Henna hair color
Is herbal hair color really better for the hair?
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Henna hair color is traded as a gentle alternative to chemical hair dyeing. Nevertheless, the plant color is repeatedly criticized and is even considered harmful. So, is henna hair dye good or bad?
Chemical hair coloring damages the hair and can cause allergies. Therefore, more and more people are turning to natural hair dyes. For example, henna hair dye is a popular alternative. But here too there are many things to consider so that the herbal hair color does not affect your health or the result.
What is henna?
You probably know the term henna primarily from holidays. Temporary henna tattoos are often offered there. But henna is not only suitable for body painting, but also for coloring hair. It’s even one of them oldest dyes. Even the ancient Egyptians used the powder of the henna bush (Lawsonia inermis) as hair colour, care and body painting.
In the early 18th century, the botanist Lawson discovered henna for Western science. Since then, this natural, red-yellow dye contained in henna has been called Lawson. He will from the leaves of henna obtained by drying them and crushing them into powder.
Nowadays, the henna dye can too artificially produced be – but this always causes concern.
Is Henna Hair Dye Harmful?
There have often been rumors that henna is harmful to health and changes the genetic make-up. So isn’t the natural hair dye completely harmless? It’s worth taking a closer look here. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)is artificially produced henna indeed enjoy with caution. So it cannot be ruled out that the artificially reproduced henna dye has genotoxic properties, i.e.: that result change. According to a scientific Expert Committees for Consumer Safety of the EU Commissionbe henna if it purely vegetable will be prepared, but harmless. That is why it is extremely important to study the ingredients on the packaging carefully.
Henna as a hair color: what is there to consider?
Examine the listed ingredients for the artificially produced dye para-phenylenediamine (PPD). This is often added to henna hair color to make the color more intense and speed up the coloring process. However, the substance is not entirely harmless. He has already mentioned genotoxic potential, can cause allergies and is prohibited in cosmetics. PPD is permitted in a certain concentration (two percent), but only if so-called couplers are added at the same time, which bind the dye.
So if you want to be on the safe side, you should use pure henna. Incidentally, you can often see with the naked eye whether PPD has mixed with the conventional henna. In this case, the color is much darker.
What else needs to be taken into account:
- Henna hair color is very stubborn and only partially washes out. So if you want to get rid of the color completely, you should let the color grow out. Overdyeing with chemical dyes can lead to unwanted results.
- henna can dry out the hair. Extensive hair care after coloring is the be-all and end-all.
- the exposure time of henna hair color is significantly longer than chemical hair colors.
- If you want to lighten or darken your mane, unfortunately henna will not help you. Here you have to resort to classic oxidation hair colors. the Color selection for henna hair colors is limited. Although there are products that promise blond hair, your hair should be blond in advance. A red tint, on the other hand, can be achieved with henna in pretty much any natural hair color.
For whom are herbal hair colors suitable?
- If you are only one slight change hair color, henna hair color might be for you. It can slightly darken the natural hair color and – depending on the product – leave a soft red tinge.
- Whom natural hair coloring is close to your heart, you can also use henna hair color. As a rule, herbal hair colors dye exclusively with herbal ingredients. Incidentally, falls here too less garbage because no plastic bottles have to be used.
- React allergic to conventional hair dye? Then the herbal alternative might be an option for you. Nevertheless, it should be said here: Even henna hair colors can occasionally trigger contact allergies. Test the color in advance on an inconspicuous area of skin (for example on the back of the neck).
- If you are at the translucent grey If your hair bothers you, it can be concealed with henna hair color.
Buying Henna Hair Color: Which Henna Colors Best?
Henna hair color can now be bought almost anywhere. online shops like Amazon have the hair color in their range, but also drugstores such as Rossmann or dm have recognized the trend towards herbal hair colors. Which henna hair color is the best depends on your personal needs and the structure of your hair. However, we can recommend the following products with a clear conscience.
1. Logona natural cosmetics herbal hair color
the Logona natural cosmetics herbal hair color was rated good (2.2) by Stiftung Warentest. It is available in a total of twelve different nuances and is therefore not a pure henna hair color. But that doesn’t detract from the quality. The first results should be visible after just 15 minutes.
2. khadi herbal hair color
the herbal hair color from khadi is probably the best-known herbal dye. Stiftung Warentest also took a close look at the product and rated it as good (2.3). The color spectrum is wide, even blond and light brown can be conjured up with the powder hair color.
3. Sante herbal hair color
Sante is a natural cosmetics brand that you probably know from the drugstore. But the brand not only offers skin care products, but also sustainable ones powder hair color. In the Stiftung Warentest, the colorant scored well (2.3). Here you can choose between seven different nuances.
How to change henna hair color?
The dye obtained from the henna bush is naturally reddish. Ultimately, the result depends on your natural hair color. If you want to go without the classic henna red, but don’t want to do without henna hair color, you have a choice: On the one hand, there is Henna Mixed Colors. This is not pure henna, but one that is mixed with other plant dyes. Otherwise, you can also help yourself – with home remedies. lemon juice intensifies the henna red, red wine and Black tea darken the color and Camomile tea provides a golden shimmer.
Instructions: Dye hair with henna
Dyeing hair with henna is not difficult. But there are a few things to keep in mind so that your hair shimmers more beautifully than ever after coloring and nothing gets smudged. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for use and also consider the following Step-by-step instructions.
- Mix the henna powder with boiling water until creamy consistency arises. Let the whole thing cool down a bit before applying to protect the scalp from the boiling hot mass.
- Put on disposable gloves and gently apply the paste to towel-dried hair. If you are coloring with henna for the very first time, it is worth brushing the entire mane with the color to achieve an even result. Repeatedly dyeing the roots is enough. Applying henna hair color is no different than applying chemical hair color. Here you will find detailed instructions for tinting hair.
- Once the paint is applied, it’s time to get started influence. Here, too, the manufacturer’s specifications should be taken into account. Cover your mane well with cling film or a shower cap to keep the henna color from hardening. Incidentally, the resulting heat intensifies the coloring at the same time. The exposure time is usually one to two hours. The well-known rule applies here: the longer the exposure time, the more intense the result.
- After the action follows washing out. Rinse your hair well with warm water and condition your mane with a conditioner. Wash your hair with shampoo no earlier than the next day. Caution: Henna hair color is persistent and intense. The hair can also give off color to the towel after washing.
How long does henna hair dye last in hair?
Hena hair color stays for up to six months in the hair, but gradually loses intensity and fades with every hair wash. Here’s how to remove a red cast.
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