Hello Naturals, Transitioning Naturals, and the Curious!
I am planning to Henna this weekend and thought it would be a great time to discuss my thoughts on Henna and my experiences. In short -- I absolutely LOVE Henna because it makes my hair feel smooth, silky and it stops my hair from shedding COLD Turkey!
If you've frequented any of the most popular natural hair blogs, then you have heard about the popularity of Henna treatments. For those who haven't, Henna is a reddish colored dye from a plant that is typically grown in the middle east. It is primarily used for body painting, however it has strengthening properties on the hair! Depending on your hair color, it may also be used to dye the hair.
I put together a list of three things that you should consider if you are deciding if Henna is for you. Remember, it is a personal journey. So your expectations and hair preferences are also major factors.
The Henna Risk/Return Trade Off ---- Three Things to Consider:
1.
Color Tinting --- Depending on your hair type --- you may (or may not) experience color tinting! Henna does not lighten your natural hair color, but it will darken the hair. My hair is so dark - I can't see any color changes. If you have a lighter shade of hair (or if your hair already has color in it), the dye maybe more noticeable.
But here’s the RISK ---You won’t EXACTLY know what color your hair will turn out to be. If you use pure henna it will be some variation of a red/auburn-ish color. Those Box Hennas that tell you what color you are getting are NOT pure Henna. They are mixed with something (sometimes chemicals) to sort of “guarantee” a particular color. Depending on what they are mixing into the Henna to guarantee the color --- this is also a risk. Another thing you need to consider. You CAN use Henna on top of previously colored Hair without breakage. However, some people (not all) have experienced breakage when chemically coloring their Hair after they have Hennaed. There’s something about the chemicals clashing with the Henna that is already in your hair strands. So, if you plan to chemically color your hair, you may want to do more research before applying henna beforehand.
2.
Strand Coating --- Henna binds itself to your hair strands. Therefore any gaps in cuticles becomes filled leaving some people hair feeling silky/smooth. Some people say that it makes their hair appear thicker because of the strand coating.
But here’s the RISK--- once Henna binds itself to your strands, it cannot be removed. This binding to the hair – is causing the hair to be strengthened --- and further explains why some people have less shedding. However, you can get strengthening from other things – like protein treatments. There are even other Ayurvedic treatments that can be used without some of the Henna side-effects, such as Cassia, Indigo, Amla,etc. So – depending on what you are trying to get from your Henna treatments, you decide for yourself if having Henna permanently on your hair strands is worth it.
3.
Curl Loosening --- As mentioned, Henna permanently binds itself to the protein in your hair. The more you henna….the more “henna molecules” continue to “sit” on your hair strands….which may cause people to experience looser curl patterns. However, there are some people who don’t experience curl loosening at all. Others may experience it, but find that it’s temporary. This is where your personal preference comes into play… Personally, my curls are "Africana-tight!" so I don't mind the curl loosening aspect. However, I know a lady who had loose / wiry hair --- she had to cut the Henna out of her hair, because it looked like she had a relaxer.
Take a look at my change in curl pattern change between the 3rd and 4th Henna Treatments:
I took these pictures after my wash & BEFORE I put any product in it...
3rd Henna Treatment
4th Henna Treatment
So, depending on your hair type, your expectations, & your preference --- it may or may not work for you altogether.
Lastly, Curly Nikki did an awesome article on the Pros & Con’s of Henna, so Check out this link!
http://www.curlynikki.com/2008/10/im-henna-head.html
Here's another great document on Henna that I found helpful:
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/hennahow.pdf
Of course, I'll be recording when I Henna this weekend! Stay tuned...
Good Luck and Happy Discovery!
B.
