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If you’re considering using henna hair dye as an all-natural alternative to traditional hair dye you’d use in a professional salon, there are a few things you should know before getting started. The first time I used it, I hadn’t done my research and regretted it!
I’m sharing these tips so that YOU won’t make the same mistakes I did.
Here’s what I think you should know.
1. Is Henna Good For Your Hair?
Henna hair dye is considered a good conditioner for your hair, and as a result can make it stronger, thicker, and shinier. It may help to restore the natural pH balance of your hair and scalp, too!
2. How Long Does Henna Stay in Your Hair?
Henna is a permanent hair dye. The color is most vibrant for the first 4 to 6 weeks, and in my experience it starts to gradually fade after that, but I’m not sure it ever goes away completely.
Keep in mind that if you want to dye your hair later, it may be difficult to go lighter in color. Henna is very hard to lift out of your hair later! (I found this out after the fact– and was disappointed that I couldn’t get my hair highlighted for nearly a year after dying my hair with henna.)
3. It’s Messy to Apply & Can Stain Your Skin
The first time I used henna, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I highly recommend working the henna through your hair in the bathroom– ideally standing in a dry shower, so you can rinse away any mess when you’re done.
When mixed together, henna has the texture of mud and it can feel a little awkward to apply. As a result, there’s usually some that drips on the floor, and down your forehead.
Before you apply the henna dye, protect your skin by using a thick balm or cream to create a barrier. I rub it around my forehead, ears, and neck.
4. Henna Hair Dye Can Take a Long Time to Set
Depending on the vibrancy you want, henna can take 1 to 6 hours to develop.
That’s a long time to have your scalp wrapped in a shower cap. (The shower cap keeps the dye warm, and therefore, more effective, while also preventing drips so you can walk around your house!)
I should note that I can only last 2 hours before my patience gives out, and usually my hair turns out well!
5. Henna Will Not Necessarily Even-Out Your Hair Color
In my experience, if you have roots or highlights when you start the process, you’ll still have roots or highlights when you’re finished. (Henna can cover gray hair, but it’s a slightly extra process.)
I happened to have roots and highlights the first time I used henna (you can see before pictures of my highlights and roots at the top of this post), so you can see how the reddish color varies throughout my hair, where I had more blonde highlights. I was hoping for a more even color, so this aspect was a little disappointing for me. Without the noticeable roots, I think this would be pretty!
6. It Can be Difficult to Change Your Hair Color AFTER using Henna
Some brands of henna dye have metallic salts added to it, and as a result, you cannot use chemical hair dyes over them. (The result is a chemical reaction that causes your hair to smoke!) It’s important to let your hair dresser know that you’ve dyed your hair with henna before you get started, so they are prepared.
In my case, I was able to even out my hair color after using henna using a semi-permanent dye. My stylist had to apply it twice, however, because she said my hair was not receptive to absorbing the color after using the henna. (Normally, my hair takes to dye very quickly!)
It should also be noted that my hair did not lift with bleach easily after using henna, so we had to go a shade darker, rather than lighter. I love getting my hair highlighted, so this something I wish I knew before getting started!
Which Brands of Henna Hair Dye Are Best?
There are always new brands entering the market, but I’ve only tried two brands so far. Most recently, I used Morrocco Method when trying to cover gray hair, and it worked really well! I love that it has no metallic salts added, so I didn’t have to worry about my hair smoking later if I got my hair dyed at a salon.
The very first time I dyed my hair with henna, I used Lush brand. According to their website, they add ingredients like lemon juice and coffee grounds to their henna, but I don’t believe they add metallic salts to their products, either.
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I hope these tips prove helpful for anyone interested in trying henna, too!
Reader Feedback: Do you color your hair? Have you ever tried using henna hair dye, or would you like to?
