Did you know there are several schools of thoughts on how to use henna, on the preparation and application of herbal hair dyes?
Well, I’m going to share with you the method that I’ve been successfully using for many years. I obviously chose the simplest and most practical way, and, in my opinion, the most effective one, as well!
Everything I’m going to share with you in this henna guide shouldn’t be followed literally. In fact I ask you to do your own experiments and draw your own conclusions. Then, if you'd like, we can go deeper into the subject in the comments area down below.
My intention is to share with you in this how to use hennaguide everything I learned in these past eight years during which I applied monthly henna and herbal hair dyes on my hair. I would also like to offer you a different perspective on the complex and fascinating henna world, other than the ones you may get by reading forums and blogs.
The above video-tutorial is in english with italian subtitles.
henna with sodium picramate, a synthetic substance that enriches the color and intensifies the shades of red.
Sodium picramate is toxic for fetuses, so it’s not very healthy for us, too. But if you decide to use henna with sodium picramate because you’re looking for a deeper and more intense color, just remember that it can react chemically with your previous dyes, running the risk to obtain strange colors. Hence:
To make sure you are completely happy with the results, always make a test, applying the mix on a hidden lock of your hair to find out what color you will obtain;
Remember to verify, before the application, the Ingredients List of the natural hair dyes, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. On the label of pure henna, you should only read the Latin name of the plant, that would be Lawsonia Inermis.
Required tools
Make sure to have at hand:
A ceramic or glass bowl
A wooden, plastic or ceramic spoon (avoid metallic ones)
A pair of disposable, rubber gloves (you have to wear them as soon as you start managing the herbal hair powders)
A hair-dying brush (you can buy it in any supermarket)
A wooden wide-tooth comb (use it to prevent damp hair from breaking during combing)
Plastic film or a disposable shower cap, to cover your head and to maintain a high humidity rate
A wool hat (humidity and heat help the color release)
Clean or dirty hair?
Make sure to have clean hair before preparing the henna mix. It doesn’t matter if your hair is damp or if you have washed it within the previous 12-24 hours. What it's important is that it is not dirty.
I myself tried to cheat applying henna on dirty hair :D but sebum, dust and smog don’t help and the results were not satisfactory. Besides, another pro for applying the henna mix on clean hair is that you won't have to necessarily shampoo during rinsing therefore you don’t risk the color to be washed away.
Don't know how to calculate the percentages in your henna mix? The video-tutorial down below will help you:
The video tutorials are in Italian, but English subtitles are available!
How to prepare the henna mix - instructions:
Many people prepare the henna mix 12 to 24 hours before the application, adding to it an acidic ingredient like vinegar or lemon juice, but I insist on telling you that IT’S NOT necessary because it makes no difference in the color release but, if you want to make your life difficult, then do it :D
Lawsonia itself creates the acidic ambient necessary to the release of the color.
If you think it might be useful to your friends, feel free to share it.
Add warm water (not hot!) to your henna powder ( decide the quantity according to your hair thickness and length) until you obtain a mix with a texture similar to yoghurt, not too liquid nor too dense, because the application should be easy and it shouldn’t drain while you have it on.
How to use Henna - Common Errors
For different reasons, it’s common to add to the mix various ingredients:
Lemon, tea, yoghurt or vinegar to create an acidic ambient (but in the long run they end up drying your hair)
Coffee or cocoa to intensify the darkest tones of the dye (it’s false because neither coffee nor cocoa contain dying agents)
Honey, oils or vegetable butters to soften the hair and to contrast the dry / frizzy effect due to herbal hair dyes after the application.
Essential oils to cover the herbal hair dyes scent.
You should NOT add anything other than warm water!
Each ingredient you may add, it only interferes with the dye, blocking the color release on your hair! Butter and oil, for example, film your hair.
Quick Guide on how to improve the consistency of the henna mix
If the mix you’re applying falls into pieces all over your bathroom, it’s likely that your henna mix contained sand. Unfortunately there are a lot of dishonest sellers that add sand to the mix in order to increase its weight.
