Using Henna to Dye Hair
How to Choose, Mix and Apply Henna as a Natural Hair Color
A vivid, multi-tonal and non-damaging alternative to chemical dyes, henna is simple to apply once a few basic rules have been learned.
Choose your henna wisely.
The highest-quality henna for dyeing hair is body-art quality (BAQ) henna, sometimes sold as "mehndi" henna. Make sure your henna is genuine – any brand of henna which comes in various shades such as "copper", "auburn" or "mahogany", or which lists ingredients other than Lawsonia inermis, is not pure henna and may give unpredictable results.
Strand test to check the colour.
Henna produces different colours on different heads of hair. Harvest some shed hair from a hairbrush and soak it in the henna mix for as long as you plan to leave the henna on your head. Rinse the hair, and then wait for a few days. The freshly-rinsed colour is not the final result – henna darkens and deepens as it oxidises. If you are planning to henna repeatedly in order to obtain a darker shade, you can test this on your shed hair as well. Note the texture of the hair – if it appears crunchy, dry or brittle after being thoroughly rinsed, your hair may require a moisture treatment after applying the henna.
Mixing your henna paste can be as simple or complex as you like. A simple mixture of henna and water, about the consistency of yoghurt, is all that is required. Adding an acid to the mix, such as lemon juice, red wine or vinegar, will hasten the process of dye release. Additives such as herbal tea, spices or essential oils will have little impact on the final colour, but may help to mask the distinctive "new-mown hay" henna smell. Mix your henna in a stainproof bowl covered with plastic wrap or ziplock bag, and leave until the dye is released. This can be detected by laying a piece of white paper over the plastic wrap or under the ziplock bag – when it turns orange, the henna is ready.
Applying henna is a messy business! Wear old clothes, or no clothes at all. Henna will stain skin, so wearing gloves is essential. To avoid staining around the hairline, neck and ears, apply a thin layer of Vaseline over the skin. Henna can be scooped out of the bowl and applied with the fingers, but some people prefer to snip the corner off a ziplock bag and pipe the henna onto their heads. Pay careful attention to covering roots, and use plenty of henna paste. After all the desired hair is covered, wrap the hair in a plastic bag and secure. It can be helpful at this point to take a shower, to reduce staining from any henna drips.
Wrapping the head in a towel or using a heat cap can produce a more vivid result more quickly. Typically henna is left on the head for between two and eight hours – some leave the mixture on their heads overnight. To rinse off the "mud", an initial blast of cold water is useful for removing the majority of the henna. Many find large quantities of conditioner to be helpful, although henna can be rinsed out using only water. The rinsing is complete when there are no henna particles left in the hair, and the water runs clear rather than yellow. Allow a few days for the henna to oxidise to its final colour, and repeat as needed. Once the desired shade is obtained, the roots can easily be touched up to maintain colour.
See also Facts and Myths About Henna
