Henna good or bad for the hair?

[pinklemonade]

Recently I posted a thread about wanting to dye my hair with something natural, in the less harmful way possible (my hair has quite a few splits and is rather dry because of past perms/straightening/blow frying), and many of you wisely (brought me to my senses :p) suggesting I refrain from dyeing my hair at all.
Well today I went into a shop and saw a bag of 'black henna' (indigo) right in front of me! The shop keeper lady told me that henna is actually nourishing and that is strengthens the hair. I am really confused! I know that henna is non-chemical so it shouldn't harm the hair right? I did a bit of research and some people swear by it while a few say it actually dries the hair . Does the effect of henna vary from person to person? My hair is quite thick but like I mentioned above, the lower lengths are kinda in bad shape because of foolish acts of the past. I definitely don't want more splits or damage if I go ahead with the henna dye!
So here I am, very tempted and eager to try henna...but I wanted to come onto here for more feedback, and possibly to read about experiences by actual henna-users! Also, is henna permanent? I thought it was but the lady said it fades out with every wash which sounds real cool.
p.s. my hair is very dark brown, but I want to dye it BLACK with the indigo I found.

[Athena's Owl]

There are multiple threads about henna and indigo. The question is: is that *only* indigo in the box, or is there something else? PPD, for example?

[SassyKat]

It's very good for your hair. I use the 2 step henna then indigo method. I get comments all the time about how shiny and healthy my hair is. I've been letting it grow since July 2 (the nape of my neck was shaved) with no trims, and I have no split ends. I've been using henna for about 4 years now because regular dye burns my scalp.

[alwayssmiling]

Henna has been one of my heroes in terms of strengthening my hair to prevent further breakage from heat abuse etc. It just feels different, stronger, shinier. It is permenant, but to be honest it will fade a little too, but not as quick as chemical hair dye.

Give it lots of thought and research before you go ahead.

[Rapunzal2Be]

Henna and indigo are VERY VERY VERY permanent. As in - cut it off if you decide you change your mind. Keep that in mind. :)

From what I know from doing extensive reading here and on Henna For Hair - henna is great for your hair, indigo is great for color purposes but does not do the things for your hair that henna can (strength, shine, etc.).

Yes, I've read a few instances of people who found henna drying, or whose hair or scalp did not like it - but nothing works for *everyone*. The majority, though, you'll find LOVE what henna does for them.

I use henndigo - BAQ henna and indigo from Henna for Hair, and I love the results. My hair is now stronger, thicker, shinier and healthier than ever before. I've gone almost a year now with not even a trim and have ZERO split ends. I've gained 0.5" in thickness over the past year - going from chemical dyes/bleaches to using only the henndigo.

For me, it was the best thing I have ever done for my hair, BUT, I did have to make absolutely certain that once I started I would stay committed. What I sacrificed in not being able to change my hair color (used to go blonde, brunette, red, and back, etc.) I more than made up for in having the head of hair I do now. I decided that I would much rather have dark brunette hair that I could grow long, strong, healthy and shiny than keep ravaging my hair with dyes/bleaches. And I absolutely love my new color - it has such depth and changes with the lighting, I am very happy!

[*thecatsmeow*]

It should list the ingredients on the side somewhere so you can check and see what it has in it. What is the brand? I don't think that henna will damage your hair anymore than it already is, it will only deposit color in and on your hair shaft. Regular hair dye uses a base(bleach) to open the hair follicle and then a peroxide to remove the melanin from the hair, after that it deposits a color. When all is said and done it does a lot of damage to your hair. As for how permanent it is... if it is mostly indigo then it will probably fade within a few weeks to a month or longer depending on how often you wash it. Henna doesn't fade like that though its more permanent.

[pinklemonade]

Thanks ladies! Yes Athena's Owl, I tried searching up some threads on this topic but I haven't seen a thread that discusses henna/indigo's pro's and cons, maybe I haven't found the right threads. The indigo I found is actually pure, no extra ingredients or chemicals, sounds pretty safe right? Still I'm wondering if it would make my hair roughter or if my splits would get worse.....?
SassyKat, the dye I found seems to be pure 'black henna' which in other words is indigo (that's what the shop keeper explained). Do you think there would be any difference from your 2 step henna and indigo procedure?

[pinklemonade]

Alwayssmiling, that sounds great! Makes me really want to try it!
Rapunzal2Be, I always thought henna and indigo would have the same effects? Since they're both natural....should I be worried, suppose it's indigo, would my hair become drier or something?
Thecatsmeow, The bag said 'Black Henna' but the shopkeeper told me ''in other words, it's indigo'. I didn't think it would make any difference...now I'm wondering. I really want to go for it!