How can you tell if your herbal dyes are pure?
You can only understand it during the preparation and application of henna, by looking at how the mix appears. 100% pure herbal hair dyes make creamy mixes, that can be easily spread on hair, that don’t drizzle and don’t fall in pieces staining you, your clothes and the room you're in.
To improve the henna mix consistency, I boil flaxseeds in water (1 tablespoon every 300g of water) and then I filter the water when it becomes a not too dense gel. You have to pay attention because if you leave it too much on the gas, the gel becomes too dense making it too difficult to spread on your hair.
Just remember that adding any type of "solid" ingredient (cassia, cocoa or any other powder) to improve the consistency of the mix, dilutes the final color you may obtain. I strongly suggest you not to do it if you want to dye your grey hair.
How to use Henna: application instructions
Once you added the warm water to henna or to the herbal hair dyes mix, you have to mix well until you obtain a creamy texture. Then you have to proceed with the application on clean hair immediately, dividing your hair into sections. For best results, work from the roots to the tips.
In the video tutorial linked at the beginning of the article, you can find my application method.
Remember to use latex, rubber gloves when you’re using herbal hair dyes. Lawsonia Inermis stains your hands and fingers yellow or orange. Fortunately, henna doesn’t color the skin around the ears or the forehead. But, to prevent any accident, I recommend you to use old clothes because the stains made by herbal hair dyes can't be removed.
How long should I keep the herbal hair dyes on my hair?
Make sure to cover all your head with plastic film or with a shower cap to maintain a perfect humidity rate. Then wear a wool hat (even if it’s summer!) to keep a high temperature and to help the color release easier.
The ideal would be to leave the mix sit on your hair for 3/6 hours, but it’s subjective. It all depends on:
How intense we want the color to be
The hair's porosity and its absorbing power
How delicate our skin is.
Even though I have a 75% white regrowth I manage to get a good coverage of the white hair by letting the mix sit only about 4 hours.
How to use Henna: Rinsing and washing instructions
Not using shampoos would be ideal because henna and herbal dyes are applied on clean hair, so it’s not really necessary.
If I massage and rinse the scalp for a long time, I can avoid using shampoo even though I use a tiny bit of conditioner on the ends, to make the combing easier.
If you have a delicate and sensitive scalp, I suggest you to diminish the sitting time to 3 or maximum 4 hours (henna and herbal dyes are natural, but after a long time on the scalp they are no longer so gentle on the skin) and to use a delicate shampoo (which I recommend you should dilute in a separate bowl) to wash away every little piece of herbal dye that may cause redness and itching after the application.
In all the other occasions when I wash my hair I use the Beautilicious Delights Hair Spray which thanks to its acidic pH substitutes the vinegar, but without running the risk that it may become too harsh on the hair because of the acidic pH.
Remember that you will see the real and final color of your hair only after 3 or 4 days from the application, when the herbal hair dyes finish their oxidation process.
Henna hair colour is safe to use as often as you like. Use multiple applications to build an intense & bright color.
And, considering the percentage of grey hair that I have, I might say the results are pretty nice, aren't they? :) In the end, all that matters is always our satisfaction.
This is my guide on how to use: prepare and apply henna and herbal hair dyes that I’ve been successfully using for more than seven years.
It doesn’t mean that any other application method is wrong or that it’s less successful, but between a complex life made of oxidations / acidification processes (resulting in dry and frizzy hair) and a simpler and more practical method, I obviously chose the second option!
And what about you? How do yo use henna? What’s your application and preparation method for henna? Do you have any suggestions or any tips that made the difference for you or that could improve my guide to henna & herbal hair dyes preparation?
This Katam is a very good quality and easily rinses out. In combination with henna and a little bit of Cassia it creates warm brown tones. I started carefully with a 65 (henna)-5 (cassia) and 30 (Katam) mixture, but I have leveled up the Katam percentage to 70 (Katam) - 5 (Cassia) and 25 (henna). After 2 hours under the dryer hood my grey hair was nicely covered with a warm dark brown colour which became even prettier after 3 days of oxydizing. I will defintely stick to this Katam and recommend it. :-)
I finally found a henna that really colors hair in dark colors rather than only red. I was skeptical but it actually works! Not super intense color, but very natural brown, I love it!
