Henna For Hair: A Comprehensive Guide To Using This Natural Hair Dye

Henna is well known for its incredible antifungal and antibacterial properties. These qualities are really helpful when it comes to keeping your scalp clean and free of infections. Additionally, it also provides a cooling and calming sensation, which helps keep itchiness and inflammation at bay.

Using henna hair masks with other conditioning natural ingredients is a great way to ensure that your hair remains smooth and frizz-free for a longer period of time. You can use ingredients such as curds, honey and even eggs to reap all the conditioning benefits of henna.

Another great benefit of using henna for hair is that it helps to balance the pH levels of the scalp, unclogs pores and controls excess sebum production. These qualities go a long way in improving the health of your scalp and keeping your follicles healthy. All these factors come together to reduce hair fall and boost hair growth.

Henna is brimming with a lot of potent hair-loving nutrients, all of which help nurture and strengthen your hair. It protects hair against environmental aggressors by creating a protective layer. Additionally, it seals the hair cuticle, which not only prevents frizz but also delivers your hair a silky, smooth shine.

There are a number of ways in which you can use henna for your hair , but it is especially used as a natural hair dye. Here's how you dye your hair using henna. Step 1: Soak some henna powder in water overnight. You can even use black tea or coffee decoction instead of water. These ingredients will help intensify the colour of henna on application. Mix it until it forms a thick paste. Step 2: Next morning, wash your hair and apply the henna paste on freshly cleansed, product-free hair and leave it on for about two to three hours. Step 3: After two hours, thoroughly rinse your hair with only water until your hair is completely clean. Do not use any shampoo right away. **Step 4: **Let the colour settle in your hair for about 24 hours and then wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner to get rid of the remaining dye, if any. Apart from using it just like a hair dye, henna also makes for an incredible ingredient to make nourishing hair masks. Read on to find some simple recipes.

• To make this hair pack, start with mixing henna and water to make enough paste to cover your strands and allow it to rest overnight.
• Next morning, add an over-ripe mashed banana to it and mix the ingredients well.
• Apply this hair mask to the entire length of your hair and allow it to sit for about five to seven minutes before washing it off with a gentle shampoo. **Why this works – **Banana is very commonly used in a lot of DIY hair conditioning masks, thanks to its intensely moisturizing and nourishing properties. When mixed with the hydrating properties of henna, it works like a dream to smoothen and moisturize even severely dry and damaged strands.

• Take some curds in a bowl and add about two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds to it.
• Allow it to soak overnight.
• Next morning, transfer this to a mixer jar, and add two tablespoons of henna powder to it, and grind everything to a smooth paste.
• Apply it on your hair and scalp, and leave it on for about 10 minutes.
• Wash your hair with an anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner.
• Repeat this process once a week for the best results. **Why this works – **The soothing properties of henna calm any inflammation and itchiness, while the fenugreek and curds help eliminate the dead skin and dandruff.

• Start by mixing together three tablespoons of henna powder and two tablespoons of amla powder.
• Break an egg into this mixture and add a dash of lemon juice.
• Mix all the ingredients together until it forms a thick paste and apply this hair mask all over your hair and scalp.
• Leave it on for about an hour and wash it off with a gentle shampoo. **Why this works – **This hair mask is an excellent source of protein, which is a very important nutrient needed to restrict hair fall and promote healthy hair growth.

**A. **Even though this depends on your lifestyle and how often you wash your hair, in most cases, henna lasts on your hair for about four to six weeks.

**A. **Henna sticks to the hair cuticles and weighs down your hair. This makes your hair appear thicker over time and it reduces breakage.

**A. **If you don't show any side effects to henna, you can use it as often as you like. Since henna is a natural hair dye, it does not harm or damage your hair and is therefore quite safe to be used.