Chemical dye can wreak havoc on your hair and can even damage it permanently. The answer to all your hair colouring woes may lie in one product: Henna. This small flowering shrub produces a natural and organic hair dye that makes a great, safe alternative to synthetic hair dyes. Follow these guidelines and you will find that it is a cinch to dye those beautiful tresses and get sensational results.
What is Henna?
Henna is a small flowering shrub that has many uses. The fragrant flowers are used to create perfume. The leaves are dried and then turned into a fine powder that is used for dying clothes, hair and temporarily dying the skin. The leaves of the Henna plant contain a natural and very effective colouring pigment. This orange/red dye is released as the leaves are crushed. Drying, milling, and sifting the Henna leaves into a fine powder maximize the pigment. Henna comes purely in powder form.
Purpose of Henna
Henna is a good source for people who want to get rid of gray hair, and for people who are allergic to chemical colourants. Generally most of us use Henna for protecting our hair from the sun and dust. Henna can make your hair strong and nourish it from the roots. Use Hanna to get silky and shiny hair.
Benefits of using Henna
Applying a Henna pack twice a month makes hair glossy, healthy and voluminous. It repairs the damaged hair strands and restores the acid-alkaline balance of the scalp. It is an amazing conditioner for the hair because it protects the hair strands by building a protective layer while locking the nutrients and moisture. It is the best and safest way to colour your hair because it has no ammonia, chemicals, and toxins. Henna can be used to treat dandruff and scalp infections effectively as well.
Types of Henna
Henna is created from ground up dried leaves and the powder is mixed in various ways to get the desired type of paste. There are different types of dye ranging from Black Henna to Herbal Henna.
*Black Henna
Black Henna is Henna that manufacturers have added black dye to to create darker tattoos or black hair colour. The chemical called Para-phenylenediamine is used to make Henna black. Some Black Henna can be harmless while others can be very harmful. Henna is very safe and natural but when you add black dye to the henna, there is a risk that you might develop skin problems. Always carry out a skin allergy test before using the product.
*Red Henna
Red Henna is used often to dye hair. It is a great natural alternative to regular hair dye, but it is important to know that everyone’s hair will not turn out exactly the same way since the dye is a natural product. Your hair color will come out some shade of reddish-orange depending on the darkness of your original hair colour. It is also known to leave your hair feeling thick and silky.
*Natural Henna
Natural Henna is most commonly used for temporary body art. It is also used for hair conditioning and dying. If you use Natural Henna to dye your hair - expect a rich dark brown shade as a result. It will make your hair strong and shiny. Natural henna will leave a brownish orange stain on your skin in the desired design if you use it for temporary tattoos. How dark the henna will appear depends on the kind of Natural Henna used as well as how long it was left on the skin to stain.
*Herbal Henna
Herbal Henna is also us ed for staining the skin for temporary tattoos as well as a treatment for the hair. This type of Henna is known mostly for its medicinal properties. It is great for promoting hair growth, curing scalp disorders and giving the hair natural strength and life. It leaves behind a rich reddish-brown colour, so make sure you want this colour before proceeding. So if you are looking for a dye that will leave you with a rich colour and a soothing scalp relief, Herbal Henna is the perfect choice for you.
Henna and health conditions
a. Cancer patients
Always speak first to your doctor or healthcare specialist before you apply Henna if you have cancer, are being treated for cancer, or are a cancer survivor on cancer-treatment medications. That being said, Henna is a great natural alternative for the individual looking to steer clear of chemicals and keep all toxins out of their system.
b. Those suffering from dandruff
Like psoriasis, dandruff can cause unseemly itchy flakes on the scalp. Dandruff is often the result of a fungal infestation. Henna’s antifungal properties keep the flakes and itching at bay. When applied, the natural hair dye binds itself to the keratin that is in your hair and creates a protective layer. This protective layer relieves your scalp of irritation. Dandruff is caused by excessive oiliness on the scalp. Henna actually reduces oil, thus reducing the dandruff.
c. Pregnant/breast feeding women
This depends which type of Henna you use. You will need to be sure that your chosen product is safe, particularly if you’re applying Henna as a hair dye during pregnancy.
It’s often suggested as an alternative if you want to avoid chemical hair dyes while you are pregnant. It gives your hair a semi-permanent colour, and is available in a number of shades. However it is always best to check with your doctor before use.
d. People with allergies
A patch test before you use Henna can reassure that you are not allergic to Lawsone, which is the red-orange pigment that is present in the leaves of the Henna plant. Simply apply a small amount of the Henna mixture to your skin and wait for at least one hour.
Although allergic reactions to Henna are very unusual, the effects are mild - your head and scalp will itch. Allergic reactions to PPD (para-phenylenediamine) - found in synthetic dyes and adulterated Henna - can cause reactions such as redness, burning, itching and irritation of the scalp, face and neck.
-Compiled by Ruwini Jayawardana
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