Hair dye Henna Iranian natural - “Pros and cons of henna. Think first, color later

Henna is a powder known since ancient times, very popular in cosmetology, obtained from the dried and crushed leaves of Lavsonia Non-prickly (used for hair coloring) or Cassia Tupolistnaya (colorless henna, which is used to heal, strengthen and nourish hair, not to be confused with white henna non-plant origin).

Henna is very popular among the people because of the huge number of advantages.

Henna benefits

  • Helps to get rid of dandruff due to antiseptic properties.
  • It has a very good effect on oily scalp, thanks to the tannins in the composition. You can simply make masks from colorless henna, if you do not want to paint them with regular henna.
  • Henna coloring does not change the structure of the hair.

  • From the fact that henna literally envelops each hair, they become thicker, and the hair will appear thicker. Because of this, the hair will be shinier and smoother from the very first use.
  • Hair becomes more elastic and dense, which greatly facilitates their styling.
  • Henna dyeing gives the hair a very persistent and rich color.
  • If the hair is thin and light, then it will color very quickly (in 10-15 minutes there will already be a pleasant reddish tint).
  • Accelerates hair growth.
  • Strengthens hair.

  • The absolutely natural origin of henna allows it to be used by pregnant and lactating women.
  • Few people are allergic to henna.
  • Henna coloring has no return restrictions.
  • Henna powder price. In general, the price range is huge: from 15 to several hundred rubles, depending on the type of henna itself and the manufacturer.
  • Does not stain dishes and baths if washed immediately.

Cons of henna

Although there are many of them, most of them can be neglected, because they are not critical for everyone.

  • The only color that henna will dye hair is ginger. With one caveat, by adding other natural ingredients to henna paint, you can get other shades. For a golden hue: a strong decoction of chamomile, turmeric or saffron, kefir, sour cream or a decoction of rhubarb. For chocolate: ground cinnamon, strong black coffee or tea, nutshell infusion. A reddish tint will add beetroot juice, hibiscus tea, red wine. If you experiment, over time you can find your own recipe that will give the most desired color. But henna, whatever one may say, will not help to become a blonde.
  • If you suddenly didn’t like the resulting color (and it may turn out to be completely different from what you wanted), then washing off or painting over the henna with chemical paint will no longer work. You can only weaken the color, making it not as juicy as immediately after painting. Masks made from heated vegetable oils will help with this. In order not to suffer, trying to get rid of an unwanted color, it is recommended that you first try to paint over a small strand.

  • Also, if after some time you want to become, for example, a brunette from a redhead, and dye your hair with chemical paint, you will have to grow your natural color so that the paint sits evenly and in the color that is required.
  • It is not recommended to use henna itself on chemically dyed hair, as there is a risk of getting green hair.
  • Doesn't cover gray hair very well. If gray hairs are evenly distributed on the head, then after coloring the hairstyle will look even more interesting.
  • Straightens perms. This is due to the fact that henna coloring is not strong, but makes the hair heavier.
  • It is necessary to apply henna to the hair before it has cooled down, which means very quickly. This will complicate the task for those who dye their own hair.

  • For a bright, saturated color, you need to keep henna on your head for a long time, especially if your hair is dark.
  • You can tint your hair with henna no more than once every 2 weeks. This is due to another big minus of henna (see below).
  • Dries hair. Because of this, oils are often added to the dye when coloring. From this follows another drawback of henna staining.
  • Henna powder very difficult to wash from hair. But it is even harder to wash the hair from the oil added during coloring. It is recommended to choose coconut oil for its lightness, or even some essential oil (lavender, tea tree, rosemary). Shampoo can be used only 3 days after painting. This is because the substances in its composition can react with henna.
  • Too frequent henna staining can give quite the opposite effect, namely, not recovery and shine, but lifelessly hanging, dull strands.
  • Henna stains the skin, so if you need to immediately, as soon as it gets on your face or ears, clean it. Before dyeing along the hairline, it is recommended to spread a greasy cream or any vegetable oil. And it is better to put on medical or special polyethylene gloves on your hands. But if you immediately wipe off the henna that has fallen on the skin, it will be easily cleaned.
  • In the process of application, a small amount of henna, drying up, is poured from the head. But this is not very scary, it does not stain clothes, only the floor, which will have to be swept / vacuumed.

Conclusion

So, what should be the conclusion from all of the above? Henna is very useful and remarkable for its properties. The most important thing when using it is to try it on a small strand first, and follow the measure - do not paint too often. And then the results will please rather than disappoint.

