Switching up your hair color can be exciting, especially if the change is dramatic. Whether you want to transform your hair or enhance your existing shade, black or brown henna could be the change you're looking for. From caramel to espresso, there's a dark shade for everyone.
So, what is henna?
Henna hair dye is made from the ground leaves of the henna plant. At The Henna Guys, our Indian henna powder is triple cloth-sifted for purity and a smoother paste. Making a paste from ground henna leaves and water, coffee, tea or certain other liquids allows the henna to release the dye that colors hair.
Doesn't henna only dye hair red?
Pure henna only leaves hair red or imparts red undertones. You may have heard that colors other than red can only be created by adding chemicals to henna. But henna can be blended with indigo and other herbs to create a variety of colors naturally. The one thing it can't do is strip hair of its color like bleach.
How to Choose a Henna Shade
Knowing what to expect means you'll be happier with your results. Head to the product page for the color you want. Take a look at the color chart demonstrating what various hair colors will look like after applying a particular henna shade. While hair products you've used in the past can also affect the outcome, you'll get a general preview of how your color will appear.
How can I go brunette with henna?
We offer light, medium and dark shades of brown. If your hair is on the light side, it's a good idea to start lighter and work your way up to a darker shade. Henna is considered a permanent hair color. While it does fade like conventional hair dye, it can take quite a while for it to completely fade away. After you've chosen your shade, set aside a day to apply henna.
How to Apply Henna
Darker shades call for a two-step process to darken hair, so they require more time to apply. Our light and medium brown shades only require a single-step process. The most time-consuming part of each application process is leaving the dye on your hair. Most henna users whip up the henna mixture the night before to allow 8-10 hours of dye-activation time (see our video on how to mix dark brown henna hair dye for more info). Darker colors need an additional 40 minutes of activation time for the second batch of color (the first is pure henna; the second is the proprietary color blend). For each step, the color will need to remain on your hair for at least three hours; the longer you leave it on, the deeper the color will be.
More Henna Tips
Replacing the water in your henna mixture with coffee helps deepen your shade of choice. Add two to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to help the color "take" and reduce red tones.
Find your perfect hair color here. Consider visiting our FAQ page for answers to all your questions before taking the dark henna plunge. Still have concerns? Get in touch with The Henna Guys. We want you to be thrilled with your new hair color!