There are so many different henna powders, how do we choose the one that will work best for us?
There are a few things that are a must when choosing any henna powder:
–Fresh. You must always buy fresh henna powder. If you want a great stain, don’t just grab henna off the shelf (since who knows how long it may have been sitting there) Even from crop to crop you will notice that the freshest henna powder gives the best stain results. After all, doesn’t a chef use the freshest ingredients in the preparation of our meals?
–Body Art Quality. This means that the henna powder is the best quality since they take the leaves from the top of the plant with the most dye content. It also means that it is 100% pure and natural. This term is usually used to describe henna that is also used for body art.
(Please remember that not EVERY henna powder nor herb is body art quality. Ask yourself this: Is this henna powder or herb used as a body art product or really for hair usage? This term is sometimes only used for marketing purposes. Always be well informed.)
–Finely Sifted. None of that dirt, grit, sand, nor sticks help with getting a great staining henna paste. Even if you try to sift it yourself, you lose most of the henna powder you purchased.
–Pure. Must contain no pesticides or chemicals. No PPD nor any other powders or ingredients. Only get 100% pure henna powder.
Now that we have the basics down, now comes the individual henna powders.
Ultimately the highest dyeing henna powder on the market. For both henna for hair clients, and henna artists, by far the best choice of all henna powders for those wanting gorgeous red tones, grey coverage and long lasting henna body art tattoos. This organically certified henna powder is ready to use within 3-4 hours.
Khadija’s personal favorite: Supreme Blend Henna Powder
This henna powder blend was created by Khadija herself bringing the best henna powders together for a creamy, smooth, yet flowy henna paste. She uses this henna powder on all of her clients. We love this powder especially for body art temporary henna tattoos. Can be used on hair as well. Dye release is only 3-4 hours.
Jamila Henna Powder 
Jamila henna powder yields great stains results and comes conveniently packaged in 100 grams foil packages in sealed boxes (when it is stamped with summer crop for body art usage, and is also used for hair). As of more recently dye release is only 8-12 hours for body art tattoos, and 3-4 hours for use on hair, before ready to use. It is a reliable henna powder, but not great if you need henna quick. It has the ultimate best sift of ANY henna powder. It is very popular amonst professional henna artists, and for hair dyeing. It washes out of the hair very easily, and the texture pf the paste is similar to melted chocolate. It yields deep reddish-brown tones for body art and for hair orange-red tones. This henna comes from Pakistan.
Please read our more detailed article on Jamila henna powder.
Organic Rajasthani Indian Henna Powder
In ever increasing popularity, the organic indian henna powder from the Rajasthani Region, is very well balanced. You get dye release in 8-12 hours for body art. So you can start a batch in the morning and have it ready by the evening. The stains results are some of the darkest I have ever seen. Typically reddish tones (burgundy/mahogany) and sometimes near cherry black on skin. For hair it yields a reddish-burgundy tone.  For hair usage, this powder we recommend you allow it to sit from 3-4 hours, and then apply onto your hair. It is triple sifted and through nylon cloth. On lighter hair it may come out more orange-copper toned.
Yemeni Henna Powder
Note: Sadly this has been out of stock for quite some time due to political issues within Yemen. Our yemeni henna powder comes from the Sana’a region. It takes 8-12 hours to achieve dye release for body art. For hair, we recommend you allow this henna powder to sit from 3-4 hours before applying it. It is well known for being one of the stringy hennas. This henna powder is now much better sifted (since the 2009 crop), since the company has upgraded its henna processing facilities. Now many more henna artists are using this henna powder. It is absolutely one of the most popular henna powders for hair dyeing, and covers grey very well. It gives the most gorgeous, deep red tones of any other henna powder currently.
A very popular henna powder for both body art and hair, this henna is found in the Western Sahara. It has the quickest dye release. It is best to let this henna sit at least 2-6 hours for body art. For hair usage, only allow to sit for a maximum of 1 to 2 hours and then apply it. The dye can demise quickly if left out too long. It’s not a good henna to freeze as a henna paste. It is also a stringy henna. It has great color, usually very bright and becomes quite dark suddenly (on skin). We usually recommend this henna powder for achieving brown to black tones along with indigo, when used in hair dyeing because the least amount of red tones will show through on your hair. We recommend it because it has a fast dye release, and alone on hair it gives orange to red tones.
We do hope that this guide has been helpful to you, please let us know if you have any concerns or further questions by contacting us directly at info@hennasooq.com. Please shop with us online at : Henna Sooq
I’m not personally familiar with Supreme as a brand. So sorry. I’d recommend you read all the ingredients to make sure it has herbs in it and henna that will color brown such as henna combined with indigo etc…Make sure there are no chemicals in it. Add some of our Organic Aloe Vera powder for moisture: http://www.hennasooq.com/organic-aloe-vera-powder/
Also I have short medium-brown hair and would like to go darker, possibly try Indigo. Is there anything you’d recommend? Thanks.
Is Ferrous Sulphate in an Indigo dye damaging to the scalp?
For a darker brown tone we’d definitely recommend our moroccan henna and indigo for hair for best results.
Good day Eleanor. Thank you for your post and question. I’m not a medical doctor and we don’t offer medical advice here on our blog. I mention this as I’ve only read about ferrous sulfate as being an iron supplement. We don’t have that in our indigo, and you may want to refer to professional advice on supplements.
Personally I would freeze the leftover henna paste and use it again at a later time for the next application. It’s easy in this way as well. Usually you’ll reapply every 4-6 weeks. Some clients reapply roots sooner with just a touch up.
Hello: I am a 68 year old Afician American female. My thin hair is 80% gray. I would like my hair to be a dark brown. What would be the best henna for me? Should I purchase organic or non-organic henna? Should I use indigo to achieve my goal?
I’d recommend our Moroccan henna and indigo for hair. Yes to color dark brown you’ll need those two.
Thank you for your message. Do you know where you read that about golden tones? That isn’t the right wording for golden tones. I’d like to fix that link. It also isn’t the right method for coloring dark brown tones. The instructions will come with the right method on using our products to achieve those tones. Please let us know how it turns out.
Marseeya I’m not sure that would work too well…but it’d be interesting to try. You might get a more orange tone unfortunately as the skin on the face is thin and doesn’t absorb much dye. I’m sure makeup might work better. Maybe try our organic rajasthani indian henna and leave on for at least 3-4 hours. Again it might come out more orange.
Does it matter if I purchase organic or non-organic?
Yes it can matter. Organic indigo is best for reddish-brown results and indigo (standard) is best for dark brown-black tones (better grey coverage).
Hi Afro Bit. Thanks for posting on our blog. That would be great! Try just the Organic Rajasthani Indian henna and let us know how it turns out.
Hi Anna! I’d really recommend our Supreme Blend. Its amazing. It will come with detailed instructions, our personal pro recipe. I’m about to re-do our recipe online soon as well. I did a class recently that is recorded and once it’s edited I’ll have it available online on youtube @Hennasooq
can I use these ashenna hair dye on my hair?
Good day! I’m not familiar with that brand sorry.
Hi, I have light brown- darkish blonde hair. Could I use henna without it coloring my hair? I have been without shampoo a little over a year, mainly washing with rye flour once a week and rinsing with ACV or lemon juice. I’d like to nourish and add shine to my hair. I’ve heard henna could do that.
Is Glory henna body art quality henna? i dyed my hair with a Subaru permanent hair dye bought at china town exactly a week ago but i am not happy with the colours and where i placed them. is it okay to use Glory henna over this dye? or how long do i need to wait? i have used Glory henna on my nails with no negative effects to my skin but i am concerned about using it on already dyed hair
Sorry we’re not familiar with this brand. We can’t answer on this.
Hi, Khadija <3
I have virgin brown hair, I'd like to get a light copper color that looks genuinely natural (like the ones in the photos), which henna powder would you recommend me?
