Henna for Hair

Widow's Peak

Okay, so some funny pictures and a quick post to share with you how I dye my hair.  I used to dye it with artificial dyes 'cause I like to change up the color frequently (and over the years have had just about every color - 'cept white, gray, and green), but for over a year now have been using only henna because I was having a skin reaction (as my body was dealing with the tail end of getting over Lyme) that was exacerbated by chemicals.  Plus hair dye was one of the last vestiges of toxic chemical exposure in my life that I could take out.

Henna only comes in one color and that is reddish or orange.  I don't mind as my hair has a bit of that naturally anyway and it suits me (being a mutt who is mostly Scot-Irish).  I dye my hair because I am not ready to be gray.  I went gray overnight in some areas after experiencing a major trauma years ago.

Be sure to wear clothing you can get dirty as Henna will stain your clothing.

So, I use just plain ol' powdered henna, no additives.  I mix it with lemon juice until I get a consistency that is easy to spread but not so thin that it will drip and run.  I never measure, but it seems to be somewhat equal amounts.  You can play with it to get the thickness you desire.  I let this mixture sit for 12 hours (so I mix it up the day before I will use it).  I use a glass bowl and then cover it with saran wrap, pressing it down so there is no air exposure to dry it out.

I use gloves when applying it as it will stain your skin.  Then I cover my hair with plastic wrap and leave it like this for 3 hours.  This helps to keep it from drying out and holds heat in.  When this mixture dries out it is harder to get out of your hair (though not impossible as it is very water soluble).  You will notice that as it heats up on your head, it will get a bit thinner and can start running, if this happens just wipe it and take note to make your mixture thicker next time.

The smell of green plant and earth...so much better than toxic chemicals.

After 3 hours, just rinse it out and then shampoo and condition as usual.

Messy (no more so than artificial dyes) but non-toxic and good for your hair and scalp.  The face mask is one from this fine company.