Colour Your Hair the Natural Way with this Indian Herb:DIY

Colour Your Hair the Natural Way with Henna:DIY

Hello everyone,

I had been wanting to colour my hair since ages, I wanted to try out the chemical colouring process but but many people advised me to stay away from hair colouring. Traditional hair colours are full of potentially harmful chemicals that are considered to be harmful for your hair, for your scalp and also for your skin. I had a bit of grey hair also on my head and I wanted to colour those grey hair also so I wanted to try out the commercial hair colours available but as there are so many toxins and chemicals in them I decided to stay away from it. Have to confess that most of us are equally freaked out with the chemicals used in hair treatments and in hair colours.

Fortunately, we have the perfect solution for you, natural and healthy alternative option that will help you cut down on chemicals and still colour your hair naturally. It is believed that there are 5000 different chemicals that are used in hair dye process and many of them are carcinogenic  in nature. As I wanted to cover my grey hair and also wanted to change the light brown colour of my hair I decided to colour my hair with Henna.

Henna is dye  prepared from a plant. Henna popularly known as Mehndi in India is a hair colouring herb. Henna  has been used since centuries to colour hair, skin and fingernails. Henna stains are orange and it gives a very beautiful coppery orange colour to the hair and we can mix a lot of ingredients in it to enhance the colour of henna. There are also many benefits of using Henna for healthy hair and it is one of the natural remedies for hair growth too but I do not understand why do people  still go with the chemical products when there is a natural process available. It has always been a difficult task to colour your hair with chemical products because there is always a possibility of skin problems  like skin irritation, itching and what not.

Usage of henna for colouring the hair  has indulged from many decades,  Ancient King Queens used to mix  henna up with some  powerful herbs to colour their hair. Henna is a natural herbal powder into which is not only used for hair colouring but also used to prevent dandruff and scalp itching. It acts as a good conditioner for your hair and helps to grow your hair.

Usage of henna for colouring the hair  has indulged from many decades,  ancient King and Queens used to mix henna up with some powerful herbs to colour their hair. Henna is a natural herbal powder which is not only used for hair colouring but also helps to prevent dandruff and scalp itching. It also acts as a good conditioner for your hair and helps you to grow your hair. Henna is also a natural source for people who want to get rid of their grey hair and for people who are allergic to hair colours. Henna is really good for your hair because it seals in oils and tightens the cuticles. It is a great alternative to the chemically laden hair colour. Henna coats and seals the hair shaft so it locks in the colour. It also makes your hair strong and nourishes it from the roots to become silky and soft. Henna is not only safe and quick but it also colours the hair without any side effects.

You have to keep in mind that natural colour products are not the same as chemical colours, they do not usually last that long,you won’t be able to completely change the colour of your hair colour and the colour may come out to be a bit different than you imagined but it is after all natural and has no side effects . It may take you some time and experimentation to get the colour you desire for.

There are different ingredients that you can add to mehndi or henna to get the desired colour. I wanted to give my hair a orangish red coppery shade so I mixed in a few ingredients that helped me to achieve that tinge. So let’s get started with the diy.

Ingredients:

◦ One and a half cup of Henna powder. I used the the Godrej Nupur Henna because it contains 9 other beneficial herbs for the hair like brahmi, shikakai, hibiscus, neem etc.

◦ 1 Egg.

◦ 3 Tbsp Tea Leaves.

◦ 3 Tbsp of Yoghurt.

◦ 2 medium size Betroot or 1 large Betroot.

◦ Juice of 1 lemon.

Directions:

◦ Grate the betroot  and boil it in 3 cups of water. Also add in the tea leaves into the boiling water. Let the betroot  and the tea leaves boil in the water for 12-15 minutes.

◦After 15 minutes strain the water and let it come down to room temperature.

◦ Now take the mehndi or henna powder and add in the egg, mix it properly.

◦ Next goes in the yoghurt.

◦ After adding the yoghurt, slowly mix in the betroot and tea leaves solution to it and make it a smooth paste.

◦ Next squeeze in a lemon and mix properly. Cover the bowl with a lid and let the mixture rest for 12 hours. I forgot to prepare the henna mix at night so I made it in the morning and applied it right after making it. Keeping it overnight enhances the colour so always mix it a day before you want to apply it.

Directions for Application:

◦ Deatngle your hair and start applying the henna from the crown area. Always wear gloves for application because it will stain your bare hands.

◦ Start from the crown, take a section of hair and apply henna from root to tip and then twist that section of the hair on the top of the crown area like a bun.

◦ Repeat this process till you cover all the hair lengths and at last you will get a bun like this on the top of your head.

◦ Whatever is left, pop it to your hair and let it air dry on your hair for a good 3 hours. I keep my  mehndi for 3 hours and it gives a lovely tinge to my brown hair.

◦ After 3 hours wash off your hair with plain water, do not use any shampoo or conditioner. Just rinse off all the henna from your hair.

◦ After your hair has dried you will notice how beautiful your hair looks and all your greys have also been covered. This combination of ingredients give my hair a beautiful reddish brown colour which I love.

◦ To enhance the colour of your henna apply mustard oil or coconut oil to your hair before going to bed. This simple trick will enhance the colour of your hair  and will make it deeper.

◦ Warm 2-3 tbsp of mustard oil and apply it on your hair and leave it overnight. Wash off the next morning with a herbal shampoo.

◦ You do not need to apply a conditioner as henna conditions your hair naturally.

◦ Air dry your hair and you will notice that the colour of your hair has deepened and it looks much more dark.

Before and After Pics:

In the before pics you can spot some grey strands at the back of my hair but in the after pics you can see that the greys have been covered and my hair colour has also changed. From dark brown my hair colour has changed to reddish orange and that too naturally. I will be colouring my hair with henna again in a week or so to darken and deepen the colour so if you want a deeper color use henna at regular intervals.

I love to colour my hair with henna as it is 100%natural and it also is very beneficial for the hair. Try colouring your hair with henna and say bye to those chemically laden hair colours.