An incredibly detailed guide to dying your hair red with henna

Posted by
#Style & Grooming#hair
My local Indian store changes its henna brands every so often, but this is what I've been using lately.
My local Indian store changes its henna brands every so often, but this is what I’ve been using lately.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably into the idea of having RED! (and seriously, with henna you need to type it like that) hair without putting your tresses through the wringer with conventional hair dye. WELL, COOL, ’cause I’ve been dying my hair with henna for over a year, and I have a few tricks of the trade up my sleeve.

Preliminary notes

  • Henna takes some time: seriously. You’ll need to wait twelve hours after mixing for the dye to release and then it needs to be on your head for 1-4 hours, depending on the shade you want.
  • All henna is not created equal: go to your local Indian store and pick up a box or bag of henna — you don’t want to use the dyes you can find in some natural food stores. If you don’t have a local Indian store, you can get henna online. (I love Earth Henna because they always have coupons running — if you use coupon code QUA20 to get 20% off your order!)
  • Your hair probably won’t look like mine. Henna looks different on every single person that does it. You can follow this step-by-step, and you may not end up with a result that matches what you’ll see in my photos. It may not be drastically different, but the shade of red you achieve with henna depends on what your hair looks like before you put the henna on.
  • You can’t get rid of henna. Seriously. Henna gets into the shaft of the hair — so you can’t even really dye over it with over-the-counter or salon dye. I imagine the only thing that would really work is bleaching your hair, so keep that in mind. If you don’t want to commit to a hennaed head or take the time to grow it out, stick with a box dye that’s easier to dye over. Henna is very, very permanent.
  • People with all hair types can use henna! It’ll look different for everyone, but you can rock it regardless of your hair color or texture. Also, as long as you’re using body quality henna, it’s safe to dye over chemically treated hair.
  • In my experience, henna doesn’t apply evenly. If you can’t stand the idea of every hair on your head not being the same color, you may not want to commit to henna.

What you need

IMG_0031
Supplies!
  • 100-500 grams of body quality henna (for reference, I use 200g, and my hair is halfway down my back, but I’ve been doing this for a while. The general rule of thumb is 100g for short hair, 200g for collar-length hair, 300g for shoulder length hair, and 500g for waist-length hair)
  • a medium-sized bowl
  • a spoon
  • plastic/saran wrap
  • lemon juice (not necessary, but it is for how I do it)
  • 1-3 free hours (depending on how intense you want your hair to be)

How you do it

1. Mix your henna

I always mix my henna twelve hours before I want to apply it. You’ll want to put it in a darkish area (I usually put mine in a bowl on the top shelf of my closet and shut the door) at room temperature (around 70F or 21C). If you need to rush it, you can put it somewhere warm (95F or 35C) and it’ll be ready in two hours — however, you want to make sure it’s not TOO hot. Careful, careful!

IMG_0036
Dry henna!
IMG_0037
Mashed potatoes-y henna.

Here’s my mixing process:

  • I pour two bags of henna into the bowl
  • Then I add between 1/4 and 1/2 of a 16 oz bottle of lemon juice — you basically want the mixture to have the look and texture of (green) mashed potatoes. If you have sensitive skin, you can water down your lemon juice (sometimes I do half lemon juice, half water), or substitute in orange or grapefruit juice. Some people warn against using tap water, but I always do and I’m honestly not sure why you shouldn’t. Vinegar and wine are also alternatives, but they’ll smell pretty rank (though some people think henna itself is funky smelling) — however, you want to stay away from using yogurt or coffee. If you’re familiar with henna body art: don’t add “terps.”
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
  • Let it rest! I always leave my spoon in the bowl. I don’t know why, really… I just do.

2. Apply your henna

IMG_0045
Henna after sitting for twelve hours.
IMG_0046
Yogurt-y henna right before application!

It’s twelve hours later! Alright. Another note: some people think it’s easier if you’ve washed and dried your hair before you apply henna… but I don’t. It’s up to you!

