Gray hair is something natural and inevitable with the passage of time, although there are those who get it at 20 and those who do it much later, and more and more people choose to show off beautiful silver hair. But there are also many who prefer to hide them by dyeing themselves.

One of the most popular solutions for dyeing your hair and covering gray hair naturally is henna, especially among those looking for alternatives to synthetic dyes.

Dyeing with henna allows you to avoid the aggressive and toxic substances that the most common commercial dyes contain, as it is simply a plant pigmentwidely used traditionally in some cultures. Henna covers gray hair and, although it does not have the power to lighten hair, it can provide hair with reddish or copper tones.

Nevertheless, applying henna well to the hair (or eyebrows) has its tricks and, if you’ve never done it, there are some things you should know to avoid surprises. These are the most common mistakes you should avoid.

1. The type of henna you use

Not all hennas that we find in stores are the same. Some may contain chemicals that are harmful to hair or harmful synthetic additives such as PPD or lead acetate, which is prohibited in the European Union.

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Check the ingredients on the label and make sure the henna you apply is 100% pure and natural.

2. Do you skip the strand test?

Henna reacts differently on different hair types and colors, so to make sure you will like the final hair colorit is advisable to do a test on a small strand of hair, carefully calculating the time you leave the henna on the hair.

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In this way, you will have a sample of the final result and you can decide if you like it or make changes to adjust the application time.

3. The way to mix henna

The consistency of the henna paste is key for the final result. It should have a mud-like consistency, neither too thick nor too runny:

• If it is too thickit can form lumps in the hair and it will be more difficult to spread it well and reach all corners of your hair, so the result may not be optimal.
• If it is too liquidit will not sit properly on the hair and the result may be uneven color in different areas of the hair.

4. When applying henna

If you do not apply henna carefully, the result will not be optimal. The correct thing, so that it reaches all your hair and the color is uniform, is apply henna in an orderly manner and make sure you don’t leave any hair behind.

Separate small sections of hair with a comb and cover them completely with the pasta one by one. Only in this way will you ensure that the henna reaches all parts of your hair.

5. Do you leave the skin near the hair roots unprotected?

Henna can dye the skin and, in fact, in countries like Morocco it is usually used to decorate the hands and can also be used to simulate very natural-looking freckles.

It is convenient for this protect hair linearound the face (and neck and ears), with a moisturizer or a little vegetable oil to avoid spots that may take a while to disappear.

Also, if you don’t want to end up with brown hands, It is essential that you wear gloves when applying henna.

6. the time you let the henna act

The longer you let the henna act, the better.. For your hair to dye well and reach a copper or reddish tone, you must leave henna on. a minimum of 2 hours in the hair, although 4 hours is ideal.

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Rinsing too soon can result in you not getting the desired color or being left with patches of uneven color.

If you use a shower cap during the time you have henna in your hair, in addition to reducing the risk of dye stains on clothing, Trapped moisture and heat will help color release better.

7. The rush to wash your hair once it has been dyed with henna

Henna should be applied to clean hair.as this helps the color to set better. Once the henna is rinsed with water (you can use conditioner if necessary), you should not wash your hair with soap too soonbecause it can affect color development.

In fact, it is recommended avoid using shampoo for 48 to 72 hours after application, because the color may take this time to fully develop.