How to Apply Henna to Hair
Mix the henna powder., Shampoo, then dry your hair., Protect your hairline with oil., Comb and part your hair., Protect your skin., Apply the paste liberally to a small section of hair., Twist the hair on top of your head., Apply paste to the next...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Mix the henna powder.
Henna comes in a powdered form, and you must mix this with water before you can apply it to your hair.
Mix ½ cup (50 g) of henna with ¼ cup (59 ml) of warm water.
Stir to combine.
Stir in more water by the tablespoon (15 ml) as necessary, until the henna paste becomes the consistency of mashed potatoes.
Once you’ve mixed the powder and water, cover the bowl with plastic and let it develop at room temperature for about 12 hours.
When you're ready to apply the dye, mix in a bit more water until you have a thick but spreadable consistency. -
Step 2: Shampoo
Before applying henna, you'll want to start with clean hair.
In the shower or bath, wash your hair with your regular shampoo to remove dirt, oil, and styling products.
Rinse the shampoo well.
Once out of the shower, towel dry, blow dry, or air dry your hair.
Do not condition your hair, as the oils in the conditioner can prevent the henna from penetrating your roots properly., If you have long hair, gather it up and tie it back so it’s out of your face and off your shoulders and neck.
For short hair, put on a headband to keep your hair out of your face.
With your fingers, apply some coconut oil, body butter, or petroleum jelly to your hairline, including your forehead, neck, and ears.The oil will create a barrier between the henna and your skin, so this will prevent stains around your hairline. , Let your hair down and comb it with a wide-toothed comb.
This will remove tangles and knots without making your hair frizzy.
Part your hair in the center, and let your hair fall evenly to either side of your head.You don’t have to section off your hair, because you'll be dyeing it in layers. , Henna tends to get everywhere, so it’s a good idea to wear old clothes and to protect yourself with a rag or old towel.
Drape the towel over your shoulders.
Arrange the towel to cover your neck and shoulders, and use a pin or hair clip to keep it together.Because henna can stain the skin, put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves to protect your hands and nails.
You can also use a plastic sheet, poncho, or a cutting cape.
Keep a damp rag nearby to wipe drips off your skin immediately. , Starting with the topmost layer of hair, grab a thin 2-inch-wide (5-cm-wide) section of hair from the middle back of your head.
Comb this section away from the rest of your hair.
With a large tint brush or your fingers, apply 1 to 2 teaspoons (2 to 4 g) of henna to the roots of your hair.
Spread the henna toward the tips, adding more paste if necessary.Henna paste doesn’t spread as easily as conventional dye, so it’s important to ensure that your hair is fully saturated from root to tip. , When you’ve fully covered the first section of hair, twist it a few times and then wrap it into a bun on top of your head.
The henna paste is quite sticky, so the coil of hair will just sit there.You can pin it in place if you like.
For short hair, twist the section and pin it on top of your head to keep it out of the way. , Working with the same topmost layer of hair, take a fresh 2-inch (5-cm) section of hair from beside the original section.
Apply henna paste to the roots with your fingers or a tint brush.
Work the paste toward the tip, adding more paste if necessary, until the entire section is saturated with henna paste. , Twist the dyed section of hair a few times.
Wrap it around the original bun that you created with the first section of hair.
Because the henna is so sticky, the coil will stay, but you can pin it in place.
For short hair, twist the section, place it on top of the original section, and pin it in place. , Work in small sections, like before.
Work toward the front of your head, applying henna to the hair on both sides of the part.
Continue working in thin 2-inch (5-cm) sections to ensure proper coverage.
When you’ve dyed the topmost layer of hair, repeat the same process with the layer below until all your hair has been dyed.
Keep twisting and wrapping each section of hair around the original bun., When every section of hair has been covered and twisted into the bun, go around your hairline and add more paste to areas where the henna looks sparse or more coverage is needed.
Pay particular attention to the hairline line and roots., When your hair is fully covered, take a long sheet of plastic wrap and wrap your hair.
Wrap the plastic all the way around your hairline and completely cover your hair and the top of your head.
Don’t cover your ears.
Wrapping your hair in plastic will help keep the henna warm and moist, and this will allow it to set.If you have to go out while your hair is like this, you can wrap a scarf around the plastic wrap to cover it. , Henna generally takes between two and four hours to set.
The longer you leave it on, the deeper and more vibrant the color will be.
You can encourage color development by keeping the henna warm.
Stay inside if it’s cold out, or wear a hat if you must go out.
You can leave the henna on for as long as six hours if you want to achieve maximum vibrancy., When the henna has had enough time to set, put your gloves back on and remove the plastic wrap.
Hop in the shower and thoroughly rinse the henna paste from your hair.
Rub conditioner into your hair to help loosen the paste.Continue conditioning and rinsing until the water runs clear and there's no paste left in your hair. , Henna takes about 48 hours to develop properly.
When your hair first dries, it will look very bright and orange.
Over the next couple of days, the color will deepen and become less orange., Henna is a permanent dye, so you don’t have to worry about the color washing out or fading over time.
You can reapply to achieve a deeper and more vibrant color, or just apply more paste to your roots as they grow out.When touching up roots, leave the henna on for the same amount of time as the original application to achieve a similar color. -
Step 3: then dry your hair.
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Step 4: Protect your hairline with oil.
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Step 5: Comb and part your hair.
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Step 6: Protect your skin.
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Step 7: Apply the paste liberally to a small section of hair.
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Step 8: Twist the hair on top of your head.
