Have you ever dyed your hair only to notice it’s become dry, brittle, and breaks easily? There are many risk factors when you use boxed dyes full of chemicals. It’s no wonder women are always looking for healthier, more natural coloring products.
If you’re afraid of using hair dyes that are full of chemicals, henna is a more natural way to get a gorgeous hair color. Unlike regular boxed hair dyes, henna doesn’t cause any damage to your hair. It actually nourishes your scalp and helps hair maintain its natural moisture. In many Asian countries, henna dyes are very popular, and most women swear by them.
So, which henna hair dye is going to give you the best color results? Take a look at our best henna hair dye picks!
What is Henna hair dye?
Henna hair dye is made from the Henna tree, also known as mignonette or Lawsonia inermis. The henna tree is full of natural chemicals that have dyeing properties. The henna strengthens hair and makes it more vibrant. As well, the advantage of henna is that it has strong antibacterial properties. This means that it fights against dandruff and keeps the scalp clean, thus preventing infections.
The bottom line is that henna is beneficial and much healthier for your hair than chemical dyes. It nourishes and calms the scalp while coloring. The color is very bold, and it is considered a ‘permanent’ type of dye. This means it stays bright and bold for up to 8 weeks without fading.
When you use henna hair dye, you need to be aware that it takes a lot longer to complete the coloring process. Henna sets in 1 to 6 hours, depending on the dye and color. But once it colors your hair, you’ll love the results. Imagine getting a beautiful color without synthetic dyes!
Table of Contents
Best Henna Hair Dye To Use At Home
Best For Red & Burgundy Color: Godrej Nupur Henna Natural Mehndi for Hair Color with Goodness of 9 Herbs
There’s nothing better than herbal henna because it promotes hair growth, conditions, colors and keeps hair healthy-looking. Godrej henna is 100% natural, which means that it’s free from any chemicals and made from herbal ingredients only. It comes in a powder form, so prepare it at home by mixing the powder with water. This product darkens your hair naturally, so it’s an excellent option if you want to go from a dull black, brown, or red to a dark burgundy shade.
The henna is made from the finest herbs in Rajashtan, India. It contains henna mehandi, which is a high-quality natural colorant, and brahmi, which promotes hair growth. Bhringraj is another beneficial herb that strengthens strands to promote healthy hair. The combination of ingredients in this formula helps condition, strengthen, and color your hair.
Pros
- Made with nine beneficial herbs
- 100% natural herbs and ingredients
- Gives a beautiful rich burgundy shade
- Conditions and nourishes your hair
- Promotes hair growth
- Intense color
Cons
- Only works for dark hair colors.
Best for Blonde: Zenia Organic Henna Hair Color Blonde
It’s notoriously difficult to get a beautiful blonde hair color with a henna dye. But, that doesn’t have to discourage you from opting for a natural dye. The best way to get results is to go blonde and then use the henna dye to keep the color light. This organic blonde hair color is natural and free of harsh chemicals. It is free from bleach (peroxide), ppd, and ammonia.
The Zenia henna gives a beautiful golden color. If you have grey hair, it gives them a golden tint. This product will make the hair slightly lighter for those with light brown hair color and give beautiful highlights. We recommend using blond henna when you want your hair to have gorgeous tinted reflects in the light.
Pros
- Affordable
- Gives beautiful golden hair color
- Organic and chemical-free dye
- You can get a darker hair color if you keep it on for longer
- Great for blond highlights
- Turns grey roots a golden tone
Cons
- Stains a lot, so use rubber gloves
- Color can look brassy
Best for Brown Hair: The Henna Guys Dark Brown Henna Hair Color/Dye
This hair dye is made in India, using only the finest natural ingredients. It’s made of pure Henna powder and indigo powder. As well, it contains natural herbs, including Amla Powder, False Daisy, and Neem Powder. These ingredients don’t damage your hair, and they are safe to use on all hair types. That’s because the formula is free from fragrance, fillers, dilutions, additives, alcohol, and parabens.
If you want a vibrant brown shade, this powder is a great way to naturally get a lovely color. This henna also covers greys and leaves them a beautiful rich brown shade. We recommend the dye for those of you with light to dark brown hair. It’s perfect for that chocolate-brown shiny hair color. Additionally, even people who are allergic to chemical dyes can use this product. It doesn’t provoke allergic reactions, and it doesn’t irritate the scalp.
Pros
- Natural, chemical-free, and cruelty-free
- Gives a shiny and multidimensional chocolate brown color
- Doesn’t irritate the scalp and skin
- Covers grey hairs effectively
- Don’t need to use any developers
- Contains herbs to make hair stronger, shinier, and healthy-looking
Cons
- It bleeds a lot of color when you wash your hair
Best for Black Hair: Nisha Natural Henna Based Hair Color (Natural Black)
If you have black hair, then you know that keeping the color rich, vibrant, and shiny requires regular maintenance. There’s no need to use harsh chemicals to get great looking color. With this natural henna powder, you get a shiny and soft, deep black color that never looks dull. Since the product is made of fine herbs, it also helps strengthen your locks and makes them more resistant to breakage.
