 |
| Are you thinking about a bit of color? |
Henna Hair Dye for Beginners
Hair is the most beautiful accessory that can be straightened, braided, cut, or colored to obtain stunning looks. Give a healthy styling for your hair with henna natural hair dye. Whether you have hair issues, dull and frizzy hair, or gray hair, put an end to all those hair problems with henna hair dye. If you look at history, Henna has been in use for over 5000 years in the Middle East, Africa, and Indian regions. Initially, Henna was used for its natural cooling properties for people living in hot desert climates. But, when people realized that henna can leave temporary stains on the skin and hair, it has been used for decorative purposes too.
Conventional Hair dyes work on all hair types, but they can leave adverse effects on people with sensitive scalps, allergies, and hair fall issues. Henna can offer a natural alternative to conventional hair dyes. Research shows that henna not only prevents any type of irritation or hair issues but also offers additional medicinal benefits to your scalp and hair. Thus, henna hair dye is a good option for those looking for natural hair dyes.
Let’s take a look at how to prepare the henna paste, how to apply henna hair dye for the best results, and the tips to follow for its safe application.
.jpeg "Henna Hair Dye") |
| Henna hair powder |
Tips to Follow Before Applying Natural Henna Hair Dye
Follow these tips to protect yourself from making a mess during henna hair dye application on your hair:
- Each person’s skin and hair are unique. You are strictly advised to test a small section of hair before applying henna to the entire hair. Do strand tests and spot tests on your hair and skin, respectively.
- Use gloves to protect your finger and nails from getting stained.
- Combining natural henna hair dye with chemical dyes can have adverse effects. Please wait for at least one month after undergoing chemical dye treatment before using henna for hair dye.
- Avoid henna contact with eyes and mouth. If the paste enters your eyes, wash them thoroughly with water and contact a physician if the irritation persists.
- Make sure you wear an old shirt and cover your shoulders with a towel to avoid henna stains on your body and clothing.
- While applying henna, there is a high chance that some of the henna clumps may fall on the floor. So, make the necessary preparation beforehand. Use new paper to cover the floor and bathroom sink from staining.
Strand Test and Spot Test
Strand Test
Mix a small proportion of henna and apply henna hair dye to a section of your hair. Wait for 48 hours to see the best results.
Spot Test
Locate a safe region of your skin behind the ears or forearm to test for allergies. Apply the mix to your skin and wait for 10 minutes. If any skin irritation or redness persists, wash it off immediately and stop applying henna to your hair.
What is the Best Way to Apply Henna Natural Hair Dye?
While most professional salons offer synthetic hair dyes, if you want a natural hair coloring solution, you must prepare it fresh at home. Make sure to take pictures of henna hair dye before and after application to notice the visible changes. Follow the below steps to apply henna hair dye for the best results:
Prepare your hair
 |
| Prepare your hair for color |
Use a wide comb to comb your hair and remove all the tangles. Clean your hair with a clarifying shampoo before applying henna to remove excess oil and dirt from your hair strands. Do not apply conditioner. As Henna can easily stain your skin, you are advised to cover your shoulders with a towel. Apply a thick layer of vaseline or ointment around your hairline and ears to create a barrier. It protects your skin on the face and neck from getting stained with henna.
Henna Hair Dye Mixing
You can quickly prepare the henna paste using the mihenna’s henna powder in three simple steps: |
| How to use Henna |
- Pour a certain amount of henna powder into a bowl, depending on your hair length.
- Mix the powder slowly in water or tea until a pudding-like consistency is reached.
- Thoroughly mix the paste until all the clumps are gone. Cover the bowl with a wrap and let it sit for 8-10 hours to allow the full dye to release.
Start applying it from one side
 |
| Apply henna paste |
Once the paste is ready, the next step is to apply henna paste uniformly to your hair. You can use a brush for uniform application of hair. Henna gives a mud-like texture. Thus, you can have an awkward feeling while applying. But it’s okay. Remember that the final result is going to be beautiful, and be patient. Divide your hair into multiple sections and start applying henna from the roots. Spread the paste evenly through to the roots.
Let it sit for a few hours
Once the henna hair dye application is over, gather your hair on the top of your head and cover it completely with a plastic shower cap. Leave it aside for about 3 hours.
Wash it off
Now, thoroughly rinse your hair with cold water to remove the large clumps of henna. Make sure you remove all the henna from your hair with water until the water runs clear through your hair. Blow dry your hair for 10-15 minutes. You can shampoo your hair after 24 hours to lock in color and avoid using any oil conditioners for one week. You should observe that it takes around 48-72 hours for the hair color to reach its full intensity.
Note
Henna hair dye imparts color to all hair types and shades. But the end hair color depends upon the person’s natural original hair color.
How to Color Gray Hair
The application process slightly differs if you have gray hair. When your hair follicles lack melanin pigment, it turns gray color. The gray hair is thicker than normal hair and harder to pick up the color. Thus, it is difficult to dye. If you have gray hair sections, apply henna on gray hair first, let it dye, and apply color to the rest of the hair.
How Long Does the Natural Henna Hair Dye Last?
According to the experts, henna dye's lasting time depends upon your hair's porosity. The more porous your hair is, the longer your henna hair dye lasts. As the hair grows, the dye slowly fades out. Henna color can last anywhere between 4-6 weeks. Applying henna more than once coats hair in the form of layers. People who apply henna to their hair regularly get a more vibrant and longer-lasting color on their hair after each application.
Is Henna Suitable for Blonde Hair?
The henna application is beneficial if you are trying to get a shade of red, brown, or black color. It doesn’t lighten your hair. The color starts to fade away gradually as the hair grows.
Does Henna Offer any Benefits?
Henna hair dye offers a coating on the hair cuticle, which is the outer part of the hair shaft. It doesn’t penetrate the cortex of the hair where the hair protein and moisture are held. This means henna offers conditioning properties to the hair without altering the structure and texture of the hair. Additionally, henna hair dye offers benefits to the scalp also.
Wrapping Up!
If you are a first-time, don’t worry if the final color doesn’t match your expectations. Sometimes, it may take more than one application to get your desired hair color. Henna hair dye is 100% safe to use and imparts shine and softness to the hair. Additionally, Henna has an anti-oxidizing property that can soothe your scalp and repair your damaged hair.
Author: Alisha Gupta is a full-time writer at Mihenna. She is kind, creative, and dedicated to driving results through her words. She is fun to be around. Alisha loves to draw and reads about psychology in her free time.
Find more tips on Inveigle Magazine!