Use Henna to Cover Gray Hairs and Add Natural Highlights

I began to use henna on my medium brown hair at the behest of my grandmother, when I was 19. Although I always knew her as a white-haired woman, she raved on about the bright auburn red hair of her youth. How I wish I had a color photograph of her back then!

Because my grandmother knew all about henna, I assume it was part of her old secret in keeping her hair the desired shade. She purchased a little tin of Nestle brand Egyptian henna for me at Schaffert & Grimes, a dime store. Just seeing it--an old fashioned type tin with Cleopatra in full gear gracing the container--I knew this was for me. I've been using henna on my hair ever since, for over 22 years.

There are a plethora of hair dyes and highlighting kits on the market, so why henna? First of all, it is extremely easy and inexpensive-only $6.59 a box. Second of all, it's a completely natural product, non-toxic, and is actually good for your hair, sealing it effectively against sun, chlorine, and environmental damages. Henna is an ancient, tried and true beauty product.

Over the years, I've tried various brands, types, and techniques. As I've gotten older, and gray hairs have made an appearance, I've noticed that henna imparts a nice effect on gray hairs-it looks like natural highlights.

And although the traditional henna color is red, there are several different shades to choose from, so you don't even have to change your natural color to enjoy the benefits of henaa's gray coverage and highlights.

Thanks to online shopping and large, natural supermarkets with huge and well-stocked natural living sections, such as Whole Foods, there are a wide variety of henna products available. I have tried many over the years, and by far the best, most reliable and economical brand is Light Mountain Natural. I highly recommend using this brand, especially for first-time henna users.

The Light Mountain Natural henna kit is complete-it contains everything needed to color your hair. Just like mainstream commercial hair dyes, it comes with peel-off plastic gloves, comprehensive instructions, and a plastic cap. It's foolproof.

The Light Mountain website has a handy color chart, and includes all 12 of their henna shades available. I have personally tried red, bright red, and medium brown. All covered my natural medium brown hair well. The red and bright red of course lent an auburn tone overall, and the gray hairs turned a lovely, rich gold, with no fake brassiness. The medium brown didn't change the overall color much, but the gray hairs likewise turned to a pretty gold tint.

If your goal is to turn your gray hair into highlights, simply choose the color of henna that is closest to your natural hair color. If you'd like to go brighter or darker, there are lots of choices.

Notes and tips

I have fine, almost shoulder length hair, and I am able to get two treatments out of one box. If you have shorter hair, try using just half the powder mixed with the proportional amount of water. If you only wish to cover your gray, and it's only in certain places, you can easily just use a small amount of the powder-no need to do your entire head. The henna comes in a plastic bag inside a box, and the plastic is easily resealable by folding and securing with a clothespin or clip. The henna keeps indefinitely, and will be good as new the next time you use it.

If you've never used henna powder before, you may be surprised at its...naturalness. Remember making mud pies as a kid? When it is mixed with water as per the instructions, it has a similar consistency. The smell is "natural" too-kind of like very pungent cooked spinach.

Henna also dyes skin, so after applying it to your hair, take a wet tissue or paper towel, and wipe off any excess around your hairline and neck. It can stain fabric as well, so wear old or dark clothing, and use dark or old towels.
When rinsing it initially, large, dry chunks will come off, so it's best to rinse in the shower, perhaps with a trap in the drain, if clogs are a concern. The rinse can be a messy undertaking-a bit like the shower scene from Psycho. I've never had an issue with it staining the tub, however. Also, with the initial rinse, use plenty of conditioner while rinsing the henna out of your hair; the more your hair is prone to tangling, the more conditioner you should use.

I've recently discovered Light Mountain has a specific product for gray hair coverage. I have not used it, and I believe it is geared for a full head of gray hair. This article is geared toward those who would like to turn smaller amounts of gray into highlights with the regular henna product.

Light Mountain Natural henna can be ordered directly from their easily navigable website, through Amazon.com, and it can be purchased in most large natural living sections of supermarkets. As of the time of this writing, the Light Mountain storefront at Amazon is having a sale on a 3-pack of the henna boxes, for just $15.00, and it is included in the free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime.