Why I Won't Use Henna (It's not what you think)

[@rolori3]

I used natural henna for several years. It’s kind of a lot of work but does make your hair super shiny and a cool iridescent effect. It did darken my hair over time. Transitioning away from henna is hard, I could pretty much only use darker box dye over it until I finally just got a super short pixie and let it grow out again, only to re-pixie almost to go natural many years later. I would mainly recommend it if you want a red shade and for short hair - easier to apply and faster to grow out if you get tired of it or don’t like it. The texture change it did for my hair was amazing though, loved that part.

[@TheHennaGuys]

The only hair dye mother nature made for us:)

[@tammydowell3723]

I used to use henna .I'm a natural red head. It's very permanent. You have to grow it out. I'm now growing my natural out.

[@kathleenreese689]

My natural color is dark auburn brown. Started using henna in 2013. Have waist length hair and stopped henna 4 months ago due to white roots were showing every week and I was traveling (camping/hiking) and just didn't have time. I second guess myself all the time as my hair looks terrible during this grow out phase. If I stay with it, will cut it short.

[@theresataylor5410]

I did the henna method for about 3 years....I will testify to the shine, and brilliance, but soooooo time consuming!!!!! Plus, I had to prep it the night before and wait several hours before it was ready to use. I spent so much time away from my family in the bathroom doing my hair! And like you said, that gray hair is still going to shine through after week two. I don't miss the henna method at all. I'll just let my natural gray come out, thank you.

[@gypsiemomm]

I use to use only Henna when I first started going gray, mid 20's. Then later switched to hair dye bc/ Henna was too messy. Then became sensitive to the point of bring physically ill for days after using dye. So I switched to Henna, but was also experiencing the same ill affects. So nothing goes on my crown of gray anymore!!!

[@PrincessAloeVera]

Good one! I did the henna thing for 4 years a long time ago, and it did make it stronger and thicker and shinier! I loved that! I didn't mind doing the roots every 2 weeks either. BUT eventually I didn't want the red tones since I'm not a natural red head. I realized eventually that YES I like the natural silvery hair better than the henna hair after all. I love it!

[@grayawhile]

Thanks for sharing!! I'm sure I'd regret it because of the red tones . My dyed ends had turned orange when I stopped coloring them and it drive me bonkers!

[@billgoodwin8742]

Lynn I completely agree with you, just go natural. Your hair looks amazing just the way it is!

[@wyrdwitch13]

I've been using henna for over 25 years now. I have loved having natural red-auburn hair color for most of that time until becoming more grey. My hair is now half white and half light brown, and I am not yet ready to grow out my grey hair. I DID grow out my grey hair for 2 whole years about 5 years ago. I decided I wasn't grey enough at that time to keep going (It would have taken me 3 years to grow it all out). I dyed it all black before growing out the grey because I didn't like the silver next to the red-auburn lengths. I am waiting a bit longer before growing out my grey again, probably will try again in a couple of years or so. I use Light Mountain in the red shade (the fox on the box) it's been my favorite for the past 25 years! I've tried a ton of other brands, but always return to this one. I especially like it now that I have half white hair as it colors it a very natural shade of red. I do have to touch up the roots every 2 to 3 weeks which is not ideal. Henna is permanent, you can lighten it with bleach but usually only to a pale orange shade! You can cover it with dark hair dye, or tone it with ash color but it's pretty difficult to lift completely out of the hair.

[@asklaurabruno]

Same here! I have natural reddish auburn hair, and henna made it so much shinier and easier to care for. For over eighteen years, I had such low maintenance hair due to the henna. Whenever it started tangling in the back, I knew it was time for another henna treatment. It used to be my main self care routine. I stopped using henna several months ago, because I'm getting more gray and white hair. Right now it looks like highlights, because there isn't that much silver, but at some point in the future, I don't want a harsh red line and then white/gray at the roots. As I'm sure you know, once your hair goes white, the henna either doesn't stick, or it gets bright orange. I don't want too much of that either, so I'm opting for the gradual grow out. I miss the henna texture and strengthening effects, though. Now I have partly wavy, partly curly, but also straight hair. It takes soooo much more effort just to look okay. Oh, well, I had a good, long run of low maintenance hair. Good luck on your journey!

[@wyrdwitch13]

@@asklaurabruno My hair is over half white now and the henna sticks to it very well! Also, it isn't bright orange, but instead it is bright red-auburn depending on light source. I am probably about 60% white hair now, and plan to keep using henna until I am at least 80% white/grey.

[@asklaurabruno]

@@wyrdwitch13 Sounds beautiful!