My experience is with Rainbow Henna and the Surya mix that someone mentioned. For me Rainbow henna does wash out gradually and not leave a strong line – it has dif colors and does not make the hair bright orange – that may have happened since you had other permanent color already on your hair – which is different from coloring from natural with henna. What is nice about henna IS that it does highlights which looks more natural to me than all one color. Women in our culture have to deal with comparing themselves to media images of beauty and so many women touching up paying hundreds of dollars on hair and hair color. When I had my mammo done yesterday I had that thought – how many of our so called “beauty” products are actually making us sick. No guarantee either with the socalled natural products – hair dyes which I used to use. When I used the premixed henna from Surya – like the other woman mentioned it was much easier to use especially when you have long hair. For me tho it has been a more permanent color with a stronger line as my roots come in – and I did have more solid look when I first did it less of a highlight. With Rainbow henna you can choose colors/shades. My sister uses Light Mountain Henna which I think I want to try because they have a special pack to cover gray where you do two dif processes – one first on the gray then one all over. But truthfully henna is not easy to use and if you are sensitive it has a strong smell. I think it would be nice to live in a culture where we simply loved our natural selves more and did not have to live up to so many image of beauty that are made up colored over etc.
I am very happy with the results of deep red henna from this company.
http://www.thehennaguys.com
They offer variety of hair colors and all natural. Check with them
Hello-I have very long dread locks, almost to the backs of my lower legs.iam a natural red head.a darker red, not fire red.anyways, for years I would use the henna red powder, all natural, I had to purchace it in bulk, as I usually needed aprox.2lbs at one time to cover how much hair I have.my hair is extremely thick, and curly, which was one reasonI had chosen to let it dread.the brand I have always used is starwest botanicals:henna red powder from Pakistan. Anyways, my problem is that the health food store ware I had always ordered it from, was not able to get it for quite along time, so unfortunatly I tried a chemical brand.later on I wanted to go back to my henna, and when I did, my hair turned a dark greenish black color! I was horrified,I didn’t know what to do, so I went back to the chemical colring immediatly, and now I have to use the chemical just about every two months or so.I hate it, and wish I had known that after using henna for so long, that it was not recomended ever to use chemical, then back to henna.if anyone has any advise on this issue, please help me out.I miss how healthy and soft, and especially natural my hair used to be.thank you,
Is Henna permanent or semi permanent ? and will it fade in the shower ?
In my experience, it is permanent. It didn’t fade, and it’s very difficult to cover with other hair dyes until it grows out.
I have been trying to dye my hair with henna for a while now and no results! what am i doing wrong?
what henna are u using and how dark is your hair?
if its black you may be s.o.l. but if its nit then you need to keep your henna on longer.
100% henna will not wash out. read all about henna on the mehandi.com website.
I have used rainbow henna years but looking to change to Demi’s permanent haircolor! The henna is always orange on me !im disappointed because i like it otherwise I mix med and dark brown n! 3 TB MED 2 TB DARKcant get past the orange color
Can I use Henna on my hair that has been colored treated with a semi-permanent?
Since I’m not a hair dresser, I couldn’t tell you. I assume it would be fine, but I’d check with a professional to be sure!
I have highlights that are half-grown out, and if you use all natural henna it’s just fine.
I have before, and it turned out patchy. I’ve been using henna for 15 years, several times a year is all I do. I can tell you that it doesn’t interact well with most permanent/ semi-permanent dyed hair. It’s messy but worth it. I naturally have heaps of hair highlights, and so it makes the colour job look like my authentic hair colour as the colour has dimension instead of being a flat colour. it makes my hair unbelievably shiny and healthy. It’s good to do before summer kicks in (in sun-scorched Australia), because it protects your hair shaft from splitting. It leaves a natural coating on the shaft of your hair.
