With so many of today’s hair dyes containing harsh chemicals to give us colour that lasts, you may be looking for a gentler, natural alternative. Henna has been used as a dye for centuries, and here are a few reasons it makes such a great hair dye.
Chemical free
You may be wary of exposing yourself to the chemicals in standard hair dyes, or be aware of the impact the use of these chemicals has on the environment. Henna is a completely natural hair dye that comes from the leaves of the henna plant. They contain Lawsonia molecules, a pigment with an orange-red colour that’s been used as a dye for hundreds of years. If you want a red hair dye that’s 100% natural then henna is a great option, just be careful to read the ingredients list carefully when buying packaged henna hair dyes. Some of them actually contain added chemicals that can react badly when applied on top of other synthetic dyes- to be sure it’s completely natural, look for body art grade henna.
Kind to your hair
Rather than opening up and penetrating your hair, henna works by staining the surface of the hair and doesn’t need to use harsh chemicals to deposit its colour. This makes henna a really gentle option when it comes to colouring your hair, and will leave your hair smooth and shiny.
Beautiful tones
Henna is a translucent dye that works with the tones present naturally in your hair to produce wonderful, individual red shades. If your hair’s fairly dark then henna can give it a beautiful red wash and for those of you with lighter hair, you can achieve more vivid copper-red tones. If you’ve got very light hair it’s probably best to give henna a wide berth though, as it could leave your hair with an orange-red colour that’s a bit too intense!
Colour that lasts
It’s a mistake to think that natural dyes must be weak and wash out far more easily than most chemical hair dyes. Henna is actually very long lasting – the dye molecules bond with the keratin found in the outer layers of the hair shaft, saturating and staining it with its red colour. Henna is really a semi-permanent or even permanent dye, though the length of time it takes to wash out can vary from person to person.
Henna has many great qualities as a hair dye – if you’re looking for a red dye that will be kind on your hair, chemical free and long-lasting, henna is a brilliant choice.