[@Melian07]

I agree with you. This question implies that it's a given that when our hair is graying we should cover it, even if it's with a color that doesn't match our original color (which in many cases henna won't match, because it's often orangey or warm and not everyone wants that). But women who have decided to stop dyeing have moved away from this mindset!

[@lisagautreau5474]

I tried Henna/ indigo for about the last 5 months. The indigo fades in roughly 10 days and leaves my roots an orange / red. So I end up using a root spray. Not only that I ended up recently losing a lot of inches, as it made my hair like straw. This was the final point of ending this for me as it had taken me awhile to get my hair longish. I finally have decided to take the plunge and grow out my greys 🎉

[@callmeswivelhips8229]

The color henna turns your hair matures after you use it. So the henna chemically combines with your hair, meaning it sinks into the center of the cuticle. Right after washing it out, this causes the cuticle to stay raised and open. SO the very first henna dye, your hair will feel rough and unconditioned. It's temporary, it will go back to normal once the henna has finished entering into the hair shaft. Only now the hair is thicker and heavier. And at this point, the henna molecule begins to oxidize. It will take a few days for the color to fully develop, And each time you use henna again, the color will become deeper and more saturated. It's a fascinating process because, essentially, it's alive. The color grows and changes over time. And the only way to get your virgin color back is to cut your hair off completely. Personally, hair left to it's own devices is the most beautiful.

[@Danceswithfishes]

I used to use henna. Then as I got more white streaks (and I mean stark white), I mixed it with indigo (but indigo made my scalp itch). So I mixed it with other herbs to get a brown shade. However, the effect of indigo and these herb faded away, leaving me with neon orange on my whites, while keaving the black untouched. It simply looked bizarre. In addition to the above, the 6 hour process in the cold UK was really unpleasant. Henna tends to run. I kept a plastic cap over my head to help the henna process, and it kept it warm, but it made it run. I would stuff paper around the edges. I would end up sitting on a blanket on the floor for hours. Im sorry, because henna is good for the hair, but havong to do it every two weeks (that's when my roots show) is tedious.

[@maranathaacts1327]

It's less messy if you use Saran Plastic Wrap and wrap your head in it. Yeah you'll look like last night dinner leftovers, but it does cut down the mess.

[@Danceswithfishes]

@@maranathaacts1327 I used that, with paper towels stuck right under around the edges. Sometimes without the paper towel. It always ran. I would spend 4-5 hours pretty much sitting down on a fleece blanket on the floor. It was so tiring, and cold. I really could not afford having the heating fill blast for hours. It felt like punishment! Also the red from the Henna looked horrid on my skin tone, and other herbs faded quickly. Did I mention my white shows in 10 days? 😥

[@karmachambers7209]

Used a red henna …. Yeah doesn’t come out.. if you change your mind

[@auroracharming5531]

Does the red colour fade as fast as other dyes? If I dyed my hair again I'd go red, I actually forgot about the mess it got on the walls, shower curtain, toilet, floor anything else around me 😂

[@grayawhile]

I'm not sure but I know it does fade and most say it needs to be redone every 6-8 weeks. Maybe it wouldn't bother me as much since I know it's natural. But my roots will still pop up every 2 weeks 🤪

[@zoe-louisefitzsimmons2689]

I have made many good and bad hair decisions over the years. My worst decision was Splat hair dye (its basically fabric dye) , to be kind to myself I had no clue and was 14 at the time, regardless I had to grow it out. Please never use Splat. I did also use Henna at one point. I found it did a beautiful job dying my hair , but I do want to mention , if you want to change your hair color frequently it is not a good choice because you typically have to grow it out. If you like frequently changing your color do some research into friendly semi permanent dyes and analyze their labels. A good brand (for unnatural colors) is strawberry leopard just as an example. Do your research folks. I like Henna but that is a more permanent option and for more natural colors. It does not harm your hair but it stains.

[@eternalrhythmflow]

Now I know about Henna on hair! I thought it was a temporary tattoo dye only. How did you know about that Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler clip?? 🎥😆 Good catch!

[@eternalrhythmflow]

And yes, your silver gives you a classy confidence that is head and shoulders above anything a dye could accomplish. I vote retaining the all natural you!

[@grayawhile]

I will pretty much watch anything with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler 😀

[@grayawhile]

Aww thank you! 🥰

[@melodypaz7247]

My Grandma Mush Mush would treat her long, long hair to henna packs until her strokes occurred in her eighties. Afterward, she let her combination of medium brown, gray, silver, and white hair grow out without any sort of color additive until it reached her collarbone. CHOP!!! We had never seen her hair so short! Yet, it looked great! Thanks for bring back pleasant memories.

[@vicki26xoxo]

I really like your hair how it is now