Hi! I know i am super super late for this discussion but i have just recently started being zero waste so i will leave this comment for someone who might come later on. I am eighteen and asian so i don’t know why few years back my hair started turning grey (doctors also don’t know, but i think they because of chemicals in shampoo or the filtered water) so i was thirteen and my grey hairs looked alot werider for someone with dark brown. My mother suggested me to use henna (which she used when she was younger to give reddish tint to her hair). I tried it but let me tell you that if you are using only henna then it will take at least 3 times before you get some dark shade otherwise you end up with orangish colour and it was really hard to remove it after it had dried. So coming back to present, I read about soapnuts in one of the post and I immediately recognized because it was same ingredient along with the other two my mother told me to use because of their colouring property but at the time like most teenagers i ignored it but now that i have tried them they are awesome !!
these are reetha (or soapnuts) , amla, shikakai you can google it for their recipe but i just take few of all three and soak it in water for few hours then simmer it to make it a little thick then shower with it.
They are natural, organic shampoo and dye all in one. It gives brownish colour to your hair.
I hope that it was helpful

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna The information in this link is very accurate. I used to be a stylist many years ago, and used henna as well. In this link there is a photo of a Hindu woman with orange/red colored hair. This is an effect of true henna on very grey or white hair. True henna probably should not be used on hair containing too much grey or you will be in for a BIG surprise! Take a color patch test on a small area of hair before proceeding if not sure. The neutral doesn’t change hair color as stated in the article, but adds shine and coats the hair, giving hair a healthier look as the hair cuticle is closed with the coating. Notice the green color of henna? Well, with a neutral you could end up with a green cast depending on the product, applied to very grey hair (color test a patch).

The cocoa or any other additive, is to ensure a depth in the henna color to prevent too much red deposit (or slight green cast). With a pure henna, the results are best with a person who has dark to medium brown hair. It will work on light brown hair as well, but with a lighter red shade as result. It will give you some reddish highlights on any grey/white hair and is very very attractive. Blondes should NOT use a pure henna, unless you want your hair the color of the Hindu woman is the link provided, to an orange/strawberry color.
Make sure you research what your getting and if there are additives such as the one Beth used, to ensure the desired look.

To patch test, you cut a small amount of hair (approx 1/4 inch wide) from an area that will not show a piece missing (like an under section at the nape of neck..behind your ear or you pick!), and then mix a small amount of your product to try on the strands.
Bet you might find those suggestions on the box.
Henna normally works in 30 to 45 minutes and fades out over 6 to 8 weeks.

I too am way too young for the amount of grey hair I have;). I am looking to make a more natural switch. How long does the Henna color last on grey hair?

I know I am very, very late to the party here, but I have just recently started henna-ing again. I use either a mix of BAQ henna and cassia, or Rainbow Light/Strawberry blonde. I have the much-maligned and evilly named “dishwater blonde” or very, very light “mousy brown” (another great name!) color.
I leave on only for one hour. In this way I achieve a caramel color leaning toward reddish. It’s just the color I want and the one color I could never achieve with chemical dyes. I have just a few greys – at the temples, naturally! – and they are a more “sparkly” color.

You are a beautiful lady, you have such soulful eyes and they are an amazing color.

if you have left over henna can you save it?

Very nice post. Now, Lush is actively showing the complete list of Ingredients on the pack. Sticking to them for now because of the convenience.

I love henna as it gives great colors and shades. I generally use sesame oil on hair before applying henna as it provides conditioning and also does not let henna stick to the hair.

Forgot to mention that my hair is dark blond with some reddish highlights and I got a wonderful auburn colour with Red Henna. Now I’m in my sixties and have very long hair reaching below my buttocks. I’d love to get rid of the grey. Anyone out there with long dark blond hair using Henna? I don’t want my hair to turn red. Any colour of Henna that would just add some red highlights? Any other tips?

Hi! When I was young I loved to use red henna and it made my hair look wonderful. With gray hair you should be cautious, as it can turn your hair an unpleasant greenish hue. Just make a test before trying any kind of henna if your hair is gray. Your hair looks fab. I used the ordinary powdered henna like the one you bought at Rainbow.

Hi Beth,
My name is Araceli. I noticed in the pictures you posted in this article that you have what seems like a reusable coffee filter. I have the same kind of coffee maker, but I haven’t been able to find a reusable coffee filter that is not plastic so I have been using recycled paper ones. Do you have any suggestions? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

It would be fantastic if everyone who buys their henna from mehandi.com would contact the company and ask them to package it without plastic. There are clear cellulose bags they could use. Of paper bags. One thing to be aware of is that often what looks like foil is actually mylar, another kind of plastic.

My hair is red, but it’s more strawberry blonde and auburn would be too dark for me. (90’s Nicole Kidman) What do I add to lighten the henna? Where should I look for more info? I’m not going grey, I’m getting a few white hairs and it blends in now, but someday the white hair will reach critical mass and it won’t be pretty.

Thanks Beth – I needed this. Trying to work up the courage to mix up some henna and do my hair. Got it dyed at a salon 6 months ago (brain fart!) and vowed never again. Was going to try Lush but will look into other options first – great suggestions in your comments.

