We all know the importance of the auspicious Henna or Mehendi in weddings and other traditional rituals. But the simple herb has been used in many other forms for centuries. Apart from being a natural dye, Henna can address several common issues that come in the way of your hair growth. Henna can work as a cooling agent and combat the abnormal heat quotient if you are more likely to suffer from hair fall due to excessive body temperature. It can also give you long, strong, and glossy hair by enhancing its overall health. All you need to embrace is a single, time-tested solution, i.e., henna hair oil. You can easily prepare this remedy at home and give your hair a significant health boost. Please keep reading to learn about DIY recipes and their benefits.
What is Henna?
Henna or Lawsonia inermis is a tiny shrub with fragrant flowers and small leaves. The plant’s flowers prepare perfumes, while its leaves are used as a natural dye. Henna leaves are dried and powdered well to temporarily dye skin, hair, and clothes. The plant has also been known for its excellent medicinal properties. The use of Henna for treating ailments and painting the body is described in the Ebers Papyrus (Papyrus, 1912). A particular preparation of Henna is necessary to trigger a chemical reaction, making the powdered henna leaves release its characteristic dye molecules called ‘lawsone.’ This transformation of its herbal active constituents gives the actual dying effect. (1)
What is Henna Hair Oil?
Henna hair oil, also known as ‘Mehendi oil’ or ‘tattoo oil,’ is extracted from henna leaves. It is the most sought-after herbal remedy for every scalp and hair-related problem. This oil dates back almost 6,000 years when it was widely used in and around the Middle East. But the miraculous benefits of the remedy have now been recognized across the globe. It suits people of all genders, ages, and hair types.
What are the Benefits of Henna Hair Oil?
The following are the most exciting benefits of henna hair oil-
- Nourishes the scalp
- Restores the pH value of the scalp
- Gives silky smooth hair
- Cools down the scalp
- Stimulates healthy hair growth
- Alleviates the itchy scalp
- A good remedy for dandruff
- Repairs damaged hair
- Prevent premature graying of hair
- Add a unique glow to the hairlocks
- Reduces hair fall
- Conditions the hair
Henna hair oil does not change your hair color, rather adds more vividness to the dark hair.
Also Read – Why Should You Use Arnica Oil for Hair? With Application and Side Effects
DIY Henna Hair Oil Recipes for Incredible Hair Growth
Preparing henna hair oil at home is a simple and easy task. All you need is a couple of essential hair care ingredients. However, it can have many variations based on the processes followed. We have discussed three of them below:
1. Basic Henna Hair Oil with Fresh Henna Leaves
Ingredients:
- Fresh henna leaves
- 500 ml. of coconut oil
Method:
- Grind fresh henna leaves into a smooth paste of thick consistency, just like we used to prepare the henna paste before the advent of the Mehendi cones. Don’t use too much water for this. Adding only a few drops will do.
- Once the paste cools down, make several small gooseberry-sized balls.
- Let the fresh henna paste balls dry, and heat the coconut oil in a pan.
- Gently put the henna balls into the coconut oil and boil them together.
- Remove the pan when the color of the oil changes from a dark brown to a brown shade.
- Let the oil cool and strain it. You can even let the boiled mixture sit overnight and strain it the next day.
- Store the strained oil in an airtight container. Your henna hair oil for hair growth is ready!
2. Henna Hair Oil with Dried Henna Paste Balls
If you cannot follow all the steps of henna hair oil making in one go, this is the method you can try. Follow the first two steps mentioned in the basic DIY recipe earlier and pr, and prepare small balls with the henna paste. But instead of boiling them immediately in coconut oil, I dry them under the sun. Ensure the henna balls are thoroughly dried before heading towards the next step. Now, soak the sun-dried henna balls into a jar of coconut oil and let the oil absorb the nutrients of Henna completely. Finally, strain it and start using the oil after a week. Though it is a lengthy process, it can be helpful if you want to avoid heating and boiling.
3. Henna Hair Oil with Dry Henna Leaves
In this modified version of DIY henna hair oil, the fresh henna leaves are replaced with the dried ones. Dry the Henna leaves well under the direct sun until they lose their moisture entirely. Grind the dried Henna leaves to a smooth finish and add them directly to the coconut oil. Make sure that you do not use too much henna leaf powder. Or else the consistency of the oil will become too thick. You can even buy the henna powder available in the stores. The best thing about this easy-to-prepare henna hair oil is that you can start easy-to-prepare away. However, this is the best used before shampooing the hair.
Instead of coconut oil, sesame oil or an equal mix of coconut oil, and castor oil can be used in these recipes. But if you have a cold body, add a few black peppercorns while heating the oil as both henna and sesame are cold ingredients.
How to Use Homemade Henna Hair Oil?
Homemade henna hair oil can be applied to the scalp and hair regularly. If you habitually oil your hair daily, you can make this hair oil a base mix. Otherwise, apply it twice a week, followed by a shampoo wash. For better results, massage the oil into your scalp and let it stay for at least 2 hours before shampooing.
Additional Ingredients to Include in Recipe
While heating the oil, you can add more hair-friendly ingredients (fresh or dry) to your basic DIY henna hair oil recipe. Choosing the additional ingredients based on your requirements will give you promising results. Some of the most common ideas to consider for healthy and lustrous hair are:
- Fenugreek or Methi Seeds – A mixture of Henna and Fenugreek can treat issues like excessive hair fall and chronic hair loss. It also stimulates the growth of thick, healthy hair.
- Hibiscus Flower – Add hibiscus flower and fenugreek to your henAddl recipe for conditioning your locks and triggering their grotto. Condition your locks and trigger your itchy scalp by adding a few drops of lemon juice to the henna hair oil.
- Curry Leaves – When mixed with henna hair oil, curry leaves can prevent grey hair and aid in lustrous hair growth.
- Neem Leaves – The antiseptic properties of neem leaves successfully treat several scalp problems, including dandruff.
- Gingelly Oil – Inc. o corporate gingelly o, a hair oil recipe for improving blood circulation throughout your scalp and promoting hair growth.
- Coffee – Adding some freshly brewed coffee concoction to henna hair oil can give your hair a beautiful shade.
- Amla, Shikakai, and Bhringraj – If you are suffering from hair breakage, scalp dryness, premature greying, and similar other issues, use Henna, amla, shikakai, tulsi, and bhringraj in your homemade hair oil.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I Apply Oil Before Henna?
Oiling the hair before applying Henna is not at all recommended. It will inhibit the dye uptake, thus preventing you from getting the best results. You can dampen it by spraying a little water or keeping it dry, so it becomes easy to tame the hair into multiple sections to apply Henna.
Which essential oil is best for Henna?
Adding a few drops of essential oils can darken the color of Henna, thereby darkening your hair’s natural shade. The best ones with lower levels of effective terpenes include lavender essential oil, cardamom essential oil, geranium essential oil, cypress essential oil, etc.
How Many Hours Should Henna Be Soaked?
When applying henna paste to your hair, ensure you soak the powder in water, tea concoction, and yogurt for at least 5 to 6 hours. This will give you an intense yet vibrant color.
What are the Side Effects of Henna?
Henna is a safe hair care remedy that can improve the health and appearance of your hair beautifully. But if you are allergic to Henna, you should be careful about the adverse effects like inflammation, itchiness, burning sensation, scaling, swelling, blisters, and scarring.
References:
- “Henna through the Centuries: A Quick HPTLC Analysis Proposal to Check Henna Identity,” ScienceDirect.com
