Tag Archives: Henna for natural hair

DIY Frozen Henna Bars (updated recipe)

Property of Maicurls – Frozen Henna Bars

I am back with an update version of my frozen henna bars. This recipe consists of some new ingredients and some of the old ingredients in my previous recipe.

If you have not used Henna or ayurvedic herbs before, I highly recommend that you research them first, before applying onto you hair! While they are natural and a healthy addition to incorporate into your hair routine (providing strength, shine and so much more, with henna being a great natural way to add a red/reddish orange undertone to the hair) it is always best to be informed. I have a little breakdown of Henna along with some of the other ingredients I use here.

Before I get asked the infamous question of “will it make my hair red”. The answer is yes and no. It totally depends on the colour of your hair before applying henna. If you have black or dark hair, you will notice a subtle red undertone to the hair which is more noticeable under direct sunlight (not really visible indoors). If you have light brown hair, you will notice a reddish brown undertone to your hair and if you are blond, you definitely will get an orange tint to your hair. For grays and white hair, you will get a golden orange/fiery orange tone to your hair. (Ps. there are a variety of henna “species” which means that the type/location to the plant you can get, you can get a verity of dye intensity).

In case you want to tone down that orange tint (for those with gray/white hair) – naturally – Indigo is the way to go. Indigo is used to give a final black tone to the hair. You can either do a two step process of first apply henna followed by Indigo (most optimal for stubborn grays) or you can do a 50/50 combination of mixing henna and Indigo which will give more of a dark brown tone. Amla helps to provide a slightly brownish tone to henna and hibiscus will give it a kick of red. I personally have never tried Indigo myself but you can inform yourself about it along with an really in-depth look about all the herbs here at hennasooq.com

PSA: It is ALWAYS required to do a strand & skin test to make sure you are not allergic to henna or any other herb you use on your hair. I will also stress the fact that natural pure henna (good henna) only comes in one colour: Reddish orange. There is no natural brown henna, black henna or anything else. If you find that it is either one of two scenarios: it’s a blend of henna along with indigo, amla, hibiscus etc. so it will have other ayurvedic herbs mixed together (which is fine as long as it only contains natural herbs). Or it is unnatural “natural henna” which, can be harmful potentially containing harsh chemicals which, can damage the skin & hair. They can cause allergic reactions, burns and even lead to death in some cases (those that experience an allergic shock) so as I mentioned PLEASE make yourself aware of what you are applying.

Now with all that mentioned, here is my updated recipe. I am keeping it simple and effective.

Ingredients & Tools (Makes five 100 gram bars 3.5 oz.) – 500 grams total 17.6 oz.

1.5 cups Henna
1 1/4 cups Rosewater
1/4 cup Ghassoul/Rhassoul
1/4 cup dried Hibiscus petals
1/4 cup dried Rosebuds/ petals (optional)
1/4 cup Amla
1/4 cup fresh Aloe Vera Juice

Bowls
Sieve
Spatula
Pot
Gloves
Lining (to protect worksurface)
Silicone molds (any container)
Clingfilm
Airtight container

Additional/Optional:

Instead of pure Rosewater you can either do a combination of water & Rosewater or just stick to plain water. The Rosebuds are not a requirement but I love adding Rosebuds for the additional Rose benefits. Hibiscus is the acidic element for dye release (along with the Amla powder which, is also acidic) but you can use Hibiscus tea or any other tea. You can add other ayurvedic herbs to the paste, I’ve just been keeping it simple.

Method:

I add the Rosebuds and Hibiscus petals to the Rosewater which I heat up (I do not boil the water) and allow the petals to seep. I combine and mix all the powders together so that everything is well combined before adding the liquids. I pour the Rosewater through a sieve first and then pour the Aloe Vera Juice to the powders. (Slowly) add the Rosewater to the powders and mix. Once everything is well combined, cover the paste with clingfilm and allow for dye release to start. (Everyone’s henna starts releasing dye depending on the type of henna you have, for me, right before 5 hours is when it starts to kick in for my henna). Transfer the paste into molds, cover each mold with clingfilm and freeze. Once the bars freeze transfer into an airtight container and wrap each bar with clingfilm to preserve them.

Additional information:

I will mention that I like the henna paste to be thick because when I “melt” them for use, I put the bars in a bowl with a little heated up hibiscus rosewater which, will help to melt down the bars. I prefer not making the bars too runny prior to freezing because frozen henna bars tend to be a little more runny after they have thawed anyways. But that is totally a personal choice, so if you prefer to start off with a runnier paste all you have to do is add more liquid to the recipe.

