I used Henna to colour my gray hair yesterday and I'm very happy with the results. I was previously using a semi-permanent jet black hair dye to cover my grays, but it doesn't last very long. I've been thinking about using Henna for a while and I finally bought myself a packet of Henna powder.
The instructions that came with my box of Henna advise users to mix the powder with very hot water and leave to cool before applying. However, a lot of people online advise using warm water and allowing the Henna to sit for about 4 hours before using. After doing a lot of research, I decided to add Amla powder, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lavender Oil and lukewarm Black Tea (made with spring water) to my Henna mixture. The box contained 110 grams of Henna powder and I used 30 grams of Amla, 3 Black Tea bags, a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar and a small amount of Lavender Oil (approximately 1.5%). I ended up using two thirds of the mixture and I placed the remaining amount in the freezer for future use.
I let the Henna sit for 4 hours to allow the dye to release. I washed my hair with a clarifying shampoo and used a homemade liquid conditioner containing Black Tea water, Hydrolyzed Keratin and Rosemary oil. I towel dried my hair and applied petroleum jelly to my hairline to prevent staining on my skin. When the Henna mixture was ready, I applied it to my hair section by section. I covered my hair with a shower cap and wrapped my head with cling film, before using a hand held dryer for a few minutes. I left the Henna mixture on my hair for 4 and a half hours before rinsing thoroughly. I conditioned my hair with a homemade rinnse out conditioner, before applying a leave in conditioner and placing my in large twists.
The Henna process is extremely messy and I'm concerned about the amount of powder that went down my drain as I was rinsing out my hair. Next time, I plan to use something to capture the powder as I rinse it from my hair. Also, the henna mixture stained my bath as I was rinsing it from my hair, so I plan to use a bath mat to prevent this from happening again. Despite the mess, I'm very happy with my results and I plan to do another treatment when the colour fades and my roots grow out.
