The Pros and Cons of Henna Hair Dye – Is it really worth it?

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Henna is being used as a natural hair dye for years, and everyone who is familiar with it has tad-bit knowledge of all the benefits it offers. However, if there’s a good side to something, there must be a bad one, right?

Although henna hair dye is completely safe and is often considered as the best natural alternative to color, condition your hair… It still has some cons which need to be addressed.

Why is henna preferred?

Before moving to henna cons, let’s first discuss why henna powder is one of the most preferred hair dyes. Here are the main reasons:

  • One of the reasons it is preferred to be used on hair is that it is entirely natural and offers maximum benefit.
  • There is no presence of chemicals, toxic elements, etc.
  • It works as a natural conditioner and helps in regulating hair oil secretion levels.
  • Henna is majorly used as a natural hair dye for covering grey hair.
  • It is rich in vitamin E, proteins, minerals, antioxidants, etc., that help in improving overall hair health.
  • It can also help in rectifying split ends and cleanse your scalp.
  • Henna works as an excellent remedy for itchy scalp and dandruff.
  • It is loaded with tannish and phenolics, both of which are potent ingredients for promoting hair growth and fighting hair fall.

The Cons of Henna Hair Dye

Knowing only the pros of a product is not enough. You must also know all the Henna cons that it has to offer and choose if the product is still worth it. Here are all the disadvantages of henna for hair:

Time-consuming preparation and application

The henna mixture is extremely time-consuming when getting prepared and after preparation. For best results and for the henna to be effective, you will have to leave this mixture for almost 8 to 12 hours.

Additionally, during the henna application, the paste is to be left on the hair for 4-6 hours for noticeable results. This is because henna powder consists of precursors, which only work when it is formed into a paste and given some time to bond with your hair to form a color.

The application process can be messy

While you apply henna, it can fall on the floor, your clothes, and even stick on your hands. Since henna is a natural color, it can end up coloring everything that it comes in contact with. Therefore, the application process of henna is quite messy. However, this factor can be avoided if you follow these tips:

  • Cover your floor with some paper or plastic or apply henna on natural ground.
  • Wear gloves to protect your hands from getting stained.
  • Wear a t-shirt that you don’t value much.
  • Apply petroleum jelly on your neck, which will act as a barrier to protect your neck from getting stained.
  • It softens hair because of the natural ingredients.
  • It helps in reducing the oiliness of the scalp.
  • It is pretty cheaper as compared to other box dyes.
  • Last much longer as compared to the conventional dyes.
  • Works as a safe alternative to chemical dyes.
  • It can easily be applied at home without possessing any threats to hair health.

The smell of henna may remain for a while

Even after washing your hair after henna application, the earthy and grassy smell of henna may remain for a while. In order to avoid it or alleviate the smell of henna application, you can add some scented essential oils like jasmine or rosemary during henna mixture application.

Uneven coloring

How you mix the henna paste, how you apply it to your hair and how much time you leave it on your hair are the factors that may result in the uneven coloring of your hair using henna. During the mixture of henna paste, it may have mud-like consistency and lumps, resulting in not covering all of your hair strands and, therefore, the uneven color.

When it comes to application, you will need someone else to do it because if you are on your own, you may end up leaving some strands uncolored. Last, one part of your head may have henna applied for more extended periods of time than the other part of your head, and therefore it may also result in uneven color.

Very difficult to remove

If you are most likely to change your mind after the henna application, it is better to avoid applying it at first since it is challenging to remove it. Once you have applied henna, it is very time-consuming to remove it completely, and even bleaching is most likely to fail.

You may need to apply bleach several times to completely remove the henna; however, it may result in damaging your hair. Using a combination of mineral oils and shampoo may do the job for you, but that too is a very long and time-consuming process before you get back to your natural hair color.

No significant change for dark hair

While henna works best on naturally light-hued colors, it doesn’t show much change in naturally dark hair. People who have dark brown or black hair may only see a red kind of a tint on their hair and that too when they are out in the sun. Although it completely depends on how well your hair takes henna and the hair type, there are high chances that you will see no significant change in your hair color.

Is henna worth it?

With all the pros and cons of henna mentioned, it is obvious that the advantages it has to offer to weigh over the disadvantages. Therefore, henna is definitely worth it, and it is one of the best natural hair dyes that you can get your hands on. Not only will it color your hair naturally, but it will also add shine, luster, and strength to your hair which is definitely a plus point. Using henna on your hair is completely safe, and it is packed with some great benefits that overweight a few of the henna cons.

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