How long do you have to wait to start dying your hair with permenant dye
I think I waited 4-5 months, but the hair that was dyed with Henna was VERY hard to change, even after that amount of time. You’ll definitely need an experienced hair dresser to help balance out the color.
where can one get your products around Awka Anambra state
i know people say a few months to change the color but this depends entirely on how fast your hair grows. he reason you dont want to die after henna is that it can burn your hair. my hair grows really slow and even after the alotted time getting my hair dyed professionally after henna cooked my hair. which is quite fine wait til the henna section has grown out entirely or you risk spending monthes with crunch hair
If your hair was “burned” by henna, you weren’t using an all-natural henna. Check the label. There should be just one ingredient: henna. If you’re going for more of a brown, you might see a mix of henna and indigo. But that’s it. No other ingredients at all.
I know people that sleep overnight in their henna. Non-chemical henna is actually healthy for your hair and makes it feel amazing. It’s used as a hair-strengthening treatment in many countries.
Henna, also known as Mehandi, is used on hand, elbows and feet of an Indian bride. All natural Henna (which you can buy from any Indian grocery store) actually has cooling effects to it. In India we use it as a hair dye only in summers to protect hair from sunburn. Hope this helps.
ROBIN, CAN YOU RECOMMEND A PURE QUALITY HENNA. AND I WOULD AIM FOR AN AUBURN. HAVE DARKER. DIRTY BLONE HAIR, WITH SOME NATURAL COPPER HIGHLIGHTS. GETTING AWAY FROM SEMI-PERM DYE. THINKING PURE HENNA/INDIGO. DO YOU BELIEVE, IN TIME, I CAN TWEAK INTO THE COLOR I SEEK? TY.
From what I have come to understand, regular hair dye actually penetrates the shaft of your hair follicles to “inject” color while henna COATS/PAINTS the outside of the hair follicles. You CAN apply henna on top of previously dyed hair with no problems but to attempt the other way around (aka to use dye on your hair after having used Henna) can SERIOUSLY damage your hair and even make it break off or ‘fall out’ due to damage. Since Henna coats your hair follicles, they will not be able to absorb regular dye anyways until the henna wears off and your hair can again be penetrated by the regular hair dye. Using Henna requires a bit of a commitment because it would take months until it is safe to use regular dye on your hair again.
I know that when using chemical dyes, sometimes the hair doesn’t return to its natural colour, and I was wondering if that happened with henna, or if it’s not a worry because it is 100% natural
I’ve never heard of that happening with henna. In my experience, my natural hair color grew back just fine, but the hair I dyed with Henna was very hard to change– it’s pretty permanent!
100% Pure henna powder is the way to go! I used to use the lush bars, but this stuff is amazing:
http://www.hennasooq.com
where do you get it? I’m trying to go red bright
You can only get bright red if your natural hair colour is already light. .. unfortunately. Like me, for example. My hair is on the darker side of brown so I’ll never be able to get bright red. However, it is still visibly red; a kind of deep auburn shade.
I also get mine from henna sooq (www.hennasooq.com).
My hair is light to medium brown. I applied a solution of baking soda and peroxide (3% solution) to my hair and allowed to sit for 1 hour. I rinsed and reapplied a week later. This lightened my hair and enhanced my natural highlights Then I used rainbow red henna from Whole Foods to change the blonde highlights to red and tone the brown to red. I really liked it and did it 1-2 times. Now my brown hair is growing out and I can see the orange tones of the henna shining through. I’m thinking of letting it grow out or using a darker indigo to tone it out Thoughts?
Try mehandi.com. I used Ancient Sunrise Auburn. Today is my first day, and it is really quite red on my normally medium/dark brown hair with plenty of white hairs coming in. I’m curious to see what the color turns out to be in 3 to 4 days. So far, I’m loving it!
I realize your post is probably old but can you please tell me how your hair turned out from the Ancient Sunrise Auburn that you got from mehandi.com?
i LUV using henna by mehandi. i get great results. takes patience and time (i leave it on overnight for best results).
I have been using their henna for 5+ years now and LOVE it! It was a process to get my hair where I wanted it colorwise (after about the 4th application – so 4 months or so) Additionally, my hair has gained so much body since using henna over traditional color. I am a henna girl for life now.
