11 Things To Know Before Using Henna Hair Dye

Are you thinking about making the switch to natural hair dye (aka henna)? If so, here are 11 Things To Know Before Using Henna Hair Dye!

I’ve been using henna on my hair for the last few years, minus a quick blip when I decided to lighten my hair last summer, only to then return to henna a few months later. I actually started using henna after a friend of mine mentioned that she had used henna for years and that it had made her hair so much stronger and healthier, and she recommended that I try it out, too.

Henna has been used for thousands of years by many cultures around the world as a hair treatment and hair-dying method. It has been long known as an incredible treatment for hair to improve its strength, shine, and health, and as an excellent natural option for changing hair colour.

11 Things To Know Before Using Henna Hair Dye

When it comes to using henna on your hair – there are some pros and cons to weigh before committing to this natural hair dye. Today I am sharing my top 11 Things To Know Before Using Henna Hair Dye to help you make your decision. Have a question that I didn’t answer? Either contact me directly, or write a comment below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

1. Henna is both a hair treatment and a natural hair dye.

Henna hair dye is a great natural hair dye option for those looking to tint or colour their hair without using chemical-based hair dyes. You can dye your hair in a range of natural colours using henna. I personally have used henna to dye my hair copper, auburn, and brown and have always loved how even and glossy it makes my hair look.

While henna is great for changing your hair colour, it is also a very beneficial hair treatment. It is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, and it coats the hair to make it stronger-feeling overall. It is said to help balance the pH of your scalp which also can help improve hair health and hair growth.

2. Henna is a permanent natural hair dye.

When you’re choosing to use henna, you’re committing to using henna as it is a permanent hair dye. Now that doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to change your colour – you can shift shades and continue using henna, or you can very gradually lighten your hair, but it can be damaging just the same as it can be damaging to use mainstream permanent hair dyes and then try to lighten your hair.

Some hairstylists are also very nervous to lighten hair that has henna on it. This is because some henna can contain metallic salts which are known to cause reactions with mainstream hair dyes and lighteners. When you’re choosing to use a henna hair product, it is best to keep an eye out for metallic salts and avoid them. If you aren’t sure if the henna you’re looking at contains metallic salts then reach out to the brand and ask.

3. The colouring process is longer than other at-home hair dyes.

If you’re used to colouring your hair at home then you may be accustomed to dying your hair within 15-30 minutes. With henna, the process is a bit longer. Depending on the colour you use, you’re looking at a 2-4 hour processing time. I personally don’t mind this since I am at home and use that time to watch a movie or clean my house, but it does mean you are stuck at home for a few hours while the colour processes.

4. Henna hair dye texture is somewhat muddy.

When you make your henna, you add water to your henna powder and it makes a somewhat muddy paste. I try to get my henna consistency to be similar to a yogurt-like consistency, since I find this applies easiest and doesn’t run as it sets in my hair.

Henna has a somewhat gritty feeling and an earthy smell. If you’re used to mainstream hair dyes, this may surprise you initially.

5. It can be messy and stain your skin.

The first time I ever used henna, my bathroom was a bit of a disaster zone! It’s easy to accidentally drop henna on the floor or have pieces fall out of your hair as you’re working it through your hair, stain your hands if you’re not wearing gloves, and so on. But, there are a few simple things you can do to make the whole process tidier, such as:

1. Wear clothing that you don’t mind getting stained and dirty.
2. Lay down a towel or some newspaper to catch any henna that falls on the floor.
3. Use gloves to avoid staining your hands.
4. Use a shower cap (typically provided in your henna hair kit) to contain your hair as it processes
5. Rinse your shower with water after rinsing your henna out. The henna does get everywhere in the shower and rinsing it off while it’s still wet is easiest.

6. Results are not immediate.

This is kind of a confusing point but let me explain – results are immediate, but they also aren’t. When you wash out your henna you will notice a change in your hair right away, however, it takes usually about 24-48 hours for the colour to fully develop. So, if you’re not 100% sure you love your colour right away – give it 48 hours before giving final judgment. The first time I used henna, I liked how the colour looked after I rinsed out the henna but after 48 hours – I LOVED it.

7. Lifting your hair after using henna can be difficult, and results can vary.

Since henna is a permanent hair dye, it is difficult to bleach and lift out, and as mentioned above, some hairstylists will refuse to lighten hair that has henna on it for this reason.

I have lightened my hair after using henna and while it has to be gradual, it can be done. Mainly, I have found you just need to wait a few weeks after dying your hair with henna, allowing it to settle and fade a bit, before using bleach to lighten your hair or add highlights. I waited about 8 weeks before I used bleach on my hair. Using it sooner will be more damaging and more difficult to get a lift in colour.

The other thing to consider is if your henna has indigo in it. If you have dyed your hair black or dark brown with henna, chances are it contains indigo pigments which will lift green or blue-ish. While I haven’t had issues with this, I do know it can be a common problem that people run into when using henna. Check the ingredients on your henna to see if it has indigo in it so that you know what to expect.

8. You cannot lighten your hair with henna.

Henna only darkens, adds a tint, or adds vibrancy to the hair – it cannot lighten the hair. If you’re a brunette and want to go blonde, henna won’t work for you. You will need to use a proper hair lightener to achieve any lift in hair colour.

9. Henna does make your hair feel healthier and stronger over time.

Since henna is rich in Vitamin E and antioxidants, it is a very effective hair treatment. It does make your hair feel stronger, healthier, and look shinier over time.

I have always had somewhat fragile hair – it was always dry and broke easily – and I’ve found that henna has made my hair so much more manageable, strong, and healthy looking and feeling. It’s one of the things that I missed about using henna and drew me back to it after I decided to lighten my hair in the summer.

10. Henna may improve hair growth and overall hair health.

Henna is said to also improve hair growth, which is something I experienced while using henna. The vitamin E and antioxidants in henna can help nourish the scalp, boost hair growth, and improve hair health as it grows. It also is said to balance scalp pH and a healthier scalp means healthier hair growth!

My hair always had difficulty reaching certain lengths, but while using henna, my hair grew longer than it ever has before – and it was healthy, strong, and soft feeling.

While part of this is because henna does wonders for scalp health, I think the other part of this is because it coats hair strands, making them stronger and healthier and less susceptible to breakage. Since my hair was breaking less, it was able to grow longer.

11. Not all henna hair dye brands are created equally.

Before using henna a few years ago, I had once used henna back in high school, but back then I didn’t do any research and I just grabbed the first box of henna hair dye that I saw. That particular brand was not pure henna and it ended up doing quite a number on my hair.

Since then, I’ve learned that the best type of henna to use is pure henna. When I began my henna journey a few years ago, I used the Lush Caca Rouge Henna and while I liked that, I preferred the application, colour and vibrancy that I achieved using Khadi Henna more. Now, I use Khadi Henna exclusively and love how easy it is to use, the colour I can achieve with it, and how much healthier my hair has been since using it.

Some final thoughts

I love using henna on my hair and I’ve been so happy with how much healthier, stronger, and shinier it looks. I also love that while using henna, my hair has been able to grow longer than ever before. It has really improved my hair overall.

I would recommend it to those who tend to stick to one hair colour (ie. if you always colour your hair red, black, or brown then henna may be a good natural option for you), those who want to add a tint to their hair colour (ie. if you have dark hair but want a red shine to your hair, henna is a great option), or those who stick to deeper hair colour shades. But, I would not recommend henna to those who like to lighten their hair or change their hair colour frequently.

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