After so many years of doing henna and natural herbs for hair, and getting all sorts of questions, I really felt we could use a good post on common mistakes and errors, when it comes to henna for hair (and herbs). We’ve included some amazing tips that everyone should know.
This list will never be complete, and we’ll need all of you to help add to it. Henna and natural hair care is all about being open, having a good vibe, being natural, and accepting each and every recipe as special, and unique to every person.
- Henna is a plant, not a chemical, or ink. Henna is a natural plant, and it grows in very hot climates. As a natural plant it makes only one color: orange-reddish tones. Plants don’t give us more then one color. Typically blueberries stain blue, just as henna stains red. Commercial boxes of henna will tell us they are henna “colors”, but in fact they are pre-mixed boxed of henna that contain other herbs, and ingredients (sometimes even chemicals, additives, or metallic salts). It’s also not an ink. Henna powder is mixed into a henna paste, which can be used to dye your hair (permanent until it grows out), or to create henna body art designs (temporary) on the skin. Please read our recipes and how to’s section to find out how.
- Henna colors, is this possible? A lot of commercial boxed henna hair dyes will have a variety of colors available. Natural and 100% pure henna only dyes orange-reddish tones. Please always read the list of ingredients on the boxes you purchase, or just purchase 100% pure henna powder from a reliable supplier.
- Henna will not lighten your hair tone. Henna is a chemically-free all natural hair dye. It doesn’t contain chemicals, or bleaching ingredients that would lighten your hair.
- Neutral Henna. Cassia obovata is sometimes called neutral henna, but in fact it is another plant that has a low yellow dye molecule, that can color grey, light, and blond hair. On dark hair, cassia obovata will not usually show any color. Using cassia obovata will give you all the benefits of henna, but it does have to be done a bit more often, as the results are not as long term as henna is.
- Black Henna. Indigo is sometimes called black henna, but this is yet another plant that will color the hair brown to black tones (must be used with henna to give these results). Indigo does not have dye release the same way that henna does, so it must be mixed and used right away, or within 15-20 minutes. Please make sure your indigo does not contain PPD, which is can be quite damaging to the hair, and skin.
- If I use henna I won’t ever be able to use chemical dyes/treatments on my hair. As long as you use 100% pure henna powder, then yes you can use chemical dyes/treatments as you normally do. You won’t have to wait months to do your chemical treatments/dyes as the hair dresser would like to tell you. Keep in mind, that the hair industry is run by major companies that push all types of chemical products. They are in no way trained, or specializing in henna, and natural hair care (for the most part). You should give your hair a break in between treatments. Roughly about 1-2 weeks.
- How much henna do we need to use for our hair? No, you don’t need 500 grams of henna powder to color (treat) bra strap length (BSL) hair. First thing that needs to be asked is, how long is your hair, and secondly, how thick is your hair. Those are questions that need to be answered first in order to access how much henna powder you’ll need. You also don’t want to spend more money on products then you have to.
General speaking, shoulder length hair needs about 100 grams of powder, bra strap length about 200-250 grams, hip length about 300-350 grams, and so on. - Should I use lemon juice in my recipe? No, you don’t have to use lemon juice as your primary, and only liquid ingredient in your henna (herbal) hair recipe. So many people would have turned away and abandoned henna and natural herbal hair care, if they thought they could only use lemon juice. Lemon juice is acidic, and can be very drying on your hair. You can add a small splash of lemon juice, if you’d like. We usually add a bit of lemon juice. The most highly recommend liquid to use is warm water. You can even use tea (any variety of your choice), or coffee brews as well (for dryer scalps be careful with these as they can also be a bit drying). Chamomile tea has become quite popular to use in henna hair recipes.
- Is henna a temporary hair dye? No, henna is not temporary. It is a permanent hair dye. Henna alone only dyes orange-red tones. The only way to remove it is to let it grow out, or cut your dyed hair. That is why it is always recommended you do hair strand tests before making the “full head” committment.
- Can henna, and herbs for hair be drying? Yes they can be drying. If you have a dry scalp, then you will need to moisturize. You can add moisturizing oils, yoghurt, or a conditioner to your henna recipe, or use a good hair oil after your herbal hair treatment.
