When I started using henna, I thought it was the best thing I'd ever used on my hair. My hair felt stronger after using it, and I associated that feeling of thickness with the properties of pure henna.
This feeling of thicker, stronger hair strands is why many natural women place henna and protein treatments on the same level.
I will share more about my personal experience using henna dye in a moment, but first, let's dive into the purpose and benefits of using henna extracts on your natural hair.
What Is Henna?
Henna is a natural plant-based hair dye that has been used for centuries to color hair (e.g., henna hair dyes) and skin (e.g., body art or mehndi in India). It is made from the leaves of the henna plant, which are dried, powdered, and mixed with liquid to create a paste that can be applied to hair.
Henna is known for its ability to provide rich, long-lasting color. Many people with curly hair use it as an alternative to chemical hair dyes, and some say it helps with curl definition and frizz.
Free 9-page planner
Plan your next hair color, start to finish.
Our free planner walks you through coloring your hair at home, one step at a time. It shows which kind of color fits the hair you have now, the two tests to do at least 48 hours before, what to do after you color, and how to cancel a brassy or orange tone. There’s also a log for each color you use, so next time you’ll know exactly what worked.
Free. We’ll email you the planner, then two more emails on how to use it, and after that one email every Thursday, plus the occasional extra. Unsubscribe anytime.
The henna that's used for hair treatments is usually in the form of a relatively fine powder-like substance that contains lawsone. Lawsone is a reddish-orange dye that comes from the leaves of Lawsonia inermis, also called the mignonette tree. In the dry leaves, most of it is locked up in another form, and water frees it when you mix a paste.
Does Henna Condition Hair?
Henna works differently from a conditioner. Its dye, lawsone, forms a chemical bond with keratin, the protein your hair is made of, which is why henna color lasts through so many washes.
That’s a different job from conditioning. Generally, a hair conditioner should add some level of moisture to the hair.
Conditioners are also used to keep the hair soft.
So, can henna be used as a conditioner?
No, according to “The Art of Hair Coloring” by Jacki Wadeson, many hairstylists report dry hair after using henna. This is why so many naturals add a conditioning agent to their henna recipes.
We Only Recommend Using 100% Pure Henna
The best henna to use is 100% pure henna. Sometimes retailers will offer BAQ henna or "body art quality" henna. Just be sure that it’s 100% pure with no additives, and since a label can be wrong, buy from a seller you trust.
It's important to note that henna does not come in a rainbow of colors, and the color deposits are not always predictable. Pure henna will deposit some variation of orange to reddish brown on your hair.
However, the shade of the color deposit depends significantly on your natural hair color.
When buying henna for your hair, you should be suspicious of compound henna or other forms of the product that have been altered.
Compound henna is henna mixed with metallic salts or synthetic dyes. Metal left on your hair can make the peroxide in bleach, permanent color, and perms react too strongly and damage your hair, so always tell your stylist if you’ve used henna before a chemical service.
H&C says it aims to provide a wide range of authentic Indian herbs and Ayurveda products, which are made with 100% natural ingredients, without any addition of chemicals or preservatives. It says all of its products are made using sustainably sourced and quality-tested ingredients.
Some "special formulations" will promise to provide you with a specific color other than a shade of red. Pure henna (from dried leaves) should be a finely ground powder that is green in color.
It should not have sticks, sand, dirt, or any debris included. I've purchased henna that required substantial sifting in the past and decided not to use it on my hair (more about that later).
Likewise, if you have purchased henna products that don't seem pure and require sifting, we don't recommend using the product. It could include unknown additives and debris, which may be difficult to rinse from your hair.
If you decide not to return it to the retailer and use it anyway, be sure to sift the powder several times before using it on your hair.
Don't be deceived by the product's label or slick marketing, even if the ingredients on the label don't list anything other than henna.
Some products sold as natural henna have turned out to contain PPD, a synthetic hair dye ingredient. And skip anything sold as “black henna,” which the FDA says often contains PPD and can cause serious skin reactions.
