Being the managing partner at Happy Healthy Living has been very rewarding and looking happy and healthy is part of the adventure, that’s why I like henna hair color.
It all started last Hallowed Eve when I was throwing together some kind of costume for John & Cynthia’s bash. I was low on funds so I went and bought a very inexpensive long red hair wig. That evening at the party several of my good friends said that my hair should be that color.
I looked back at the posts of pictures and really liked seeing my hair red like that. I had been thinking seriously about going natural, I had been bleaching and putting chemicals in my hair for decades. Not the healthiest choice for sure, especially for a cancer survivor! There are chemicals in hair dyes that have proven to promote cancer. My hair before henna hair color was always up because it was unhealthy looking when I wore it down.
Then came the decision to stop using chemicals in my hair, it wasn’t overnight that is for sure. It’s funny how vanity plays a part in your decisions. I had never researched what hair dyes were doing to me as I happily plunked down into the salon chairs and spent a few hours looking and probably smelling like an alien!
I didn’t really want to lose my young appearance (forever 49) by just letting the white hair show so I did research on Henna and made the jump to being a red head. It’s not just a stamped on color from a box either, the henna blends with my hair naturally giving me depth, highlights and my own personal hue of red and as my hair comes in more gray/white my hair takes on a beautiful highlighted look.
First I did some research and found out a lot about Henna and its benefits. Henna has been around thousands and thousands of years. It is a small flowering tree or bush and its Latin name is Lawsonia inermis. For over 6,000 years Henna has been used to dye hair.
This little bush or tree was used in ancient Egypt on the hair of mummies. The history of henna touched all humanities timeline going in and out of style. Famous painters in the 1800s painted their maidens with long flowing red hair. Closer to our times in the 50s the famous Lucille Ball was all a fire with her red locks. The 60s brought a interest in eastern culture and henna and Mehndi was popular with the young generation. Traditionally it has been used in ceremonies, healing arts and celebrations. Its health properties are not to be over looked either.
I found Henna Hair Color actually changes your hair when its applied. Unlike chemical dyes that can strip you hair like a bleach which makes it weaker, henna actually penetrates the hair and binds with the keratin (protein) gives it strength. I have also read other medical studies on the benefits of lawsonia inermis. I made a little drawing of how the henna works on a strand of hair, elementary for sure but it gives you an idea.
Being red makes me extremely happy, it has changed my outlook most definitely. The joy I have from going red has made me very grateful. I am grateful for the lovely compliments I receive almost daily on the color of my hair. The health of my scalp and the strength of my hair is changing too and confidence seems to be rising in me as my hair is a shiny red now.
I feel more grounded and yes hippie comes to mind. My family and friends joke about my hippie ways but it resonates and reinstates me with me. I feel joy, happiness, beauty, love, abundance, grounded and healthy! I want to share what this has done for me and encourage you to make steps towards your Happy Healthy Living too!
Here are the steps I took:
Gathered Ingredients
Directions:
First I gathered my hair from a brush, a good size ball. I did a test batch and dyed that ball of hair to see what it would do. This part should not be skipped! You should always do this a week before and watch the ball of hair oxidize to see if the color is what you are wanting. There is no going back, henna is permanent as you see from the diagram above your hair protein actually changes.
Depending on the henna hair color you choose you don’t have to mix in all the extra ingredients. I had fun choosing mine and was very pleased with the result. I warmed the water and steeped the tea, mixed all the ingredients into a paste like consistency in a glass bowl and covered it. I found a warm place to set it over night to let the dye be released. The paste will be darker in color and you will see a red tint. You then give it a stir when you are ready to apply.
This will make a mess! For my first application I had my boyfriend apply it to my hair so there wouldn’t be any missed spots. We started from the bottom and worked to the ends of my hair covering each section with a heavy layer of paste and gently massaged it into each section. I piled it all on top of my head and put a plastic cap on then a trusty knit black hat. I went to bed and slept for a good 8 hours – by then the henna had been in my hair for about 10-11 hours.
I had read in other posts that a cheap bottle of conditioner really helps with washing out the henna. I found that to be true. That was definitely a helpful hint. I don’t need to use conditioner anymore unless I am putting henna throughout my whole head of hair, but when just doing the roots a nice long warm but tepid rinse works fine for my hair.
My hair is in much better condition now one year later. The color my hair has become is a lush deep red, with highlights of brighter reds probably from the gray and white hair. There really isn’t fading with henna, the sun will lighten the color though.
l have seen faded red heads before from chemical hair dyes and it’s not attractive. Its been a year since my first application of henna and my hair has never faded or looked dull. I have happy, healthy and shiny henna hair now. Thank you for checking this out and I hope it was helpful.
I would love to hear what you think about henna hair color.
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