These photos of their hair is so gorgeous. Could you send a photo of your natural hair color? It does sound like you want to go lighter though. Would you consider your hair to be porous. Thank you for sharing the photos. It does help with recommendations.
I am using henna prepared by me at home in natural manner as henna
which I got directly from plant and mixed it with some kitchen ingredient
like egg white and hibiscus leaves dried up in shadow. I am scared to
use any other powders if I want which one would you recommend.
Hello Susan. Your recipe that you choose and ingredients really depends on what the end result that you’d like to achieve is. Are you using Henna Sooq henna powders?
Sorry we’re not really familiar with that brand as we carry our own at http://www.hennasooq.com
Hello Hayed. Sorry I’ve been away hence my delayed reply. You wanted your hair to be a lighter red? or what tone exactly?
Hi Anabelle. I believed I miss replying to you. SO sorry! We carry our own line of organically certified henna powders including our amazing Red Raj at http://www.hennasooq.com. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Hi. For such a lighter tone you would probably need chemicals unfortunately. There’s no way to get such a drastic lightening on your hair from your natural shade to the light blond-copper shade. You can achieve a copper tone but with your natural hair color. Henna is a translucent hair dye and works only with the natural hair color or the current hair color. I don’t have any other suggestions for going so much lighter. Sorry!
Hello! I was wondering how many grams I will need for my 26″ long, thick hair? Also I was hoping you could tell me which henna and what possible ratio mix with cassia I’d need to achieve the color in the attached picture? How long should I leave it on? My hair has been colored, but I’ve been growing out my natural dirty blonde hair for over a year now. This site is so amazing! It’s made learning about henna so much easier than other sites I’ve found! Thank you! Looking forward to starting my henna journey. (:
Good morning Taylor! That is absolutely gorgeous. I love it! I feel strongly that a moroccan henna with cassia will help you achieve this color tone. It might take 2-3 applications to layer it a bit and get there fully but it’ll be so gorgeous. WOW! You may need about 250-300 grams total. For ratio I would say to start 70% henna and 30% cassia. Always leave all henna coloring treatments on for 3-4 hours. We hope this helps. Let us know how it goes and tag us with your progress #HennaJourney
Amal we recommend you use our Red Raj from http://www.hennasooq.com
Thank you for posting on our blog Taylor.
1. Chlorine won’t affect our henna products. On the skin it can cause the henna to fade but for hair it would be fine. You can give your hair at least 2-3 days to settle and then go swimming.
2. Usually to maintain the color consistency overall then we recommend you do a full head treatment in awhile to make sure it all stays the same tone overall.
3. It shouldn’t turn burgundy with moroccan henna but if this ever happens you can add honey or cassia to tone down the deeper red tone.
4. Perhaps add amla oil instead but general amla powder is strongest and is the best option for promoting hair growth.
5. It depends not only on your hair type but strands as well. You’ll have to try the henna and see how it behaves with your own hair.
6. You can add a couple tbsp of oil or just use our aloe vera powder.
7. You can change your recipe to make it lighter by adding honey or cassia but if you need to remove the henna completely you may need to use some type of chemical treatment.
8. Gloves are necessary as the henna stains can last 7-10 days.
We hope this helps.
Hi
I’ve used your henna on my hair for years..always with excellent results. My question is I always have about 25% henna left over. Can I freeze this? Even though the henna’s dye has released? If so the henna will still work to color my hair in 3 weeks when I put this henna on it? Thanks so much!
Yes you can freeze any leftovers and use next time you do your hair.
Hello, khadijah my hair 60 per cent gray what henna product should i use. Will i get a deep burgundy color . What color is indigo. I want a burgundy for my hair. I need help please. Carolyn
Hi Carolyn! I hope you’re doing well and thanks for posting. Burgundy you’ll need our organic rajasthani for sure for that tone but since you have a lot of grey hair you will need to also add indigo. Maybe at least 50% of henna and 50% of indigo to start to get all the color even and then henna 100% as every 2-3 application to give the boost of burgundy tones. I hope this helps.
