicals.
What is needed for dyeing?
Prepare gloves, a glass bowl, a wooden or plastic spoon (henna should never come into contact with metal), an old towel, a kettle or water bath, a thermometer and a henna brush.
First
If you are using henna for the first time, for peace of mind we recommend that you try the color first on a test strip , especially if you have used a classic hair color before. Therefore, prepare a small amount of henna according to our instructions and apply it to a strand of hair. Leave on for about 3 hours and then wash with a silicone-free shampoo. The color will take about 24 hours to settle. If you are happy with the color the next day, go for the whole head. 🙂
Henna coloring step by step
Pour the henna into a non-metallic bowl and gradually add water heated to the desired temperature (this is written in the instructions or on the henna packaging). Do not underestimate this step, the temperature of the water will affect the resulting hair color.
Mix well. Add water to the powder a little at a time until the henna has a consistency similar to melted chocolate.
Apply henna evenly to wet hair.
When all the hair is nicely covered with henna, wrap it in foil, plastic or put on a swimming cap. We want the hair to be warm. You can still wrap the covered hair in an old towel.
Leave on for at least 45 minutes, but preferably 2 hours. Since henna does not damage the hair, you do not need to be afraid to leave it on the hair a little longer, the shade will be more intense.
Then wash off the henna and wash your hair with silicone-free shampoo.
Before and after: Voono – Light brown)
Before and after: Voono – Dark brown
Tips and tricks
If you don't have really long and thick hair, you definitely won't use the whole package of henna in one dyeing session. For shoulder-length hair, use about a third of the package, for shoulder-length hair, about half. If you need more henna, simply mix it in.
Before applying henna, apply oil or cream to your neck, forehead and ear line. This will avoid skin staining.
To keep the henna warm, leave the bowl with the color in a water bath.
Well-prepared henna does not crumble or run off the hair. If the paste is too dry, add a little water, if it is too thin, add a little henna.
Don't get burned. Although henna is applied to the hair warm, it does not mean that you have to apply it to the hair hot. If the color temperature makes you uncomfortable, let it cool down for a while, nothing will happen.
Use an old or dark towel during and after dyeing. The color will fade after 2-3 washes.
Get silicone-free shampoo and conditioner. The products will cover the hair with silicone and the henna will not stick, and we don't want that.
Henna complements perfectly with shampoos and shampoos that contain henna. You can find options for both blondes and brunettes. Hair color will be more intense and last longer.
Play around, you can influence the resulting hair color yourself. Experiment with the temperature of the water, the time of action or add one of the natural powders to the henna, such as cinnamon, walnut and indigo, it will conjure up a different shade on the hair. Try other natural hair dyes such as rhapnotic for blondes or katam for brunettes.
Enjoy it. Henna coloring is fun. Invite a friend, mother or daughter, have something good and enjoy the whole procedure together.
What about you and henna? Have you been using it for a long time or are you just about to dye it for the first time? Share your experiences with us, maybe they will help others. We'd love to post all your advice! 🙂
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