Hair coloring with henna

How to color hair with henna and is it good to do that. Does the hair get rough?
(18 Apr 2008)

Henna for Hair Color

Henna is commercially available in the form of powder. Apart from pure henna, it also has some other beneficial products as amala Cassia obovata, Soap nuts, Acacia concinna, katha Holy basil, Orange peel powder, Etc. All these are known to nourish and benefit hair.

About 50 grams of this powder is enough for a one-time application. This powder has to be mixed with water to make a thick paste. Keep this paste for a day so that henna powder gets completely wet.

Before applying henna to hair remove any hair oil or any other hair care product, which you may have applied to your hair. Ideally, the hair should be washed before applying henna. If you have longhair, tie them into a bun. Then apply the paste with the help of a brush. Take proper care that this paste is applied to all hair on every part of the scalp. If this does not happen, the head may appear irregularly colored.

This paste has to keep on the head for some 8 to 10 hours had so better apply it before sleeping. Sleep only when this paste dries; however, anyways tie a plastic around the hair so that it does not spoil your bed.

There is no reason to worry about the side effects, as it does not have any. Henna is a 100% natural product and therefore it does not have any side effects.  The color lasts for weeks. Moreover, it has no effect on the texture of hair.

Hair coloring with henna 

Henna is an excellent conditioner as well as a natural hair dye. Coloring with henna will give your hair a coat of red or black color, depending on which henna you use. Black henna is specially formulated for the purpose of dyeing hair. The other type, red henna, is a better conditioner. Both the types, however, when applied, are very good for the quality of your hair. In order to color your hair with henna, you must first formulate a henna paste which will work effectively. You can make this by mixing one cup of henna powder with one egg yolk, three tablespoons of strained tea (made by steeping tea leaves in hot water) and enough yogurt to make a pasty mixture. You can make this up to a consistency that does not drip. This should be left to stand for at least a couple of hours.

This henna is then to be applied to your hair meticulously in all strands as well as the entire scalp. Cover this with a shower cap and let it be for at least four hours. That is the amount of time it will take to sufficiently color your hair. You can wash this off with plain water. Use a mild shampoo if you must, but it is best to avoid using a shampoo for at least 12 hours after you apply henna. The result of this entire treatment will be softer and silky hair, with a tinge of dark red or black.