How to Dye Hair With Henna

Henna is a natural hair dye that is safe for your hair. It does not have the harsh chemicals that most hair dyes have. Henna can be bought in packaged as pre-mixed, or you can buy body art quality henna that you mix yourself. The body art quality is gentler and can even be used on hair that has been previously bleached.

1. Mix the henna if you did not buy the premixed package. Mix approximately 250 grams of powder with enough citrus juice to make it the consistency of yogurt. Cover the container and let it sit out overnight in order to release the dyes.


2. Wash and dry your hair. Put on an old shirt that you do not care about getting stains on and also put gloves on.


3. Work on your hair in sections. Begin applying the henna mixture to each section of hair and scalp. You can use your gloved hands or plastic squeezable bottle to apply the mixture. You should put it on thick as if you were icing a cake. Be sure all hair is coated and there are no dry spots.


4. Wrap your head in plastic wrap to keep the henna warm. Wipe any drips off your skin.


5. Leave the henna on your head for 2 hours if you have easy-to-color hair, and up to 4 hours for harder-to-color hair.


6. Rinse your hair with water to remove as much henna as you can, then shampoo and condition your hair.


7. The color you get using henna will depend on the color you started with. Blond would be a strawberry blond, red hair will be more vibrant, brown and black hair will be varying shades of chestnut with red highlights. If your hair is totally gray and you do not use body art quality henna the henna may turn your hair an orange color. If it is just streaked with gray, it will give you highlights.