The dye is free from ammonia, so it doesn’t cause any damage. Thus, you can use it over and over again when you want glossy and shiny locks. It even adds color to grey roots so older ladies can use it too. The color looks uniform all over, so you don’t need to worry about patchiness. Plus, it lasts up to 8 weeks without fading.
Pros
- Adds color, body, and shine to your hair
- Free from harsh chemicals and ammonia
- Color lasts up to 2 months
- Made only of herbal ingredients like Amla, Shikakai, Aloe Vera & Hibiscus
- Gives a very vibrant black color
- Helps hair grow faster and stronger
Cons
- Not a pure henna, so be careful if you are allergic to chemicals.
Best Copper Hair Color: Rainbow Research Henna Persian Copper Hair Color
Copper hair color never goes out of style because it’s such a beautiful reflective shade. It’s the perfect combination between a light blonde, brown, and red. But, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know you can get this color without using chemical hair dyes. The Rainbow Research powder is perfect for redheads looking to make their color pop with more shine and vibrancy.
This formula is a 100% natural plant powder without any artificial additives and dyes. Therefore, it doesn’t damage your hair. It works to add color to your hair, but it also conditions and nourishes it, so hair appears healthier and stronger after dyeing. The best part is that this henna dye is available in other shades too so that you can experiment with gorgeous natural color.
Pros
- The dye can also cover greys
- Made from natural plant powders
- Doesn’t damage hair
- The copper color looks very bold and vibrant
- Leaves hair very soft
- Lasts for up to 8 weeks without fading
Cons
- The packaging is made of cheap plastic and may break during shipping.
Best Organic: Silk & Stone 100% Pure & Natural Henna Powder
Organic henna is even better than other brands because it’s more sustainable and healthy for the environment. As well, it’s healthier for consumers because it’s grown naturally without the use of pesticides. This particular brand of henna is well known for its intense colors. The powder is safe for use on hair and body, so it’s a multifunctional product.
Women love this product because it’s a very finely milled powder. It’s made with dried and crushed henna leaves and doesn’t include stems or roots which makes it smoother. Also, it’s free from pesticides, ppd, preservatives, parabens and metallic salts, so you know you’re getting a high-quality henna dye. We recommend this henna for dark hair because it adds shine, strengthens, and revitalizes dull hair.
Pros
- Organic and pesticide-free
- Works on hair and body
- Very finely milled powder that’s easy to mix
- Revilitizes dull looking hair
- Adds a glossy shine and strengthens hair
- Affordable
Cons
- Only adds color to reddish dark hair
Best for Mixing: Jamila Pure Natural Henna Powder for Hair
If you think you can’t find the perfect henna dye color, you can always create your own if you use a basic powder. Use this Henna powder and mix it with indigo, amla, or cassia to create a custom shade. You can add as much or as little as you want to get a beautiful color that matches your skin tone. This is a finely milled natural henna powder made in Pakistan with the highest quality ingredients.
It helps keep hair vibrant, shiny, and silky smooth for up to 8 weeks. The reason we love this henna powder is because you can use it on chemically colored hair and it still gives great results. It also covers greys, so people of all ages can use it.
Pros
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Finely milled powder and it’s easy to mix into a paste
- Great for mixing with other herbs to create a custom color
- Offers grey hair coverage
- Doesn’t fade quickly
Cons
- It takes a bit of practice to get the mixing amounts right, so it’s not ideal for beginners.
Buyer Guide
How to use henna hair dye
The easy way to use henna hair dye is to mix the henna powder with cold water and then slather it on your hair. Always read the package to find out the powder to water ratio. But, you can mix the powder with tea or coffee when working with certain colors for even better results.
Here’s how to use henna if you are a first-timer:
- Pour the henna powder into a plastic bowl.
- For the liquid, use lukewarm water, coffee, or tea (depending on the color).
- Slowly pour the liquid into the bowl and begin stirring until you get a paste. Keep mixing until you end up with a pancake batter type of consistency.
- Prepare the mixture the night before you color your hair because you get a better color payoff.
- Make sure to part your hair into sections, and slather on the paste from the roots to the tips.
- When you’ve applied the dye, cover your hair with a plastic cap or Saran wrap. This is necessary because the heat produced by the covering helps the dye release color.
- Henna hair dye takes a good 2 to 3 hours to develop properly. So, keep it on for at least that long for visible results.
- Rinse the henna off with water, and don’t wash your hair with any shampoo that contains sulfates for at least 48 hours.
- To keep the color looking its best, use a paraben and sulfate-free natural shampoo and conditioner.
See also: Best Copper Hair Dye
Conclusion
There are so many harsh chemicals in regular hair dyes that just looking at the ingredients is overwhelming. You really have to think twice before applying them to your hair. Not only do they cause hair damage, but they can also irritate. That’s why a natural henna dye is a perfect solution if you want beautiful color without the chemicals. Of course, the color selection is more limited, but the colors are bright, bold, and shiny. Not many people can tell whether you use a classic dye or henna because this type of dye looks just as gorgeous.