Here’s how the application process usually goes for me:

  • Retrieve your henna.
  • Put on protective gloves (those latex ones like dentists use are perfect). Henna STAINS everything — if it gets on your skin, your skin will be orange for a day or two. If it gets on the floor, the floor will be also. Eventually it goes away, but if you can’t deal with stains err on the side of caution.
  • Divide your hair into sections. One of the biggest differences between henna dye and conventional hair dye is that it’s MUCH harder to make sure you’re covering your hair with henna. If you’ve dyed your hair before, you know that conventional hair dye is very liquid and easy to get onto your hair. Henna is thick, and it is more of a challenge. I’ve found the most effective division process is to go in small sections — I’ll put all of my hair except for one small part up, and then work from there.
  • Unwrap your henna and add more lemon juice (or whatever mixture you’re using). After this addition you want your mixture to look more like yogurt. I usually add another 1/4 of the bottle — you don’t want it too runny or too thick.
  • Start applying! Try to avoid getting henna on parts of your hair that are pulled up — the parts that you’re not ready to put henna on yet. Henna can really tangle your hair up if you’re not intentionally trying to put it on a certain area.
  • You want to REALLY goop it on your head: don’t be stingy. Apply henna in very thick sections for maximum coverage.
  • When you’re finished, remove your gloves and wrap your head with plastic wrap. After you’re wrapped, it’s a good idea to start cleaning any spots of henna off your face, neck, arms, etc. that might be there.
  • Get comfy: I usually let my henna sit in for three hours. Some people do one, some do four — it depends on how deep you want to shade to be.

3. Wash the henna out of your hair

Ok, washing henna out of your hair is totally a thing. Make sure you’re wearing your gloves when you do it, because you can still get orange stains on your hands. The first few times I used henna I just took a shower, but I realized that a) henna feels super gross when it’s washing out of your hair and onto your body, and b) it’s kind of hard to get henna out of long hair. So now I get on my knees and put my head under the bathtub faucet. It’s not the easiest or most comfortable thing, but it works. Some people lie down in the bathtub and wash it out that way.

After the henna is mostly out of my hair I use shampoo for the rest — I always find that it really clings to my baby hairs at my hairline. You can use any shampoo you want. Your hair is going to smell like henna for a day or two — I like it, but some people don’t. If you’re not a fan, you can rinse your hair with lavender after washing it to get rid of the smell.

Related Post

How do I remove hair dye from the bathroom wall?

I dye my hair black on a regular basis, and I'm also a clumsy oaf. My bathroom wall has many spots of blueish-black. How can I resolve this messy problem?

If your hair is super orange, DON’T FREAK OUT

IMG_0057
This is the top of my head right after I dried it. Orange!
IMG_0058
Orange sideview.

It takes henna around three days to really show itself on your head — my hair is almost always SUPER bright the first day, then it gradually deepens over a few days. Something that’s really cool about henna vs. conventional red hair dye is that henna doesn’t fade — you just have to touch up your roots as your hair grows.

IMG_1963 copy
My hair four days after application.

Also, you can use henna as often as you want — it’s a great conditioner and is wonderful for your hair. Unlike conventional hair dye, it’s totally safe for frequent use. You can do root touch-ups in between full hair applications, or if you like the relaxing effect henna often has, just do full hair apps every time.

Other things you can do with henna

You can also dye your hair dark brown or black with henna (you’ll mix it with indigo), cover up grays, or dye it strawberry blonde. This site has a wonderful selection of various henna mixes people have made.

If you’re still looking for even MORE info, you can download this free 60-page ebook from Henna For Hair. It’s pretty dense, but also pretty amazing.

Related Post

How to dye your armpit hair

I work at Vain, one of Seattle's most beloved salons. I have always wanted to color someone's pit hair. I have actually done it once, but It was a late night with too much wine and without the proper tools available. I asked my co-worker Rain if she would be down to let me dye her pit hair blue to match her hair color and she agreed, heartily. (OR should I say pitily.) We both knew that we were jumping into uncharted territory, but we felt that Vain was just the place to pioneer some pit color. Here is how it went...

About the Author: Stephanie Kaloi

I was the editor of the now-defunct Offbeat Families, and owner/photographer at Stephanie Kaloi Photography in Portland, OR.

Comments on An incredibly detailed guide to dying your hair red with henna

  1. note for washing the goop out: slather your hair in cheep conditioner. works way better then shampoo. thanks for the tip about rinsing in lavender to get rid of the smell. i’ll have to try that. i do use tea tree for extra dye release with no ill effects. i often add a bit of olive oil for extra conditioning as well. some spices can tint your colour one way or the other, specifically paprika and cloves. i leave mine in for 6-8 hours and i get a rich dark red that has copper highlights in the sun and is almost purple in low light. really hoping i have time to redo it to flaming red before my harry potter party on mon, be a great nod to ginny 🙂

  4. I’ve used henna for about 2 years, I buy it in blocks from LUSH, which means you have to grate it up yourself, but it gives a lovely colour. I always put a load of paprika and turrmeric in with mine, as I like it a orangey and bright as I can get it. I’ll definitley try it with lemon juice next time! Also, I usually put it on my hair straight after making it up, and then leave it on, wrapped in cling film for 4-6 hours, or longer if I can bear it, which isn’t the most comfortable way to spend a day, so I might try the leaving-it-in-the-bowl-to-thicken way in future.

