Q&A for How to Mix Henna for Hair

For about 60g of henna, you can add a tablespoon of alma powder. What you must add to your henna paste depends on the shade you wish to attain on your salt and pepper hair. Plain water might give you a wine/orangish/regular red. Adding lime juice can give you a strawberry blonde. Coffee/black tea can boost the brown. Green tea is a very healthy option, too, and helps with hair loss. If you wish for an overall deep tint, soak your henna paste in an iron bowl. This helps henna oxidize to form a blackish pigment that cuts down on the red/orange and tends towards brown.

Yes. Already-mixed henna can be stored in a freezer and thawed out when needed.

Henna should be applied to dry hair. It's best to wait 24 hours after washing hair, or 12 hours if you have oily hair.

Not at all, but smooth henna may be easier to work with. Chunky henna will still dye just fine, but it may be a little messy.

You can use different things depending on what you are going for. Coffee will deepen the tone, lemon juice will bring out the natural red, alma powder can intensify the color and coconut oil can be added for better moisture and shine. This article gives you more choices. It is up to you.

You could, but it's significantly more expensive and may have additives. You'd be better off using powder.

Shampoo if your hair is too oily. Henna coats the hair shaft, and oil may act as a barrier and make the henna slip instead of coating the hair strands.

Yes! Boil fresh chamomile in order to achieve a bit more light red.

Try adding a little more liquid; this will help the henna smooth out. You can also whisk it with a small metal whisk, or smoosh the chunks against the side of the bowl with a fork.

Yes, but the color will appear brighter on the lightened part than the non-lightened part.

Yes. It will hold it together and cut down on the messiness, and also add a bit of protein.

I just use lemon juice from a fresh lemon. I will squeeze some so that the mixture will work better on my hair. I have read that lemon juice will make it redder and that is what I want on my dark brown short hair.

Yes, you can.

To cover grays, it's always good to mix henna with freshly brewed, warm green tea and the juice of a whole lemon. Soak this mix for eight to 48 hours. Longer soaking can give you a strong dye. The result after keeping the henna on your hair for a minimum of four hours is a nice coppery red. This should blend right in with your dark brown hair.

The longer you leave it in, the deeper shade of red you will get. If you do it overnight you will get a very vibrant, rich red color that lasts a long time.

If a deep conditioning henna treatment is what all you're looking for, then mix your henna with thick yogurt, a whole egg and about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. You needn't soak this mix for long -- just three or four hours. Mix it in a stainless steel or glass or plastic bowl. Keep this paste on your hair for two or three hours. You can shampoo and condition as usual after. Avoid tea or lime juice in your mix, as these can trigger dye release.

8-48 hours is ideal. The more henna soaks, the stronger dye it becomes.

Room temperature distilled water works best. I have done it this way and I am very happy with the reddish color I get.

Yes, the amla will lighten the henna.

Did you mix and soak it in an iron bowl? Henna tends to oxidize with iron to give a blackish pigment.

If you want to do henna tattoos, you'll want to add essential oils with terpineol and sugar. The terpineol helps achieve a darker stain faster, and sugar helps with the consistency. It makes it so that the henna is more like frosting on a cake. You don't want to add sugar to the henna you use to dye your hair because it can make dandruff much worse.

Letting the henna sit for at least four hours allows the dye to be released. The longer you let the henna sit, the more intense the color.

Yes, but using a little bit of warm water will help the color come out much brighter.

There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that henna aids hair growth. What it does do is coat the hair shaft, making it stronger and thicker. This prevents breakage and therefore can give the impression that the hair is growing faster or thicker simply because it's not breaking as easily.

Henna has a harder time sticking to naturally white hair, so it will come out a lighter orange-red. If you don't mind this color then, yes, it can be used.

It will leave an orange color on your scalp, so try to avoid it. If it does happen, don't worry, the orange tint will probably go away after 2-3 washes.

Oil is very good for your hair. You can add coconut or castor oil in henna for stronger hair.

Henna turns almost everything it touches red, so most likely yes. It would be good if you could grow your hair out for a few weeks before applying it to minimize the chances of it touching your scalp.

It is up to you. If you have left your henna in overnight, you may need the solvent power of shampoo to get it all out. However, if you have only left the henna in for a couple of hours, simply rinsing it should be enough.

Any henna will work on white hair. Pure henna should give you a much brighter and lighter tone than it would for someone with darker hair. If you are looking for a deeper tone, you can use coffee or tea in your henna.