Ladies I have another question: my hair is very dark brown, but if it's under a bright light (or sunlight), it looks very light brown! So will this 'black henna' (or indigo) make the change really obvious? I didn't know that these dyes are permanent so another reluctance is that, what if my natural hair color's contrast will be really obvious once the hair grows out, if I dye it? What do you think?
So basically my concerns are 2: will indigo/henna worsen the condition of my hair and, will the difference of color be really obvious once it grows out....
sorry if I'm repeating myself lol I just really wanna make sure before I go for the dye!

[Nightshade]

Pinklemonaide- Why don't you give the henna article in my siggy a read-through?

It breaks down how henna and indigo are different, what can happen to your hair when you use it (good things for some, bad things for others), and how to know if the "henna" you're seeing in the store is henna/indigo or even laced with chemicals.

Please, do NOT rush into this. Henna and indigo most often DO make very drastic changes to color (unless your hair is nearly black naturally), and they are both damn-near impossible to remove short of cutting it out.

[saskia_madding]

Here's another idea - why not read up on henna + indigo glosses? I've been doing very strong glosses and it has changed my hair colour a lot, but it isn't as drastic as a full on henna.

It still got redder than I'd like, so I'm going to start doing weak indigo glosses instead, just to keep it browner.

All I'm saying is glosses might be something you want to look into.

[FrannyG]

I just want to second what Nightshade says. Do the research and give it a lot of thought.

For all of the benefits of henna and indigo, there is the fact that it is permanent. Removing it seems to be very, very bad for the hair if you decide you don't like it, judging by what several people here have gone through over the years.

[dropinthebucket]

as far as i know, indigo alone will not give you dye on your hair (except possibly a blueish tint) - indigo's blue pigments need the red/orange of henna (complementary on the colour wheel) to make brown. "black henna" as marketed is usually a blend of henna and indigo. check it out first.

[Isilme]

Do not trust this black henna and be very sure you want black/red hair for a very very long time! Indigo has to be layered over henna to give black, and henna is permanent, let me repeat, permanent. As everyone else have said, this is not a thing to rush and if you decide to go for it I would advise you to order online from either hennaforhair or hennasooq.
And please, read Nightshade's henna article and read over at henna for hair and hennasooq too.

[caribou55313]

Products labeled "black henna" often contain PPD. The product you're considering may be just indigo, it may be a combination of henna and indigo, or it may be a chemical dye (containing PPD) that does or does not contain some henna as well (if it is just indigo, it won't be conditioning for your hair and the color may be kind of flat, and fade quickly).

In any case, henna is a plant that produces one color of dye (red/orange); there is no such thing as "black henna" and I would approach with great caution any product labeled as such, and evaluate it according to what Nightshade has written in her article.

If you buy some of it, you can mix a bit with water and compare to this photo to get an idea of what it might really be:

http://www.mehandi.com/PPD/indjamppd.jpg

[LoveMyMutt]

Body art quality, 100% pure henna is good for your hair.

Removing henna from your hair when you get tired of the color is bad for your hair ;)

And I wouldn't trust any of those henna dyes than claim to be "black henna", they usually have other nasty stuff in them besides henna.

[Pierre]

If you buy some of it, you can mix a bit with water and compare to this photo to get an idea of what it might really be:

http://www.mehandi.com/PPD/indjamppd.jpg
That URL gave me an error, and I hit the up arrow and got an empty directory. What's the right URL?

[princessp]

I have used 100% body art quality henna twice now and my hair seems more shiny and healthier. I am excited to continue using it because I am hopeful it will help me grow healthier hair (not just long hair as I've had in the past). Also, I have some greys which is the #1 reason I considered this permanent solution. I'm not sure I would have used henna prior to this I'd probably just do some cassia glosses. As others have mentioned, it is definitely permanent, so decide carefully.

[Autumnberry]

As far as the health of hair, it's given me color with no damage. That would have been impossible with any chemical dye. For me, it's worth the permanence. It pays to approach this project with caution and patience.

[alwayssmiling]

Henna has been one of my heroes in terms of strengthening my hair to prevent further breakage from heat abuse etc. It just feels different, stronger, shinier. It is permenant, but to be honest it will fade a little too, but not as quick as chemical hair dye.

Give it lots of thought and research before you go ahead.

Think I better clarify what I've written - it was a bit clumsy. Henna is very, very permenant, indigo will fade *a little*.

[caribou55313]

That URL gave me an error, and I hit the up arrow and got an empty directory. What's the right URL?

