Who wants dull, frizzy, and damaged hair? There can be several causes for poor hair health and premature hair graying. While you cannot control the uncontrollable, you can always do your part by consuming enough nutrients and properly taking care of your hair. And natural henna is the safest alternative to commercial henna powders with harsh chemicals to color your gray hair. This article discusses how to use natural henna hair dye for gray hair.
What is Henna?
Henna leaves are extracted from the “Lawsonia Inermis” plant which has natural coloring properties along with therapeutic benefits. The plant leaves are sifted, dried, and crushed into a powder which when mixed with liquid releases color. Thus, it can be used in temporary tattoo-making or dying hair. You may be skeptical about the safety of henna. Natural henna that is made from plants and doesn’t contain any added chemicals or preservatives is safe to use on skin and hair. Henna serves as the safest option if you want to cover your gray hair and fight dandruff and other scalp issues.
Does Henna Cover Gray Hair?
Gray hair lacks natural oils due to which the hair strands have a coarse and rough texture. Thus it gets hard for the color to penetrate into the hair roots. If your entire hair is gray-colored, you can use henna for several applications till the desired color is obtained. If you have gray hair sections, apply henna on gray hair sections first and then apply another henna layer on the entire hair for uniform hair color. The results are semi-permanent. It means the henna color gradually fades off as the hair grows. If you coat several henna applications, it takes a longer time to remove the henna from the hair. Once the henna paste dries up, it leaves a reddish-orange tint on the hair strands covering up your gray hair.
How To Make Your Henna Paste At Home?
Arrange the ingredients required for making henna paste at home:
- One medium to large-sized bowl.
- One cup of distilled warm water or freshly brewed black tea.
- Spoon
- Gloves
- Plastic Wrap
- Shower Cap
- Petroleum gel or Vaseline
- Old cloth
- Cut the henna hair dye for the gray hair pocket and pour a sufficient amount of henna powder into a bowl.
- Add water or tea slowly to the henna powder and stir it until curd-like consistency is obtained.
- Once all the henna lumps are gone, cover the henna paste with plastic wrap and leave it overnight or for 8-10 hours to allow for the full dye release.
- The henna paste is now ready to apply.
How To Apply Henna To Cover Gray Hair?
- Cover your shoulders using a towel and wear an old shirt before henna application. Prepare your bathroom and sink for henna application. Cover the floor with newspapers.
- Apply vaseline or petroleum gel along the hairline and ears to protect your skin from staining.
- Divide your hair into several sections and apply the paste from the roots to the ends.
- Gather all your hair and hold it like a bun on the head. Apply henna on leftover hair sections.
- Wrap a shower cap around the hair to avoid drooling from henna drops. Leave the hennaed hair for up to 3 hours and wash thoroughly with cold water.
- Avoid using shampoo for the next 24 hours. Wash off the henna using normal water.
- Air dry your hair or blow dry it for 10-15 minutes.
- Please observe that it takes around 48-72 hours for the henna color to reach its full-color intensity.
- Wait for up to 3 days to witness the amazing results of henna on gray hair before and after henna application.
Tips For Applying Henna Hair Dye For Gray Hair
- Henna is a natural plant-based powder and is normally safe on the skin and scalp. However, you are strictly advised to do a strand test on a small section of hair to check if henna is suitable for your scalp and hair.
- Do not apply henna on your hair when you are suffering from a cold. It is because the cooling effect caused by henna can worsen your condition.
- Before applying henna on gray hair, ensure to properly detangle your hair. Otherwise, the henna lumps can get stuck in the tangles and get difficult to remove.
- Wash off any oil or dirt from the hair before henna application as it prevents color absorption.
- You should observe the final henna color depends on the natural color of the hair. Thus, the hair color after henna application varies from person to person.
What Is The Best Henna Hair Dye For Gray Hair?
Anything gifted by Earth comes in its purest form. The commercial henna dyes purchased in the market contain harmful chemicals and preservatives that dry out your hair and cause skin cancer in the worst case. But, how to recognize the natural powdered henna hair dye for gray hair from the fake ones? One way is to observe whether the manufacturer has mentioned all the ingredients behind the package. Another way is to look through the customer reviews on their official website and other social media platforms. Hope you have an unforgettable hair-dying experience.
