All About Henna by SaraT
- Important facts about henna that you should know before you dye at home.
As a Colorist I am neither pro nor con when it comes to using henna to color your hair. I have used henna to color clients
before and have worked with people who have used henna to color their hair at home. I must recommend that if you use
henna to color your hair that you do not try to perm or chemically straighten your hair, if you plan on coloring your hair with
any other color then henna be aware that the color will not always grab evenly to hair that has henna residue on it. Henna is
another option in coloring your hair. Like all hair color their are pros and cons to using henna. You must weigh your options
and find what is right for you.
The truth about a popular form of permanent hair color. Yes, henna is permanent hair color instead of being a metallic hair
dye, oxidative hair color or a compound dye henna is a vegetable tint. Even with being considered permanent hair color
henna, like most vegetable hair colors, will fade with shampooing. Vegetable tints were the first form of permanent hair
coloring. Vegetables, flowers, herbs and different types of mud were used in creating variations of dyes for hair before
technology brought us hair coloring as we know it today. Henna, dogwood, indigo, and chamomile were the four most
noteworthy hair dyes and are four that are still used commonly today.
Henna's originates from plants grown in moist climates throughout Africa, Arabia, Iran, and the East Indies. Henna is prepared
from leaves that are removed before the flowering cycle, dried and ground into a fine powder. Hot water or hot coffe/tea is
added to become a paste. A lemon and sugar mixture is made to set the henna.
Many people use henna as hair color and skin dye. Henna is used in many important ceremonies throughout the east as well
as everyday skin decoration. This appeals to persons in the west and the east who prefer organic products, it's "natural"
qualities appeal to many. Henna can be found in many of the local health food stores and organic grocers. It is found usually
in four shades; black, auburn, a lightener, and chestnut. Some shades are variations or mixtures of these four shades( IE,
dark chestnut, or light chestnut). Henna colors tend to fall into the red category and creates a brightness in it's shades.
How Henna Works: Henna owes its dying abilities to the presence of a chemical known a s lawsone. Citric or other acids are
added to create a p.H. of 5.5. Henna coats and penetrates into the hair shaft. Because of it's coating action henna can
process unevenly in hair that has uneven porosity. Henna dye coats the hair shaft and repetitive application of henna will
result in hair that is thicker and has more body. Henna can be used on hair that is fine, thin, limp and weak with out structural
damage to the hair. Henna coats the hair strand and fills in any "hole" or rough patches in the hair, and can bond split ends
to create the illusion of slick, shinny ends.
Warning: excessive use of henna dye on the hair can build up on the outside of the hair strand and create brassiness,
leaving conditioner unable to penetrate through the henna and will leave the hair dry and coarse. It may not have the look of
dry and coarse hair, however, hair will have the texture and feel of dry, coarse and damaged hair.
The risk in using henna as a hair dye
Henna has a coating effect that if overused, can create a build up in the hair and penetrates into the hair shaft and attach's
to the bonds of the hair. This may leave the hair unfit for other professional treatments, such as: decolorization, perming,
chemical relating, highlights, or other colorization applications. Constant build up of henna from over coating the hair can also
cause the hair to become brittle and break. There is a possibility to remove the build up of henna or to prepare the hair for
other types of chemical service. More than one application of the henna removal treatment may be necessary to remove all
traces of henna coating on the hair shaft.
- Important facts about henna that you should know before you dye at home.
As a Colorist I am neither pro nor con when it comes to using henna to color your hair. I have used henna to color clients
before and have worked with people who have used henna to color their hair at home. I must recommend that if you use
henna to color your hair that you do not try to perm or chemically straighten your hair, if you plan on coloring your hair with
any other color then henna be aware that the color will not always grab evenly to hair that has henna residue on it. Henna is
another option in coloring your hair. Like all hair color their are pros and cons to using henna. You must weigh your options
and find what is right for you.
