How To Mix & Apply Henna To Dye Hair

Dyeing our hair with henna can be can be done as often we want without us bothering about the side effects. It is also a great conditioner, especially if you mix it with right ingredients. Just follow a few steps properly and you will get perfect henna hair dye each time. Most of the homes in our village have henna plant so we use it extensively for hair care in the form of hair oil, hair pack and also for dyeing the hair.

What Is Henna?

The word henna or mehandi refers both to the plant and the paste made out of the leaves for dyeing. The botanical name of henna plant is Lawsonia inermis. It is a small shrub with pointed narrow leaves and fragrant white flowers. We usually apply fresh henna paste got by grinding the leaves with water but you can also use henna powder too.

Henna Hair Dye Tips: 

• Applying henna is a time consuming process as you need at least an hour of soaking time so choose a day when you have plenty of time to dye your hair.
• Make sure to buy the henna powder that is pure and also one that does not have any other additives added to it. When buying henna powder make sure to check the label to see only henna is listed as an ingredient.
• Henna paste stains skin and it also lasts for quite some time so make sure to wear gloves if you don’t want it to stain your fingers. Also when applying, make sure to wear an old dress to avoid any stain on your clothes.
• Henna looks different on each and every person. If you are trying out henna for the first time, make sure not to try it before any special occasions as henna color does not remove easily from the hair.
• I would strongly suggest adding eucalyptus oil. Since we are letting henna soak for at least for an hour, it might not agree with everyone. Some might get a headache or catch a cold. Adding eucalyptus oil prevents that but try using good quality eucalyptus oil.
• When mixing, make sure that the paste is neither too thin or too thick, it should be of smooth spreadable consistency without any lumps.
• The quantity of the powder depends on the length of the hair, usually 1/4 cup will be enough for medium length hair and 1/2 cup for long hair.

How To Mix Henna For Hair:

To make home made henna hair dye, first make a strong tea decoction with regular black tea. Now take the required amount of henna powder depending on the length of your hair, add in amla powder and aloe vera powder. For 1/2 cup of henna powder, I like to add a tbsp of each. I some times add fresh aloe vera gel and amla too, I grind them finely in a mixer and then mix into the paste.

Add in enough of the prepared tea decoction and few drops of lemon juice to form into a paste and let it sit overnight covered in a iron kadai. If you don’t cover the kadai, the paste will form a skin. The next day morning, add in one egg and few drops of eucalyptus oil and mix really well.

How To Apply Henna On The Hair:

First cover yourself with a cloth to prevent any stains and wear gloves. Divide the hair into sections and apply the henna paste to each section with your hands, you can also use a brush too. I like to start from the top, once I finish a section I gather it on top into a bun and continue applying henna till I finish applying fully.

Let it sit for at least two to three hours before washing it off with plain water. Do not immediately wash your hair with shampoo, wait for a day and then wash your hair with a mild shampoo. Inspite of adding egg, it might be drying for some so always make sure to condition your hair after you shampoo your hair.

The Next Day:

Henna color might look too bright the first day after you apply. Don’t panic, it will deepen over time. Henna hair dye can be made with coffee decoction too. Try it with both tea and coffee and choose the one that you like best based on the final color of your hair. If you are looking for natural alternative to chemical hair dyes then henna hair dye is a very good option.

Henna Hair Dye Side Effects:

Henna is a bit cooling and people who are prone to sinus infection will find it hard to let the henna soak for 2 to 3 hours. For them, I would highly recommend adding eucalyptus oil. I have never seen anyone develop an allergy using fresh henna paste but it might not be the same with store bought henna powder, it depends on the quality of henna powder.