Be cautious, and don't take unnecessary chances with your hair and skin.
Can Henna Loosen Your Curl Pattern?
Several women with natural hair have reported that henna gradually relaxes their curl pattern after continuous applications.
In addition to some people experiencing a "loosening" of their curl pattern, there have also been reports of the curls clumping together after repeated applications.
People with looser curl patterns, for example, type 2 and type 3 hair types, can experience significant changes in their natural curl patterns.
Anecdotally, this effect doesn't appear to have a substantial impact on type 4 hair types. Still, some people find henna changes how thick their hair feels and how their curls fall.
The looser curl pattern often makes your hair appear to be longer. Depending on your personal hairstyling preferences, this might be good or bad news.
Is the Loss of Your Natural Curl Pattern Reversible?
In other words, will your hair revert back to its natural curl pattern after washing your hair? My theory is primarily based on the weight that henna exerts on your hair strands.
Lawsone, the red-orange hair dye contained in henna, is a permanent dye, so the color stays on the strands you’ve dyed. If the dye’s weight is what loosens your curls, that change would stay with those strands too, while new growth comes in with your usual curl pattern.
Furthermore, I think the loosening of your curl pattern will also depend on the number of times you've used henna and the level of moisture in your hair.
As your hair carries more weight, you’ll experience looser curls. More henna applications lead to more weight, and the moisture (weight) in your hair translates to looser curls. It’s only a theory, though, since the amount of dye that ends up in your hair is tiny.
Does Henna Reduce Hair Shedding?
No study shows that henna makes your hair shed more or less. Shedding starts at the root (bulb) of the hair, and henna works on the strand.
However, it’s possible that breakage will occur while you’re manipulating your hair, whereby some strands of hair snap off. Otherwise, no scientific proof links henna to hair shedding.
Does Henna Strengthen the Hair?
There is no scientific proof (i.e., a study) showing that henna can make your hair stronger. However, two critical observations have been made regarding the effect of henna in strengthening the hair:
- Henna can lead to dry hair. These anecdotal reports are often confirmed by hairstylists and do-it-yourself users. Dry hair does not have adequate elasticity, so the hair will break more easily.
- Henna can increase the hair's thickness, as it bonds to the hair and creates a loosening effect by weighing down the hair. As the hair becomes thicker, the hair should also become stronger. This should end up minimizing hair breakage.
However, these anecdotal benefits of henna will remain speculation unless someone carries out strength tests.
Does Henna Hair Dye (Coloring) Eventually Fade?
Henna is a permanent hair dye that bonds to the keratin in your hair. There have been numerous reports of the hair becoming dry after applying henna; however, this can be mitigated through deep conditioning treatments.
Henna fades very slowly on hair, much more slowly than it does as body art. In the same lab study, hair dyed with henna was a little lighter and browner after about two dozen washes, but still strongly colored. In reality, what happens is the outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis, occasionally renews itself.
As the skin renews itself, the henna that's residing on the outer surface of the skin appears to fade as your dead skin cells flake away.
Similarly, the outer layers of the hair cuticle are constantly subjected to water, heat, combing, sunlight, and other environmental elements, which progressively damage the hair cuticle and cause layers to flake away.
Consequently, if you only do one henna application per year, it will gradually fade off as the outer cuticle layer gets damaged and falls off. Most of the change you’ll notice, though, is new growth coming in undyed. To make the fading less noticeable, you need to reapply the henna treatment periodically.
Is Henna Safe or Toxic?
There’s no doubt that henna has been used for centuries across North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Consequently, henna is often regarded as safe for use on your hair.
However, there are some serious concerns about this product.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved henna only as a hair dye. Using it on your skin isn’t an approved use.
It strongly disapproves of the use of henna for body decoration in a widespread practice known as Mehndi. If you are planning to apply henna on your skin, there is a risk of serious allergic reactions and scarring, mostly from products with PPD added, and even pure henna can cause a rare allergy.
