Henna Hair Dye Recipe

Henna dye is a natural product prepared from the flowering plant Lawsonia inermis. The leaves of this plant are used for hair coloring and body art. The plant contains an active ingredient called lawsone that gives color to the skin and hair. Basically, the natural henna hair colors are light red or burgundy.

Nevertheless, additives can be mixed with henna powder to give different shades of color to the mane. Since henna is a herbal formulation, it is almost free from the side effects that can be a result of harmful hair coloring products sold in the market.

Most people use this product for covering gray hair, while some apply it for reducing hair fall, promoting hair growth, and adding volume to the mane. Based on your purpose of applying, henna hair dye recipe can be easy to complex.

Similar to other natural hair dye recipes, henna dye is also easy to prepare at home. You can make it just by mixing henna powder with water. However, complex henna recipes using acidic ingredients and additives also exists.

Acid quickens the release of lawsone dye and is preferable for giving red color to the hair. You can also add coffee, tea leaves, and essential oils to mask the henna smell as well as to smoothen your tresses. The ingredients and steps for brewing henna are as follows.

• Henna powder (preferably body art quality)
• Citrus juices (lemon or grapefruit juice)
• Plastic stain-free container
• Plastic spoon
• Zipper bag or plastic wrap

• Depending upon your hair length and volume, take about 150-500 g of henna powder in a plastic container.
• Add 2-3 teaspoons of citrus juices or vinegar to the powder and stir the mixture well.
• If you're using coffee, tea leaves, and essential oils, add them in sufficient amounts in the mixing bowl.

• Stir the mixture and check its consistency. If it is very thick, gently add some water and continue stirring.
• Stop adding water when the consistency of the dye resembles that of yogurt.

• Cover the mixture with a plastic wrap or a zipper bag and leave it overnight or for about 6 hours.
•You can check whether the dye is ready or not by dipping a white paper. If the paper is stained orange, then it is ready and you can use it.

In case you do not want to go through the steps for preparation of henna dye, you can opt for pre-mixed colors of henna that are available in the market. There is a high chance that these products contain additional chemicals and metallic salts, hence, make sure you purchase it from a reliable brand.

The same henna hair dye recipe will give different colors for different hair types. So, do not proceed with applying this dye just because you like the hair shade of your friend who has recently used it. The best way is to check the color by conducting a strand test. You can use shed hair from your hair brush for this test.

Prepare the dye in a small bowl as per your choice and add the shed hair. Soak for about 3-6 hours or as much time as you want to keep the mixture on your hair. Wash and rinse the hair with cold water and wait for a few days to check the color. If you like the shade, only then apply this dye.

For applying henna on your mane, shampoo and towel dry your hair. To prevent staining your hands and clothes, you can wear gloves and an old shirt. For easy application, you can comb and part your hair into sections. Using a squeeze bottle, start applying henna dye from the nape of the neck and cover the root of the hair till the end.

Continue applying upwards till all the strands are covered. Once you are done with the application, wrap your head with a clean plastic bag to avoid dripping. Clean the drops of henna (if any) from your forehead, ears, and neck. Leave the henna on your hair for at least 2 hours and then rinse with cold water.

This was all about henna dye recipe and instructions for its application. As the color of this dye changes after oxidation, the actual shade is observed after a few days of dyeing. This color is temporary and it may retain for about two months. However, repeatedly dyeing hair with henna helps in permanent coloring of the hair strands.