When the soul asks for change, we often start it with a change in hair color or a new haircut (and often with both), that's how we are arranged. New hairstyle - new life! But it's no secret that most hair dyes can greatly spoil the health of the hair. And then we begin to study, or how to lighten them at home. And today we will talk specifically about hair coloring with such a natural remedy as henna, talk about the pros and cons of this procedure and share recipes.

How to dye your hair with henna at home? Pros and cons of henna hair coloring.

Before you decide on a radical change in the natural shade of your hair, you need to be completely confident in your actions, so that later any little things will not come as an unexpected surprise to you. The same rule applies to hair coloring with henna. Despite the fact that this is a completely natural dye, it has a number of both pluses and minuses that must be considered.

Pros:

  • Henna does not contain any chemicals.
  • This is a completely natural remedy.
  • Henna gives any hair a beautiful shade. Light curls acquire a natural red color, while dark ones acquire a beautiful reddish tint, which looks very impressive in the sun. No hair color will give your hair such a natural color.
  • Henna goes well with other natural dyes (such as basma or cocoa), the combination of which allows you to give an interesting color to your hairstyle.

Minuses:

Henna hair coloring

So, if you have weighed the pros and cons, and still decided to try this remedy, then it remains only to figure out .

You will need:

  1. a few sachets of henna.
  2. hot water.
  3. paint bowl.
  4. paint brush.
  5. a few clamps (optional).
  6. shower cap.
  7. towel.
  8. old shirt.

To begin with, we will prepare a mixture, which we will subsequently apply to the strands. To do this, take the required number of henna sachets (it all depends on the length of your curls. The longer the hair, the more you need. On average, this is 1-2 sachets for medium-length hair, 2-4 for long hair). Pour the contents into a bowl and fill with hot water. It is necessary that you get a mass that resembles yogurt or sour cream in consistency. Let the paint cool a little, and only then you can proceed to its application.

Put on an old T-shirt that you don't mind getting dirty. Take some greasy cream or oil and rub it on your forehead, temples, ears, and the back of your neck. If a few drops of dye get into these areas during staining, after the procedure you can easily remove them without staining them with paint.

Combing strand by strand, apply paint with a brush. It is very convenient to pin the treated areas with clamps so that they do not interfere. It is very important that the strands are covered evenly, from roots to ends. Then wrap your hair and put on a shower cap (you can also put on a plastic bag). Wrap your head in a towel.

Keep the dye on your hair from 40 minutes to 2 hours. Then wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner. The very process of washing off this mixture from the hair may take some time, because it is necessary to wash all the grains of henna.

Now your hair needs special care. You need to take care of their hydration, as well as use products for colored hair.

Many representatives of the fairer sex use henna masks to strengthen their hair, change their color and improve their condition. However, this tool has its drawbacks, which should be known to all girls who use henna to care for curls. We will talk about the positive and negative effects of this remedy on hair in our today's article.

The positive effect of henna on hair

Henna is a natural dye, so it has quite a lot of useful qualities. We will consider each advantage of the described tool in more detail:

  • Henna is a natural dye, so an allergy to it occurs in a small number of people suffering from individual intolerance to various elements in the product.
  • Penetrating into the structure of the hair, henna fills the gaps in it, making the hair smooth and dense.
  • Henna makes curls heavier, helping to straighten them and treat split ends.
  • The natural ingredients that make up henna strengthen hair follicles and make hair strong and strong.
  • Henna changes the color of the strands and keeps their structure unchanged (and even improved).
  • The antiseptic components of henna help get rid of dandruff and prevent its occurrence.
  • Henna makes hair smooth and shiny.
  • Henna heals the epidermis of the head and helps it regulate the production of sebum.
  • When used correctly, henna helps eliminate brittle strands and restore vitality to them.
  • Henna coloring helps to make the color of the hair bright and saturated.
  • Henna can be used at any age.
  • Due to the natural composition, henna can be used even during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Like any other remedy, henna has a number of significant drawbacks. We have listed them below:

  • It makes no sense to paint over gray hair with henna, it leaves gray hair almost unchanged.
  • Henna should not be used by owners of dry hair. Tannins help to normalize the secretion of fat by the dermis of the head, but with dry strands, this property makes the curls brittle and lifeless.
  • With frequent use, henna destroys the natural protective barrier of the hair, due to which the curls become naughty and stiff, lose elasticity and become dull.
  • Henna is able to straighten strands from the first application, so there is no point in using this tool for girls who want to have curly hair.
  • Henna cannot be used in combination with other types of paints or applied to already dyed strands. Hair color may change completely differently than you imagined. The same rule applies when staining curls previously dyed with henna with store paint. As a result, you will get an extraordinary appearance with green hair.
  • Henna staining is an irreversible process, i.e. you will not succeed in fixing and recoloring the curls in a new color. Because henna dyes penetrate the hair and envelop it, there is simply no room for new substances, and the color of the hair remains unchanged (this applies to natural dyes) or changes in a completely unpredictable way.
  • Henna, like any other paint, burns out strongly when exposed to sunlight on dyed curls.

