How to Dye Your Hair with Henna {And Why You Should}

Written by Liz, Contributing Writer

As a girl my mother dyed her hair using nothing but raspberries she plucked out of the bushes in her New Jersey backyard. Though simple, the dye worked like a charm, tinting her hair a radiant yet subtle ruby red. And best of all, it was completely natural. Today, I choose to follow in the footsteps of the woman that I have looked up to my entire life – my mother. In honor of her I have decided to dye my hair using all natural henna products.

Just kidding. My mom never did that. But she is from New Jersey. And I did have quite the adventure recently dying my hair with henna.

Admittedly, I usually dye my hair around once or twice a year. I get bored with my hair color and want a change, even if it’s only a slight change. But to get it done professionally in a salon costs an average of $60 and requires me to sit for around two hours straight – not fun! Worst of all, it burns my eyes and puts nasty chemicals on my scalp like ammonia and lead acetate. Many of these chemicals cause cancer in lab animals and are banned in Europe.

Henna, on the other hand, is a leafy green herb traditionally used in Middle Eastern countries to create beautiful tattoos. But many people don’t know that it isn’t just a skin dye – it can be used as a hair dye, too!

If you are looking to dye your hair lighter than your current shade or an unnatural color (like pink or something), henna is not for you. But if you want to make it just a little darker – enough of a change to make you feel different – you’re in for a treat. Henna smells bad, is messy, and looks kind of like meconium…but it’s so, so worth it, ladies.

I got my dark brown henna hair dye in powder form for a whopping eight bucks at my local health food store. My hair was already brown, but I wanted to get rid of the blonde in it and make it just a little bit darker. When I dyed my hair I developed an efficient method for the whole process that I’d love to share with you.

Here’s what you’ll need:

4 oz. henna hair dye powder (I used Rainbow Henna)
1 c. brewed coffee, brought to a boil
Big hair clips like these ones
A pair of gloves
Shower cap
Old clothes and towels
Coconut oil
An extra person to do the back of your head
Maybe a nose-plugger doohickey? (joke)

A lot of time on your hands and extraordinary patience!

Note: if you have really long or thick hair you might want to make a double batch.

And here’s what you do:

1. Add henna to a mixing bowl and slowly pour in coffee, stirring until creamy paste is formed. I’ll warn you: it won’t be pretty.
2. Haul everything up to your bathroom (or stay in your kitchen if you want to do that), take a deep breath, cover yourself in a towel, and rub some coconut oil around your hairline.
3. Put your gloves on and grab a glob of paste. Take a piece of hair about an inch wide and spread the henna onto it, twisting your hair tightly as you go. Once the hair is covered and it’s all evenly dispersed clip the strands away from your face.
4. Do this to your whole head. You’ll probably need someone else to do the back. My raspberry-loving mom did it.
5. Don’t freak about the mess you’re making. It’s easy to clean up when you’re ready.
6. When you’re all done, put all your hair on top of your head and put a shower cap on. You can clean up now.
7. You’ll want to leave the cap on for 60-90 minutes. Go about your day even though you look like a surgeon.
8. When the time’s up, start the shower. Trust me, you will want to take a full-on shower by this point. Rinse your hair completely in hot water, then once again with cold water. But don’t shampoo it.
9. Blow-dry your hair or let it air dry. Marvel at your beautiful hair and show it off to all your friends.

This whole process will take a few hours, but it’s not all that hard. Now I know you’re all dying to see my before and after picture, right? Here I am a few days before I took the plunge with my chestnutty brown hair and blonde tips, and then a few days after with my chocolate brown do sans blonde. Gorgeous I know. 😉

Have you ever dyed your hair with henna? What was your experience like? What about another form of natural hair dye?