You can store the bars in the freezer for up to 4 months (some say 6) but I tend to use them up before 2 months and just remake fresh batches. (I use 2 – 3 at a time).

Would love to hear what you think if you give these a try!

Maicurls

DIY Henna Spray For Strength

3 Replies

Hello Maicurlies,

I am back with yet another DIY! Yes you read that right, a DIY Henna Spray!
This one is actually inspired by another Naturalista that has her on stash of DIY Goodies Curly Proverbz. She is GAAAWGEOUS btw! If you haven’t been following her you NEED TO!

So first off, Thank you Curly Proverbz for the inspiration!!!!

I modified her original recipe so it would fit my hair needs and I recommend you alter any ingredients you feel will not benefit your hair to fit your own needs too! (I have alternative suggestions a little lower down).

Henna Spray

Prior to you attempting to use Henna, Amla, Shikakai or any other Ayurvedic, herbs I HIGHLY SUGGEST that you do some research prior to application just so you are well informed about the ingredients & their benefits/disadvantages. I have a henna blog post where I also mention Shikakai and Amla in there since I regularly use them in my hair care.

Even if you know nothing about henna, amla, shikaikai and decide not to research (bad idea btw) PLEASE NOTE:

Ayurvedic, herbs can be drying on the hair therefore it is highly recommended that you thoroughly moisturize prior to/after using the spray.
Do not overdo the applications, it will cause your hair to feel dry and brittle due to the strength the herbs provide to the hair (lack of elasticity = breakage).
You might notice a colour change in your hair e.g. reddish/brown (henna & amla) therefore if you are not looking for this, DO NOT USE this recipe.
Use clothes & a towel you do not mind getting stained while spraying your hair!

Ingredients/Tools Use:

0.1oz Amla
0.1oz Shikakai
0.25oz Henna
4oz Water
4oz Rose Water
0.15oz Argan Oil
2-3 drops Alcohol Free Rose Fragrance
Coffee Filter (or cheese cloth)
Cup
Spoon
Spray Bottle
Gloves (optional)

Optional Ingredients/Ratios:

You can replace the Amla and Shikakai with any other Ayurvedic, herb such as Bhringaraj, Neem, Brahmi etc. In case you do not have Rose Water the amount can be replaced with more plain water. You can add some glycerin to the spray for added moisture (if necessary/desired). The fragrance oil can be replaced with Essential Oil.

Mixing Instructions:

You want to put your herbs into a coffee filter or cheese cloth and let it soak in boiled water. I add rose water (without boiling it) and let the herbs sit overnight. The following morning I take out the herbs, add the oil and fragrance oil, pour into my spray bottle and presto!

Application:

My two ways of application is: 1. after deep conditioning my hair (prior to moisturizing) I will spray the henna onto my hair and proceed with moisturizing and styling. 2. On occasion if I feel like I need to provide strength to my hair mid-week, I first spray a little henna onto my hair and then remoisturize. You can also do this as a rinse, without leaving the henna on your hair (which is what I do).

Storage:

You must store the mix in your fridge (otherwise you plan on growing nasty mold!)

Thanks!

Maicurls

Updated Full Strength Henna Paste and How To Make Henna (Ice) Blocks

7 Replies

Hey Maicurlies,

Today I’ve got another DIY and this also sort of ties in with my recent re-addiction to all things henna 😀

I first want to share my updated henna paste (full strength henna) which focuses only on ayurvedic herbs – Henna, Amla and Hibiscus mixed with Green Tea.

This mix is somewhat similar to my “old” henna paste which you can read about (here) except that I now add hibiscus. I have already written about the wonders of hibiscus here p.s. it is awesome for a number of different reasons! Another aspect that is different is that I keep my henna paste “clean” by not adding anything additional e.g. conditioner, coconut milk etc after I see dye release. There is no harm in adding conditioner/coconut milk/oil etc to the paste, they actually help to make your hair feel less dry after you rinse out the henna however, at the moment I am more focused on the ayurvedic benefits which is why I opt not to add anything to the mix.

(I turn to my DIY Henna Gloss Bars on days when I want to henna without the punch that is packed in my full strength henna paste).

