does this sound like real Henna?

[bunzfan]

I was shopping today and thought i would try to buy some henna as i want to do a deep red without damaging my hair.

I was told by the body shop that they no longer stock it and they sent me to a local health food shop i found some henna but was unsure it was the real thing as it said you mix with water to form a paste and leave on for just 30 Min's i thought you normally left it on for quite a while, i didn't buy it as i was unsure what do you think??

[Lemur_Catta]

Well, it depends. Most packaged henna has labels that says to leave it on for 20, 30 minutes, or maybe an hour. I always thought it's because so it will appeal chemical dye users, that would probably not buy something that they have to leave in for hours.
Aren't the ingredients listed? It should be only Lawsonia Inermis, and nothing else.
If you buy it, you can try mixing it with water, and look at the paste: if it is greenish, and become brown after some time, it's probably "real" henna, although it could be grainy and not the best quality, but if it is brown from the start, it probably has some chemicals in it.

[caribou55313]

Some henna products with additives will give bright reds in 30 minutes. Real henna will not, if there is nothing added to it. It will give, at most, a bright orange in 30 minutes. It takes longer than that for more of the lawsone to transfer into your hair to get a deeper shade of red.

If you take a little bit of the powder and add whatever temperature water they advise, and you see red liquid right away - that is not pure henna.

[little_cherry]

I also agree that it may be adulterated henna...if it only needs to be left on for 30 mins, it may possibly have sodium picramate in it (a metallic salt.)

[bunzfan]

I also agree that it may be adulterated henna...if it only needs to be left on for 30 mins, it may possibly have sodium picramate in it (a metallic salt.)

Thanks girls this is why i didn't buy it as i was unsure might just go for http://www.henna-boy.co.uk/shop/henna-boy-red-henna/cat_23.php?ccUser=400d8c6ff19f884db3ccc266e35b7c95

It does say if you have any Grey hair be careful using this and i do have a few maybe i would be better with something else i am after a very deep red.