Henna for Hair
Natural Hair Growth Remedies
Whether your are using henna for hair or skin it is a powerful dye with conditioning properties. In addition to being used to dye hair, henna is a hair growth remedy; it has many properties that benefit natural hair. When henna is applied it puts a protective coating on the hair. Most people find that their strands are thicker and stronger. Here I am referring to pure henna, many products that are labeled “henna hair color” are actually full of chemicals that can damage the hair. Stick with a trusted brand like Jamila or Reshma or buy it from a trusted natural herb supplier.
Some benefits of henna for hair:
- Stronger strands/less breakage
- Balance hair porosity
- Reduces or eliminates dandruff
- Smooths hair cuticle giving hair a healthy appearance
- Thickens hair
- Promotes growth due to antibacterial and antifungal properties
- Less shedding
- Some people report that henna loosens their curl pattern, I would not consider this a benefit but some people henna for this reason
Now I have to share that there are some risks with using henna on your hair. Please do a strand test before applying. Henna can cause brittleness and breakage for some people. I prefer to only use henna when added to a moisturizing conditioner. You should not use ANY products containing protein following a henna conditioner or you may experience severe breakage. Henna acts like a protein, strengthening the hair, so adding a protein to henna will most likely lead to brittle hair.
How I use henna – I add henna to my conditioner. I mix the henna with water, then add it into a moisturizing conditioner. I allow the henna to sit on my hair from 1-4 hours. Some of the dye deposits onto my hair some and I receive the conditioning properties without the breakage. I personally think women with coarse hair strands, or very dense/thick hair need to be careful about using henna. It may actually make your hair more difficult to manage. If you want to henna your natural hair please do a strand test first and try a less potent formula like adding a bit to your conditioner before you commit to doing a full treatment.
Why I use henna– I used henna to reduce post-partum shedding and I truly believe it work. My edges did thin out but using henna has helped them fill back in nicely. My hair also just seemed fragile to me after the baby and it looked dull. I used the henna to help strengthen and revive my hair. I thought I was going to have to do a major cut but I think the combination of henna and amla got my hair back on track.
My first henna for hair experience was horrible. I want to share the good and the bad so hopefully you don’t make the same mistakes. I will NEVER do a full henna hair treatment again. It is messy and it dried my hair out.
Reshma Henna
I gave henna another try but this time I added it to my conditioner. I use Reshma Henna. This time my hair looked and felt great. It helped thicken up my edges and strengthen my strands.
Why do you feel women an with thick/coarse hair should be weary of using henna? More difficult to manage in what sense?
Henna puts what I would call like a coating on the hair making the strands thicker. If you hair is already thick it can be overwhelming to use henna on top of that. Some one with thinner strands or lower density hair probably won’t have a problem. My strands are not thick but I have alot of hair so when I did my first full strength henna treatment my hair actually felt too thick. My hair was much harder to comb and detangle.
When I did a full henna treatment on my hair my strands became thick to the point that it was difficult to comb. My hair tangled at every wash and took me hours to detangle. This eventually wore off but it was a nightmare. Brand and frequency of treatment can also make a difference. Now I only use henna mixed with conditioner and I haven’t had that problem.
You said:
“You should not use ANY products containing protein following a henna conditioner or you may experience severe breakage”
I have read other websites that recommend to mix with henna powder Yogurt and an egg “these natural products will luxuriously condition your hear”. I understand that Yogurt and eggs are super protein!!! What kind of condoners do you propose ? Name them please.
The henna you are using is natural ???
Thank you for your time and consideration
Sorry I means what kind of conditioner do you propose?
I mix my henna with Hairveda Moist 24/7 and Aubreys Organics HoneySuckle Rose
i purchased henna days ago and the seller told me to use it with mayonnaise which i believe it contains proteins is there any evidence that it can cause hair breakage?
I have never heard of using henna with mayonnaise so I can’t recommend it.
How much has the henna loosened your curl pattern? Is it anything dramatic?
It didn’t loosen my curl pattern at all. Some people have reported this happening to them but I did not have that result.
I just used henna for a the first time. I love it! I mixed it with hot water not the acids suggested in many sites. After rinsing I put a coconut oil mixture with some essential oils on before washing and my hair has never felt better.
Hello! I just bought this *proteIn treatment* which contains henna. Its by African Royals line of products called Hot six thick & long. I was excited about trying it but after reading this I was afraid it’ll make my hair frizzy or ruin It. Should it be safe? It contains many other natural ingredients. BTW u have lovely hair!:)
I was wondering I have fine hair and its sort of thick and its really soft and I am natural, and I use tresmae as my conditioner and shampoo can I use that with henna ? or do you recommend me to use it ? and how long does it take to see a change ??
Got some tips from this post. Thanks for sharing your experience using henna. Enjoy your day! 🙂
Hi I have really thin edges and my hair is thinning and am thinking of using henna to fill in my edges and thicken my hair. My question is how often do I have to do the henna treatment to thicken my edges?
I did it about once every 8 weeks and I saw results.
Hello Miss La la
I really love your advice and beautiful hair!
I would like to use henna to cover my grey hair, I have severe allergic reaction to chemical hair dyes, I took down my locs after 15 years last February and although my hair is quite long about 17 inches, it is too grey! I have been doing monthly protein treatments for 4 months and would like to use Henna instead, how long should I wait before I do this?
kind regards
June
Hi,
If you’ve never used henna I would encourage you to do a strand test first to see how your hair and scalp respond. I would think you should be fine to do a henna treatment after your next wash. I would probably do a moisturizing dc to make sure your hair is well moisturized henna can be very drying.
Hi Thank you , I will do a strand test this weekend, which is my wash week.
When I use henna I mix it with honey,room temperature water,apple cider vinegar and olive oil. I add the water last or not at all to prevent it from getting thin
Then I put in my hair and leave it for a couple of hours. The longer it stays in, the better. You can even leave it in overnight.
Just mix henna with coconut milk., making it like a yogurt consistency. I use one without preservatives like the brand Thai (sold in supermarkets). hair comes our strong and moisturized. I’ve been using henna for years to cover my ever increasing gray hairs. They come out a golden/orangy color which looks like highlights. No one knows that I have gray hairs…yea!