I’ve bought from henna sooq several times over the past few years. Love her and all her products! Getting ready to do another order and go back to using henna/indigo on my hair after a break and trying to experiment with something else(and failed lol).
Chris, Just caught this comment. I was thinking same, henna/indigo then tweaking to get desired results. I am hoping for Aurburn, More darker copper, rather than red. Can that be achieved combining more indigo, to tame down red? Would so appreciate a comment on that. Thanks.
Thanks for tip on product.
You are great for printing these tips for folks! I could have used them myself when I first tried henna (bright red, yikes!!). I think it’s funny that the color is called “Caca Marron”, which, as you may already know, is Spanish for “sh*t brown”… 🙂
I’m sorry I just had to comment: “Caca Marron” is FRENCH for “sh*t brown”. I should know, I’m french canadian…But the word “marron” as a color is mainly used by the French and not here in Canada because a “marron” is a chestnut. WE just say “brun” instead.
@Christa: I thought the same thing! >.<
@ Jessica: Actually, it IS Spanish for "Poop brown" or "shit brown". I know because I am Peruvian and speak French too… It means the same thing in BOTH languages. Just fyi.
Just so you know, guys, “caca” means “shit” or “poop” in Roamanian too. Also, a word can mean the same thing in more than one language :))
Romanian*, sorry 😀
Thatis so funny, caca is a universal word.
Means the same in Greek too.
In English it’s just a word little kids use when referring to anything gross . Well where I’m from anyway …
It means the same in Benagli too 🙂
It also means baby in Hindi ;P
Hah! Yeap, in the North East of England, when baby needs diaper change… it’s all “CACA!”
Which is very fitting, considering what mixed henna looks like…
😀
Unfortunately it’s not a completely universal word, Caca means ‘cake’ in irish.
Caca means poo in english and greek too
Same in Arabic as well XD
same exact translation to spanish and correct spelling too, rather than french think is español
While it is “brown”. Lush’s instructions say that if you wrap it in plastic wrap, it will make the red more prominent. At the end of the day, it is Henna, which is red. But if you want a more brown colour, Lush says leave your hair unwrapped, and it will result in a brown/red colour. They have 4 different colours, all of which have a red base. But depending on how RED you want, you choose the other undertone (brown, black, etc.).
Yes, the translation is “brown sh*t” 🙂 Funny. That’s the reason why I have entered this site 😉
I’m Canadian , not French…if you’re knee deep n caca, you’re in ?. And this symbol comes up when you type caca-
No idea how old these comments are, but OMG no…the post closer to the top, read the link on FAQ about henna. Leaving a plastic wrap on your head for xx amount of time is not going to make it more or less brown. Henna will color your hair various shades of red. Lots of different factors that determine that from the type of henna, location it’s farmed from, lawsone content of it, amount of time left on, if dye release was done before applying, etc. To achieve various of brown or black colors, you need to mix it with indigo. If their instructions are saying it is dependent on how long the plastic wrap is on your head, that is not a legit product. Or, at the very least, they have no clue what they’re selling and people should stay away from them.
Chris, Trying to get a darker more cinnamon auburn color. Have dirty blonde on darker side. Would you suggest pure henna, mixed with a bit of indigo. I do have darker copper natural highlight. So it would pick up red, but want more deeper copper. Thanks.
THanks for these tips! I have seen that henna dye at LUSH before and was always curious about it, I would love to add a red tint to my dark brown hair. But I dye my hair quite often, so maybe not the best option. I’ll have to ask my stylist if she uses permanent or semi-permanent.
Henna is amazing, dont listen to the above chic lol the package of henna by Lush says 2 to 4 hours leave it on your head, I almost died from chemical hair dye 3 months ago and LUSHs henna is easy and I am astonished at the results and I have been dying my hair for 25 years! Lushs henna is world renowned, my hair is thicker, fuller and the color is beautiful.
