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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?
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 started with grey/white hair with a bit of brown hair in the back after months of chemo and radiation. I started with Lush Brown. It turned out blonde. I went back to the store and they told me to layer it. The third time it came out orange. I put a rinse of soy sauce and vinegar overnight and the next morning I was back to blonde. I went back to Lush and asked them if I should try black and they told no and to melt the Lush brown without water.
So I purchased pure henna from Silk and Stone. I followed a recipe from SuperPrincessJo. I added 2oz Greek coffee substituted for her Nescafe and mixed it with about a pint of warm brown tea. I put it in a cast iron pot and left it overnight. The mixture turned brown. I only kept it on for an hour because the smell was nauseating and the coffee gave me a headache. Where the Lush barely took, this henna took very well and completely covered the grey in a short period of time but it is flaming orange. I was going for brown.
So I’m torn between trying a henna indigo mix or a Medium Brown Henna from the Henna Guys.
I’m in a cold cap clinical trial that helps you keep your hair during chemo and I kept all of it. I can only use vegetable based dyes which as far as I can tell is henna.
Any advice?
I’ve had bad henna experiences from several companies including Lush 🙁
After lots of trial and error, and almost having to cut my hair ultra short to fix it, I found a powdered henna from Henna King (www.hennaking.com) and won’t use anything else. Even bought their Karma shampoo & conditioner line for the organic properties as well.
Because I wanted to make sure that this dye was in fact 100% plant only, I called the company direct and received amazing customer service from an actual person who told me I could mix Henna King dyes together to make a custom color 🙂
I started henna’ing my hair about 3 years ago and I love it. I don’t use henna to change my hair color but to cover up the mass amount of gray hairs I have. I get a medium brown color from Rainbow which is close to my natural hair color, and add coffee, vinegar and olive oil to the mix to help darken the henna, cover the grays and condition the hair, and then I put a plastic hair cap over my head, secure it with one of those fabric headbands that encompass your whole head (not just the top half like those plastic ones) and go to sleep. When I wake up, I wash it out and my hair feels and looks amazing. The grays turn to copper highlights, and although my hair does get a red (natural red) shine to it when in the sun, it looks like my natural brown color in normal indoor lighting. I’ve done the boxed hair dye game and have even gone to salons where they’ve left me under the dryer for too long, resulting in “platinum blonde” highlights… basically making me look like I had even more grays. I buy Rainbow henna which for the color of my choosing is a mixture of henna and indigo plant. They have all different shades of henna that are mixed with other plants to achieve the color you are looking for. You want to make sure the henna hair coloring you’re getting is all plant based though. So be sure to read the ingredients and google anything that doesn’t look familiar.
I found this post so great!!! Thank you everyone! I have been using henna for a year now and writing about it myself. I also had the same as Megan did in the beginning. I had roots and bleached out damaged hair. My daughters called it straw hair. Being a cancer survivor I should have known better than doing that to myself. I researched and made the plunge. Yes for the first 3 days I would say I was the brightest orange head. I would add to Megan’s post on one more thing to know. It takes a few days for your hair to oxidize and calm down. Knowing that now I wouldn’t have done it right before our grand opening event for our Happy Healthy Living LLC business. I wouldn’t go back to chemical hair dyes ever again though and there is such an abundant healthy feeling henna gives to me!
I want to know how much water should we add to dilute the henna?
also, if I accidentally stain some dye on my skin, can it be washed off?
I have bleached blond hair with abt 3-4 inch light brown roots. I was wanting to grow my hair out bc of the toll the bleach has taken on my locks. It’s just not very pretty to look at anymore and I am getting antsy. Is there a Henna or natural counterpart I can use to darken my bleached hair closer to my natural color (the color of my roots)? I am not walking back into a salon. I want to be in control of the health of my hair. What should I use to darken??
TRY THIS OUT! For Pinkish-Redish (dark burgundy)dark tint
take natural henna powder 250gm
1 lemon juice + 2 tsp coffee powder + 2 tbsp Amla powder (Phyllanthus emblica, its ok if not available) + 20-30ml amla oil or almond oil + **BEETROOT water (grate beetroot & boil it, drain the mixture, add when it cools down)
MIX all ingredients in a iron container, keep overnight.
While Applying add a egg to it, mix to a good consistency (you can add remaining beetroot water to get good consistency OR Strong black tea water)and apply.
Keep it covered with shower cap for 2hrs, then rinse your hair.
**NOTE : BEETROOT is very essential ingredient for the tint.
Coffee is a good conditioner, lemon get rid of dandruff, amla adds darker shade & nourishes your hair. This mixture gives you shinny, dandruff free, lustrous hair with a beautiful color.
Do try. Happy Coloring. 😉 🙂
I used henna and my hair turned violent red. After patiently (6 weeks) trying everything the company (Morocco Method) told me to do, I called my hair dresser. She made me wait two weeks and then had me come in and she colored it, very successfully. I do want to add that they are an Aveda salon, using Aveda dyes, which are a little better than what you typically find in salons and a whole lot better than what you find at a drug store. I only use Aveda, I travel a lot and I can take the color formula anywhere there is an Aveda salon and they can mix the exact color.
The thing about my hair is it’s white – not gray, white. I started loosing the pigment in my hair when I was a teenager and now the color’s just gone. Don’t use henna if you have white hair. Straight henna is the only henna that will bind to that kind of hair. So if you want violently red/orange hair, then use henna, otherwise, don’t use it. Go to an Aveda salon, it’s not a perfect solution, but it is better than nothing.
How do you feel about working with Morocco Method. I’m new to henna and they have been advising me. However they have given me some conflicting information. Do they have quality henna and guidance?. Thanks!!
When trying a new product ALWAYS take the extra time to do your research! By the way the only reason regular dye is not to be used after Henna is because some brands of henna have metallic salts in them that have VERY bad reactions with chemical dyes. Look for henna WITHOUT metallic salts. I’m trying henna for the first time and, unfortunately, this is the least informed article I’ve read yet. I’ve spent nights staying up late researching this. After all, it is PERMANENT hair color. http://www.hennaforhair.com/faq/ has lots of detailed info and a hotline for product advice.