Henna is a plant that grows in the hot, dry climates of the Eastern hemisphere. For decades, women from North Africa, India, and the Middle East have used henna to stain their hair, skin, and nails. The red henna dye is contained within the leaves of the plant. After the plant is harvested, the leaves are dried, ground, and sifted into a flour-like powder. In the last few years, henna has become a popular treatment option for African American women seeking more natural remedies for their hair. Check out the most frequently asked questions.Is henna safer than commercial hair dye?
Updated April 18, 2012
Yes, but it's very important that you only use 100% pure henna. Low-quality henna mixtures may contain additives like PPD to make the dye stain stronger and darker. Dye additives may cause allergy problems or react with chemicals that have been previously applied to your hair. Unfortunately, the FDA has approved henna for use as a hair dye, but does not regulate its safety. So, the seller of the henna is the only one who really knows the quality of what you're purchasing. Mehandi.com and LUSH Cosmetics
are two suppliers known for high quality.
Henna is gentler on your hair than permanent hair color because it only deposits dye on to the surface, not inside the cortex. The effects from henna are most similar to semi-permanent hair color. Both are safe enough for African American hair.
Can I get the same color results using henna as with commercial hair dye?
Maybe. Pure henna powder can only produce a red to orange-red color. Different crops (depending on location) produce different levels of red, ranging from auburn to cherry. If you see henna advertised as producing black or brown shades that means the henna has been mixed with some other substance. For example, henna is commonly mixed with cocoa powder to produce reddish brown.
Since henna is a depositing dye, it cannot lighten your hair...only bleach can do that. If your natural hair color is dark black, henna may not show up at all or it may produce a red shimmer.
If your natural hair color is dark brown or lighter (including grey), you are likely to see a color change after your first henna application. The color should be subtle, but it will increase in intensity after every treatment.
If your hair is bleached or relaxed, your hair is more porous. Extremely porous hair absorbs chemicals more easily and the henna may absorb into the hair cortex instead of just coating the outer shaft. The color may still be subtle, but definitely noticeable in direct light. Don't use henna unless you plan to discontinue chemical treatments. You should not use conventional hair dye or relaxers on previously henna'd hair
*Henna is a very inexact method of coloring your hair. If you really want a substantial change in hair color, you're better off visiting a licensed cosmetologist.*
Will henna loosen natural African American coils?
Sometimes. A quick Internet search produces thousands of results on the subject. The only thing we know for sure is that everybody's experience is different. If you want to loosen your natural coils, you can experiment with henna. Any effect will happen gradually. Most women who report looser curls say that it took 3 or more treatments to see any difference.
However, if you truly wish to transform Type 4 coils to looser curls, a chemical treatment (applied by a licensed cosmetologist) will deliver more significant and uniform results.
How do I get the most out of my henna treatment?
First, purchase your henna from a reputable supplier (see above). To get the most value for your money, choose pure henna with high dye content. Typically, 100 grams of pure henna only contains 2 or 3 grams of dye. The rest is just ground up henna leaves. So, for the most effective treatments, you definitely want the highest dye content available. Ask your supplier which henna they recommend to cover greys because that usually means maximum dye content.
When working with pure henna, the liquid that you use to help the dye release can impact the treatment results. An acidic liquid will help the dye release faster. Aloe vera juice is a great choice because its pH is low enough to smooth your hair's cuticles without making your strands stiff or dry. Always condition your hair after a henna treatment, even if it already feels soft.
Henna treatments have been done by North African and Indian women for decades with little to no instruction. Unless you're really hoping to achieve curl loosening or a color change, feel free to experiment by adding Ayurvedic herbs to your mix (supplier websites usually offer plenty of recipes). When attempting to change your curl pattern or hair color, keep it simple and just add an acidic liquid. A batch of high dye content henna can quickly become low dye content if you add too many oils and herbs to the mix.
The biggest advantage with henna is that you can do it yourself. Your henna supplier will give you all the instructions you need for a successful treatment. A properly applied henna can add shine and softness to your hair. You can't count on any other benefits, but feel free to try it a few times and see what you get!
Updated April 18, 2012
Excellent article on Henna.I've done it a couple of times, not sure though what should I add in with the henna to get the best results.
Thanks, Vanessa! What kind of results are you looking for?