- Does henna lock out moisture? Some people believe that because henna coats the hair strand that no amount of moisturization can reach it. In fact no, henna will not lock out moisture from your hair. Oil, and condition your hair as usual, and as needed. The results will be amazing, and your hair will get all the moisturization it needs.
- Using a metal bowl, or spoon is it safe or not? When using pure henna powder (body art quality), and herbs for hair, you can use stainless steel bowls. Traditionally, they have used iron bowls, as it has shown to bring our more dye release. We typically use a spatula to mix it. We don’t usually use plastic bowls because they are porous, and the herbs will stain the bowl. The commercial boxes of henna, and henna “colors” that contain other ingredients, herbs, additives, metallic salts, etc..would more so cause reactions with metal bowls, then 100% pure herbs would.
- Can henna loosen my curl pattern? Yes, a lot of people have seen loosening effects of their curls when using henna and/or cassia obovata. There is a small percentage of people that don’t get any loosening of their curls. If you prefer to maintain some of your curl, then add amla powder to bring them back. Keep in mind, that amla powder also tones down the red of henna. You can also use amla powder in your henna/cassia recipe to maintain the curls in your hair, in case you don’t want to lose your curl pattern.
- So many henna powders. How do I choose? Keep in mind that some henna companies do re-name their henna powders, and this causes more confusion then necessary. The basic, and most important information would be which country is the henna from, how fresh is it (current crop year is best), and how well sifted is it? Please read: How to Choose the Right Henna Powder. There is no henna for a particular race or culture. Henna doesn’t discriminate. It is for everyone to use. If you were to say that a particular henna powder is very well sifted and therefore better to use on curly or african hair, then that we’d understand. But giving a henna powder a new name, is just for marketing purposes. If your henna comes marked with Jamila henna powder in red writting in any format on the foil packaging, then that henna is Jamila henna powder, not any other generic name that it has been re-named. Please read more on Jamila Henna.
- Body Art Quality: What does that mean? This is another marketing term that basically means 100% pure henna powder. This pure henna powder is safe enough to use for body art, and most likely finely sifted. Body Art Quality can’t apply to any of the other herbs we use on our hair, because that would mean we are using these herbs for body art, and we aren’t. They are being used for hair usage. Make sure you get yourself 100% pure henna, and herbs. Getting organic herbs is even better because you are guaranteed that the company/farm has gotten proper certification, and inspection that there are no pesticides used, and is an overall healthier, and safer product.
- My katam/indigo didn’t work for me. Indigo and Katam should be mixed separately from the henna paste in its own bowl. These are herbs that require a little more care, and their own time for dye release alone. Allow indigo and katam to sit 20-30 minute. You can then add the indigo/katam paste into the henna paste (bowl) for brown tones. Should you be using indigo for black tones you can use this after you’ve first done your henna treatment. Do not allow indigo to sit out for more then an hour.
Tips that work!
- Putting henna (and any herbs) onto damp hair really helps it go on much easier. Also applying indigo onto damp hair (with a dash or so of salt) has gotten the indigo to absorb better and give even darker, richer black color results.
- Adding sugar to your recipe makes the henna paste smoother.
- Pre-oil your hair, if you tend to get really dry when using henna, and herbs in your hair. This will give you the moisture boost you need. This also helps prevent dripping when dyeing your hair. Some of the best hair oils to use are olive oil, coconut oil, argan oil, and camellia oil.
- In order to get deeper, richer red results use a good, fresh henna powder that is known for giving rich red results (such as yemeni henna). After 2-3 applications, the color will deepen further.
- Wash your henna, and herbal hair treatments out really well. Use a lot of conditioner to help with the process. If you don’t wash it all out well, then your scalp will feel itchy, and gritty.
- Rmemeber to always be opened minded, and if needed, adjust your recipe to suit your hair. Just because someone else does it, doesn’t always make it right for you.
- Keep your recipe simple. Don’t get overwhelmed with a lot of the other ingredients that are added to recipes.
Hello! You can try Nupur just for the conditioning benefits. Personally I’ve never used it since we carry our own brand of Henna Sooq products. So of course I use our own. I don’t know about Nupur brand but for our Henna Sooq brand you can use other chemical based products safely with our line of products.
