henna on hair photos : How To Prepare Henna For Hair

How To Prepare Henna For Hair Photo Picture Images Biography 2013

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My hair was dry, frizzy, and would not hold color for more than a few weeks at a time. After years of toxic chemicals being dumped on my head in an attempt to dye my hair, my locks were a mess. Worse yet, they were a mess of my natural blonde color - not the tone of choice for this redhead!
So I did what any beauty-focused writer would do - research. I looked into all methods of hair coloring the natural way and finally settled on what has become one of my beauty staples; henna. I found dry, mixable henna from Mountain Rose Herbs which, due to the length and thickness of my hair, I buy a pound at a time. Each half pound dyes my long (about 8 inches below my shoulders), thick hair for about 3 months. So, I get about 6 months of color for around $20, not bad at all.
Metro Beauty also has a range of henna products, sold in 2 ounce packages for about $3.49 each. This would get me about 6 months of color for just under $30 - still a good deal!
But how do you actually use the stuff? Is it difficult? Messy? How long does it take? All these questions, and more will be answered here. Just read on, and prepare to get excited about this natural beauty trend that leaves its chemical competition in the dust!
What you'll need (besides henna and boiling water!):
Bowl (plastic or glass works fine)
Wooden spoon or some other stirring tool
Plastic gloves (if you are concerned with your hands being tinted)
Oil for around the hairline (to protect skin in that area from becoming tinted)
Old clothes or protective salon-type smock
*Enhancing additives (optional)
*Paintbrush or a hair tint brush (optional)
1. Preparing the mixture
The henna that I buy comes in powder form which requires mixing with water until it forms a paste. For my long hair, I use roughly half a pound, whereas my friend with the chine length bob only needs about 1/8 of a pound to tint her locks. It pays to experiment and find the best amount for the length and thickness of your hair. After a while you'll become like a television celebrity chef, dumping in random amounts of ingredients because you know exactly how much your hair will need. Until then, follow the guideline of slowly pouring boiling water into about 4 ounces of henna until the mixture is the right consistency.
Ultimately, you will want your mixture to be like cake batter - thin enough that it applies easily, but not so
watered down that it slides off of your tresses. If it is too thick, it will be difficult to apply and will cake easily, also not good. The positive in all of this is that henna is an extremely forgiving mixture. If it is too thick, add water; too thin, add henna. Easy, right?
2. Natural enhancers (based on 4 ounces of henna)
Oil: Adding about 2 tablespoons of olive or grapeseed oil to the mix is great for dry hair and damaged tresses. A bit of oil, I have found, also makes the henna glide on easy and rinse out quicker than usual. Bonus: it acts as a detangler even after the hair is rinsed.
Egg: An egg can also help quench dry hair and acts as a power-packed protein rinse
Yogurt: Another powerhouse additive for those parched locks, yogurt helps reduce frizzies and aids in application. Just add about 3 tablespoons per 4 ounces of henna.
Apple cider vinegar: Adding about 2 tablespoons of vinegar boosts henna's staying power in grey hair.
Honey: 3 tablespoons of honey added to the mix boosts highlights and makes blonde shades shimmer.
Molasses: 3 tablespoons of molasses enhances and adds depth to red tones.
Lemon: The faithful standby for blonde locks. 2 tablespoons of lemon juice brightens blonde tones and helps to combat brassiness
Coffee: Replacing water in the henna mixture with brewed coffee deepens auburn tones and adds deeper browns to your overall color.
Tea: Want to boost your red tresses? Try replacing the water in the mixture with rosehip tea, hibiscus tea, or even red-hued fruit teas to make your auburn hues gorgeous. Need more golden brown highlights and lowlights? Try a black tea - I have found that earl grey smells heavenly, thanks to the bergamot, and really gets those golden highlights to show themselves. Want to brighten blonde hair and add some highlights? Go for chamomile tea and prepare to be wowed.

Other shades of henna: want a rich strawberry blonde for the summer? Try mixing red and blonde hennas for rich results. Need a rich, dark black-brown? Mix black with golden brown for a deeper hue. One important thing to note, you can go darker, and add shimmery hues to your natural color, but you cannot lighten hair with henna.