Henna is a powder that is obtained from the dried leaves of the plant Lavsonia.
Lavsonia is a shrub whose height reaches two meters, growing in the East. White-pink flowers of the plant are used for cooking oil. During flowering, the lower leaves are collected, after which they are dried and ground into a powder. It is from this powder that the paint is made. Basma is a greyish-green powder that is obtained from indigo leaves. The indigo plant grows in a tropical climate. Basma is a popular paint among oriental paints.
Treatment of hair with henna and basma.
In the old days in the Arab countries, treatment and staining of hair with henna and basma was very popular. The thing is that the plant has a disinfectant property, and it treated seams, wounds, and used to treat various diseases of bones and skin diseases. When abscesses and acute inflammation of henna gives a soothing effect. Pasta from the leaves of this plant can be applied to the sores of a person who is sick with chickenpox or smallpox. This contributes to the rapid drying of ulcers. There is an opinion that the smell of henna helps to relieve the headache and increases the potency.
Henna is a natural colorant.
To date, henna is a natural dye, which has a number of positive qualities. After staining with henna, the hair becomes stiffer and thicker. The effect of density is given by tannins, which are in henna. Henna not only strengthens the hair, but also improves hair growth, struggles with loss, nourishes them and gives a beautiful and healthy shine. Henna is a natural product that does not contain chemical compounds harmful to the hair and scalp. Coloring with henna is a method that has been tested for centuries. What other paint can boast of such characteristics? And with hair loss and allergies to chemical dyes without henna simply can not do.
Pay special attention.
If you decide to stain hair with henna and basma, then pay attention to the fact that:
bleached or damaged hair stains intensely, and the result may not be predictable, up to green shades;
- gray hair can acquire a carrot shade;
- chemically curled, or if you want to chemically curl, or use chemical dyes after staining with henna, there may also be unpredictable results.
That is necessary for coloring.
Depending on the length of the hair, you need from one to three bags of henna or basma, a wide brush that is applied with ordinary hair dye, an old towel, a bowl, a cream, a bathing cap or a cellophane bag and rubber gloves. Do not forget that henna is applied to clean, slightly damp hair. To avoid dyeing the skin on the face along the perimeter of hair growth, apply a greasy cream.
Prepare the paint.
In the bowl, pour henna or basma (for a medium-length hair it is better to take two sachets) and pour hot with boiled water. The resulting mixture to stir to the state of gruel, which resembles a density of sour cream. Too liquid mixture will drain from the hair. Apply "gruel" with a wide brush, like ordinary paint. Just do everything quickly, because the mixture can cool down (hot henna gives a more intense shade) and begin to crumble. Then you should put a bathing shower cap on your head, or wrap it with a usual cellophane bag and wrap it with a towel so that the heat does not go away. In the heat of henna it is better and faster to color, and shows its healing properties.
Time of staining.
The time of dyeing depends on the structure of the hair, on the shade that you want to get, and on its original color.
Light hair is enough for five ten minutes to get a reddish hue, dark hair thirty-forty minutes, and black - a half and two hours.
If you want hair to become thick, their growth improves, or you struggle with loss, safely leave henna for all night. The color will also become more intense and interesting.
How to wash off henna or basma?
To wash off henna and basma better without shampoo. To wash out hair it is necessary so longly that the water which from them flows down, became absolutely transparent. Otherwise, the hair will remain a part of basma or henna, which after drying with a hair dryer will fall from the head, remaining on the pillow or clothes. On the first day after staining, you will notice that the hair has become more lush and dense, a healthy shine and a rich color will appear. In addition, henna forms a kind of protective layer, which protects the hair from the effects of the external environment.
Henna surprises.
Like the East itself, henna is also full of mysteries and surprises. Its true color, it will show only after three or two days, especially in the sun. Experiment, go to the beaches or with a solarium, this will allow the hair to start playing with interesting new colors.
With the help of vegetable oil you can neutralize the bright color. Preheat a little vegetable oil in a water bath and carefully rub into the hair painted with henna. As soon as they dry up, wash your head with shampoo, if the color does not change much, repeat the procedure.
Henna can fade, so it's better to dye your hair every two months. Frequent use has the opposite effect, the hair becomes dull. You can refresh the old color by rinsing it. One packet to dissolve in a liter of boiled water. Strain, then cool and rinse your hair.
Henna shades.
Painting hair with henna, you can get almost all the most fashionable shades from fiery red to bright chestnut.
A fiery reddish, persistent color, it turns out, from the coloring of hair with henna and lemon, because in an acidic environment henna is best manifested. Khna to dissolve in warm lemon juice before painting in eight to ten hours. After that, henna is applied as usual.
A deep chestnut shade on dark hair is achieved by adding to the henna one two tablespoons of instant coffee.
If you follow the ancient Hindu recipe: you need to put ten grams of ground cloves in henna, then the color will be very bright and saturated.
Bordeous shades can be obtained if you dilute henna not in hot water, but in hot beet juice.
Hair will acquire the color of mahogany if you add three or four tablespoons of cocoa.
Strongly brewed tea will give hair a more light yellow color.
Just four teaspoons of coffee and your hair will come with a rusty blond or chestnut tinge.
Curls will become more brightly golden, if you add an infusion of chamomile.