Hello. Not if it’s a very small amount.
Hello. It’s unusual for henna to just cause shedding weeks later especially. Many might feel like older hairs get pulled out more during the actual rinsing out of the henna including myself personally. Your shedding may be related to other underlying issues. You may want to consult a doctor to discuss your concerns if this doesn’t stop.
Tysm! 🙂
This is my grand mum sugary recipe revised by myself: activate your henna with balsamic vinegar if u use henna and indigo for black hair, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for red and lemon for blondish. Oil and henna don’t mix my grandma said and I agree. Do not pre-oil your hair or mix oily conditioners in your henna paste, the dye won’t work. Instead mix henna powder with sugar, add minimum hot water just to moisten it so it won’t be runny and mix with loads of cheap, low quality honey. It will make a gluey paste that is applied easier than straight or eggy henna paste and washes off easily with conditioner and warm water. Microwave your paste to make it hot before applying because if has little water in it. Honey is an excellent moisturizer for the hair and will keep your paste effective. Use oils only after the dye to seal up the colour, not before. I hope it helps!
I can’t use chemical dyes as they will dry out my already mosture repellent hair will this dry/damage my hair
Henna can also be drying if the added moisturizing ingredients are included in your recipe. Make sure you add our organic aloe Vera powder or one of our hair oils for added moisture.
Thanks for sharing! ❤️
Thank you for your post on our blog. I’m not that familiar with other brands of henna since we carry our own line of henna at http://Www.hennasooq.com so I can’t say for sure if you can leave that particular brand in your hair overnight. Ingredients vary and if it’s a blend then it’s hard to say. Please follow their directions. Should you use our henna powders then yes for ours you can leave in the hair overnight or just 3-4 hours.
To prevent curls from loosening you have to add to your recipe. Adding Amla powder will maintain curls. You usually add about 3-4 tbsp per 100g used. Your recipe sounds perfect.
When adding oils or even better our organic aloe Vera powder for added moisture usually it’s about 5-10% of the whole recipe.
All henna coloring a treatments are kept in the hair 3-4 hours. Yes you can then use indigo to cover the color but it’ll be black. You can just do another coloring treatment even brown when and if you’re tired of the red tones. Just don’t use the indigo on its own without henna in the process to avoid green tones from indigo use alone.
It’s okay to place a plastic cap at any time on your hair. The plastic cap is more for your convenience. Usually every coloring treatment would be kept in at least 3-4 hours.
Thank you for your post on our blog. You could add indigo directly to the henna recipe to make it darker. When mixing indigo make sure there is no conditioner in the indigo mix as it also dilutes the color. For added moisture you can add our organic aloe Vera powder.
Thanks as always, Khadija. I’ll do as you suggest next time and let you know the results. Ramadan mubarak, too! 🙂
has any one had any luck using rum to mix the powder???? i have heard this can help darken it?
Hi – thanks for all the tips re henna use – it is great data. I have dyed blonde hair shoulder length and was thinking of dying it with henna that is light like strawberry blonde etc (I do also have quite a bit of grey). Do you think this would work? Also, when applying henna do you need to shampoo your hair first and if I pre-oil my hair does that not stop the henna getting in as it is just coating the hair shaft? Thanks. Cheers, Michelle
Do u wash your hair before henna/indigo or after? after 2step process and i wash my hair to get any remaining residue out, will the indigo wash out? I only use a natural shampoo that contains oil in it. i noticed last time I indigo, i put oil in my henna (for dryness) and then apply indigo but it didn’t take. I think because of the oils from the henna. So this time I am not going to put oils in my hair until after the whole process is done. IS there some truth to what I am saying about the oil and washing hair with some oil in it won’t lessen the color black? I am covering up grays.
