When searching for vegan hair dyes, a common question is, “can I use henna for afro hair?”. Henna brings many benefits for natural hair and has been widely used all over the world for at least 5,000 years.
With care and planning, henna can be used with many hair types, although the preparation stage may be different depending on your individual needs. Before we look further, let’s learn more about the fascinating history of henna.
The history of henna
Henna has been used for its natural dyeing and nourishing properties for thousands of years. Its earliest noted use was for body decoration in Ancient Egypt – it was even used by Cleopatra herself.
Henna has also been used for centuries throughout North Africa, the Middle East and India. It’s been applied for body tattoos, hair dyeing, and as part of celebrations and wedding ceremonies. Across the continents, henna has been used on many different kinds of natural hair structures and textures.
Benefits of henna for afro hair
As such, it’s perfectly safe to use henna hair dye for afro hair. In fact, doing so will bring numerous health benefits.
Improved scalp health
Henna has many exceptional organic properties. It’s completely natural, so it is kind to scalps and hair alike, nourishing the skin and avoiding irritation that might come from chemicals in non-organic dyes.
Stimulated hair growth
One of henna’s lesser-known benefits is that, over the long term, you can use henna for hair growth. Using henna hair dye for afro hair can result in bigger hair and additional thickness, which can be challenging to achieve using other products. It can also help to avoid hair fall.
Conditioned hair
Not only does henna offer beautiful colouring, but it also conditions hair without using additives or chemicals. Henna protects hair, making it stronger, smoother and more vibrant. When used with damaged or thin afro hair, henna can be especially beneficial.
Added shine
Henna nourishes afro hair, repairing damaged follicles and strengthening roots. This also makes your hair more reflective to sunlight, giving it a sense of shine and volume.
Apply to various hairstyles
Our henna hair products can be applied to various hairstyles. When applying henna hair dye to afro hair or dreadlocks, you simply mix and apply the dye to roots and the hair itself as usual.
Vibrant hair colour
Henna is fundamentally used for its dyeing properties. Due to its preparation method, you can mix henna hair colours according to your desired shade. Henna is a fantastic choice of afro hair dye, whether you want to dye grey hair or add more subtle tones to darker hair.
Loosened curls
Those with curled afro hair should consider that henna can temporarily loosen hair curls slightly due to the added volume. This can help if you want to loosen your tightened curls without waiting for it to happen naturally.
Considerations when applying henna hair dye to afro hair
The application of henna to afro hair is similar to other hair types. You should consider:
- What shade do you want to achieve? You should mix your henna accordingly
- Mix your henna hair dye at least a couple of hours before application
- For more intense shades, leave the hair dye on for longer during application
- As with any hair dye, always remember to do a patch test 48 hours before use.
Healthy and vibrant hair
Henna is a natural ingredient that offers several benefits to afro hair. Our vegan hair products are full of organic ingredients, helping you achieve healthy and shiny hair. Learn more about using henna hair dye at itselixir’s blog today.