Happy with henna

(it comes in blocks of six squares)

For a few years now I have been dyeing my hair with henna. I have been doing this for a number of reasons:

- I feel it gives a better result than chemical hair dyes

- And it seems to take much longer to fade

- My hair seems much more glossy and healthy

- It smells better

- No nasty chemicals

- My hair was totally rooted after years and years of chemical hair dyes!

So here is how I do it. First, make sure you have at least 4 hours free (if you want a deep dark colour), get some old towels, a comb, some rubber gloves, a pot, metal or wooden spoon, heaps of conditioner (to get the henna out), some gladwrap/a shower cap...and some henna! (Since I've moved to Australia I get mine from lush). You can also buy it in powdered forms from health food shops, but remember if it is pure henna then the colour will come out very red, so I make sure mine has some indigo in it to help give the dark reddish brown colour.

If your henna is in block form, cut it into smaller pieces, so that it will soften quicker.

(keep on stirring to get it nice and smooth)

Put the henna and some boiling water into a pot and put on to simmer. Keep mixing with the spoon and adding boiling water a little bit at time until you have a smooth paste, about the consistency of shampoo. Put aside to cool to blood temperature, and then go have a shower and wash your hair!



Apply the warm henna to damp hair, starting at the roots. The mixture will feel kind of gritty, and thickens as it cools, so you may have to add a bit more warm water as you go.
Make sure you saturate your hair with the mix, from roots to tip.

(conehead!)

Once you have covered your hair, clean up your hairline (and the bathroom!)
Pile your hair on your head, and then do one of two things. If you want a darker colour then leave you head uncovered (the henna goes hard as it cools), or cover with gladwrap/ a shower cap for a redder colour. Leave for 2 - 4 hours (I leave it for four hours)

Wash out in a hot shower, using lots of conditioner.

And enjoy your glossy locks!

I only use four squares of the lush henna block, and there is usually some of the mix left over, which I freeze for next time :-)

Remember that if you decide to use henna to dye your hair, there is really no going back to chemical dyes, until the henna has grown out or you cut it out!

Otherwise you could end up with a hair disaster!

Speaking of disasters, I am trying to sew a dress at the moment with mixed results....