Please remember when using any new hair product it is always recommended that you do hair strand tests first!
Important: Please keep in mind that everyone has their own unique hair texture. Herbal treatments can be drying for some, and it is recommended that you add hair oil to your recipe, or deep condition your hair afterwards. We recommend that everyone keep an open mind when using henna and natural herbs on their hair, and use the recipe that works best for you!
Henna, also known as lawsonia inermis
Mixing henna for healthy hair and beautiful red tones:
-Mix henna with warm water, or warm lemon juice, and allow the paste to sit from 2-12 hours (as this depends on the dye release of your henna powder chosen). Add enough liquid to make a paste the consistency of pancake batter.
-After dye release has been achieved, then apply the henna paste to your (damp or dry) hair by sections starting from the back and moving forward. Make sure you wear gloves when applying henna, as it will stain your hands.
-Wrap your hair and allow to sit from 1 to 6 hours. The longer you leave the henna in, the more dye will penetrate your hair.
-Rinse or wash the paste out.
-Your hair’s color will settle over the next 2 days.
Optional
- For redder tones you may add hibiscus or paprika.
- For browner tones you may add coffee, black tea, or even amla powder (this will tone down the red dye and give you great volume all at the same time).
- You may also try out a henna gloss. You can do this by adding some henna powder to your conditioner and let it sit in your hair for 30 minutes as a deep conditioning treatment and be able to achieve a less amount of dyeing.
- Feel free to add orange blossom water, rose water or essential oils to leave your hair smelling great!
How to store your powder: freezer.
How to store your henna paste: freezer.
Mixing katam for brown hair:
-Prepare the henna paste as directed.
-Once henna is ready, mix your katam with warm water and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Mix these two together. The more katam you add the darker the brown.
-Apply the paste to your hair by sections starting from the back and moving forward. Make sure you wear gloves, as it will stain your hands.
-Wrap your hair and allow to sit for 1 to 6 hours.
-Rinse or wash your paste out
-This process is called a one-step process.
-Your hair’s color will settle over the next 2 days.
How to store your powder: henna in your freezer and katam in your fridge or cool dark place
How to store your paste: throw leftovers away as the paste does not freeze or keep well.
Ou je peux trouver du Katam le vrai
et la graine de katam.
Merci d’avance pour votre aide.
Cordialement.
Ou je peux trouver du Katam le vrai
et la graine de katam.
Merci d’avance pour votre aide.
Cordialement.
Ou je peux trouver du Katam le vrai
et la graine de katam.
Merci d’avance pour votre aide.
Cordialement.
Bonjour! Vous pouvais acheter du katam a http://www.hennasooq.com/usa-store
when preparing katam is it better to let it sit 12 hrs or 15 minutes?
Sangita personally I feel that 15-20 mins is good enough as we’ve tested it out that way and gotten good results and our clients that use it as well
thank you!
what mix henna /buxus would you suggest to do my roots and how long to keep the mix on?
I have 70% white at the roots and the rest is auburn medium.
Does the mix keep in freezer?
Sangita, you haven’t mentionned what color tone you want. Let me know so I can recommend proportions for you. You can leave the mix on for 1-6 hours, as stated above in the recipe. You can’t keep the paste in the freezer with katam as it doesn’t freeze well.
i would like the roots to match the rest of my hair color which is a medium auburn.
Oh okay I see. Well then rajasthani indian henna would be a good choice, along with katam, with proportions for an auburn tone at 60% katam and 40% henna powder. Try this and if it doesn’t cover the grey as dark as you’d want it too then you may need indigo as its stronger
How often can we use katam?? Can we use it once in a week along with henna?? Does regular use cause any side effects
Thank you for your post Meera
You can use katam every 3-4 weeks like henna. Because every week, doing herbal hair treatments, can be drying to your hair. Do you need to color your hair every week? How fast do your roots grow in?
Hi.
So I have never used any chemicals, rarely any heat, and definitely no henna on my hair before. But the benefits of henna/cassia seem to be great for the hair, especially someone for curly hair like me. My hair is a sandy brown, and mainly I just want the health benefits of henna, but I don’t want too drastic of change in color… more like a glossy, lighter brown. I’m also really scared about the permanency of henna… I really care about my hair and don’t want to do anything that can harm it or that i can’t fix. So… are there any tips that you have at all? Also, I was wondering if this recipe would make for a nice brown without red:
3/4 cassia
1/8 henna
1/8 katam
(also, what is the difference between using katam and indigo?)