The FDA indicates that it has received several reports of skin injuries caused by products that are marketed as henna and "black henna."
In 2004, an earlier EU safety committee said it couldn’t set a safe level for lawsone, the dye in henna, when it’s added to products on its own. In 2013, the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) looked at henna itself as a hair dye and concluded it’s safe for consumers when it’s used as directed.
The FDA hasn’t changed its approval of henna as a hair dye, either.
Plus, it's important to note that the FDA only approves the use of pure henna for use as a hair dye, not for any other purpose. That also means no henna on your eyebrows or eyelashes, and henna labels have to warn against using it near your eyes or on a cut or scraped scalp. And don’t use henna on babies or young children until you know they don’t have G6PD deficiency, an inherited condition in which henna can cause a life-threatening reaction.
Does Henna Cause Cancer?
There’s no evidence that pure henna hair dye causes cancer in people. Some lab-dish tests flagged henna, but animal tests didn’t confirm it, and the EU review found henna safe as a hair dye. The National Cancer Institute’s concerns about hair dye are about synthetic permanent dyes, not henna, and even there the research is mixed.
If you are considering using henna, you will find contradicting reports on the benefits and risks. Therefore, you need to do in-depth research to make an informed decision.
Hopefully, this article will be very helpful as you make the best decision for you.
Henna Hair Dye vs. "Chemical" Based Color Treatments (Common Hair Coloring Alternatives)
Temporary Hair Color Treatment
Temporary hair color usually comes in the form of a rinse, gel, or mousse. Due to the dye's large particles, it is not usually able to penetrate the hair cuticle.
The only way temporary hair dye can potentially penetrate the cuticle is if your hair is already treated with chemicals, meaning it's relaxed or bleached.
If none of those conditions apply to you, the dye will normally wash off pretty quickly.
Semi-Permanent Hair Color Treatment
Semi-permanent hair color lasts longer than temporary hair color, usually between 4 to 6 weeks. The main purpose of this hair dye is to darken the hair, usually up to three tones darker than the natural color.
The dye has slightly smaller particles than the temporary hair color, meaning that it is able to penetrate the cortex and attach to the cuticle. Permanent color covers gray hair best, since semi-permanent color doesn’t reach as deep.
Permanent Hair Color Treatment
Permanent hair color requires a chemical used to lift the hair cuticle, in most cases ammonia.
The second step involves the application of the dye, which enters the cortex and undergoes oxidation to allow the color to develop while at the same time attaching the molecules to the cortex.
The new color is usually permanent, but the whole process can damage your hair due to lifting the cuticle during the process.
Hair Bleaching Treatment
Hair bleaching lightens the color of your hair instead of darkening it. To achieve it, you need to apply hydrogen peroxide, often boosted with persulfates, to the hair.
The hydrogen peroxide breaks down melanin, the pigment that gives your hair its color, and it weakens the hair’s keratin, too. Bleaching can also make hair more fragile since the hair cuticle is affected by the chemical.
Henna Hair Color Treatment
Henna works differently from other dyes because it's strongly attracted to keratin (the hair's protein). It bonds to that keratin and builds up with each application.
If you visit a hairdresser, they will probably use more than one of the above methodologies to achieve your desired hair color.
To mitigate issues with hair breakage, cuticle damage, and dryness during the hair coloring process, the hair usually needs to undergo deep conditioning.
Kira's Favorite Henna Recipes
Henna Hair Rinse Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of Jamila Henna (commonly referred to as body art quality henna)
- ½ gallon warm water
Directions:
Do a patch test first, then stir 1 tablespoon of henna into ½ gallon of warm water. Depending on the length of your hair, you may need more or less water.
Once it’s well mixed, strain out any grit and pour the henna rinse onto your hair. Co-wash and style as usual.
The hair coloring will build up over time with each rinse.
Does Henna Cause Gray Hair?
It's very unlikely that henna can cause gray hair, although henna is a type of dye that bonds to your hair strand.
Henna works on the strand itself, not on the follicles where your hair’s color is made.