Carla, do you have any greys? How do they turn out?
Yeah, unfortunately…not the best thing when you are trying to be all healthy and natural and green but hey….we are not perfect :-). Your hair looks pretty, by the way :-).
I have used henna for several years and have been very pleased with the results. I use Surya brand — it comes premixed, and takes at most 45 minutes. Coverage has always been very good for me — I’m a natural medium brown with lots more gray coming in than I’d like! It all gets covered, although the gray looks a little more like highlights than the same color as the rest, but it still looks good. http://www.suryabrasilproducts.com/hennacream.html
I just had a nightmare experience with the Surya henna last night. It is definitely NOT natural Henna (look at the igredients-1st ingredient is a major chemical). Henna is just one ingredient of many. This is a chemical, semi-permanent color with plenty of toxins. The packaging is very deceptive. Anyway, instead of the subtle natural red got for years with the messier, but way more natural authentic henna, now I have scary fire-engine red! Just horrible.
buy light brown henna surya colour cream, that way it wont be a fire red. keep away from red colours, unless you want red! –I used the light brown on my washed oit even lighter the lght brown very faded colou and gave me perfect colour, -pls note I have darker hair roots growing, but -REMINDER HENNA CANNOT LIGHTEN YOUR HAIR ONLY ADD COLOUR TO IT. SO MAKE SURE YOU CHOOSE CORRECT COLOUR.Ichose light brown – suits me. if you prefere a meduim or darker brown choose brown or dark brown. – if you choose a blonde henna it will not lighten your hair as it only colours darker or will be the shade close to the packet but also depends what you already have to start with!
no peroxides – They damage hair, as they strip the hair and can leave it porous.
I used henna in the past and decided to try it again, the first time my hair and scalp felt Gritty. The color was fine until it started fading into an orangish/brown. So I used it again, Light Mountain brand both times as that was the one everyone suggested as being the best. I’m not knocking the brand as I assume it is a better brand than others, however I ended up with a pretty severe red scalp and a welt about three inches by one inch on the back of my neck that I had to get treated for. Many people do fine with henna but keep in mind you can develop severe allergies to it also even if that has never occurred with you bf. Please research the keloid scars some get on their hands from doing the mendis. I’m just trying to warn people that if you choose to use henna, it is not risk free. I’m pretty certain that similar things can happen with chemical coloring also.
You may want to research online videos or YouTube’s of women who have decided to let their hair go naturally grey if that is what you are trying to cover up. Best wishes to all regardless of your decision to color or not to color. When a specialist in natural health was spoken to about my situation, she said it is not uncommon to have allergies to henna products.
Yes! Above poster is correct Surya is not natural at all it only has a small amount of henna in it. Filled with chemicals. I now get “body art quality” henna online. If you search for that online hopefully you can find some close to where you live.
I have used Rainbow Henna for years.Rainbow research company .All natural henna.Beautiful color yes it covers the grey.I am allergic to many things and never had trouble with this.A patch test done before is a good idea.I believe people who have an allergic reaction used a product with other things in it than henna.For me its a wonderful alternative.
I used bio organic henna hair dye and it covered some gray, but not all of it and I kept it on for 1 to 2 hrs. My hair is natural black some of my gray was covered but not all of it. I will wait a month and try another brand. Thank you for sharing your henna experience with me and others.
I actually love using the Light Mountain brand henna, with a fox on the box. I add a little vinegar and lemon juice to the mix, leave it on for about an hour ( my natural hair is a dirty blond) and get a great, natural looking red.
Pure henna or natural henna works in great way to achieve desired results.
I have found THE HENNA GUYS brand useful. They offer other natural hair colors too.
