Henna
What is Henna?
Henna is a plant traditionally used by Indian women to create decorative temporary hand and body art. Henna, or Lawsonia Inermis, can vary in strength from a bright red colour to very little colouring property at all. The content of Lawsone in Henna depends on where it grows, if it grows in arid and dry conditions it is much stronger and will produce a brighter stain, whereas if it is grown in irrigated or marshy areas, it contains less Lawsone and thus has less staining power.
What is Henna used for apart from its decorative properties?
The ancient Egyptians used Henna for a wide range of skin ailments as it is thought to strengthen the skin against drying forces in the environment. Fungal diseases, psoriasis and eczema were commonly treated with Henna. Henna with less staining properties was used for skin problems where the skin was broken, as it could be stained permanently by using high-Lawsone or deep red Henna. As an anti-inflammatory, Henna is still used today by rural North African people, who use twigs from the Henna plant as toothpicks to keep their gums and teeth healthy.
Henna for Hair.
Henna has great healing properties, helping to strengthen hair, add shine and combat dandruff. It also stains the hair and thus is a great natural alternative to commercial hair dyes which contain chemicals that can damage your skin and hair, and make you sick. The Tannins in Henna bind to keratin in the skin to produce a stained effect, and also a strengthening effect. As hair is made of keratin, this staining and strengthening effect is very noticeable when Henna is used in the hair. If you were just looking to add shine and strength to you hair and to combat dandruff, you could use a low Lawsone variety of Henna to achieve that, but if you like the bright red hue then use a high Lawsone blend.
Other formulas sold as Henna include Neutral Henna which is often Cassia Obovata. Now this is not Henna at all, but it does have it’s own anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties, plus it does not stain the skin or hair. A product that is sold as neutral Henna might contain just Cassia Obovata, or might be a blend of that and a very low Lawsone Henna, plus other helpful herbs as well. The other ‘colour’ of Henna, indigo, has long been used as a dye for fabric, and was also used in celtic body art. It’s intense blue colour comes from a plant called Indigofera. If you are seeking to dye your hair very dark, or black, then you would use a high lawsone Henna, and then dye on top of that with Indigo.
Where do I get Henna?
Various Henna formulations are sold through health food shops and online. If you local health food shop doesn’t stock the one you would like you can usually buy online, or ask them to stock one that you have researched online. Some other products are available that contain Henna, such as hair wax and ointment, but you must read the ingredients of these as they often contain very little actual Henna, and a plethora of chemical additives.
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