I have never dyed my hair with henna, and after 17 years using chemicals I was very nervous to try it out. Rozalia was so helpful and helped me with ratios I should use to start off with. Her correspondence was quick and clear. I tried it and I'll never go back to using chemicals again. I will be purchasing some more soon!
I love this henna and the tutorials are amazingly helpful. Rozalia has been so helpful above and beyond guiding me through the proper steps. I have to say I am very pleased with the results, I previously used a different not bad henna but does not compare to this product. I will continue to order my henna from Beautiliciousdelights. My only issue is the delay in shipping, I will order with plenty of time so I am never without. Thanks Rozalia for your patience and knowledge.
Henné Nero (Katam Buxus Dioica) Tinta Naturale Capelli
I absolutely love the results of using both the Katam (black) and Lawsonia (red) Henna's mixed together.
My previously irritated scalp and dull hair feels and looks so much healthier, stronger, shinier and fuller! Plus it has never been so healthy!
I am being told by friends that my hair is in "such good condition" :)
Thank you Beautilicious!!!
I would like to share my results of using your Henna hair color products. Your very kind and personal attention to me with your
communication through email contacts and answering all of my questions thoroughly, and extending additional support for my concerns as a first time user, was much more than I expected.
Additionally, I was so impressed with how fast the order arrived to me from Italy to the United States. The packaging was also very neat and professional and I could feel that it was put together with a lot of care. I ordered all 3 of the colors, so that I could experiment with various shades to achieve my desired color. I have only used it once so far, but the color turned out just beautifully and covered my greys very well. I left it on for 8 hours, as the 4 to 9 hr window that was directed. I rinsed with vinegar only and shampooed a day or two later. I did have some trouble removing all the product, but I feel I used too much and realized that your products are very affordable and cheaper than store bought chemical varieties as I can get much more out of each package than originally thought. I will use about half of the amount next time. I liked the Lawsonia Red better than the Indigo or Black Kattam. Thank you for all your kindness and for providing a much needed service as I suffer from an autoimmune disease, and natural is a way to improve my condition. Peace and many blessings returned to you, Sincerely, Dee in Northern Illinois
Thank you for this amazing hair spray. It gives my fine hair texture and volume. The fragrance is a little strong for me but in a little amount it is very pleasant. Glad that I found it and will purchase in the future.
The service of Beautilicious Delightswas was excellent. The delivery of the henna was very fast and all my questions were answered promptly. The product is of very high quality.
Thank you.
I have been using the spray with the volume booster for the past 2months and I really really love it! It leaves my hair shiny, soft, but what I most love is the great volume it gives to my fine hair. I have baby soft hair, but with this hairspray my hair looks much fuller and it stays in place much better.
Ahhh, and it is not sticky at all..sometimes I even apply it on dry hair to just enjoy its good perfume on my hair :)
I'm almost 50 years old and recently I started to get light brownish areas on my face. I've been using the face cream with the whitening booster for the past month, consistently and I am noticing most of them already disappeared.
The only "negative note": too bad the shipping expenses are quite high, but the delivery was super fast and within the estimated time.. Will have to catch some super promo to place a new order ;)
Wow! I was just curious to see if & how this spray would work for my thin hair, but did not expect the awesome texture I got after applying it together with the volume booster! As a plus Customer service is awesome!!!! In today's day and age, it's hard to find anyone who will take such great care of their customers & would have such great attention for small details. Great product. Great prices. Great service. Can't beat it!!!!
I absolutely love this spray! Combined with the frizz free booster it leaves my hair so soft and shiny, and it helps discipline and detangle my thick curly hair!
Plus I adore its scent..I can't even describe it..it smell like flowers, forest yet is also fresh!! Ladies, you have to give this a try!