Hi Pierre, that link works for me so I am not sure what to tell you ... here is a link for it on another page, maybe that will work for you? Look toward the bottom of the page.

http://www.hennapage.com/henna/ppd/whatisppd.html

I can also view it on Google Images by entering the URL:

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mehandi.com%2FPPD%2Findjamppd.j pg&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

[Nordlys]

You can get great information about indigo and how it is used in the process of dying hair black, like you are interested in, at this link:
http://www.hennaforhair.com/indigo/index.html

Like everyone else already have suggested, do not use the box labeled "black henna" you got from the shop. As caribou55313 pointed out such a thing doesn't exist. If you decide to dye your hair black with henna and indigo, after you have done your research, it is better to order the products online from a trustworthy source, like from the links mentioned on the above posts. Take also in mind that one can also use henna and indigo to dye the hair all shades of brown. The final brown color depends on your original hair color and the proportions of henna and indigo you use. This though is a different procedure than the one used in order to dye your hair black. In the link below you can read about how one can use henna and indigo to achieve brown colors.
http://www.hennaforhair.com/mixes/index.html Go to the link and then choose to open the pdf file named : "Dye your hair brunette with henna and indigo (http://www.mehandi.com/shop/brunette/brunette.pdf)" which lies under the category : "How To" Quick Guides to Henna by Catherine Cartwright-Jones.

[Olivia23]

I use henna only. Pure quality henna that is. I buy it from mehandi. My hair feels dry at first after I wash out the henna. Then I don't wash for a few days so it can oxydize or whatever you call it. When I wash my hair a few days later, it goes back to being soft and shiny.

[Henna Sooq]

There are multiple threads about henna and indigo. The question is: is that *only* indigo in the box, or is there something else? PPD, for example?

This is a VERY good question. Results can vary and if you have damaged hair right now, you want to make sure to moisturize with a good hair oil to protect it, and get it on the right path but do you want black hair? or would red tones be okay? IF you want no color and you want to start simpler, and slowly then cassia would be a good choice

[Henna Sooq]

I use henna only. Pure quality henna that is. I buy it from mehandi. My hair feels dry at first after I wash out the henna. Then I don't wash for a few days so it can oxydize or whatever you call it. When I wash my hair a few days later, it goes back to being soft and shiny.

This most likely happens (and your hair returns to normal) because you have an oily scalp. I am presuming. At least oily to normal. If you had a dry scalp you wouldn't be too happy with that dryness you are feeling. Adding hair oils in your recipe or onto your hair afterwards really helps combat this, and if you happen to be using lemon juice is your recipe that adds to the dryness.
If it bothers you or anyone else, please use warm water only. I'm not just saying this, to say it, but I have been dealing with natural hair care for over 10 yrs and teach classes/workshops regularly.

[pinklemonade]

Hi dear ladies! Thank you for your responses. I will definitely think this out thoroughly before I go ahead and do something I might not like. I'll find out what exactly is in there (though the bag says 'Black henna' and inside it's just pure powder).
If I knew it wasn't permanent then I would do it immediately (I am obsessed with wanting BLACK hair!!!) but the fact that it's permanent is a turn off for me....what if I don't like the results or my hair becomes blue or orange (these colors don't go with my skin tone...)!
Thanks again for the feedback and suggestions everybody :)

[pinklemonade]

Like SimoneRodrque mentioned Henna/Indigo glossses, that sounds less risk-taking. Would the color still be as obvious if I try this, mixing a conditioner with henna/indigo powder? I wouldn't want the ingredients in my conditioner to interfere with the henna/indigo's work though....

[alwayssmiling]

Hi dear ladies! Thank you for your responses. I will definitely think this out thoroughly before I go ahead and do something I might not like. I'll find out what exactly is in there (though the bag says 'Black henna' and inside it's just pure powder).
If I knew it wasn't permanent then I would do it immediately (I am obsessed with wanting BLACK hair!!!) but the fact that it's permanent is a turn off for me....what if I don't like the results or my hair becomes blue or orange (these colors don't go with my skin tone...)!
Thanks again for the feedback and suggestions everybody :)

Don't forget you can harvest some hair from a brush and do a strand test. It will give you a good idea what colour it will turn out.

[Rapunzal2Be]

Hi dear ladies! Thank you for your responses. I will definitely think this out thoroughly before I go ahead and do something I might not like. I'll find out what exactly is in there (though the bag says 'Black henna' and inside it's just pure powder).
If I knew it wasn't permanent then I would do it immediately (I am obsessed with wanting BLACK hair!!!) but the fact that it's permanent is a turn off for me....what if I don't like the results or my hair becomes blue or orange (these colors don't go with my skin tone...)!
Thanks again for the feedback and suggestions everybody :)

Well, I think what's been mentioned is that something that says "Black Henna" already is a bit 'iffy' because there is no such thing. More than likely it's a marketing tactic and even though what you see inside is 'pure powder' that doesn't mean there aren't some salts in there or whatnot - the stuff that is a big NO NO. Sure, it *could* just be pure indigo, but if it was, it would probably just be labeled as such.