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Step 9: Apply paste to the next section.
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Step 10: Twist and wrap the section over the original bun.
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Step 11: Continue applying paste to the rest of your hair.
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Step 12: Touch up around the hairline.
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Step 13: Wrap plastic wrap around your hair.
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Step 14: Keep the henna warm and let it set.
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Step 15: Rinse with conditioner.
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Step 16: Wait a few days for the color to develop.
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Step 17: Touch up roots as they grow out.
Detailed Guide
Henna comes in a powdered form, and you must mix this with water before you can apply it to your hair.
Mix ½ cup (50 g) of henna with ¼ cup (59 ml) of warm water.
Stir to combine.
Stir in more water by the tablespoon (15 ml) as necessary, until the henna paste becomes the consistency of mashed potatoes.
Once you’ve mixed the powder and water, cover the bowl with plastic and let it develop at room temperature for about 12 hours.
When you're ready to apply the dye, mix in a bit more water until you have a thick but spreadable consistency.
Before applying henna, you'll want to start with clean hair.
In the shower or bath, wash your hair with your regular shampoo to remove dirt, oil, and styling products.
Rinse the shampoo well.
Once out of the shower, towel dry, blow dry, or air dry your hair.
Do not condition your hair, as the oils in the conditioner can prevent the henna from penetrating your roots properly., If you have long hair, gather it up and tie it back so it’s out of your face and off your shoulders and neck.
For short hair, put on a headband to keep your hair out of your face.
With your fingers, apply some coconut oil, body butter, or petroleum jelly to your hairline, including your forehead, neck, and ears.The oil will create a barrier between the henna and your skin, so this will prevent stains around your hairline. , Let your hair down and comb it with a wide-toothed comb.
This will remove tangles and knots without making your hair frizzy.
Part your hair in the center, and let your hair fall evenly to either side of your head.You don’t have to section off your hair, because you'll be dyeing it in layers. , Henna tends to get everywhere, so it’s a good idea to wear old clothes and to protect yourself with a rag or old towel.
Drape the towel over your shoulders.
Arrange the towel to cover your neck and shoulders, and use a pin or hair clip to keep it together.Because henna can stain the skin, put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves to protect your hands and nails.
You can also use a plastic sheet, poncho, or a cutting cape.
Keep a damp rag nearby to wipe drips off your skin immediately. , Starting with the topmost layer of hair, grab a thin 2-inch-wide (5-cm-wide) section of hair from the middle back of your head.
Comb this section away from the rest of your hair.
With a large tint brush or your fingers, apply 1 to 2 teaspoons (2 to 4 g) of henna to the roots of your hair.
Spread the henna toward the tips, adding more paste if necessary.Henna paste doesn’t spread as easily as conventional dye, so it’s important to ensure that your hair is fully saturated from root to tip. , When you’ve fully covered the first section of hair, twist it a few times and then wrap it into a bun on top of your head.
The henna paste is quite sticky, so the coil of hair will just sit there.You can pin it in place if you like.
For short hair, twist the section and pin it on top of your head to keep it out of the way. , Working with the same topmost layer of hair, take a fresh 2-inch (5-cm) section of hair from beside the original section.
Apply henna paste to the roots with your fingers or a tint brush.
Work the paste toward the tip, adding more paste if necessary, until the entire section is saturated with henna paste. , Twist the dyed section of hair a few times.
Wrap it around the original bun that you created with the first section of hair.
Because the henna is so sticky, the coil will stay, but you can pin it in place.
For short hair, twist the section, place it on top of the original section, and pin it in place. , Work in small sections, like before.
Work toward the front of your head, applying henna to the hair on both sides of the part.
Continue working in thin 2-inch (5-cm) sections to ensure proper coverage.
When you’ve dyed the topmost layer of hair, repeat the same process with the layer below until all your hair has been dyed.
Keep twisting and wrapping each section of hair around the original bun., When every section of hair has been covered and twisted into the bun, go around your hairline and add more paste to areas where the henna looks sparse or more coverage is needed.
Pay particular attention to the hairline line and roots., When your hair is fully covered, take a long sheet of plastic wrap and wrap your hair.
Wrap the plastic all the way around your hairline and completely cover your hair and the top of your head.
Don’t cover your ears.
Wrapping your hair in plastic will help keep the henna warm and moist, and this will allow it to set.If you have to go out while your hair is like this, you can wrap a scarf around the plastic wrap to cover it. , Henna generally takes between two and four hours to set.
The longer you leave it on, the deeper and more vibrant the color will be.
You can encourage color development by keeping the henna warm.
Stay inside if it’s cold out, or wear a hat if you must go out.
You can leave the henna on for as long as six hours if you want to achieve maximum vibrancy., When the henna has had enough time to set, put your gloves back on and remove the plastic wrap.
Hop in the shower and thoroughly rinse the henna paste from your hair.
Rub conditioner into your hair to help loosen the paste.Continue conditioning and rinsing until the water runs clear and there's no paste left in your hair. , Henna takes about 48 hours to develop properly.
When your hair first dries, it will look very bright and orange.
Over the next couple of days, the color will deepen and become less orange., Henna is a permanent dye, so you don’t have to worry about the color washing out or fading over time.
You can reapply to achieve a deeper and more vibrant color, or just apply more paste to your roots as they grow out.When touching up roots, leave the henna on for the same amount of time as the original application to achieve a similar color.
About the Author
Danielle Stewart
Brings years of experience writing about pet care and related subjects.
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