WHAT IS NATURAL HENNA FOR HAIR?

WHAT IS HENNA?

Already in ancient Egypt, various dyes obtained from plants were used to dye hands, feet, hair, nails as well as to color fabrics. Among these dyes, the most easily available was the one obtained from the Lawsonia bush. It was probably used even eight thousand years ago! The henna bush (Latin Lawsonia inermis) reaches a height of 2 to 6 meters, has elliptical leaves, small, beautifully fragrant flowers and fruits in the form of dry capsules with small seeds.

After harvesting, the leaves of natural henna are dried and then ground into powder, which is used for coloring, because it contains a dye called lawsone, which colors various shades of red. In order for natural henna to also give other colors, over time additional herbs were used for lawsone, and then it was also possible to obtain browns or blacks.

HOW HENNA CAME TO EUROPE

The popularity of henna in the world began during colonial times, when natural henna, completely unknown in Europe and both Americas, began to be sold in these regions by merchants from Africa and Asia. Women loved it for its excellent coloring and care properties, but so did men! In countries where henna was cultivated, men had long used it to dye and nourish not only the hair on their heads, but also their mustaches and beards. However, henna was not a product available to everyone, because the cost of its production and transportation was quite high, so it was rather in the sphere of luxury goods. Women were willing to constantly look for new solutions in the field of hair coloring, which unfortunately resulted in the use of various types of products often containing toxic additives and sold at a much lower price than the original natural henna for hair. At the beginning of the twentieth century, due to the high cost and difficulty in obtaining natural henna, dyes based on paraphenylenediamine. This caused many allergies, often severe allergic reactions, chronic diseases and sometimes even deaths in women, people working in paint factories, production plants and scientists involved in creating recipes. Despite this, this ingredient was and is (!) still used in hair coloring cosmetics. Today, you can easily buy henna in probably every corner of the world, if not in a brick-and-mortar store, then online, but the problem of its purity, lack of chemical additives and, above all, the guarantee of origin from clean organic farming remains.

HOW TO READ HENNA INGREDIENTS

As already mentioned, pure henna is lawsonia inermis. When buying a red shade, you should check whether the composition includes only this one plant, because it gives the hair a mahogany color and absolutely no dyes, fixatives or preservatives are needed. Similarly, when buying henna for hair cassia , that is, the colorless conditioner should only contain cassia obovata.

It will be different with natural henna that gives hair a shade of brown or black. To achieve such colors, other herbs are also needed, which, when mixed together, will give the appropriate color effect. Such natural hair hennas are sometimes called compound hennas. The herbs used for them are described in the article " What ingredients does natural henna contain? ".

It is worth remembering or writing down the names of herbs so that we can identify them when we buy a new brand of product. The INCI, or detailed composition, should not contain anything other than the Latin names of plants such as:

1. Lawsonia inermis.
2. Indigofera Tinctoria.
3. Emblica Officinalis.
4. Eclipta Alba.
5. Azadirachta Indica.
6. Aloe Barbadensis.
7. Aciacia Concinna.
8. Bacopa Monnieri.
9. Arnica Cordifolia.
10. Cassia Obowata Leaves.

However, even the presence of these plants is unfortunately not a guarantee of good quality henna for hair.

ARE ALL HENNAS OF THE EQUAL QUALITY?

Only and exclusively control of the cultivation process and one hundred percent certainty as to the source of natural henna for hair is a guarantee that it will actually be a natural herbal mixture. Unfortunately, in African and Asian countries where henna for hair is imported, there are not entirely honest sellers. There is also a lack of a clear and enforced system of certification or state control of enterprises that would provide certainty as to the origin and quality of the dried plant material. Sometimes, chemical dyes, metal salts such as lead acetate, silver nitrate, copper, nickel or bismuth are detected in henna from uncertain sources imported to European countries. Apart from the questionable color effect, such pseudo-henna can seriously harm the hair and human health. Unfortunately, such products can still be found on the market and they are often marked as herbal and the composition includes only herbs. It is not mentioned that these herbs come from very contaminated crops or that the above-mentioned harmful chemicals have been added to them.

The guarantee of good quality natural henna for hair is certainly a renowned brand that is perfectly familiar with European safety standards, meets the highest legal requirements and has precise information about the origin of the henna for hair, what plantation it comes from and how it was grown.

HOW TO STORE HENNA

Natural henna immediately after harvesting it should be dried, powdered and tightly packed so as not to lose any of its valuable properties. Such storage from harvesting, through the transport process, and its stay on the store shelf will ensure that when the package is opened in their home, the customer will have a fully valuable product that meets the highest quality standards.

In principle, you should use up the entire contents of the package at once, but if you happen to realize that you have too much mahogany henna (pure lawsonia) and you do not use up all of the opened package, you should tightly wrap the natural henna and put it in the freezer. This also applies to the prepared mixture ready to be applied to the hair.

In a similar situation with the colorless conditioner (cassia obovata), the powder should be tightly packed and stored in a cool, dark place.

When it comes to natural henna with the addition of indigo, i.e. shades of brown and black, there is no point in freezing the mixture, because once prepared for application to the hair, it loses its properties very quickly. You can also store the tightly packed powder.

WHAT PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE WHEN USING NATURAL HENNA FOR HAIR

Allergies or allergic reactions to natural henna are practically non-existent. However, you should definitely take care to protect your hands so that they do not get stained during the coloring process. And this is really the most important precaution to take. Henna for hair should not be used to dye eyebrows or eyelashes. You should also not inhale the herbal powder spray, as it can cause respiratory irritation.

Certainly, chemical, pseudo-natural or "herbal" dyes with added chemicals pose a significant health risk, which often becomes apparent only after years, when the effects of repeated use of a given dye accumulate. On the other hand, natural henna for hair is a herbal mixture that provides beautiful colors, strengthened and naturally healthy hair and does not pose any health risk.