Many women try to use henna as a natural coloring agent, because. its healing functions are many times greater than the benefits of store-bought chemical paints. Having learned the shortcomings of henna, you can decide on the type of coloring of the strands and decide which method suits you best.

You can protect your hair from the possible negative consequences of henna staining and reduce its negative impact on curls with the help of these tips:

  1. Before applying the entire composition to curls, check the result of staining on an inconspicuous thin strand: if you like the new shade, then use henna for the entire hair.
  2. It is necessary to carry out staining with henna no more than 1 time per month.
  3. Be sure to follow the directions and dosages given in the product instructions. Any arbitrariness can make the color of curls far from the expected result.
  4. Under no circumstances should you mix henna powder with chemical dye. The result of such actions can be very deplorable.
  5. Try not to use colorless henna too often - once a week will be enough to care for curls.
  6. To prepare henna, try to use water with a temperature not exceeding 70 degrees. Boiled water cancels the beneficial properties of the product and makes it useless for curls.

The use of henna as a coloring agent is a more time-consuming and dirty task than dyeing hair with store paint. Try to protect your skin and clothes from the dyes of the product with rubber gloves, plastic neck pads and unnecessary clothing. Be sure to follow the recommendations described in the instructions - this is the only way you can ensure the desired result and a safe outcome of the entire procedure.

With the correct use of henna and the observance of the above rules and tips, you can achieve the most useful result and make curls healthier and more attractive without much effort and incredible costs.

Cheap? Highly! But is it possible to trust such cheap paint, and is henna so beneficial for hair, as its fans assure? Let's figure it out.

Natural paint is a plus

In addition to the attractive price, ordinary henna has another indisputable plus - it is a natural dye. It is produced from the leaves of Lavsonia Non-thorny. Therefore, if you are afraid of using hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, then henna may be the solution for you.

And here she is! Lavsonia non-thorny

Unpredictable shade of hair is a minus

It is impossible to predict exactly what shade henna will give you. I like the result on my hair, but it may absolutely not match the results of the same painting on other girls. You need to be aware of this if you decide to try.

This is the shade I get

More for clarity. Here is my natural color and dyed hair (the first part of the photo, although less bright, but still gives an idea of ​​​​the shade):

The result of dyeing will depend on your natural color, on what kind of henna you use, what you add to it and how much you keep it on your hair when painting.

The intensity of the shade can be adjusted - this is a plus

Coloring time plays a big role. Here are two photos of hair dyed with henna. The first option is the result of about 10 minutes of staining, and the second is about an hour (and most likely this is not the first staining):

Tint after 10 minutes

Tint after 60 minutes

Persistent color is a plus and minus

If you like the resulting color, this is a positive feature of henna, and if not, then a bad one. Henna is very durable. It will be difficult to remove the resulting redhead, just washing it off will not work, and becoming a blonde after that is almost unrealistic - the redhead will haunt you.

Therefore, if you like to change the color of your hair, then henna is not your option.

Henna can dye not only hair - this is a minus

When staining, remember that henna paints everything - arm yourself with gloves, and smear your forehead, ears, temples with a fat cream. As with any hair dye, only dye dirty hair.

It is impossible to "overexpose" henna on the hair - this is a plus

The catch is that it is quite difficult to prepare the perfect consistency of the coloring mixture. Only experience will teach you how to make the mixture not too thick (which cannot be applied evenly) and not too thin (which flows down the hair from under the hat while you wait).

Yes, I mentioned the hat for a reason: when the henna is applied, you need to put a plastic bag on your head, and a hat on top and ... wait. The longer you wait, the richer the color will be. It is difficult to overexpose henna, some even sleep with it, but I think it is terribly uncomfortable.

Immediately after you wash off the henna, do not wash your hair with the usual shampoos, you will want to do this quite strongly, because the henna particles are washed out with difficulty, but at this stage you should be patient.

