shaym / Instagram
If you think that your mousy hair needs a boost, or you are spotting some grey and are looking for a natural way to hide it, consider trying a home grown, synthetic-free option. Henna is a plant native to the Middle East, and has been used since ancient times to dye the skin and hair. The cosmetics company, Lush, takes dried henna leaves, grounds them into a powder, and mixes it with conditioning cocoa butter. The Henna comes in block form which helps it cling to the hair and also produces a more intense color.
The different shades of Henna are:
Rouge, the full-on red Henna, it will turn blondes and greys into fiery redheads while those with dark brown hair will see a warm natural red tone with a glossy sheen that will catch the sun.
Marron will give blondes shiny hair the color of autumn and brunettes will see a reddish tinge revealed.
Brun will make blonde hair several shades darker, leaving a rich coffee-colored glaze. For brunettes, don’t expect a dramatic change, but do expect the hair to be conditioned.
Noir is mixed with indigo to give hair a black gloss with a very slight hint of red. All hair will go several shades darker after using Noir.
Did you know: when viewed under a microscope, the outer cuticles of hair look something like scales on a fish. They normally lie flat to protect the central shaft of the hair. Chemical dyes force these cuticles open and pour color underneath them—permanently dying the hair. But once these cuticles have been lifted, and are consistently dyed, hair will become brittle and break off. Alternatively, henna coats hair with a protective layer of gloss. It adds weight to flyaway hair and thickens and conditions it in the process.
—Caterina Minthe
