Introduction
Before we get to details, we would want to begin this article by calling henna hair colour a real hidden gem! We really believe so.
The scientific name of Henna plant is Lawsonia Inermis and in very simple words, it is a dye. A dye from a plant, hence a natural dye! This is not unknown, but isn’t this a powerful gift by nature to us. We all know henna can give colour to skin and hair, and hence, it could be a great natural ingredient to colour grey hair. It is being used as a dye since ancient times. However, due to its natural orange shade, and a traditional feel that it carries, it is not used as a hair dye by many people. But we must admit that ultimately, this is a natural dye and hence it could obviously be a great substitute as compared to the chemical loaded hair colours for our hair.
It was this interesting path, of fondness for this natural ingredient and the gaps it had that led us to our journey of Caaru hair colours. And in this journey, we have surely learnt and discovered a lot about henna, which we would love to share with you.
What is henna hair color?
At Caaru, the colours made using henna as a base is what we term as henna hair colour. These are not just henna and hence they cover the gaps henna has as a natural dye. They are not meant to give orange colour to hair. The dryness factor of henna is also controlled in these, by the presence of ingredients like Amla and Shikakai. And they are meant to be hair colours, just like how a fancy chemical brand would have hair colours.
You might see different interpretations of this term by different people, brands, and products, however, in simple words, this is what it means.
Now talking about why should we choose henna as a way to colour hair? Of course, it is a natural substitute and that says a lot, but are there any other benefits of henna for hair? Let’s dive deep into this first!
4 key benefits of henna for hair
1. Fights dandruff
Henna has anti fungal and anti bacterial properties. It hence acts as a cleanser, helps absorb the excess oil on scalp and thus cures dandruff. It is said that regular use of henna on hair can also prevent dandruff from coming back.
2. Reduces hair fall
Henna can help reduce hair fall. It is extremely beneficial to improve scalp health and balance pH levels. This combined with its property to fight dandruff, helps reduce hair fall.
3. Reduces split ends and hair damage
Henna helps strengthen hair and improves hair texture. This helps to reduce the damaging properties of hair like split ends, hence keeping hair healthy.
4. Hair conditioning
As opposed to the usual belief, that henna dries up hair, it can actually help a lot with conditioning of hair. Henna moisturises hair and is believed to be a conditioner for hair by experts. It repairs the hair shaft and helps the hair cuticles to retain moisture, hence conditioning hair and also enhancing their shine.
So with all such given benefits of henna, and the fact that it is a natural hair dye, we believe that henna hair colour is surely a better choice to dye hair.
How to use henna hair colour as a dye for grey hair?
Henna hair colour is usually available in powder form and hence, the method below could be taken as generic process of using these for hair. But to specify, we are elaborating below the application process for Caaru henna hair colour and hence if you opt for any other product, the application could be a bit different.
The application process is fairly simple and there is no rocket science to this. Since these are in powder form, you first have to mix luke warm water in this to make a paste. Care should be taken to keep the water luke warm, as it helps enhance the colour of henna. Further, the paste consistency should be appropriate to apply on hair and cover hair nicely. If you add too much water, henna is likely to get diluted and your hair will not be properly coloured or will feel light. At the same time, if you keep the paste too dry, the powder will not be mixed properly and instead of covering hair, the particles will just remain on hair, and again, the right color will not appear. Hence, ensuring the paste thickness and consistency is appropriate for application on hair is really important with henna hair colours.
Once the paste is made, you should apply this on hair, ensuring that there is no oil on hair and hair are dry. Again, the presence of oil will prevent henna from doing its job of colouring.
Then, leave this on hair for about 30 minutes and wash off the paste. That’s all!
Bonus – Since henna can stain skin as well, due to its natural tendency to do so, you can cover the skin around the hair line with some cream or vaseline to avoid staining of skin. At the same time, wear gloves, to avoid any colour on hands as well.
Should I shampoo after henna?
This is a common question that many people ask. We say, that no product should be left on hair for very long and no matter what you have used on hair, be it natural or a chemical substance, cleanliness of hair is really important. Hence, we totally instruct to wash henna hair colour using shampoo. You can first rinse out the major chunk of paste with water and then shampoo. This will ensure your hair are clean and any excess color will also wash off, and will prevent staining of clothes/things around you later.
How to avoid the orange color of henna on hair?
This is always another major concern for most people and is a strong and fair reason why one will not want to use henna on hair, inspite of the fact that it is a natural hair dye. Not everyone is comfortable with the orange shade it leaves on hair. That is surely not our natural hair type.
To control this, you can opt for natural ways, like applying indigo after the use of henna on hair or making the henna paste in an iron vessel to get a darker colour. However, these processes are not instant and require a longer time and repeated steps.
At Caaru we have controlled the orange colour of henna, to give you a ready mix that takes cares of all shortcomings and can help you dye your grey hair, in the choice of colors your want!
To know more on how to pick the right henna colour for your hair, check out this link.
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