Henna strengthens hair and accelerates their growth? It's not proven

Personally, I have not noticed any benefit or harm from henna. My hair felt thicker but drier at the same time. Fortunately, there are countless hair balms and masks in the world so that dryness can be avoided.

In particular, they help to avoid dryness and maintain the beauty of the hair. little tricks when painting. For example, I diluted henna not just with boiling water, but with a decoction of chamomile. And I added egg yolk, coconut or castor oil to the mixture.

Also, many argue that henna eliminates dandruff. I can’t say this, since I never had it, but even after regular use of henna, such misfortune did not appear.

Coloring did not affect the length of the hair in any way.

3 years of using henna did not make hair shorter or ruin it

Let's summarize:

  • Tell your friends:

Henna is a dye of natural origin. It was used by the inhabitants of the ancient East. With it, they dyed their hair and made drawings on the body called mehendi.

Currently, henna is used both as a decorative and as a cosmetic care product in the composition of masks. Let's look at why henna for hair is so popular, reviews, the benefits and harms of its use.

What substances does henna contain

Henna is a powdered substance obtained from a plant called Lavsonia Enermis.

Henna gives a beautiful color and heals hair

More bright color shoots from the top of the bush- they are used in the manufacture of henna for mehendi. Hair dye is obtained from the lower leaves. The leaves are collected, dried and crushed.

Henna contains many beneficial substances, including:

  • vitamin C,
  • vitamin K,
  • b vitamins,
  • traces of essential oil.

Useful properties of henna

As a natural dye henna can be used for hair benefits. Henna envelops the hair from the outside, makes it even and provides protection from the negative effects of the sun. At the same time, the hair becomes more lush, healthy, thick.


Henna

The harm of henna to hair, unlike industrial dyes that change the structure of the hair and penetrate inside, is minimal, which allows henna to receive a lot of positive feedback.

The tannins contained in henna determine the effect of staining on the functioning of the sebaceous glands, normalizing their work. therefore henna will give an additional pleasant effect for those with oily or dry hair.

The film that forms on the surface of the hair tightens the peeling scales, preventing the ends from being split. Henna also has a beneficial effect on the scalp. As a result - prevention and disposal of dandruff. E The effect is noticeable after the first staining.

The negative impact of henna on hair

People's reviews allow us to talk about the unpleasant consequences of using henna for hair and even causing some harm to the hair. We are talking about the reverse side of the drying effect of henna: with frequent use, the hair loses a lot of moisture, becoming dry and weak.

If you use henna correctly, then you will notice only its beneficial properties.

Don't go from one extreme to another. Remember that too much henna makes hair stiff, inelastic and unruly.

Carefully! An unexpected shade may be encountered by people using henna on dyed hair. In this case, you should not count on a uniform color.
For blondes, the use of henna is not indicated, unless it is a colorless henna.

What do trichologists say about henna?

Reviews of doctors regarding henna differ. They believe that henna for hair does more harm than good. There is even such a point of view that henna does not strengthen and heal hair, but rather weakens it.


Henna dyed hair

In addition, according to doctors, it can irritate the scalp and cause hair loss. However, nothing is known about the quality of henna, which served as the basis for such a conclusion.

Interesting fact! Statistically, a relationship was found between the disease of leukemia and the application of mehendi patterns to the skin (about 60% of women in South Asia).

After a number of recent studies, the idea of ​​genotoxicity of henna was expressed, as a result of which it was decided not to recommend pregnant women to use this natural dye, like any synthetic dyes (for a different reason).

Opinions of hairdressers about henna for hair

Some hairdressers speak negatively about henna powder.

Experts say that “real” henna looks like a bar of soap and is sold exclusively in handmade cosmetics stores.

Such a tile contains cocoa butter, other natural oils, linalool. Of course, when used in combination with these components, the beneficial effect of henna will be more pronounced.

Henna for hair - reviews

The benefits and harms of henna from the point of view of ordinary people are manifested in a different way. Modern girls often prefer henna to synthetic paints.


The result of staining with colorless henna

Of the ambiguous consequences of staining, they note that with subsequent clarification it is very difficult to get rid of yellowness.

However excellent reviews receive colorless henna masks. Discussions on the topic of the popular staining method are even conducted in many periodicals.

What to add to henna for hair benefits

Original henna color varies from red to bronze(since the paint does not completely cover the natural shade of the hair). But all other colors offered on the market are obtained by mixing with synthetic dyes, which do not add to the usefulness of this natural paint.


The result of staining with henna and basma

When preparing masks, it is permissible to add cocoa butter, which have a caring effect.

