Henna Hair Color
Henna leaves have been used for hair coloring since a long time. People keep dyeing their hair reddish orange using henna to cover the gray hair, or to give their hair a natural reddish tinge. Henna not only colors the hair but also conditions the hair, and makes the hair cuticles thicker. Henna contains the red-orange molecule called lawsone, that stains the hair reddish. However, if you come across any henna hair color reviews on hair dye products that claim to help dye hair in different colors, then they are not 100% henna, as henna only gives a reddish orange tinge. Hence, if you are buying henna coloring products, then they are compound hennas, which means there are some other ingredients present inside the box.
How to Use Henna?
Buy good quality body art henna packet. Before you decide to dye your complete hair do a little test. Snip off few hair, or get some old hair from the brush, then let them be covered with henna paste for few hours, wash and check for the desired dyed color. If you like the stained hair color effect, then you can make enough henna paste to mask all your hair. To make the henna paste, take henna powder in a bowl, add the juice of one lemon to it and mix it. Lemon will again help to condition your hair, and ensure better hair care. Then slowly add and keep mixing the henna till it becomes a paste, that has a consistency of yogurt. Cover the plastic bowl with plastic cling fling and allow it to sit overnight at room temperature, so that the dye lasts long and gives an even more vibrant color.
Next day in the morning, shampoo your hair clean. Then comb your hair and part your hair into different sections, comb each section and cover the hair strands from root to tip with the paste, using a brush. You can use plastic gloves to prevent staining of your hands. This way apply henna on all the hair sections, and cover your hair with a shower cap. Wipe off any henna sticking on the ears, neck or face. Let the henna sit for 2-4 hours, for darker coloring let it sit for few more hours. Then wash your hair clean with shampoo, let dry and check for the dyed effect.
How to Mix Henna with Other Dyeing Ingredients?
By adding certain natural ingredients to henna paste, you can create dyes that will give a different hair color. Use these hair coloring tips and hair color ideas if you wish to go for other hair color than the red henna dye color. To get a dark violet blue dye effect you can add indigo to henna; woad plant can also be added to get a blue dye. To get a brown colored dye effect, you can add coffee or leaves of walnut or the walnut shells. Saffron can also be added to create a blonde hair dye.
How to Get Rid of Henna Hair Color?
If you wish to get rid of the henna color from your hair, then there are certain things you can do. For hair color removal, you need to use the removal products within 24 hours because after that it will become more difficult. Also, removal will be harder if the hair is particularly porous or light in color hair like blonde or gray hair. You can mix a tub of Crystal Light Lemonade with half cup of conditioner. Then apply it to hair and cover your hair with a disposable shower cap. Wait for 45 minutes, and then shampoo your hair. If you have originally dark hair, you can try mixing baking soda and molasses in equal parts, and apply it on the hair, and when the mixture hardens, remove it with a good detergent based shampoo.
So, follow the above tips on hair coloring using henna and if you wish to get other than the reddish dye effect, add a coloring ingredient. This way you can dye hair without the use of any side effects of harmful chemicals.