I am interested in trying henna for the conditioning but I am not looking to color or tint my hair. I don't know any places around here that sell it, so I know I would have to purchase online.
Hey Candace!
I know it's annoying to pay for shipping, but I think that's the better way to go. I have talked to a few women who buy their henna at Indian grocery stores. Unfortunately, the henna at some of those stores is weak/stale from sitting on the shelf for a long time. Unless you find a store on the ground that comes highly recommended, I wouldn't bother going that route. Thanks for your comment!
I've been thinking about getting henna done for the past year.....I LOVE the benefits it has on your hair- but I'm not much for getting and colour change- AT ALL. My hair is already an auburny-brown with bits of red, and I like it that way. I don't want to use indigo to make my hair jet black either......it is possible you guys could do an article on Henna Gloss? I hear that that's somewhat like henna, without the colouring....I'm trying to do research, but it's not going anywhere!
Thanks!
Hi Eboni,
Check out Curly Nikki's blog post about henna gloss....http://curlynikki.com/2010/05/curlynikkis-henna-gloss-recipe.html
If you decide to follow those instructions, try mixing your henna with aloe vera juice or orange juice (not green tea) for a more potent treatment.
In my opinion, the results of a henna gloss are the same as what you would get when using a salon-quality conditioner on its own, i.e. Mizani, Joico, or Redken.
Great article! I've been interested in Henna for hair coloring for a while but some of the info left me confused. This definitely cleared everything up.
Thank you, Jasmyn! I'm glad to hear that.
Great article!
I tried Moptopmavens henna gloss recipe and that one was good. My breakage slowed down significantly. I also noticed a slight color change. nothing major thou.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdrlJ3xdv5g
I still haven't tried henna..I'm scared of the mess I'll make lol but I gonna take the plunge one of these days :)
I was just talking about henna with two girlfriends this afternoon. They have both been natural for years; while I'm a newbie. I'm having trouble with this "ugly" phase of trying to find products/styles that work. I'm on the verge of getting a perm again, and my one friend suggested henna. I have a loose curl, but only while wet. As my hair dries, it draws up so tightly that it just looks like a big mess. Does henna really loosen the curl? I'm not sure I want to color my hair, but I'd do it if the curl was loosened a little.
I'm looking for more moisture for my hair, after one day it just looks and feels really dry, I co-wash at least twice a week. I'm kind of new to this so I'm not sure what my hair is needing at this point! Would a henna treatment help with this? If not what would? Thanks!
Hi Hanna,
A henna won't really help with hair that feels dry. You may need to change up your product routine. Start with this article....http://hairliberty.org/black-hair-care/articles/hair-education/shampoo-schedule.html. Please let me know if that helps!
Hi Joy,
Henna won't loosen the curl significantly. The changes are very minimal for most people and definitely not uniform. Have you tried a twist out? If you follow this tutorial using the same or similar products your curls will stay elongated and soft...http://hairliberty.org/black-hair-care/diy/natural-hair/twist-n-curl-tutorial.html. Either way, make sure you're combing your hair out in the shower with conditioner. That's very important for tight natural hair (you can find detailed wash instructions in the DIY section). I hope that helps! Try to be patient. If you decide to go the perm route again, opt for a texturizer or texlax and make sure it's applied by a licensed cosmetologist.
Henna has been around for many years. I used henna in the 70's. I loved it and will start back using it again. Although, things change over time, but when I was using it, it only required mixing with warm tap water.
Henna will do exactly as some of the reviews you have read, example, soft and lot of body, but I would like to add silky, great shine and it last a long time. My mother-in-law was my beautician before she passed, so I trusted her. She first told me about the product and I am sorry that I did not continue using it. Btw...My hair really did grow while using it.
Great info! I will keep this in mind.
I'm sure I'll be using Henna in the near future. I'm not too worried about my gray at the moment but I'm finding more and more and the only way I'll color with be with Henna!
Anyone looking to try henna should try mehandi.com. It has great products, a ton of information and a message board where you can ask questions. I have noticed a slight loosening of my curl when using henna, but I would not recommend doing it for that reason; you will probably be disappointed. Lastly, I like that henna makes my hair feel stronger, but it does dry it out at first. Plus it is very messy and requires a lot of water to rinse out. Just some things to consider...