When using the 'henna products' (Rainbow, etc.) that claim to be semi-permanent, I'd use caution. For some, they do wash out. For others, they are just as permanent as BAQ. And with indigo - once it is on your hair, if you bleach in the future your hair will turn green.

Like someone said, it's a good idea to collect hairs for strand or hairball tests, think on it and do your research, buy quality BAQ supplies, test and see what you think.

You may be dying to have black hair right NOW, but if you go with indigo you are going to want to be sure that you'll want it from here on out.

[Ma'am]

Here's another idea - why not read up on henna + indigo glosses? I've been doing very strong glosses and it has changed my hair colour a lot, but it isn't as drastic as a full on henna.

It still got redder than I'd like, so I'm going to start doing weak indigo glosses instead, just to keep it browner.

All I'm saying is glosses might be something you want to look into.

+1

Even using just 1 Tablespoon of henna in an entire bottle of conditioner, I get huge benefits re: strength & shine.

Plus, I am addicted to the smell. You may want to be sure you are willing to have the smell, as some people do not care for it.

[silviya]

Rapunzal2Be (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=21821), I love love your color!
I am new to the henna and i dont know anything about it i am going to read the whole forum, but do you mind giving me the exact link of the place you buy yours?
Also i would love to see more pictures, i am brunette and in the summer my hair fades, so i always die my hair every couple months and now i am looking for more alternative hair die that will give me nice rich brown color without any red tones though. Does yours have red tones in it?

[Rapunzal2Be]

Rapunzal2Be (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=21821), I love love your color!
I am new to the henna and i dont know anything about it i am going to read the whole forum, but do you mind giving me the exact link of the place you buy yours?
Also i would love to see more pictures, i am brunette and in the summer my hair fades, so i always die my hair every couple months and now i am looking for more alternative hair die that will give me nice rich brown color without any red tones though. Does yours have red tones in it?

Hi, and thank you! :D

I get my henna and indigo from here:
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/brunette/index.html
I started with the bundle for dark brunette (but I used the amla for face masks) and I use about a 60:40 mix of henna to indigo. I mix the henna with hot water and lemon juice, and let it sit overnight to dye release (about 12+hours) and then mix the indigo immediately before applying, mix them together with a tiny bit of conditioner, then apply and keep it on from 1-4 hours.
When I ran out of henna from that batch I went with the Ancient Sunrise henna from Yemen because of it's dye content and ability to cover grey (I've got a few brand new grey hair sprouting up! Egads!).

You can see photos of my color before I started henndigo and also the variation of what my hair looks like in different lighting (between the current back shots and pony tail shots), in this thread. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=46614)

I've got some more photos in my album, which you should be able to see after 25 posts, too. :)

My hair is most often seen as a deep, rich brunette - you could call it espresso I guess. But in some lighting it is more of a chocolate cherry, you can see the burgundy undertones. And in the sun it does flash a bit of red, but I like that.

Here's a recent outdoor pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/DanielleD1/Hair/IMG_0225.jpg
And direct sunlight:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/DanielleD1/Hair/IMG_0162.jpg

[Nightshade]

Hi dear ladies! Thank you for your responses. I will definitely think this out thoroughly before I go ahead and do something I might not like. I'll find out what exactly is in there (though the bag says 'Black henna' and inside it's just pure powder).
If I knew it wasn't permanent then I would do it immediately (I am obsessed with wanting BLACK hair!!!) but the fact that it's permanent is a turn off for me....what if I don't like the results or my hair becomes blue or orange (these colors don't go with my skin tone...)!
Thanks again for the feedback and suggestions everybody :)

You really can't go off the box, sadly. Labeling standards are non-existent in India where these goods are often imported from, and because they're an all natural product they are not subject to rules and regulations from the bodies that govern cosmetic safety. So, in short, they can put whatever the hell they want on the box and no one is going to call them on it.

If you're considering henna or indigo give though to using a reputable online supplier where you KNOW what you're getting! :twocents:

[Pierre]

Hi Pierre, that link works for me so I am not sure what to tell you ... here is a link for it on another page, maybe that will work for you? Look toward the bottom of the page.

http://www.hennapage.com/henna/ppd/whatisppd.html
That works. The web server refuses to show the image unless the link is on the same site.