I use henna from http://www.hennaforhair.com (mehandi.com), and it’s beautiful. I just did an application about two weeks ago.

I follow their instructions almost to the letter. One thing I do different is that I use vinegar instead of lemon juice. On the Henna For Hair website, they say to use lemon juice because vinegar will stink, but I’ve found that lemon juice doesn’t give nearly as beautiful an application of color. I have very dark brown hair that is sometimes, in the blue-tinted cool Seattle winter light, mistaken for black. It isn’t black, but it is dark. When I use henna with lemon juice, there is virtually no difference. When I use henna with vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar), it comes out deep auburn, and it’s very noticeable, even in the evening light.

I love what henna does for the condition of my hair, but I am tired of the color. Red hair is gorgeous, but it doesn’t feel like me, I prefer the brown/black. So, I just ordered a box of henna and indigo from mehandi.com, which arrived a few days ago. I’m excited to try the addition of indigo to get my hair back to it’s natural color!

I used to use henna, but the more grey my hair turned, the more it seemed I needed to treat my hair. So I stopped using it. But I loved it. I added a little Braggs AC vinegar and olive oil to the henna paste, 1-2 tbsp. of each, and my hair felt and looked very healthy and shiny. Also I mixed various henna colors, 3 different colors actually, to come up with a custom color that wasn’t a one flat color. It worked well. I had a pile of towels set aside specifically for doing henna, because it easily stained our counter which wasn’t tiled but some sort of white laminate. And I wrapped an old cotton bandana around my head.

Any idea what to use to make hair blonder? Hopefully there is something that would not turn my hair into straw.

I adopted henna too!! and love it!! plastic free AND chemical free on your head!!!

I started dying my hair with just henna and plain lemon juice 9 years ago (I started dabbling in henna tattoos about 14 years ago and it took about 5 years to build up the courage to try a dye that doesn’t wash out). It’s nearly plastic-free. I buy my henna in 1-2 kg cotton bags, but there is usually a flimsy plastic bag inside and since the henna I buy tends to be packaged in India or Pakistan I’m guessing that’s real plastic, not cellulose.

Oh yeah, me too on the hair washing frequency.

I use baking soda too. It probably does strip it some, but I don’t wash my hair every day. More like once or twice a week, so it still lasts a long time.

I’ve been using henna for 2 years and LOVE it! My hair has never been so healthy! It’s done wonders for it and I love the color too.

I do henna 2-3 times per year. I also use baking soda and it doesn’t “strip” the color at all. In fact it lasts much longer than “regular” hair dye.

I have really been wanting to try this but I use baking soda to wash my hair and I am afraid it will strip it fast. Does anyone know if this is true??

Chamomile tea should also lighten hair.

It comes sealed in a foil pouch and then in a cardboard box.

Cat LaRochelle, what kind of packaging does Henna for Hair use?

Not sure if you’re interested but here is a little instructional that I made doing my own hair.

This is where I buy my henna and get all of my henna information. http://www.hennaforhair.com

Raven Fyre, natural henna comes out red. To get any other color, they add other things to it. If you have red hair, henna will make your hair redder unless you buy one of the other colors.

What about red heads?

I buy brown henna, which I believe has some indigo in it, and add coffee to it. I was excited to find two different brands nearly plastic-free. But I don’t think henna will give you a “blonde boost.” Lemon juice will!

Henna with coffee would give you shades of black and brown. Thats what my wife uses.

I don’t simply because I haven’t found anything natural enough that would give me a blonde boost. If I wanted to go red, I would use henna. :-)

Do it yourself or get a friend to help!!! I love Henna, I get it all-natural from http://www.mehandi.com/
Make sure you check out this page particularly, and make sure that whatever you get doesn’t have extra chemicals and metallic salts…http://www.hennaforhair.com/science/index.html
I go with red, but there are other dyes and mixes that will work different tones, and you can dye as often as you like because its healthy for your hair =)

I have been ordering henna in bulk from mehandi.com for years. They ship the henna in a cardboard box with either little foil or plastic baggies of henna (depending on what kind you get) so its not really plastic free but its very light on plastic. They sell good quality ground henna without any additives and have a ton of recipes on the site for mixing the shade you want. I have blond hair that I color auburn and I get the Punjabi Prime and mix it with hibiscus tea, cloves, ginger, olive oil, and lemon juice and leave for for hours. Comes out very vibrant and leaves hair soft. By the way, a little goes a long way; 2 baggies will completely cover my two-and-a-half feet of very thick, wavy hair.

I have a full head of grey hair and henna works very well on it. One caution, though: the directions say that you can apply heat to make the waiting time shorter, but if your hair has a tendency to turn red, don’t use heat. The first time I used it, I thought, no way my hair has a tendency to turn red, so I used heat. What did I know? I got bright red hair.

How long does it take before the color fades? Does your hair feel coarse? I found that happened with henna.

Beth, I just saw you a few days ago and I never would have guessed that you color your hair. Do you know any salons that do henna color? I would give up Aveda in a heartbeat if I could find something that covered grey and looked natural.