Dark brown, burgundy , light brown, deep red henna , indigo , Black and jet black are their other products. I am happy with their products i used. http://www.thehennaguys.com
That’s the one I just used last night! I used the “red,” which is purely henna powder, added some paprika, lavender and geranium oils, and yogurt. It looks great! I did have chemically processed hair before, and there’s no problem. I think it helps that the chemical color was not all that different from my natural color. Light Mountain was really cheap and once I had a friend walk me through it via video it was simple. I left it on for about three hours for this first time.
Emma, what does the vinegar and lemon juice do for the process?
They are acidic which helps to open (rough up) the cuticle layer of hair allowing for the color pigment to enter the hair shaft. It’s basically what the peroxide of a permanent hair color does, but not as effective. Make sure to use a conditioner after to help seal the cuticle, and protect it from damage.
If you do mehndi on your skin, when you make the henna mud paste, you will want to use a “terp” (NOT turpentine!), which helps to have the plant have dye release. Something like tea tree oil or geranium oil. Something acidic like vinegar or the lemon juice is also acidic and will help with dye release. If you let the mixture sit awhile before application, that usually helps too. We find that we only need an hour with henna on our hair to get good results, not six. If you mix the henna with cassia (brown color) or indigo (blue black), you can achieve different colors. Light mountain hair color uses these or you can buy each on Amazon and mix your own color.
Sadly, you’ve been duped by the Surya deceptive packaging. Surya IS NOT HENNA and Surya IS NOT NATURAL. Surya is just artificial dyes, the same as any other regular commercial hair dye. They just add in a little henna and then play that up in the marketing to make you think you’re getting a natural henna product. In fact, once mixed with liquid, henna has to be used up within the day or it loses its dye ability – so the little henna that’s in Surya does not even contribute to the color! I hate that brand for their LYING.
I’ve been using Light Mountain “color the gray”, light brown, for years. Three ingredients are listed on the box: Lawsonia Inermis (henna) leaf power, Indigofera tinctoria (indigo) leaf powder, and Casia auriculata (senna) leaf powder. All certified organic. My hair is around 40 – 50% (?) gray now so i use the “color the gray” product which requires 2 steps. The color is so similar to my own, that i only color 2 – 3 times a year, after i’ve had my hair cut so i don’t have so much hair to color.
The first time, i used too much liquid and the henna ran all over place – all over me and the floor and everywhere. Just awful. Since then i’ve been replacing the water with 1/2 chamomile tea and lemons i squeeze on the spot. And i don’t use nearly as much liquid so it usually doesn’t drip anywhere. And i buy a plastic shower cap because the “cap” that comes with the kit is useless, imho. And after a thorough rinse and conditioner right after coloring, i follow the instructions and wait and wash it out with shampoo the next day.
But i like it well enough to keep using it – for 5 or 6 years.
http://www.hennaforhair.com/faq/
Ok, the Henna for Hair link has been posted a few times in the comments section and I’m reposting it here in the hopes that this will be at the top, thus available to people who don’t want to dig through all the comments.
If you have henna hair questions, do yourself a favor and read the linked faq. The woman who runs the site did a graduate dissertation on henna. If you dig around the site, you can find links to her paper.
This next link (which is also linked in the above faq) explains how henna dyes hair from a chemistry perspective, including why it is hard to remove from hair. If you want to henna your hair but think you will want to use a chemical dye after a few months, read that blog post so you know what you’re getting into.
http://cthuliz.com/blog/?p=2624
For the tl;dr crowd: henna is a plant and only coats the hair in a red/orange color that is best visible on hair that is already light. Neutral henna is actually a plant called cassia, and black henna is actually indigo, the plant used to dye your jeans.
Good luck getting the info you’re looking for.
some 40 years ago, I used to buy henna in my local drugstore. It was in a tin container about six inches tall, with a screw-on lid. It was cheap, came in just the one color, and I would take it home, grind up some CLOVES in my coffee mill, and add it to the henna powder to protect against brassiness. It looked completely natural. I had a neighbor when I was in high school who was a true natural redhead with freckles on pale porcelain skin and pale blue eyes. People who didn’t know me or my original color would tell me how beautiful the color was and to NEVER MESS WITH NATURE. But then that henna disappeared from the shelves. I wonder now where I can get that original product, or just buy the plain henna powder.
