Though advertising and product packaging traditionally displays henna as a product for women, henna for men’s hair is a growing market. In recent years, men invested in looking and feeling healthy have turned to more natural and restorative dyes to treat the colour of their locks, beards and moustaches. There’s no difference in the impact or benefits of using henna on the hair and scalp. The only difference is the user.
Henna for men’s hair, what makes it the perfect dye?
Henna cream, powders and dyes are all ideal for achieving a natural shade upgrade in men. This ancient product goes all the way back to the 17th dynasty Pharaohs and is still in popular use for a whole host of reasons from its natural, pigmented look to an array of wonderful health benefits. Furthermore, henna shampoo is just as kind on men’s scalps and beards.
Skincare
It’s quite possible that men may even benefit more from the use of henna for their overall skincare. Research suggests that men’s heads secrete up to 50 per cent more sebum than women. In normal amounts, this is a healthy part of keeping your hair and skin supple. However, when the body produces too much, this may cause clogging and lead to dandruff, or acne if applied to the jaw along the beard line.
Health
For those looking for healthy, organic hair dye alternatives, Henna allows you to colour your hair without compromising your hair’s health or its natural colour. Henna is a powerful antiseptic which helps to wash away the impurities caused by sebum. So, in addition to getting a great colour, you can also enjoy flake-free hair whether you’re colouring locks or facial hair.
Sensitive scalps
Further research also suggests that men may have more sensitive scalps. This makes their skin more likely to react to common chemicals found in high street dyes and shampoos, such as resorcinol or sodium laureth sulphate.
Henna is completely free from chemicals, including ammonia, PPD, parabens, peroxide, resorcinol, mineral oils, GMOs, gluten, artificial fragrances and heavy metals. This makes it the perfect choice for oily and dry hair alike.
Texture
Men might benefit more from henna hair dye as their hair can often be thinner in texture than women’s. It may not come as a surprise but 96% of men will experience some degree of hair loss in their lifetime, so many could benefit from switching from harmful chemical treatments to healthier, rejuvenating hair products such as henna for men’s hair.
Hair regeneration
Henna hair dye is famous for its regenerative qualities. Unlike a regular box dye, which can damage your hair and leave broken split ends, henna boasts amazing restorative and thickening properties, making it the perfect product for men wary about damaging their hair with chemical formulas. As henna for men's hair bonds to the exterior of your hair strands, it not only leaves it looking fuller, but healthier too!
Covering up greys
In a general sense, men in certain cultures are likely to have shorter hair than women, meaning that their greys are likely to be more visible. But henna for men's hair removes the problem. This product seamlessly blends with your hair’s natural tones in a more subtle look as opposed to a stark artificial look and this goes for all shades and hair types.
Men’s henna hair dye for beards
Another advantage of using henna for men is that it can be used to dye more than just head hair. While not recommended for eyebrows or eyelashes, henna is perfect for men’s beards! Henna hair dye is brilliant for men in this way as its anti-fungal properties are nourishing to the skin. The same principles apply to mixing and applying, though there may be more resistance with coarser hair such as moustaches.
For best results, men should dye their hair and beards at the same time - this will avoid any colour mismatches. They should also keep their beard trim to avoid greys growing out faster than their head hair and to keep that beautiful colour consistency.
Application of henna hair dye for men
Applying henna for men's beards
When using henna for men's beards, you must be careful with the application. Otherwise, you may end up dyeing the skin along your jawline with stains that could last up to 72 hours. To prevent this, you can apply a balm, oil or ointment around the site you’re planning to dye - common choices include Vaseline, moisturiser and coconut oil. This method can also be used for dying your head of hair by applying your product to the top of your ears and along your hairline.
Applying henna for men's hair
Application as a whole is generally simple – even for those with a mixture of tones, rather than timing the mixture right or adding highlights, they can pick their natural shade and go. For best results, men should follow up a henna hair dye with henna shampoo and conditioner.
For fine, blond or very light shades of hair, the colour will take faster and more intensely than dark and thick textured hair. You may want to reduce the duration you leave it to develop if you want a more subtle colour change. On the inverse, you are less likely to see a dramatic difference with darker, coarser hair.
Which product is right for me?
itselixir’s henne henna hair dye for men offers a variety of powders, creams and dyes to suit your tastes. You can mix the colour up yourself with powder, or choose a pre-mixed cream. Don’t forget to add shampoos and conditioners to your haircare routine.
After dyeing, you will notice shinier, more manageable hair, with irritant-free skin. That’s something we can all appreciate – man or woman.