For people with lighter hair colors, the effect of henna is more noticeable, producing colors in the orange and red spectrum.
Individuals with darker hair colors will experience a less noticeable change in hair color while using henna.
So, what causes gray hair?
Scientists are still researching the exact causes of gray hair, although it appears that race and heredity are key factors.
Graying earlier than usual is called premature hair graying, and nobody knows exactly how many people it affects (PHG). We've written extensively about the causes of gray hair in the past; click here to learn more about gray hair.
Related Articles
- Is Henna Bad for Your Hair?
- Shikakai for Hair
- Benefits of Lemon on Hair
- Amla Powder for Hair Benefits
Henna vs. Protein Treatments: Kira's Results
I recently purchased two boxes of Red Raj 100% organic henna powder and had planned to use the henna as I usually do on a monthly basis.
One of our community members informed me that she found twigs in her henna and that I might need to sift the henna again before I use it.
When I opened the pack, it was not a well-sifted box, as the henna had little spikes in it. My regular Jamila Henna is always a consistently smooth texture.
I sifted the Red Raj henna, but all the time, my concern grew as I am very protective of my hair. Nevertheless, my feelings never settled, so I decided to wait until I felt better about it.
The fact that I didn't use the henna on my hair left room for me to experiment with something new. I had been researching protein treatments for a few months, and I felt that it was time. So, I purchased Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment.
Here is what I did step by step:
I detangled my hair and created 14 large chunky twists. Then I shampooed my hair with Hydratherma Naturals Moisturizing Boosting Shampoo instead of Aphogee Shampoo for Damaged Hair.
Because the protein treatment is liquid, I put the liquid protein in a spray bottle for easy application. I covered myself with my "henna robe," an old, worn, yellow bathrobe, and draped a towel across my shoulders.
Using the towel, I gently applied pressure to the ends of my twists to stop my hair from dripping before the protein application.
Starting in the back, I untwisted each twist and sprayed the twist with the protein treatment until it was thoroughly saturated.
Immediately after spraying the protein on my hair, I rubbed my hair in a downward motion to ensure all the strands had protein on them. Once the strands were saturated, I used a wide-tooth comb and combed through my strands once or twice.
If your sections start to become sticky, do not comb through them; just move on to the next section of hair.
Continue to take down each twist, spray each section, work through the sections with your fingers, and comb through it (if your hair becomes sticky before you pass through with your comb, do not comb through it and move on to the next section).
I own a hooded dryer, which is my preferred hair dryer, but you can also use a hand dryer. I've done protein treatments several times with a handheld dryer, and they work just fine.
When using a hand-held dryer, use a setting that's low and warm. When drying my hair, I held the dryer approximately 8-10 inches from my hair.
It took roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour before my hair was completely dry. Feel free to take short breaks if needed.
Once my hair was completely dry, it felt really hard, as if I had a finger wave hairstyle that was hardened with gel.
I then got in the shower and allowed the warm water to rinse away the protein treatment.
Once all of my hair became pliable and the strength of the streaming water was able to move my hair, I gently used my hands to feel my hair. I used my hands to continue working the water through my hair for thorough rinsing.
I was pleasantly surprised by the softness but confused because it wasn't "hard."
After rinsing, I immediately applied the Aphogee Balancing Moisturizer with a plastic bag for 15 minutes. I rinsed my hair thoroughly with warm water and styled my hair in twists.
Seriously, ladies, that is all that I did, and the way my hair felt and looked was mind-boggling. Honestly, what I expected was for my hair to feel firm and thick as it does with henna or hard, like some of the other ladies have experienced, but it was just the opposite.
My hair was, and still is a week later, very soft and shiny. Heck, I would like to say that my hair is silky. However, I want to wait until I do another treatment to confirm before I make that claim.
I never expected these results, especially from the Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment - because it's considered a hard, heavy protein treatment.
Henna has never given me these types of results, although it's really used for different purposes. Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment is in a class of its own.