Thank you for your post Ashley. The herbs won’t get your hair to be lighter but you can maintain your natural hair tone, or reddish or brown up to black tones. But that recipe would be a good recipe without having red show up too much at all. Especially since the amount of henna is very low. I would definetely recommend you try this recipe out and especially with a hair strand test if you can.
Thanks for the reply. But i tend to get more orange red colour. I mix 50% henna and 50% katam but still get that orange color in my hair. I make the paste as u have suggested but the results are not brown but orange red. Can you help me with this. i have never used a chemical dye in my hair.
Welcome Meera
It may be that you need something stronger, like the indigo. It is stronger then katam. How did you mix the katam, and do you have any left?
Thanks for ur reply. I generally mix the henna with one lemon juice and rest water. The next morning I mix katam in warm water and mix it with henna and apply. The proportion is 50 – 50.I wash my hair with water only after 2- 3 hrs.One mistake maybe that I dont mix the katam and keep it for 15-20 mins but mix it with henna apply immediately.
Welcome Meera! No the katam should be mixed alone and let rest for dye release by itself, like indigo is done, and then mix with henna powder. Let the katam sit mixed alone for at least 30 minutes as well to make sure dye is releasing well, and your liquid must always be warm, not cold, nor cool.
I hope this helps!
Is the Katam safe to use on the scalp? I have used Cassia and Henna and Amla for strengthening purposes, and I usually rub some of the herbs on my scalp for the benefits. Would the Katam effect the scalp in any negative way? Are there any health benefits to Katam beside dying the hair brown or cutting down on the henna colour?
Thanks.
Thank you for your post Michelle
Yes katam is safe to use. Usually katam is used as an herb for dyeing your hair for brown tones, or toning down the red of henna (like reddish-brown tones as well). At this time there aren’t any well known benefits from katam. The henna, cassia or amla powder and other herbs have a lot of benefits in them and are the main herbs used in a natural herbal hair regimen.
Hi.
My hair is a sandy whaite, and because mainly I am angree.
what do i do?
Where could I find Katam & Cassia in uk shop.
Thank you for your posts. Amar, just stop being angry 🙂 but you can also dye your hair with henna and katam or indigo if you want brown to black tones. It’s up to you.
Heer, we ship worldwide, UK included, and our shop is at http://www.hennasooq.com
Thank you again!
do katam cover grey hair(I mean hair without colour-old hair:) )? If I prefer greybrown colour not redbrown, do katam with henna helps?
Thank you for your post Sisa.
Yes katam does cover grey hair but it must be used with henna. Katam and henna together will create brown tones. I hope this helps!
What is the Arabic or Urdu name of Indigo? I have sensitive skin so I don’t want to use chemicals. Is Indigo safe to use?
None of the herbs we sell, Ashraf, are chemicals. They are 100% pure herbs but just because they are herbs doesn’t mean you won’t possibly be allergic or sensitive to them. Indigo is also known as neel in India. That is the only other name I know it by. Otherwise you can always get free samples from us online at http://www.hennasooq.com
I hope this helps!
I have resistant gray roots, and I am trying to find the right henna mix to match them to my chemically dyed hair, so I can ultimately go chemical free. I’m trying to get a dark brown with burgundy highlites/overtones. I have tried a 1-part henna/2-part indigo mix that was too red. Next I tried a 1-part henna/3-part indigo mix that was too dark (with blue tones). Now I’d like to try katam and henna. Any suggestions? Can you mix katam, indigo, and henna together?
Elle, thanks for posting. You can mix all three together but it’d probably get dark again. How about your first recipe with amla powder to tone down some of the red. Or you could try a small amount of katam but it pushes darker then amla. I’d recommend between those two herbs you could try and we have the samples online as well that you can get to do hair strand tests
Thanks! I’ll try the amla. How much should I add for a 1 part henna to 2 part indigo mix?
Elle, Welcome! Yes and with the 3-4 tbsp of amla as well. Let me know how it turns out when you get a chance.
