Henna

Ive been using henna in my hair for around 5 years now and just love it- and people are always coming up to me and asking me what i use. Ive always had reddish hair, but having red hair has always suited my personality very well and been part of my identity, so once i was old enough to 'dye' my hair  i wanted to enhance this trait but didn't like the idea of using chemicals on my body/hair and didn't want to put a colour in that wasn't close to my natural colour. I don't like the idea of changing my appearance purely for aesthetic reasons, but a more fiery shade of red has been something Ive always longed for, and henna only brightens my natural colour by a few shades. When i was in high school i tried a couple of colours from store bought brands, and even found some really bright orange reds that i just loved, but both that i loved stopped being made, and the idea of using chemicals in my hair weighed heavy with me. Henna had always been something id wanted to try, but i had thought it only came in a dark red and im very much a bright orange red, so when i found a brand that i thought i could trust i was over the moon and have never looked back.

I did a lot of  research into henna and some of the things that can be added to enhance its healing and moisturising properties so i have been experimenting a lot with what makes my hair feel the best. Firstly i use i chemical free Henna (many hennas still have alot of chemicals in them so labels need to be read carefully) that i buy from the healthfood store called Nazeer Henna and comes in a calico bag. I use the colour 'sunset red' which is the brightest of the hennas. It also comes in clear, dark red, standard red, chestnut and black. There are lots of myths around the use of henna such as it can make your hair dry and it can damage hair. I know that it was really popular in the 70's which were most likely chemical hennas so im assuming that some henna can do this, but in my experience it has been the total opposite, and this could also be because of what i add to it. i know i need to re-henna when my hair is feeling dry because after i do it makes my hair so soft and shiny. Henna does technically stain the shafts of the hair and therefore it is very difficult to get rid of the red tones in the hair. Using normal chemical dyes after henna may be difficult to get the right colour, and i have even heard of someone who shaved her head after using henna and still got red hairs growing through so i probably wouldnt recommend using it unless you want permanent red hair. I love the colour i get from my henna and cant imagine having any other colour. The colour also changes its shade over a few weeks and it looks really natural and not that different from my natural colour. NB: the photos show my hair as being very red before actually redoing the henna, while it was quite red, it had faded alot, but the light on in (because it was dark) makes it look much redder than it was. note though that even after three months my hair is still very red after years of using henna so think twice about using it if you dont want permanently red hair!

    

         

Before- with garbage bag around me so that i don't get stained.

So my process for henna-ing my hair is: I need a house paint brush, gloves, an icecream container, Vaseline or paw paw ointment, a big garbage bag, a towel, tissues, glad wrap/shower cap and butterfly hair clips. I also need boiling water, one egg, 1/2 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt, and sometime i also add brewed chamomile tea to make the henna brighter. You can also add coffee, beetroot juice, red wine, and a number of other things to naturally alter the henna shade, and many people recommend adding a few drops of a complimentary essential oil like Patchouli to make your hair smell nice as the henna smell is quite strong.

Its much easier of you have two people because i cant evenly spead all the henna onto my hair, and it is quite messy so would recommend doing it outside (preferably when it is warm). Pour the contents of the henna into the icecream container and pour in the boiling water, i dont have an exact amount (it takes practice and depends on the length of your hair) but i usually pour it in slowly until i get the constitancy i want. Even with my long hair i only need one packet of henna, but i need to add a bit more water to get enough to paint on without running out and without it dripping everywhere. You stir it through until you get all the lumps out and the mixture is not too thick but not runny either. Then stir in the egg, oil and yogurt (tea should be added with the water). The egg might cook a little with the boiling water but thats not a problem. Then gear up with the garbage bag around you and towels around your neck. Henna stains everything so you dont want to get it on you or anything around you.

 

 Henna: the powered henna after the water, oil and egg are stirred through.

The person helping me puts the vasoline all around my forehead, ears, neck and anywhere that might get stained and then literally paints on the henna, usually starting with the front/regrowth and works in patches down to the end. By the end the henna is so thick you just need to massage it all in. Shorter hair will probably only need 1/2 a packet. Then my hair gets wraped at the top of my head with a few layers of glad wrap and a towel over the top (heat helps to activate the henna). The henna then needs to stay in for a min of 2-3 hours- i try to leave it in as long as possible, so you need to be comfortable in the way that the hair has been wrapped up and make sure you can sit down without staining anything.

 Wrapped: My hair wrapped in glad-wrap for 3+ hours, but a towel goes over the top to keep in heat.

The henna can be difficult to wash out and quite messy but will need a couple of shampoos and conditions as it will be oily- although i have read online that some people dont like to use shampoo for a couple of days after henna to let it set in. The consistancy of henna is like mud so you need to be able to wash out all the mud somewhere that can get messy- although it is easy enough to clean up. Also, hair will wash out red for a couple of weeks after so dont use white towels at least for the first week after as they will also stain red. (NB- staining shouldnt occur with clear henna, clear is used just for keeping hair healthy). They say to re henna every 6-8 weeks but i probably only do it every 3 months. It is a little bit of a process and can be a little messy but you get used to it and it is definitely worth it; your hair will thank you for it!

AFTER: Enjoying the sunshine in Byron Bay