Lovely looking, easy to use and no mess. Goes on easily, no slick or sticky feel yet it looks & feels natural and w/ a slight shine. It's pricey, but really worth the money. Thank you!
Dye your Gray Hair Chocolate Brown using Henna! Henna BEFORE & AFTER Pics
Does Brown Henna EXIST? How to mix henna to dye your grey hair brown without any hints of red!
How to use Henna: The Ultimate Guide to Herbal Hair Dyes!
Did you know there are several schools of thoughts on how to use henna, on the preparation and application of herbal hair dyes?
Well, I’m going to share with you the method that I’ve been successfully using for many years. I obviously chose the simplest and most practical way, and, in my opinion, the most effective one, as well!
Everything I’m going to share with you in this henna guide shouldn’t be followed literally. In fact I ask you to do your own experiments and draw your own conclusions. Then, if you'd like, we can go deeper into the subject in the comments area down below.
My intention is to share with you in this how to use henna guide everything I learned in these past eight years during which I applied monthly henna and herbal hair dyes on my hair. I would also like to offer you a different perspective on the complex and fascinating henna world, other than the ones you may get by reading forums and blogs.
The above video-tutorial is in english with italian subtitles.
You can find brief indications on the preparation and application of henna and herbal hair dyes both in the above tutorial, and in the blog post: “F.A.Q Facts you should know about Henna & Herbal Hair Colors”, but this article should remove any doubt you may still have.
How to use henna: preparation & application guide
As you may know, there are two types of henna on the market:
- red henna - lawsonia inermis - 100% pure
orSodium picramate is toxic for fetuses, so it’s not very healthy for us, too. But if you decide to use henna with sodium picramate because you’re looking for a deeper and more intense color, just remember that it can react chemically with your previous dyes, running the risk to obtain strange colors. Hence:
Required tools
Make sure to have at hand:
Clean or dirty hair?
Make sure to have clean hair before preparing the henna mix. It doesn’t matter if your hair is damp or if you have washed it within the previous 12-24 hours. What it's important is that it is not dirty.
I myself tried to cheat applying henna on dirty hair :D but sebum, dust and smog don’t help and the results were not satisfactory. Besides, another pro for applying the henna mix on clean hair is that you won't have to necessarily shampoo during rinsing therefore you don’t risk the color to be washed away.
Don't know how to calculate the percentages in your henna mix? The video-tutorial down below will help you:
The video tutorials are in Italian, but English subtitles are available!
How to prepare the henna mix - instructions:
Many people prepare the henna mix 12 to 24 hours before the application, adding to it an acidic ingredient like vinegar or lemon juice, but I insist on telling you that IT’S NOT necessary because it makes no difference in the color release but, if you want to make your life difficult, then do it :D
Lawsonia itself creates the acidic ambient necessary to the release of the color.
Please check out before proceeding this article: Henna Application & Preparation: Oxidation - Acidification - YES or NO? in which I fully explain whether the oxidation and acidification of henna is necessary or not.
If you think it might be useful to your friends, feel free to share it.
Add warm water (not hot!) to your henna powder ( decide the quantity according to your hair thickness and length) until you obtain a mix with a texture similar to yoghurt, not too liquid nor too dense, because the application should be easy and it shouldn’t drain while you have it on.
How to use Henna - Common Errors
For different reasons, it’s common to add to the mix various ingredients:
You should NOT add anything other than warm water!
Each ingredient you may add, it only interferes with the dye, blocking the color release on your hair! Butter and oil, for example, film your hair.
Quick Guide on how to improve the consistency of the henna mix
If the mix you’re applying falls into pieces all over your bathroom, it’s likely that your henna mix contained sand. Unfortunately there are a lot of dishonest sellers that add sand to the mix in order to increase its weight.
How can you tell if your herbal dyes are pure?
You can only understand it during the preparation and application of henna, by looking at how the mix appears. 100% pure herbal hair dyes make creamy mixes, that can be easily spread on hair, that don’t drizzle and don’t fall in pieces staining you, your clothes and the room you're in.
