About Henna
Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a small shrub originally cultivated in hot African climates for thousands of years, now more commonly found in African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries such as Morocco, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Persia, and other such countries.
Other names for Henna: Henne, Al-Khanna, Al-henna, Jamaica Mignonette, Mendee, Egyptian Privet, and Smooth Lawsonia.
1. [Nearly] Completely Safe: Henna and Indigo are the only safe vegan/non-chemical means of achieving long-term hair color. Henna, Indigo and Cassia are safer than any other similar type of product or treatment including, chemically derived dyes, rinses or conditioning hair treatments. And unlike chemically derived colorants and treatments, there is only a slight (1-5%) chance of allergic sensitivity. So, a skin patch test should still be performed 24-48 hours prior to Henna/Indigo use. Also, be VERY careful to research the Henna or Indigo you buy to ensure it is a pure product and does not contain metallic compounds or other harmful or artificial ingredients. Note: Real Henna is 100% pure ground henna and does not contain other ingredients.
2. Long Lasting: The (reddish) effects of Henna usually last about 10 months or so on the hair and will grow out over time. Indigo should be applied following Henna to achieve a rich blue-black tint (as the indigo binds to the henna to produce the desired hue) that will require more frequent touch ups to maintain than Henna as the effects of Indigo will fade over time. Note: Pure Henna/Indigo mixes may also be used to tint brows, but special care must be taken to avoid serious injury or blindness (great mixes can be found at Hennaforhair.com or Longhaircommunity.com).
3. It is important to note that there is only one type of Henna plant mis (red Henna)] and that other plants such as indigo and cassia are not different types/colors of henna, despite being incorrectly referred to such in Western literature.
4. Beware of FAKE Henna (artificial or compound-henna: sometimes falsely sold as pure henna) mixes: contains metallic compounds that will trigger allergies and may also damage your hair. So be careful what you buy. Remember, any pure Henna should contain only one ingredient; 100% pure finely ground henna plant and have no artificial or chemical additives or other ingredients such as metallic dyes or PPD or other chemicals used in fake henna products to artificially affect its colorant properties. The same one ingredient rule of purity applies to any pure Indigo powder (should be pure ground indigo leaves only) or Cassia powder (should be pure ground cassia only) as well.
5. To achieve the desired hue, you must 'custom blend' your ingredients (adding each individual ingredient to your personal mix) based on standard mix recommendations for Henna, Indigo and/or Cassia treatments to create and achieve your desired results. Any pre-mixed ready made henna mixes typically are artificial colorants and contain little if any actual henna or indigo and such products should be suspect as they contain many of the same harmful ingredients typical of chemically derived dyes and rinses.
For best results, all powders should be thoroughly strained with a mesh strainer to remove any twig particles or debris prior to use.
Henna: Lawsonia Inermis (red Henna)
Indigo: Indigofera tinctoria (sometimes called black Henna).
Cassia: Cassia obovata (sometimes called neutral Henna)
Special Tips:
The right combination of added cassia to your henna mix will create striking shades of blonde, strawberry blonde and fiery/coppery red.
The right amount of added indigo to henna will create darker or more brunette tones in your henna tint.
The right combination of added amla to henna (for your henna/indigo mix) will create beautiful cooler/deeper tones of brunette (i.e., more walnut as opposed to more cinnamon for those desiring a truer brunette tint.
For rich, blue-black shades, the two-step treatment is the preferred method (full henna treatment followed by indigo treatment), and equal amounts of henna and indigo (50-50) must be used.
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Enclosures; ‘Goddess Hair & Skin Recipe Book’ and Hennaforhair.com
Subject: About Henna 
Fri May 07, 2010 12:32 pm