    • Hi . This sounds great as I prefer mine coppery/orangey.. Does it affect the condition as mins is very fine & frizzy. How much paprika & turmeric do you add??? Do you possibly have a pic??

  5. You inspired me to finally dye my hair with henna. I used red wine and a little lemon juice instead of all lemon juice. I have to say, I LOVE IT!

    My hair was really dry after, but a round of great conditioner made it all better. I’m never going back to the box!

  6. After getting everything I need to do this, and having applied it (currently waiting to wash out 😉 I’m now worried about the quality stuff I got. I live in Guam and the only Indian store here (buying it online would cost way too much to ship) sells the henna hair dye in 150 mg packs. I wanted to do this because I’m pregnant and can’t do normal dyes, plus just wanted to go all-natural, but you gals have me worried this stuff won’t work well enough…has anyone had luck with the henna powder for hair?

      • Thanks Stephanie! It turned out great! I don’t even mind how bright it is (I’m naturally blonde) for the moment, my hair feels so Healthy, like it got stronger 🙂 thank you for sharing your methods, I had no idea there was a healthy/safe/long-lasting option like this until your post! I’ll be doing this from now on, even the application is fun! Feels like I’m painting with clay, love it 😀

  7. hi!!!! this wrote up has been incredibly. I was hoping to come accross anything that might have info on whether henna will make black hair red? I have black hair (brown in the sun) and I just packed on some henna and it only delivered a slight reddish undertone. left it on for about an hour. any tips? thanks :))))

    • Hello! This reply is super late. My hair is naturally a medium brown, so kind of dark, but not really. I let my henna sit on for 4 hours usually. This makes it beautifully red. You might try a longer time!

  8. Stephanie! I’m geting ready to redo my first henna job, thanks to you. i LOVE IT! Quick question: when you re-dye, do you just touch up your roots or go for a whole head application? I’m slightly worried about the roots blending in the the henna-on-henna parts.

    • I always do the whole head, because I usually do it right when you start to see my roots– that way my hair isn’t too many shades of red at one time.

  9. I have been dying my hair with Lush’s Caca Rouge for maybe about two years (I try to dye it once a season), and to be honest, I have never gotten great results on just one dye (this could also just be because my hair is really long, and it’s hard to get the whole thing on my own). What does end up happening, is that my roots are actually a dark brown, and then it gradually fades to a great shade of red. It looks pretty awesome, to be honest, but I am always interested in ways to get it more vibrant.

    I am not sure of the difference between body grade henna and lush’s henna, but I checked out the ingredient list on wikipedia (yes, I looked everything up) and it looks like there is nothing metallic, but also, a lot of plant based essential oils, those terps that Stephanie mentioned. Considering all that, does anyone think it might be worth it to let the dye sit out for a few hours as Stephanie suggested? I would really love to be able to leave it out over night and then let it sit on my head for a few hours in the morning before work instead of doing it all at night and then having to sleep with it in.

    Anna~

    PS – thanks Stephanie for writing such an insightful piece!

    • I’m not sure, because I’ve only ever used henna from my local Indian grocery store. It’s like $2 a bag and works every time! I don’t know if the Lush kind can be left out overnight — maybe contact them and ask?

      • I know this response is a bit late – but I’ve kept LUSH henna on my head for 8+ hours and have had no ill effects – ymmv of course. I find it looks better the longer I leave it in.

        • I use LUSH henna too. I don’t let it sit out before applying, but I do add red wine in.

          Also, I found washing with conditioner helps with the gunk.

  10. I know this it is a little late to post on, but why not add yogurt? I mix my henna with yogurt all the time, and I love how it conditions my hair and the color results get me a plethora of compliments. I’ve read about coffee and yogurt being good additions to the mix in lots of places. I was wondering if there was any particular reason you specifically are against it.

  12. Hi, Im interested in dying my hair red. But orange doesn’t exactly work with me. I don’t want to use harsh dyes, so i thought i would give this a shot. But does it get really dark, like deep red at all? This is pretty important.

    • My hair is only orangey the first day, then it tones down considerably. My hair was medium brown to begin with and I have a gorg auburn now with the henna. The more times you apply and the longer you let it sit, the redder it will get. It gets dark and looks pretty natural, so you aren’t going to get a Rihanna red or anything like that.