To improve the henna mix consistency, I boil flaxseeds in water (1 tablespoon every 300g of water) and then I filter the water when it becomes a not too dense gel. You have to pay attention because if you leave it too much on the gas, the gel becomes too dense making it too difficult to spread on your hair.
Just remember that adding any type of "solid" ingredient (cassia, cocoa or any other powder) to improve the consistency of the mix, dilutes the final color you may obtain. I strongly suggest you not to do it if you want to dye your grey hair.
How to use Henna: application instructions
Once you added the warm water to henna or to the herbal hair dyes mix, you have to mix well until you obtain a creamy texture. Then you have to proceed with the application on clean hair immediately, dividing your hair into sections. For best results, work from the roots to the tips.
In the video tutorial linked at the beginning of the article, you can find my application method.
Remember to use latex, rubber gloves when you’re using herbal hair dyes. Lawsonia Inermis stains your hands and fingers yellow or orange. Fortunately, henna doesn’t color the skin around the ears or the forehead. But, to prevent any accident, I recommend you to use old clothes because the stains made by herbal hair dyes can't be removed.
How long should I keep the herbal hair dyes on my hair?
Make sure to cover all your head with plastic film or with a shower cap to maintain a perfect humidity rate. Then wear a wool hat (even if it’s summer!) to keep a high temperature and to help the color release easier.
The ideal would be to leave the mix sit on your hair for 3/6 hours, but it’s subjective. It all depends on:
Even though I have a 75% white regrowth I manage to get a good coverage of the white hair by letting the mix sit only about 4 hours.
How to use Henna: Rinsing and washing instructions
Not using shampoos would be ideal because henna and herbal dyes are applied on clean hair, so it’s not really necessary.
If I massage and rinse the scalp for a long time, I can avoid using shampoo even though I use a tiny bit of conditioner on the ends, to make the combing easier.
If you have a delicate and sensitive scalp, I suggest you to diminish the sitting time to 3 or maximum 4 hours (henna and herbal dyes are natural, but after a long time on the scalp they are no longer so gentle on the skin) and to use a delicate shampoo (which I recommend you should dilute in a separate bowl) to wash away every little piece of herbal dye that may cause redness and itching after the application.
Please check out the blog post "Allergic to Henna Hair Dye? Henna Itchy, Sore & Burning Scalp? Here's what you can do!" in case you experience itchy sore scalp after applying henna.
Lastly, I always rinse my hair with cold water and vinegar (one tablespoon of vinegar in 1 liter of cold water) to fix the color and close the hair cuticles. This trick leaves my hair shiny & silky. In order not to get aggressive in the long run, I only use this trick when I henna my hair.
In all the other occasions when I wash my hair I use the Beautilicious Delights Hair Spray which thanks to its acidic pH substitutes the vinegar, but without running the risk that it may become too harsh on the hair because of the acidic pH.
Remember that you will see the real and final color of your hair only after 3 or 4 days from the application, when the herbal hair dyes finish their oxidation process.
Henna hair colour is safe to use as often as you like. Use multiple applications to build an intense & bright color.
And, considering the percentage of grey hair that I have, I might say the results are pretty nice, aren't they? :) In the end, all that matters is always our satisfaction.
***************************************************************************************************
This is my guide on how to use: prepare and apply henna and herbal hair dyes that I’ve been successfully using for more than seven years.
It doesn’t mean that any other application method is wrong or that it’s less successful, but between a complex life made of oxidations / acidification processes (resulting in dry and frizzy hair) and a simpler and more practical method, I obviously chose the second option!
And what about you? How do yo use henna? What’s your application and preparation method for henna? Do you have any suggestions or any tips that made the difference for you or that could improve my guide to henna & herbal hair dyes preparation?
©Beautilicious Delights
Take care of your skin and hair consciously. You'll find everything you need (even herbal hair colors) on our online shop. Click HERE to visit it!
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