Is henna safe to use? Many ask this question before using henna for its natural benefits. And with 38 per cent of UK adults using home hair colouring in the past year, it’s a question that comes up more frequently. To learn more, let’s first look at the varieties of henna.
What types of henna are there?
Henna is an organic plant product that has been used as a dye for centuries. It’s typically applied to the hair as a dye or to the skin as a tattoo. When applying henna, it’s critical to know which type you are using, as they can have very different outcomes.
Natural henna
Natural henna is henna that is free from chemicals, preservatives and hazardous ingredients. Being 100 per cent organic, natural henna is kinder to the skin and hair – although it’s a good idea to do a patch test before using, just to be entirely sure. Natural henna is a reddish-orange colour.
Black henna
On the other hand, you should be careful with black henna. There are several dangers of black henna, and that is due to additives which natural henna does not have.
Most black henna uses a chemical called paraphenylenediamine (PPD). PPD is sometimes found in commercial hair dyes in strict quantities – but is found in black henna at a higher ratio. PPD reacts with the air to create a black colour but can cause irritation and burns to the skin and scalp. As such, you should be careful when choosing black henna for tattoos or hair dye. At itselixir, we only sell PPD-free black henna hair dye – that way, you know your scalp is in safe hands.
Is henna bad for your hair?
Natural henna brings a number of benefits to your hair. When using henna for hair dye, you must make sure you buy your henna from a trusted manufacturer that only uses 100 per cent organic, natural henna. Using natural henna brings several benefits:
- Natural henna is free from chemicals and much kinder to skin and scalp.
- You can mix henna for hair colours yourself, giving you control over the colouring.
- Natural henna promotes scalp health while balancing pH levels.
- It also repairs and strengthens hair while stimulating hair growth.
Before using henna products for dyeing or for tattoos, it’s a good idea to have a patch test. This is a small amount of natural henna product applied to the skin or scalp and left for a short time. If there is no localised reaction to the henna, then you’ll be safe to use it as intended.
Henna is a fabulous, natural ingredient that offers many advantages. You should be careful to make sure that you are only using organic hair products free from all added chemicals and hazardous components.
Only use the most natural ingredients
Henna is a natural substance that comes in a few varieties. Some of these, such as black henna, have potentially harmful side effects and should be treated with care – make sure your black henna is PPD-free. Natural henna, though, is a nourishing organic ingredient that provides many benefits. Learn more about using henna for hair health at itselixir’s blog today.