Dyeing our hair with henna can be can be done as often we want, without bothering about the side effects. It is a great conditioner, but applying henna is a time consuming process. Make sure to buy the henna powder that is pure and one that does not have any other additives to it. Henna paste stains, so make sure to wear gloves if you don’t want it to stain your fingers. Henna looks different on each and every person. If you are trying out henna for the first time, make sure not to try it before any special occasions, as henna color does not remove easily from the hair. To make home made henna hair dye, first make a strong tea decoction with regular black tea. Mix the henna powder with equal quantity of lemon juice and tea decoction the previous night. Next day morning, mix the paste with few drops of eucalyptus oil. Divide the hair into sections and apply the henna paste. Let it sit for at least 2 to 3 hours before washing off. Then use a mild shampoo to wash the hair. Henna color might look too bright the first day after you apply. Don’t panic, it will deepen over time. Henna hair dye can be made with coffee decoction too. Try it with both tea and coffee and choose the one that you like best, based on the final color of your hair. I would strongly suggest adding eucalyptus oil. Since we are letting henna soak for at least 2 to 3 hours it might not agree with every one, some might get a headache or catch a cold. Adding eucalyptus oil prevents that, but try using good quality eucalyptus oil. Henna paste can be used to streak the hair too. Apply henna paste to the hair that you want to be streaked and cover that area with foil, so it doesn’t stain the rest of the hair. Enjoy chemical free hair dyeing!
METHOD:
1. Make a strong tea decoction by boiling water with black tea.
2. Add equal quantity tea decoction and lemon juice and make a paste. Let it sit overnight.
3. The next day, add few drops of eucalyptus oil and mix well. Make sure the paste is not too thick, else it will be hard to apply on the hair.
4. Divide the hair into sections and apply the paste. Let it soak for at least 2 to 3 hours, before washing off the henna paste. Then wash the hair with a mild shampoo.
NOTES:
- Make sure the paste is neither too thin or too thick.
- Try henna when you are not pressed for time, as you need to soak henna for atleast 2 to 3 hours for best results.
- The quantity of the powder, depends on the length of the hair.
Which henna powder brand is good in the market?
Hello, The best henna to get for your hair can be found at Henna Caravan, it is fresh and direct from Jamilla in India. They can ship all over the world and have an excellent tutorial on henna for hair.
Ion Organics – they are new and I bought their pure Henna Powder and tried it on myself. The color is close to deep red, and it didn't fade away unlike many that I had used in the past. It is organic and good for sensitive skills n types.
Hi Kurinji, I have always used fresh henna leaves for all my home made treatments. I got the henna powder for this post from a local store and it didn't have any brand name.
Hi Ramya,How much henna powder & how much tea water should we use for just below shoulder hair length? Do you have to wait until the tea water cooled off before you add the henna powder? Thank you..
Hello, You can also use just lemon juice and henna. Also steeping a bit of ginger and cardamon in the lemon juice makes the henna smell really good. Do NOT put hot water on your henna, it will make your henna dye fade and it won't "take"
Hey can we use the masala tea decoction instead of black tea
Hi,Around 3 to 4 tbsp of henna powder will be enough for shoulder length hair. Wait for the tea to cool down a bit before adding it. Around 1 tbsp of tea water and 1 tbsp of lemon juice will be enough(app). Add enough liquid till you get a spreadable thick paste.
What we can use instead of the shampoo to home remedies
Hi, I have posted homemade shampoos in the blog, give it a try. Also if you get arappu powder, you can use that…..
Adding Eucalyptus oil is a great idea! I usually end up with cold if I keep heena for a more than 30mts.Next time I will try adding Eucalyptus oil.Thanks !
Hi,what colour the hair will turn after applying henna will it be brown /black..if its brown is there anyway that i get a black shade by mixing any other ingredient..Thanks in advance
It will be reddish brown, if you want a black shade you can try using henna along with indigo. Since many are asking for it, I will be posting henna along with indigo very soon….
Hi Ramya, Can I mix henna with both tea and coffee decoction together? I don't know which one will be good for me. I don't like reddish color.
I would suggest mixing henna with tea alone, coffee alone, tea + coffee and choose the one that you like. Each ones hair color is different and the best way to find out is through trial and error…:)
hi ramya , can i use bru powder as coffee decotion to mix with henna
Yes you can use Bru coffee powder for mixing with henna…
Will all hair ll be Brown or only white hair will be Brown !?
The white hair will be reddish brown and the dark hair will take on a light reddish tinge…
Hi How to use the fresh henna leaves for the pack
I have a recipe in the blog using fresh henna leaves please check it out…
Hi, I have read that lemon can dry your hair…I would like to mix the henna with coffee to add browner tones to my greys (I will use Indigo afterwards) but my scalp is very dry and itchy, can I use something else instead of lemon to release the color dye?
I am not sure about an alternative for lemon juice, why not try adding few drops of any unrefined oil to prevent dryness?
kindly post on henna – indigo dye for black hair
why do you have to let the paste sit overnight or at least five hours before we can use it ?
Usually the paste is left to soak overnight in iron kadai which helps henna to release it's color readily…
Hi Ramya!I have been using henna on my hair for almost 3 years. I use the natural henna and my hair and it turns a gorgeous reddish brown. My hair stylist applies it to my hair every 6-8 weeks, and we keep it on for 2 hours. As the weeks pass it loses some of its color, but you can still see the red. My hair is naturally a dark, dirty blond. I like using henna because it doesn't have any of the harsh chemicals in it. And, my hair is in really good condition. Thanks for this informative web site. I am a vegan soap maker and I'm always looking for new beauty recipes that I can make for my family and friends. –Patti McBride 🙂
can we use any other oil? like olive or coconut oil?
nice
Hii..can i mix henna with lemon and coffee?
Hi Ramaya, Thanks for this wonderful henna recipe. Can you please clarify my doubt about Indigo.what is indigo powder and where can i get it? It is good for hair.
Sorry, Wrongly typed ur name in my post