  13. Any advice on using indigo? Can it be removed when I’m tired of the color?

    I have naturally dirty/strawberry blonde hair depending on the season, etc. It’s been dyed periodically in every shade of red (which I’m told usually looks more natural than my natural shade lol.) Not very often, and it blends well with my hair as it fades.
    I’ve gotten a wild hair to do black a couple times during the winter but the conventional dye fades quickly looking very blah and leaving me looking like a calico cat with blonde, black, and red patches. However for the first two weeks it looks AMAZING. Indigo sounds intriguing but by springtime I’m over the black and ready to go back to a natural(ish) color for the summer. Is that possible with the indigo or is it for permanent commitment only?

  14. Question. I know it’s been a while since this post but, how dangerous is it to use the henna after chemically dye hair, I mean how long should I wait?And I don’t really get the part of removing the henna. Does that means that if I later change my mind I won’t be able to change the color in any way? WiIl I need to let it grow again??

  15. Thanks! I’m recommending this to my friend (I don’t go well with red). But my real worry is that she recently dye and bleached her hair in less than a month.

      • This might redundant, but I’ve got to be sure! My natural hair color is a gorgeous walnut ash brown- sprinkled liberally with white hair that won’t hold dye for 2 weeks, which is why I lighten it (at home with L’Oreal) leaving a strawberry red shade on for 5 hours. No my hair isn’t fried. It’s shiny and pretty. It’s an auburn at first then as the white hair losses color it really is nearly strawberry blond with highlights. I have to do this every 6 weeks to cover an inch of roots.

        So the white will most likely be orange. What might I expect from the lightened hair? (I’m not scared of light orange – I’d kill for Lucille Ball’s hair!)

        I wouldn’t mind going back to my walnut shade if it wasn’t such a pain of upkeep. So if I use indigo, should I do it after or with? How much would I add?

  16. I’m going to bookmark this page because, my dear, are a genius. And it’s entertaining to read. Not boring like most how to’s. Thanks 🙂 I’ll try this tomorrow.

  17. These are the most detailed instructions EVER! Thank you! I have been using henna on my hair for about 5 months now and I absolutely LOVE IT =) My hair is in the best condition it has ever been, not to mention the amazing color and incredible shine! I use half lemom juice and half red tea when mixing henna for my hair. I also add tea tree oil to lessen the smell. Also I mix the henna with the tea and juice let sit for 3-4 hours covered, in front of a heater, then apply and leave on for 2 hours. I get incredible results. Thaks again for sharing! Your hair looks great!

  21. Hey..I am from Kerala – India and I henna my hair every month. I have long, black hair and on henna-ing it, it becomes beautifully dark red, esp when under the sun. I have a few tips that myt help some of you. While mixing henna, along with lemon juice, u can use 3-4 table spoons of curd – this will make your hair super soft and manageable. U can put in a variety of herbs (like 1-2 tb spoons of brahmi & 1 tb spoon of mint – for a cooling effect, 1-2 tb spoons of hibiscus powder – to condition , or if u have dandruff, 1-2 tea spoon of fenugreek powder etc.) Adding tea water while mixing henna also helps in deepening the color. I keep the henna on for about 4 hours. I recmd you not to shampoo your hair while washing off henna. U can simply wash the henna of the hair, and use diluted lemon juice once or twice to rub on your hair for the rest of the day, and the next day you can wash the hair with a mild shampoo. Then again, I have dark hair and want really deep color, also I love the smell of henna leaf , though it can be a bit overwhelming for some. Oh and go for pure herbal powders. 🙂
    Enjoy!

  22. Yay! Henna Hair!

    I just hennaed my hair for the first time a couple weeks ago, our mix was made with cranberry tea, lemon juice, and powder from the local Indian grocer. I have very light brown/dark blonde hair and I left the henna in for about 20/30 minutes and rinsed – the color came out a nice natural strawberry blonde tone, not very dark at all which suits me well. So if you’re worried about going to dark on naturally light hair keep that in mind 🙂

    • I’m about to try just that! (Using super old henna powder) I’ll post my results for you. I have an event to attend this weekend and I dont have time or money to find new powder. What I do have is some super old (way over 10 years) pure henna powder. It will just have to work!

  25. I have very thick light blonde hair that seems to take up (and keep) orange (base) colours too easily (the first time I ever dyed my hair was with an 8-washes auburn red and it lasted the whole year as a bright orange). Will this be a problem with henna? I also get pretty bad dandruff if I don’t wash my hair for a few days- will henna affect the poo/cond routine I’m used to?

Read more comments

Join the Conversation