I’ve had much success getting a chocolate brown with henna and buxus. I used a ratio of 70% buxus and 30% henna over my hennaed hair and got a gorgeous cool shade! Buxus is very handy and if you think of it, monthly applications are not at all tedious since one usually does root touch ups that often anyhow. Once in a while I’ll do a gloss 50/50 buxus/conditioner or just plop straight buxus onto my hair to get an ashy tone. I love the stuff! I recommend buxus over indigo because indigo is permanent. My virgin hair is dark blonde/light brown. 🙂
Oh and I also use amla in my mix of henna and buxus. I forgot to mention it. 🙂
Thanks for posting Lisa-Marie. wow that’s amazing!! I wish we’d get more feedback on katam like this. Sometimes people love it but don’t get a chance to really give input and people like hearing about it as they don’t know what to expect sometimes or they may use it wrong and wonder why it’s not working. Thanks so much!!
I’ve been dying my hair with henna for about a year (yemeni henna) and I’ve decided I’d like to aim for more of a dark chocolate brown with some red. Can I use katam straight over previously hennaed hair, or do you have to use them together? what proportions do you recommend I try first?
Thanks for posting Lauren. Katam is not as strong for making black tones, but indigo is, and this is the method used when doing them seperate as a 2 step treatment. But for you, you’ use indigo for a dark chocolate brown at least 60% indigo and 40% henna. I hope this helps!
excuse meaning, you’d yes use both herbs together. Katam as well would be good for this coloring if you want that red to peak out a bit more, as katam is not as strong as indigo
OK, thank you!
Hello, I’ve been thinking about going natural and throwing all chemical dyes out ;). My hair is – colored already (chemical dye) – I’ve lots of grey hair. Can I start using henna and other natural herbal dyes mentioned here?
Thank you very much for you reply.
Hi Ella. Thank you for posting. Yes you can start using henna and other herbs to color your hair naturally. Absolutely. Let us know if you have further questions about that process.
I’m male 45 years of age. I like to use Katam (not Henna), for covering up some gray hair.
Kindly provide some helpful answers:
1) what to mix with Katam.
2) how long the application takes.
3) is it okay to dye hair with OTC hair coloring products (Ammonia, Hydrogen Peroxide) available in various super markets, say 2-3 weeks AFTER using Katam on my head!!
Or is it – as I understand with Henna – absolute no no !! to use hair color after a natural herb color like Katam.
Thanks guys for a wonderful site!
Thank you for your post Bader. You have to use henna and katam at the same time or it will not work. You can use warm water. There is a recipe in this blog above these comments with the directions.
Please read the post as it answers your questions on how to use katam for dyeing your hair brown tones.
If you don’t use henna in your recipe your hair could turn green.
Yes with our henna and katam you can use any chemical treatments afterwards. Pure henna and herbs are fine to do so with such as the ones we carry at Henna Sooq. Hair dressers are not trained in natural hair products usually, and only know of henna based chemicals hair treatments.
I hope this helps! Welcome
Thank you Khadija. Appreciate your response.
One more thing! My hair is black. I like to dye it black (to cover up the whites in it). I do not want any “brown tone” in it, as you kindly mentioned. So, will the same Henna/Katam work. As I am afraid to get any brown in my hair, I would hesitate to put any Henna on my hair.
Thank you very much.
Bader, you’re welcome!
If you want it darker tones then it is better you use indigo as it’s stronger then katam. With katam and henna it usually creates brown tones, and that is what it’s used for. Indigo is used for black tones.
Thanks Khadija.
I think I will go with Henna. May be some brown shade will be interesting!
Would it be OK to use regular hair color (ammonia + hydrogen peroxide), after Henna coloring.
Cheers!
Bader, welcome. Yes you can use that type of chemical treatment after using henna, if it is our henna powder, then it’s safe 🙂 Cheers!
Dear Sir,
Any info how to get KATAM in egypt??
Thanks
Thank you for posting Mawan. You can order from us here at Henna Sooq and we’ll ship it to you. Let us know if you are interested
I normally have to use about 150g of henna for my hair. How much katam do I need to mix with the henna? Is it 50/50? or less of henna or katam? Thanks!
Good morning Carla. Thank you for posting.
It depend on what tone you want. Do you want brown tones? If you want browner tones then yes 50/50 of each would be brown (kind of reddish brown). More katam makes it darker.