Coloring Hair Naturally With Henna

Henna, which is sold as a hair dye, is made from dried and powdered leaves of this plant. There is also neutral, i.e. colorless, henna that can be used as a hair mask.

Henna is a natural product that you can use to color and strengthen your hair. Dyeing with henna offers numerous advantages as the natural product does not contain harmful substances such as conventional dyes.

In this post you will learn what to look out for when dyeing with henna .

What is henna

Henna is the Arabic name for a shrub known as  Lawsonia intermis  . The natural hair dye, which in particular ensures a reddish tone, is obtained from this.

Commercial henna is made from the leaves that are pulverized. This powder is not only applied to the hair, it is also  used to paint natural tattoos on the skin. 

Advantages of coloring with henna

It is a purely herbal product without other additives and offers the following advantages for our hair:

• First, it does not discolor the hair and therefore does not destroy it.
• It gives the hair a very natural color.
• It also strengthens and strengthens the hair and is therefore particularly recommended for people with fine or brittle hair.
• After the application, the hair shines beautifully.
• The color lasts for about three months and gradually disappears. So there are no radical changes in color visible.
• You can even use it to cover gray hair.
• Traditional henna colors the hair reddish, but there are now also mixtures with other plants for different hair colors. There is also neutral, colorless henna that can be used as a hair mask.
• Henna can be used as often as desired.

Dangers of commercial dyes

By using henna, the harmful side effects of commercial dyes can be avoided. These mostly contain chemical substances such as peroxides and ammonia, which are very harmful to the hair and can cause the following symptoms with long-term use:

• Irritation to the scalp
• Effect on fat content (either oilier or dry hair)
• Hair loss
• Fine, brittle and broken hair
• Split ends

How is henna used?

When coloring with henna, it is best to follow the instructions on the package. However, here are a few general tips for using henna:

• Mix the henna powder with lemon juice until a homogeneous, spreadable paste is formed. The lemon juice will help set the color better.
• Then cover and leave the mixture on for about 8 hours. It is best to prepare the paste the day before.

• Wash your hair thoroughly before use without using conditioner afterwards. Dry with a towel.
• Then divide the hair into strands and apply the henna paste from the roots to the tips.
• Then put on a plastic hood and wrap a towel over it so that the dye works better.
• Let it work for at least an hour. Follow the instructions on the package.
• Then wash the hair as usual.

As already mentioned at the beginning, henna also colors the skin, so it is very important to wear gloves when coloring with henna,  otherwise the color is difficult to remove.

It is best to cover them with petroleum jelly so that the forehead and ears, or the other surrounding skin areas are not stained. You should also be careful not to stain your clothes or towel.

Where to Buy Henna

Henna is easy to find in  health food stores or natural food stores. Often it is also available in Arabic shops or on the Internet. 

When buying, you should pay attention to the quality of the henna. This should not contain any chemical but only purely herbal ingredients. There are numerous products that contain henna but also many other active ingredients.

So you should first decide whether you want pure henna in powder form or a mixture. This article refers to the positive properties of pure henna powder.