Henna’s vivid red colour and lack of chemicals makes it a popular hair dye, despite the many henna myths that have circulated due to impure hennas on the market. If your henna dye job leaves your hair feeling brittle and dry, don’t panic – this is probably not permanent damage.
Real Henna Acts as a Protein Treatment
The first thing to do if you notice dry, rough hair after hennaing is to double-check that you used pure, unadulterated body-art quality henna. If you did, the dryness is almost certainly temporary and easily solved.
Henna acts as a protein treatment for the hair. Maintaining healthy hair usually requires a mixture of moisture and protein. The ratio of moisture to protein differs greatly from person to person. Some people find their hair craves moisture and responds well to deep oil treatments, the application of humectants and misting. Others find these treatments leave their hair limp and greasy, but enjoy protein masques and yoghurt soaks. Those with protein-loving hair are unlikely to experience dry hair from henna treatments – in fact, many such people use henna for its conditioning and strengthening benefits, while continuing to dye their hair another colour.
If you find henna causes dryness, your hair is probably moisture-loving and rebelling at the protein overload. To correct this, simply give your hair plenty of moisture such as a deep oiling or a honey masque. Once the protein-moisture balance has been restored, you may find your hair in better condition than it was before hennaing.
Adding Moisture to Henna Mixes
Another way to avoid dry hair after hennaing is to add a moisture component to the henna mix itself. Adding oils to henna mixes is not advised (other than tiny amounts of essential oils), as oiling may inhibit dye uptake. A thick henna paste can be mixed with honey, yoghurt (which adds both protein and moisture), aloe vera or a moisturising Indian herb such as shikakai, fenugreek or amla. These additions often make the paste easier to apply, and do not appreciably diminish the potency of the dye.
Natural Ways to Replenish Moisture in Hair
Most conditioners and commercial deep treatments will help restore moisture to hair. For those interested in a natural alternative, here are a few ideas:
- Honey mixed with a very little water and applied to hair. Honey is a humectant. Leave the mixture on for at least twenty minutes to several hours, then rinse out.
- Aloe vera gel mixed with water and applied to hair in a similar manner to the honey masque.
- Dairy products such as cream, milk and yoghurt can be used. These products add a little protein as well, but are intensively moisturising – in some cases, they might require an extra shampooing or cleansing to prevent the hair feeling lank or greasy.
- Apply a teaspoon or so of oil to damp hair, leave for several hours and wash out.
Sarah Tennant - Sarah Tennant is a onetime English major who lives in New Zealand with her husband and two small children. Her interests range from ...
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