red-haired woman photo
DCL
My long-lasting love relationship with henna began in 6th grade. My friends were dying their hair varying colors of orangey-red, but my mother had forbidden Herbal Essences dye from entering our house. Henna came to the rescue: a double-dose of auburn, and my hair had enough red to make me feel hip—and, unlike most of my obviously fake redheaded friends, the henna actually looked natural.
The henna plant produces a red-orange dye that has long been used to color hands, hair, and more. In modern henna for hair, the color has been neutralized—"neutral" is colorless but gives full conditioning and shine benefits. My Lebanese great-grandmother mixed neutral henna with black coffee to darken her hair; lighter shades can be mixed with chamomile tea and honey to lighten golden tones.
Henna is a great natural conditioner and boosts body and shine. Henna is undeniably gloppy and has an earthy smell...but it's certainly better for your hair (and your body, and the earth) than caustic, chemical hair dye.
