How to use Henna Mehndi to Colour Hair Naturally || All You need to know about Henna Hair Dye
I had a rude awakening!
Well nothing extreme actually, may be I am exaggerating but spotting a strand of pitch white hair amidst my jet black hair last month was a very upsetting experience. My hair arent exactly graying because there are just 2 or three strands of such white hair but these are signs and I decided to give hair colouring a try. I always stay away from heat and chemicals for my hair because they are already very dry so I was not even considering chemical hair colours. My mom has been using henna mehndi to colour hair naturally for about 2 years now and so trying hennna for hair was the most normal thing to do for me. today I am going to discuss in detail how to use henna to colour hair naturally and also its other benefits for hair.
Henna mehendi when applied on hands gives a gorgeous orangish red colour but for hair you can add different ingredients in your henna mehendi paste to get various hair colours. Using henna for hair not only adds colour but also conditions and nurtures hair but you need to use it the right way or you may end up making your hair drier and more brittle.
Henna is used to both colour and condition hair but in this post Iam concentrating only on the colouring bit. For conditioning hair you should add curd and egg to henna mix.
Henna mehndi in its most natural form gives a red tint to hair but if you the colour to be vibrant red then mix Katha with henna. Katha is available in most paan shops and it will help give you a gorgeous red tint. In an iron bowl put a tea spoon of katha powder while mixing henna and soak it overnight before applying to hair
How to dye hair black with henna (indigo)
Black mehndi for hair is very popular these days and I see many brands selling henna powder mixed with amla and other herbs to get black colour. To get black colour you should mix amla powder and indigo with henna and use also use black tea as mixing agent.
Indigo mixed with henna can beautifully cover grey hair and it actually looks better than chemical hair colours. Indigo and henna mix fades out evenly so it is ideal option to cover white or grey hair. If you are dyeing hair with indigo and henna paste then make sure to soak and apply the paste to hair within 10 minutes as it oxidizes quickly.
You can buy indigo from here on Amazon
How to colour hair brown with henna
For copper toned or brown colour for hair use coffee as mixing agent with henna.
Most people recommend soaking overnight in an iron bowl for proper colour development but I havent noticed any difference when I used henna soaked for less time. Just use warm water and soak henna for 30 minutes and the effect will be similar. If you are using indigo in your henna paste then apply paste after 5 minutes of soaking mehndi.
Applying Henna to hair:
Apply this paste evenly along the length of your hair using a brush and wait for atleast 30 minutes before rinsing off. It is recommended to keep the henna paste on hair for about 3 hours. Henna can make your hair rough and brittle if you let it dry. After applying henna paste make sure to cover your hair with a shower cap which will ensure henna is damp in hair and also helps in easy rinsing .
Well nothing extreme actually, may be I am exaggerating but spotting a strand of pitch white hair amidst my jet black hair last month was a very upsetting experience. My hair arent exactly graying because there are just 2 or three strands of such white hair but these are signs and I decided to give hair colouring a try. I always stay away from heat and chemicals for my hair because they are already very dry so I was not even considering chemical hair colours. My mom has been using henna mehndi to colour hair naturally for about 2 years now and so trying hennna for hair was the most normal thing to do for me. today I am going to discuss in detail how to use henna to colour hair naturally and also its other benefits for hair.
Henna mehendi when applied on hands gives a gorgeous orangish red colour but for hair you can add different ingredients in your henna mehendi paste to get various hair colours. Using henna for hair not only adds colour but also conditions and nurtures hair but you need to use it the right way or you may end up making your hair drier and more brittle.
Henna is used to both colour and condition hair but in this post Iam concentrating only on the colouring bit. For conditioning hair you should add curd and egg to henna mix.
How to use Henna Mehndi to Colour hair naturally
How to get burgundy colour with henna (Katha )Henna mehndi in its most natural form gives a red tint to hair but if you the colour to be vibrant red then mix Katha with henna. Katha is available in most paan shops and it will help give you a gorgeous red tint. In an iron bowl put a tea spoon of katha powder while mixing henna and soak it overnight before applying to hair
How to dye hair black with henna (indigo)
Black mehndi for hair is very popular these days and I see many brands selling henna powder mixed with amla and other herbs to get black colour. To get black colour you should mix amla powder and indigo with henna and use also use black tea as mixing agent.
Indigo mixed with henna can beautifully cover grey hair and it actually looks better than chemical hair colours. Indigo and henna mix fades out evenly so it is ideal option to cover white or grey hair. If you are dyeing hair with indigo and henna paste then make sure to soak and apply the paste to hair within 10 minutes as it oxidizes quickly.
You can buy indigo from here on Amazon
How to colour hair brown with henna
For copper toned or brown colour for hair use coffee as mixing agent with henna.
How to prepare henna for hair colouring: Mehndi soaking procedure
Just take Henna powder in an iron bowl and gradually pour liquid into it. Pour just a little at a time so that you dont make your henna paste too watery.Most people recommend soaking overnight in an iron bowl for proper colour development but I havent noticed any difference when I used henna soaked for less time. Just use warm water and soak henna for 30 minutes and the effect will be similar. If you are using indigo in your henna paste then apply paste after 5 minutes of soaking mehndi.
Applying Henna to hair:
Apply this paste evenly along the length of your hair using a brush and wait for atleast 30 minutes before rinsing off. It is recommended to keep the henna paste on hair for about 3 hours. Henna can make your hair rough and brittle if you let it dry. After applying henna paste make sure to cover your hair with a shower cap which will ensure henna is damp in hair and also helps in easy rinsing .
Precautions and tips to properly colour hair with henna
- Henna mehndi can give you cold when applied in winters. Use warm water for mixing henna when the weather is cold and apply it while it is still warm. Warm water helps the colour develop better so, you dont need to keep the paste soaked overnight.
- If you hate the henna mehndi smell add some rose water to the henna paste . You can also add few drops of your preferred essential oil also.
- When rinsing hair with henna it is better to avoid using shampoo the same day. Using just plain water to rinse henna helps colour develop better and last longer.
- Make sure the henna you are using is natural and free from artificial chemicals.
- If you have face problems with properly rinsing off henna from hair then try adding a spoon of coconut oil to henna paste. Also make sure not to let henna dry on your hair with help of shower cap.
How long does henna hair dye last?
Henna hair dyes last longer than the new age chemical hair colorants and the best part is, it fades very naturally without giving you tacky streaks. The henna colour remains vibrant for about 4 weeks before its starts to to fade off naturally in about 4 months. You can layer the henna colour after every 5 weeks by reapplication to retain the dense, rich colour.
Best henna brands for hair in India (Organic and Pure)
- FabIndia Henna : priced decently, comes in a tub and is free of chemicals.
- Godrej Nupur Henna: Affordable henna with nine other herbs
- Green Junction Henna: Best option if you want completely pure and organic henna
- Kama Ayurveda henna powder: Another organic henna option which is more expensive.
- VLCC Ayurvedic Henna : comes with Amla and shikakai extract
- Jovees Henna & Brahmi Herbal Mehandi
- Shahnaz Forever Henna Precious Herb Mix
- Khadi Natural Henna: This also is pure henna free of artificial colours and chemicals.
If you are looking to colour your hair, it is better to go for natural way with henna mehndi. Henna not only colours your hair it also nourishes and conditions it.