Hello. Thank you for your post. Did you have specific questions that I could answer for you? I’m so sorry to hear of your hair problems. Have you tried our Sukesh Ayurveda for hair repair?
so are you saying 50/50 for the first 2 or 3 times? and then Rajasthani only after that to boost the color?
hi khadijah , awesome article . quick question – what is the difference between this henna and the one used to make tattoo ?
Yes that would be good if you wanted a brown tone first and then to boost the redder tone eventually use just henna.
Thank you! These henna powders are all great to be used for hair and for body art. We have a new article on henna for hair vs body art quality henna powder.
Hello Janene. For black tones you can use our moroccan henna and you’ll also need indigo. You’ll be doing a 2 step process. To avoid drying out your hair add our aloe vera powder to your recipe. Works every time!
Hello Maureen. Sorry for my delayed reply.
Here are your answers and I hope this helps:
1. You can use one of our organic henna powders from our website at http://www.hennasooq.com
2. Usually you add a liquid to your recipe and perhaps aloe vera powder or an oil to add mositure
3. The henna depending on which one you purchase depends on how long you allow it to sit for dye release. Instructions and steps come with your products with all the details
4. You don’t have to condition. It’s only something you’d do if your hair needed conditioning.
How often can you actually henna your hair? I’ve heard conflicting time frames. Some people are saying as often as you like and others say to wait at least 1/2 weeks or a month until you henna again.
Is there anything that will negatively occur if I henna say twice within a short period of time?
We recommend you henna your hair every 4-6 weeks. We don’t recommend you do it too often within a month as it can be drying and cause breakage. Your hair will need a break. Every hair type is unique so it may work or certain henna recipes might work better then others when done often. When it comes down to it, it’s best to observe how your hair feels and make adjustments accordingly as needed. We hope this helps.
Thank you Janene. We should have our Organic Amla oil back in stock by mid to end of February. Sorry for the long delay. The oil can be left in your hair or rinsed out. You may need to try both methods to see what your hair likes best.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try these things out and see how they work on my hair!
Hi Khadija, Awesome post.
I want to perform body art on my eyebrows. Which Henna powder should I use? I am black and my skin tone is that of Brandy the singer (chocolate). I want the powder to stain my skin as well just like a tattoo and I want a dark brown shade. What powder should I use?
Hello! Greetings from Detroit, Michigan! I’m a hairstylist looking to start doing henna tattooing on clients. I have been practicing with store bought cones and I feel I’m ready to start mixing my own. What is a good middle of the road, dark henna that you could suggest. Most likely will not be using it on hair as well so that factor isn’t as important. Thanks for any help!
Can you help me with a issue I’ve been having? Firstly before I go into my issue I want to compliment you on your henna, because by far henna sooq gives my family the best stain ever in comparison to others they’ve tried (Yes my family is in love with henna sooq).
Now onto my issue; whenever I henna my hair no matter the henna brand I use it always bleeds out in the shower for several weeks and I don’t just mean a little bleeding I mean lots of bleeding though not as dark as the first rinse/wash but still a very noticeable brownish color. I have curly hair and I first thought this could be the issue but after speaking with my family members who also are curlies they say their hair does not bleed. I feel like my henna almost completely washes out by the end of 3 weeks? This is why I asked first how often I can henna because when I henna it seems to not stain my hair? I get lovely color the first day then slowly my hair goes back to it’s brown color within the 3rd week.
Hello!
Thank you so much Kawaii đŸ™‚ Unfortunately my henna also bleeds for me personally. Do you have a lot of hair and thick? I notice a reddish flow in the water and I wash my hair a few times a week. Do you use indigo as well?
I feel that from my own experience is that thick, heavy hair does tend to bleed a little long. It doesn’t wash out though. It’s just the extra that didn’t come out. My henna in my hair never seems to give me the impression it’s faded. But I have pretty porous hair. Do you? Which henna do you usually use?