You can wash your hair beforehand if needed such as a lot of product build up and applying onto damp hair is easier too. Some clarify beforehand which helps the henna and indigo stick better to the hair strands. If there’s too much oil it can interfere. Aloe vera powder that we carry is a good alternative and adds moisture without being oily. This should help.
ok thank you
Hello Sharon. Thank you for your question and post. Henna doesn’t cause hair loss but if you’re hair doesn’t like protein treatments or if you have fine hair strands then you have to probably make your own henna recipe by hand so you can adjust the recipe to match what your hair needs and likes. We recommend adding our organic aloe vera powder to our henna powders. That should help a lot. Make sure you only do your treatments every 4-6 weeks to give your hair a break. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Yes you can add amla powder to your henna recipes. Enjoy!
Hello. Sorry we’re not really sure how it may or may not work since it doesn’t sound like it would be a Henna Sooq brand of henna. We don’t carry “henna colors”. You may have to try it or contact the company directly for more information. Sorry we couldn’t be of more help. Ours does create brown tones and we ship worldwide through http://www.hennasooq.com
Thank you!
For the tone you’d like to achieve what type of red tone would you like to achieve with henna? They vary slightly.
Hello Tia! Good morning. Henna doesn’t focus on growth though per se. It’s a coloring herb as it’s main focus. But you can use amla powder and other growth herbs in your recipe or as it’s own treatment for promoting hair growth. You can use any henna depending on the color outcome or just use our Sukesh Ayurveda if you don’t want color change.
Hello Sutana. What is your natural hair color? DO you have any greys?
Hello Amal. Thank you for your post! Red Raj would be your best choice. You can also read how much to use here: https://hennablogspot.com/how-much-henna-andor-herbs-to-use-on-your-hair/. You can also add those ingredients for boosting red tones.
Hello Mina. She was using our Red Raj henna powder from http://www.hennasooq.com. The results always can vary slightly depending on your natural hair color. I don’t recall her natural hair color as it’s been over 6+ years since I’ve spoken to her. We hope this helps.
Hello DeeC. You can the aloe vera powder to the dry ingredients you are using. Then add your liquid.
Hello Marie. That should be fine.
Hello Lauren and thank you for posting on our blog. Sorry for our delayed reply. You can try one of our Henna Gloss bars to start. It’s an easy step into henna for the first time and you want to make sure you have a good first experience. Otherwise once you decide to use henna powder you can add our organic aloe vera powder to help maintain moisture.
Thank you for your post Becky. Sorry for our delayed reply.
Have you tried using conditioner to wash out or a mermaid soak to really try to loosen all the henna and make sure it all comes out? Which henna from us do you use that is being harder to wash out?
Hello Dorothy. Thank you for posting on our blog and sorry for our delayed reply.
Henna will make your hair reddish though. Did you want to use cassia instead? You can definitely do this as highlights. Cassia isn’t as permanent as henna though. To maintain curls you can add some amla powder to your recipe.
Very similar to the advice my mum told me! Don’t oil before, oil after if needed. Use your slow cooker to keep the mix at optimal temperature (just pop your bowl in a slow cooker which is full of hot water, also the slow cooker conveniently fits in the bathroom so you don’t have to do this in the kitchen if you’re doing this in winter and you want to keep your mixture warm) and use a honey and chamomile tea solution (which is just those two items) for the making the paste. In my family we all have super fine hair but lots of it with a curl and we tend to have dry scalps so the honey + chamomile tea mix is really refreshing and soothing during this process.
The reason I believe that honey and sugar are really convenient, is because they fix the texture of the paste. Honey is moisturizing, but that is not the reason why it’s used. Straight henna paste tends to dry out and fall off the hair if it’s got little water, or is becoming runny if the water is too much. Sugar and honey helps it keep sticky, and at the same time do not intervene in the dying process. Henna artists in India who make henna tattoos for the skin, also use sugar to make their henna ink stick on the skin so it will dye it properly. I bet chamomile is good, it’s generally a soothing flower.
Thank you! 🙂
Do note honey can interfere with color results. It can lighten though and it does make indigo not work well.