How to cook henna

In order for henna to have only a beneficial effect on the hair, and not harm, some rules and recommendations for preparing the composition should be followed.


Stages of henna hair coloring at home

For example, for these purposes Only non-metal utensils are suitable or metal, but with an enamel coating. Otherwise, according to reviews, the paint reacts with the metal.

It is worth noting that preparation for staining must begin in advance. To do this, henna is poured with water, achieving the release of hennatonic acid, a coloring matter.

Note! The rate of a chemical reaction is not affected by the temperature of the water, but by the temperature of the air in the room. At +20°C, henna takes up to 5-6 hours, you can prepare the paint in the evening.

Once at a temperature of +35°C, the mixture will be ready in a couple of hours. As a result, it turns brown (air oxygen oxidizes hennatonin). Do not boil henna with boiling water- when stained, a weak ugly shade will turn out.

The saturation of the color can be influenced by adding dry wine, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to the mixture - this will make the medium more acidic and the resulting color brighter.

You can add a few drops of your favorite oils.

Owners of thin hair it is advised to take not water, but kefir as the basis for the henna mixture. Before that, it is desirable to warm it up. Do not be afraid that he will curl up. However, for those who are not ready for this, there is another way - just leave it for a couple of hours without a refrigerator.

Rules for the use of henna

It is advisable to wash your hair before using henna.


Henna coloring: before and after

Staining is carried out as follows:

  1. The mixture is applied to the hair (the prepared mixture should have the consistency of sour cream), and they are successively carefully stained.
  2. The head is insulated.
  3. The holding time depends on the desired result. It takes about 2 hours to dye a brunette's hair. For light brown hair, 1.5 hours is enough.
  4. Rinse should be over a container (basin) so as not to stain anything. The water should be colorless at the end. When washing off henna, it is advisable to abandon the shampoo.

The chemical oxidation reaction, which was already mentioned earlier, continues after the staining procedure, therefore within a few days the color will become brighter, acquiring saturated colors. For the next three days after dyeing, it is advisable not to wash your hair.

Henna hair masks: recipes

Henna masks often contain moisturizing ingredients, which compensate for the negative drying effect of henna. For those who are afraid of drying their hair, recipes that allow the addition of oils are suitable.


Colorless henna is suitable for making a mask

Everybody masks are applied to slightly damp hair. The head is insulated (it is more convenient to use a winter hat instead of a towel and a shower cap instead of a film for this). When washing off the mask, you will have to use shampoo, however, you can take a natural one.

Beneficial for the scalp henna and wheat germ mask:

  1. A bag of colorless henna - 25 g.
  2. 3 art. l. amla oils.
  3. 1 st. l. burdock oil.
  4. 1 tsp grape seed oils.
  5. 1 tsp wheat germ oils.

Henna must be diluted with hot water, let it brew, after a while add oil. Apply to hair, warm. Wash off after half an hour.

Mask against hair loss with cottage cheese:

  1. 3 art. l. henna.
  2. 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice.
  3. 2 yolks.
  4. 200-300 grams of cottage cheese.

All ingredients must be mixed and applied to the head. Put on a hat and cover with a towel to keep warm. Keep the mask for 30-40 minutes.

White henna mask:

The simplest, but no less effective, can be considered a mask consisting of colorless henna. To prepare it, take water in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3.

Instead of water, it is permissible to use decoctions of herbs.

Combine henna and water (herbal decoction). The effect of the mask can be adjusted adding oils to the mask:

  • against loss - castor and olive (enough for 1 tbsp. l.);
  • for shine - almond;
  • for food - castor.

Henna and kefir mask for more hydration and nutrition

Kefir is often used as the basis for firming masks. A very simple recipe, but provides excellent results due to its composition.

Note! Before preparing the mask, it is necessary to warm the kefir, leaving it for a couple of hours at room temperature. For dry hair, you should choose a fatter kefir, and for oily hair - kefir with a reduced fat content.

The mask is applied to clean or slightly contaminated hair.

For maximum effect kefir masks must be kept by warming the head with a towel.

Mix 2 tbsp. l. henna and 4–5 tbsp. l. kefir (depending on the length of the hair). Apply, keep for half an hour. It is acceptable to add essential oils or a couple of tablespoons of cocoa(not recommended for blondes).

As it turned out, henna for hair reviews are quite contradictory. The benefits and harms of this dye, as well as the result of staining, depend largely on compliance with the rules for preparation and use.

The following video will talk about the use of henna:

This video will tell you about hair coloring with henna and basma:

If you want to learn how to make colorless henna hair masks, watch the following video:


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