* Supposed Ideal Dye Release Times
* Jamila- Has the longest dye release time. After mixing, allow 12 hours for dye release. Originates from Pakistan. Comes in every June/July.
* Yemeni- Requires 8-12 hours for dye release. Originates from Sana�a, Yemen. Best crop is in the summer (more detailed investigation needs to be done on how exactly they run their henna farms).
* Moroccan- Has the fastest dye release. After being mixed it only need to sit for 2-4 hours for dye release. Originates from the western Sahara of Morocco. Is harvested in the spring.
* Indian- Needs to sit for 8-10 hours for de release. Originates from Rajasthan, India. New crop comes in the fall.
* Prabada- Needs 8-10 hours for dye release
Despite the above recommendations for dye release, when when various crops were tested in controlled conditions for time, temperature and PH there was little difference in the dye release times under controlled conditions. When prepared in these controlled conditions there was little to no difference in the various henna crops
Relevant Threads: How to Choose the Right Henna Powder for Hair by Henna Sooq
The Dangers of Poor Quality Henna
Why not just get that box of henna from the local health food or Indian Food store? While you may get decent henna without additives, there is no guarantee. Many countries, such as India, have less stringent labeling requirements than the US, the UK and other location. Even if the box says 100% henna hair coloring that may not be what you are getting. Some additives may include metallic salts, which though they will help the color move towards something other than red, it can react with chemically treated hair, turning it green or black, or even causing it to smoke. These are called henna compounds, and you can read more on the dangers of them here. Most often when hairdressers freak out that you are using henna, they are thinking of henna compounds, which is what reacts with chemical treatments. To test if your henna has metallic salts in it, use the method at the bottom of this page.
Another additive to poor-quality henna is green dye or sand. The greener the henna powder, the fresher it is thought to be, so unscrupulous vendors will mix things into the powder to make it greener. While these impurities can often be seen under a microscope, they can be hard to detect otherwise, which makes having a reputable supplier all the more important.
Determining Your Mix
So you�ve decided this henna thing is worth investigating further. Now you need to figure out what works for you.
What Color are You After?
We already know that henna is red. We also know that you can alter the color with other herbs. Some colors, though, are just not achievable. You cannot take black hair to fire engine red, and you can�t take deep brown hair to copper. Henna only makes hair darker. Also note that if you see a picture of someone with your natural hair color and a nice color of henna, realize that the color of hennaed hair is variable depending on the light it is in. See the picture Iris provided earlier in this article for an example of the range.
This information is sent out when you order henna from
Catherine at
Henna for Hair last time I ordered. This should give your what your end hair color will be when using various combinations of henna, cassia and indigo. Again, there's TONs of methods of mixing and dye release and how long you leave the goop on your head, so please use this chart only as a guide.
You can also order premixed colors from Morocco Method. Here is their color chart.
And here is what I estimated the breakdown of their colors to be:
Neutral (just adds shine and strength)- 100% cassia
Marigold Blonde- 1/3 henna, 2/3 cassia
Copper- � henna, � cassia
Red- 100% henna
Light Brown- 2/3 henna. 1/3 indigo
Medium Brown- � henna, � indigo
Burgundy- 2/3 henna, 1/3 indigo
Mahogany- 1/3 henna, 2/3 indigo
Sherry- � henna, 3/4 indigo
Black- two step henna, indigo process
Mix Components: Powders/Herbs
* Cassia- Neutral coloring
* Indigo- Blue coloring, often needed for browns and blacks
* Amla- though Amla does not have a dye of it�s own, it has properties that help with the uptake of dye. It also tends to tone down the red in henna and make it more brown. Amla is also acidic, so you can refrain from adding an additional liquid acid if you use amla. Amla may also combat the curl reducing properties of henna. Amla in large amounts has been found in inhibit the uptake of henna into the hair, so if used it should be restricted to a smaller amount.
* Other herbs-There are lots of other things you can add to your henna mix to help alter the color. Be warned, it takes a LOT to push the color of henna one way or the other. There is a good list of these herbs in The Article on Hair Coloring with Herbs & Other Natural Ingredients.
How much powder do I need?
The standard rule of thumb seems to be 100g of powder for every 12 inches of hair. Experience of users has found this is overshooting in most cases. Many people with waist length hair of medium thickness can easily use only 200g of henna. So, the estimates below are for medium thickness hair. Adjust accordingly based on your hair thickness, and type. If you have thick or curly hair, consider doubling these amounts. It's always better to have extra on hand than not enough.
* Shoulder Length- 75g
* BSL- 150g
* Waist- 250g
* Classic- 350g
* Knee- 500g
Grams to Cups/TB Conversaion
I used conversions for flour to go from grams to tablespoons and cups for those that don't have scales:
* 1/8c (2 TB)= 15g
* 1/4c (4 TB)= 30g
* 1/3c (5 TB + 1 tsp) = 40g
* 3/8c (6 TB) = 45g
* 1/2c (8 TB)= 60g
* 5/8c = 70g
* 2/3c= 75g
* 3/4c= 85g
* 7/8c= 100g
* 1c= 110g
Mix Components: Liquids
* Acids - Lemon juice, lime juice, red wine. There is much debate on weather or not an acid is needed to achieve dye release in henna,
and the answer for hair at least, seems to be no. Lemon juice has been reported to help keep a henna mix lighter, and wine a deeper red. While acids may speed dye release, too much acid in a mix may lead to dry hair. Use only a little. Newer research has shown that lemon actually inhibits the lawsone molecule, so while lemon juice does help keep the henna color lighter, the same results could be achieved by simple dilution with conditioner or cassia. More information has also shown that indigo does best with a PH around PH 8, while henna likes something a bit closer to neutral (PH of 7).
* Teas - Many teas can be used. True tea (white, green or black) does have some acid in it, as well as tannins. To much acid or tannins can contribute to dryness in hair. Herbal teas (chamomile, rooibos, etc) may be used in the mix, but tend not to be as drying as true tea.
* Scents - Some people dislike the scent of henna mixes. If you choose to add something to alter the scent, please use an Essential Oil, or a quality scented oil like BPAL. Fragrance oils, such as those used to scent homes, often contain skin irritants.
* Terps* - Terps are an abbreviation for aromatherapy grade essential oils with high levels of monoterpene alcohols. When combined with henna and used on skin they help to provide a darker, longer-lasting stain. Common terping oils are lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, cajeput, and ravensara. Of these, lavender is the most gentle and least likely to cause scalp irritation. The jury is out on how much terping affects henna when applied to hair. Relevant links: Terps, Using Terps in Your Henna Paste for Body Art & Hair
* Conditioner, Yogurt and Honey - There are endless possibilities for henna mixes, and people have used all these with success.
Actually Mixing the Mix:
Put the powder components in the bowl, and slowly add the liquid. Mixing tools can be spoons, whisks, or an electric hand mixer. You want as few lumps as possible, and should aim for something the consistency of pancake batter. Too thin and it will run off your head, too thick and you will have a heck of a time getting it into your hair. Any sort of material can be used to mix the henna, including metal. While using a metal spoon or whisk is okay, henna should me mixed in a ceramic or glass bowl, as exposing henna to metal (specifically iron) for a long period of time may effect the color.
erplexed), 1 of Bhrami and warm water.