Try any Indian store .
I use the Indian kind.
Try just for redheads . I have been using their henna for a year now. Love it.
Hi! I use Henna. I buy it online from Henna. It comes from Portland, Oregon. It is in powder form. And it’s all natural. You get quite a bit. I don’t even use the full pack. I hope this is helpful. Linda.
Here is one I really like and it’s all natural.
I’ve been using Rainbow brand henna for a long time and love the results. People think I’m a natural redhead! You can leave it on as long as you like and it won’t go badly wrong, like what happened to me when I tried another brand that required a strand test. Lucille Ball had nothing on me! It’s a bit messy, but make a warm “mud” plaster, slather it on your head, cover with an old towel and a plastic bag and hang out for an hour or two relaxing. Rinse in cool water and it’s good to go! The other cool thing is that before my hair started growing in grey I only needed to re-treat every 3-4 months. Lastly—a tub of rainbow is only $8! Great stuff, hope the company lasts forever. 🤗🌺🤗
Where can you purchase this henna?
I buy it the same way as recently as four years ago in san francisco at a little natural products store on Valencia st between 23rd and 22nd. I guess my advice is o try hippie vegan vitamin stores.
That was the Nestle Henna, loved it. They don’t make it anymore🙁
I’ve been buying henna from Mehandi.com for about 3 years. It is pure henna with no added chemicals or anything. They have kits they sell or you can just buy the henna powder, cassia, indigo and fruit acids and mix your own color or shade yourself. I started with medium brown kit 3 years ago but didn’t realize that by me blow drying my hair it turned it black. I kept using lighter colored kits and cut out all of the black. Now I just use cassia and henna (no more Indigo) but it’s too red lol so now I’m raising the ratio of more cassia than henna to hopefully have my white hair more blonde than red. The site I buy it from has really great customer service if you email them they can walk you thru whatever color you want to achieve. I love henna but don’t like that I can’t blow dry or use heat on my hair.oh and what I do is after I mix my henna I just freeze it immediately instead of letting it dye release for 8 to 12 hours, this way it dye releases and is ready to use immediately after it defrosts. This was on the website where I buy it. I find it much easier and i can freeze many batches at the same time.
Thanks Marie. Could you share the website, pls? Much Thanks.
I tried dying my hair with henna last summer and I LOVED how soft my hair felt afterwards. I almost had a meltdown when looking at a photo of myself outside in the sun: my hair looked orange! Do you think that was the henna or the permanent dye I used on it 5 weeks later? Did your hair ever turn orange? I, too, am a medium brown with a lot of grey. My hairstylist said that all henna will make your hair look either orange or red in the sun. Ever since then, I have been afraid to try it again.
You must have used straight henna. I haven’t done it yet, but am planning to today. Everything I have read says the natural henna makes your hair red, but you can get organic henna in different colors like light brown or medium brown… I saw Kate Middleton’s picture in the medium brown color.
I had the exact same problem. I only realized after seeing a photo of myself that my hair looked orange. Have you found a way to resolve this? If so, please share.
I liked your post and it’s pretty spot on . I wanted to clarify that I’ve been using henna for 8 years now including during two pregnancies with no adverse effects. I use the Hairwalla brand sold on Etsy . There are no chemicals just plant powder it’s activated with water. It works great! I have dark brown hair and use walnut color. By the way I’ve also highlighted my hair without issues with color lifting. Maybe it’s because this brand has no metallic salts and is just crushed plant powder.
Yeah, if it’s a cream that means it’s pre-mixed and is definitely NOT natural henna, which must be mixed and used fresh, it loses effectiveness in about a day once mixed. True natural henna is a gritty powder you mix with water (and little extras to boost color, add fragrance, etc.). It’s ONE INGREDIENT: henna.