Henna & Co.: cover grey and white hair

Gray and white hair is everyone's nightmare (women and men of all ages).
The first white hair appeared on my head when I was just 18 years old.
I started using chemical dyes, but with each coloring my hair lost its light, volume, nutrients and hydration. It was always dull, damaged, full of split ends and most of all I lost my beloved curls.
That's how I discovered henna.
Some people don't believe that henna can really cover gray and white hair and always ask: "Does henna dye white hair?". My answer? "Absolutely! Check it out..."

        Before     After  

Henna is the number one choice for anyone who wants a natural alternative when coloring their hair.
Plant-based alternatives to chemical hair color promise natural color results without harmful ingredients.
With herbal dyes, the natural color pigments attach themselves to the cuticle and thus wrap around the hair shaft.
They thus protect the hair and make it look healthier and stronger. Henna is also a powerful sebum normalizing and anti-dandruff agent.
The chemical ingredients in industrial hair colorants break down the hair structure with an oxidizing agent - usually hydrogen peroxide - to allow the color to penetrate the hair and last. It is not uncommon for the active ingredients contained in industrial hair colorants to also be tested on animals.

                                 

• Where does henna come from?

Henna is made from the leaves of Lawsonia Inermis and can be used in its pure form for dyeing. 
To obtain the dye, the leaves are dried and ground into powder.
Henna powder by itself is not dyeing, but once it is mixed with water, it can be used to dye hair, skin, nails and silk or wool. 

• Dyeing hair with henna

The pigments act as a protective conditioning coat, smoothing and thickening the hair instead of attacking it.
However, compared to chemical tints and colorations, the range of natural colors is more limited: it is very difficult (almost impossible) to lighten hair with plant hair color, extreme color changes, on the contrary, can not be achieved.
Moreover, the individual color result depends strongly on the initial color and cannot be predicted with certainty in advance.
Therefore, we always recommend experimenting first on a concealed strand of hair to check the result.
But experimenting, trying things out and being surprised is fun after all!

• How does it work?

You'll need:

• Heat-resistant bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Old towel
• Shower cap (I always use the same one)
• Brush (or just use your hands) to apply the paint
• Hat or turban to keep the mixture warm

Important.
Unlike chemical dyes, your hair must be clean to dye it with henna!
You don't need to use shampoo after henna.

First, bring water to a boil.
Put the henna powder in a ceramic or plastic bowl (not metal bowls or pots), pour the boiling water over it (in small increments) and mix.
Mix until no lumps are visible and the consistency resembles that of yogurt.
Note: For the quantities, it depends on the hair length and the amount of hair.

If you want to get cool red tones, let the henna paste rest in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. The longer you let the color draw, the stronger and more intense color will be seen on your hair later.
If you want to get warm red tones, apply the henna paste immediately. For warm reds, we recommend adding half a lemon juice or herbal tea and a tablespoon of turmeric to the paste.

Put on gloves (always use the same pair of gloves and the same shower cap: we respect the environment).

Part the hair and apply the henna paste from the roots on the hair with a brush or with your hands, distributing it to the tips.
When everything is distributed, you can put on a shower cap for protection.
Keep your head warm with a wool cap or towel.
The warmth is important because it allows the color pigments to develop better and the hair color becomes more beautiful.

The setting time depends on the shade you want.
I recommend a minimum of one hour. I usually leave it on the head for 2 hours.

Then rinse henna paste with warm water.
Rinse until the water remains clear.
If you want you can add a conditioner at the end and rinse out the rest.

Our favorite? The one from "Le Erbe di Janas"!

Tip: Try not to use shampoo for at least 3 days.
Give the henna time to really bind to the hair.
It would be ideal to use shikakai washing herb as your first post henna shampoo. Shikakai helps the henna to fully bond with the hair. Never heard of it? Read more on our blog: Fruit for the hair: shikakai.

Important: Henna is a natural product it especially suitable for allergy sufferers, but you can also be allergic to the pure henna! Be sure to try it on a small area of skin beforehand.

With henna your hair will not only become red!
Gray and white hair becomes red with pure henna.
To change the color to brown or black, you need to do another coloring with different coloring herbs.
For more information do not hesitate to contact us!