I went from silver to red. (My natural is 80% pure white mostly in front and 20% dark pewter). I’ve been using pure henna for one year ( yes I need a trim). The previously colored ends blended right in. I can touch up my roots anytime without frying my hair. I love henna! The pic shown is indoor lighting. The color is almost neon orangey red in strong sunlight. I would say it’s bold and spicy…not for the faint of heart which suits me just fine. It’s my “Ariel mermaid hair”. I mix a large batch with a little vinegar and warm water & let it release for all day. Then freeze batches in zip locks ( just thaw & snip the corner).I’ve experimented but don’t bother with adding red juices or teas anymore because some run and the henna does NOT run provided you use plenty of conditioner/ rinse well to get it out. I section hair & use a standard flat color brush to apply. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/eea7a6315fa85cdd5ac3315f3db21a68d6f059f79dc14753ca6eb7dcc36946b3.jpg
Thanks for sharing all of that stuff with us, and your tips for reach best results 🙂
My name is Fab, I’d like to ask for a piece of advice please 🙂 🙂 🙂
I dye my air with a mixture for a light brown which contains Cassia obovata, Lawsonia inermis and Indigo tinctoria, I do it every month since February …however my hair colour is a way darker that I wanted to be since I started…
I thought I may start a new mixture to go lighter using Lawsonia inermis, Walnut hull, Cassia obovata, Curcuma and Add warm chamomile to it.
I’ m Still waiting to wash away the Indigo as you can see in these pics..
Are there any advice you could gently give to me pls?
How long should I wait before to try this new mixture, based on your experience?
Hope you can help me with that, I really do
Welcome! It may take some honey to help with the natural lightening of your hair. Indigo can push a lot more darker shade. Add honey and please let us know if this helped.
Thank you for your comment and for sharing 🙂 Wonderful!
Actually, my aunt advised me to use nupur mehandi,but m scared about that it may convert my hair colour into brownish.and i just hate brown hairs it just looks like they are it looks like that they are damaged.sooooo…..
what should i do?
What color results would you like to achieve?
Hello
I am new to using henna and I would really appreciate some guidance. My natural hair is black but I’m about 25% Gray. I had been using medium brown permanent hair dye and I used a dark brown henna on my hair. I was very happy with the results and it’s nice to see that I no longer have an itchy dry scalp and my hair feels softer smoother and shiny!
The only thing I noticed is that my gray hairs turned an Auburn color. I mixed my henna powder with coffee, apple cider vinegar and olive oil. This was according to the instructions on the box.
My question is this. Should I be using black color henna? From what I’ve been able to read the henna does not lighten hair so I’m wondering if I should just be using black instead of brown. I’m fine with brown or black but I’m wondering if I will get better gray coverage if I use black instead of brown.
My second question is this. When I apply the henna do I have to put it on all of my hair or can I just do a root touch up? Does my hair have to be completely soaked in the henna? I’m only using 100 grams and my hair is thick and a few inches below my shoulders. I’m not sure if I’m not using enough henna. Please advise.
Thank you so much for taking the time time to read this!
Hi Jessica. Thank you for your post on our blog. Which henna and indigo from us are you using? You can do either tone of brown or black with our product line. It’ll cover the greys that tone but of course you already know it won’t lighten your darker hair strands.
You can do all of your hair or just a root touch up as desired. I do recommend if you’re doing root touch ups to at least once in awhile do a full head treatment. To get the roots you should probably feel “soaked”. 100grams should be enough for you but you said your hair is thick so you might need 150 grams. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hello Vincze! Which henna and indigo from us are you using? What recipe are you using and color you trying to achieve? You’re aim isn’t brown then correct?
Hi Sabrina! Sorry for my delayed reply. Our henna products can be safely use with other chemical treatments or color. But not all henna brands can. You can resume the henna coloring treatments or have you considered bringing henna with you or getting some in India while you’re there?
Hello! Sorry for my delayed reply. Have you also tried perhaps to add some aloe vera powder and do you moisturize after your henna coloring treatments? Amla should help when added to your recipe but maybe also do an amla treatment alone after your henna so that you get more amla onto your hair for added volume and bounce.
Hello Gabrielle. Sorry for my delayed reply.
Two days ago is quite a long time. Did you happen to try to use it since you posted here?
Hello Tanisha. Sorry for my delayed reply.
Did you post about this recently? It sounds like a post I just answered. Please let me know.
Hello Kay. It’s possible but was the burgundy you had on your length salon/chemical color? It might not be exact as chemicals usually strip and henna adheres to the natural hair strands and color.