Hey Maicurlies,

Today I am super super excited to share another DIY product and I am happy to say it has been added to my list of favourites!

YUP, I finally worked out a mix for these DIY Henna Gloss Bars that I am really happy with. A while ago I started experimenting and wrote a quick post about it here. In my previous experiments I used too much oil, then too much butter but I finally have a recipe that is right (for my hair).

Here are some pictures of my previous experiments. They look pretty but didn’t feel quite right.

NOTE: If you have not used henna before then you want to do your research because while I rave abut how AWESOME it is, there always are pro’s and con’s to everything that need to be considered. I normally use BAQ Henna powder to make a paste and have written about my Henna/Amla DC recipe as well as information about henna. But I recommend that you do more research. A good starting point is Henna For Hair. Once you have done that, come back here 😀

Ingredients – This mix makes  16.2 oz = 6.5 bars

I have quite long hair that is fine but I like to coat my hair with henna so you might need to tweak the ratios depending on the length and density of you hair. 

• 2.8 oz Unrefined Cocoa Butter
• 0.7 oz Coffee Infused Almond Oil (use any carrier oil)
• 4.2 oz Virgin Coconut Oil
• 0.2 oz Glycerine (optional – can be replaced with honey or agave nectar if you wish)
• 0.15 oz Vitamin E Oil
• 5.3 oz BAQ Henna
• 1.4 oz Hibiscus*
• 2.1 oz Amla*

*These powders can be replaced with other Auyverdic herbs such as Shikakai, Bhrami etc depending on the results you want to get. They are acidic which help with the dye release of the henna.

Mixing Instruction

1. First melt the Cocoa butter in a double broiler for no more than 5 minutes.
2. In a glass bowl combine all the powders together and mix well.*
3. After the butter melts take it off the stove, add the oils together and stir.
4. Slowly add the melted butter and oils to the powder step by step and stir really well.
5. Pour the mix into your moulds (I use silicon moulds since the bars are easy to pop out once frozen but you could use ice cube trays).
6. Cover the henna with cling film to allow the dye release process and freeze them for a minimum of 12 hours.

*Don’t use any metal items when mixing henna. – This is a precaution in case you are not using 100% pure BAQ Henna (which you should be using). If you know you are using 100% pure BAQ henna then you do not have to worry, I use glass and plastic items just to “set an example” but I am sure the henna I get is pure. 

Storage

I like to cover each individual bar once it has set with cling film and then place them in a resealable sandwich bag that is dated so I remember when the bars were made.

Always store the bars in the freezer otherwise they will start to melt and will slowly loose their properties over time. You can keep the bars in your freezer for weeks, I actually always find that henna stored in the freezer has a stronger dye potency so I leave mine in the freezer for no less than 1 week before I use them. However after a while you might notice that the dye peak has started to drop.

Melting/Application process

This is really about personal preference but I like to use either Coconut Cream or Conditioner (depending on what I’ve got at home) when I double broil the henna bars. Never use direct heat on the bars e.g. do not put them in the microwave or in a pot directly on the heat of a stove! While I make 6 bars I only use 5 bars for a full strength henna treatment and 0.5 – 1.5 bar for a henna gloss. The extra’s are left in the freezer for future use. 

Coconut Cream/milk: I use roughly 1/3 cup of coconut cream. I first double broiling the bars and then add the coconut cream, adding a little more (if it is too thick) and apply onto damp cleansed and detangled hair. I prefer my mix to be a little on the thicker side so it won’t run down my neck. 

Conditioner: I use 1/2 cup of conditioner (depending on how thick the conditioner is). I first double broil the bars and slowly add the conditioner a step at a time and mix.  I apply onto damp cleansed and detangled hair. I prefer my mix to be a little on the thicker side so it won’t run down my neck. 

Tea: I use roughly 1/3 cup of green tea (you can use any tea). I first double broiling the bars and then add the tea. I apply onto damp cleansed and detangled hair. I prefer my mix to be a little on the thicker side so it won’t run down my neck. 

I tend to leave the mix on my hair for 30 minutes – 1 hour but you can leave it on for more/less time. I cover my hair with a clingfilm, a shower cap, usually a plastic bag as well and then a scarf just to make sure it is nice and toasty warm up there. 

*NOTE: ALWAYS do a moisturising Deep Condition (DC) after applying henna on your hair to restore the balance. Henna can make the hair feel dry and brittle therefore the moisturising DC brings back moisture to the hair. 

When Do I use them?

I like to use the bars in between the times I use my regular henna paste because it is a little less drying, it is easier to rinse out and to be honest I LOVE making the bars! I still use my normal henna paste (recipe here), I just alternate between the two. I also like to use the bars as a gloss that gives my hair a light colour touch up and due to all the conditioner I use, my hair doesn’t feel as dry afterwards. 

I would LOOOOOVE to hear if you try this out and if you come up with your own recipes! If you use a pre-made Henna bar please let me know what you think about that, I love hearing from you all! 

Thanks