The truth about a popular form of permanent hair color. Yes, henna is permanent hair color instead of being a metallic hair
dye, oxidative hair color or a compound dye henna is a vegetable tint. Even with being considered permanent hair color
henna, like most vegetable hair colors, will fade with shampooing. Vegetable tints were the first form of permanent hair
coloring. Vegetables, flowers, herbs and different types of mud were used in creating variations of dyes for hair before
technology brought us hair coloring as we know it today. Henna, dogwood, indigo, and chamomile were the four most
noteworthy hair dyes and are four that are still used commonly today.
Henna's originates from plants grown in moist climates throughout Africa, Arabia, Iran, and the East Indies. Henna is prepared
from leaves that are removed before the flowering cycle, dried and ground into a fine powder. Hot water or hot coffe/tea is
added to become a paste. A lemon and sugar mixture is made to set the henna.
Many people use henna as hair color and skin dye. Henna is used in many important ceremonies throughout the east as well
as everyday skin decoration. This appeals to persons in the west and the east who prefer organic products, it's "natural"
qualities appeal to many. Henna can be found in many of the local health food stores and organic grocers. It is found usually
in four shades; black, auburn, a lightener, and chestnut. Some shades are variations or mixtures of these four shades( IE,
dark chestnut, or light chestnut). Henna colors tend to fall into the red category and creates a brightness in it's shades.
How Henna Works: Henna owes its dying abilities to the presence of a chemical known a s lawsone. Citric or other acids are
added to create a p.H. of 5.5. Henna coats and penetrates into the hair shaft. Because of it's coating action henna can
process unevenly in hair that has uneven porosity. Henna dye coats the hair shaft and repetitive application of henna will
result in hair that is thicker and has more body. Henna can be used on hair that is fine, thin, limp and weak with out structural
damage to the hair. Henna coats the hair strand and fills in any "hole" or rough patches in the hair, and can bond split ends
to create the illusion of slick, shinny ends.
Warning: excessive use of henna dye on the hair can build up on the outside of the hair strand and create brassiness,
leaving conditioner unable to penetrate through the henna and will leave the hair dry and coarse. It may not have the look of
dry and coarse hair, however, hair will have the texture and feel of dry, coarse and damaged hair.
The risk in using henna as a hair dye
Henna has a coating effect that if overused, can create a build up in the hair and penetrates into the hair shaft and attach's
to the bonds of the hair. This may leave the hair unfit for other professional treatments, such as: decolorization, perming,
chemical relating, highlights, or other colorization applications. Constant build up of henna from over coating the hair can also
cause the hair to become brittle and break. There is a possibility to remove the build up of henna or to prepare the hair for
other types of chemical service. More than one application of the henna removal treatment may be necessary to remove all
traces of henna coating on the hair shaft.
Henna Removal Treatment
Please read over the 11 steps before you start. Professional help is recommended. Contact a professional if you have any questions
or concerns with this process. Persons under the age of 17 should not use this treatment with out adult supervision. If treatment
makes contact with your eyes flush with water and contact a physician.
I strongly recommend to have a deep conditioning treatment after this process.
Please read over the 11 steps before you start. Professional help is recommended. Contact a professional if you have any questions
or concerns with this process. Persons under the age of 17 should not use this treatment with out adult supervision. If treatment
makes contact with your eyes flush with water and contact a physician.
- Apply lotion around the hairline; on the ears, neck and forehead. For extra protection apply cotton around hairline.
- Apply 70% alcohol to the hair shaft, avoiding direct contact with the scalp. Allow to set 5-7 minutes.
- Apply mineral oil directly over the alcohol, completely saturating each strand from the scalp to the ends.
- Pre heat Hood Dryer.
- Tightly cover hair with a plastic bag, or elastic shower cap.
- Place under dryer for 30 minutes.
- Without rinsing, apply concentrated shampoo for oily hair (or a chelating shampoo) and work into the oil.
- Allow to set in for 3 minutes.
- Massage into the hair again.
- Add hot water and rinse thoroughly. (water should be as hot as you can handle comfortably)
- Shampoo again with chelating shampoo. Shampoo three times and rinse thoroughly.
I strongly recommend to have a deep conditioning treatment after this process.
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