Henna Paste

Ingredients/Tools:

Henna 5 oz
Amla 0.7 oz
Hibiscus 1.2 oz
Green Tea 6 oz
Glass Bowl
Spatula
Old material/newspaper to cover the work space

Mixing:

I first combine all the dry ingredients and then add my warm green tea (not boiling hot – I let it cool down first) and stir. I like making my paste quite thick because I don’t like the henna to drip down my face/neck.

After mixing I will cover the paste with Clingfilm and wait for dye release. When I start to see dye release I add a tiny bit of lukewarm tea (no more than 1.5 oz) just so the paste isn’t too thick and will spread easily on my hair. It usually takes my henna no more than 4 hours to see the initial stages of dye release and I like to apply it when I start to see dye release since I leave the henna on overnight and the dye will continue to release while I sleep.

Application:

I always apply henna on damp detangled and cleansed hair, starting at the back working my way to the front. I cover my hair with Clingfilm, a shower cap, sometimes a plastic bag and then a scarf to make sure everything is really nice and warm. ALWAYS USE GLOVES otherwise your palms and nails will get stained! After I have left the henna on overnight I rinse out the henna with water first, follow up with rinses with conditioner and then I apply a Moisturizing Deep Conditioner (DC) once the water runs clear. I leave the DC on for no less than 2 hours and then I am done!

Henna (Ice) Blocks

Frozen Henna (Ice) Blocks

What I now love doing is turning my henna paste into henna (Ice) Blocks. I like making the blocks because:

I mix up quite a bit of henna and store it in my freezer waiting for it to be used. This makes it less time consuming in the long run since everything is ready and just needs to be melted.
Whenever I have henna in my freezer, the red dye is much more intense compared to when I just use my paste after dye release.

Ingredients/Tools:

Henna Paste (recipe above)
Silicone moulds
Spatula
Clingfilm
Sandwich bag
Old material/newspaper to cover the work space

Making the bars:

Henna (Ice) Blocks before freezing them

After making the henna paste I simply pour the paste into silicone molds, cover with Clingfilm and then place them in my freezer. (If you do not have silicone molds you can use ice cube trays but I would keep the moulds and ice cube trays separate from those you use to make normal ice blocks, bake etc. I keep everything I use for my hair separate from other tools in my kitchen).

Clingfilm covered henna (Ice) Blocks

I recommend letting the bars freeze for no less than 12 hours ideally letting them sit in the freezer for longer because the longer you let them sit the more intense the red dye! Once the bars have frozen I cover each bar with Clingfilm and store them in a sandwich bag until they are needed. I have left mine in the freezer for 2 months and still got great dye release and conditioning benefits. (You might get away with more storage time but I have not tried).

Melting the bars:

Melting Frozen Henna (Ice) Blocks

Heatproof bowl
A little water
Spatula
Henna Bars
Green tea (no more than 2 oz)
Gloves
Old Piece of cloth/newspaper to cover the work space

Put a pot on the stove with a little bit of water. Place the bars in the heatproof bowl and put the bowl over the pot. Allow the bars to slowly melt down on low heat for 7 – 10 minutes while stirring. Once the bars have melted I tend to add a little bit of lukewarm tea (no more than 2 oz) just to make sure the paste is neither too thick/thin. I apply & rinse as normal (see above) and that is it!

I have a video of the whole process:

Would love to hear what you think!

Thanks

Maicurls

Melting DIY Henna Gloss Bars

7 Replies

Hey Maicurlies,

DIY Henna Gloss

This is a long overdue post. A couple of months ago I shared a DIY Henna Gloss Bar recipe on both my Blog and in a YouTube Video demonstrating the “how to” part without melting down the bars, so this is what I want to share today!

The process of how to melt down the bars is open to your preference but I just wanted to share how I melt mine down. But please remember this is not the only method that can be used. I use conditioner because it makes rinsing out the henna so much easier, my hair tends not to feel overly dry and it also helps to keep the henna paste really thick which is what I prefer. (I can not stand it if henna runs down my neck or forehead!)

Products/Tools:

Heat Proof Bowl
Spatula (do not use metal while mixing)
Henna Bars (I used 3 bars – 5.3 oz)
Moisturizing Conditioner (5.3 oz)
Gloves
Clingfilm/shower cap/plastic bag & scarf
(I use an old piece of material to cover the area where I am working – you can use old newspapers etc)

Process:

I first gently melt down the henna gloss bars in a double broiler for no more than 7 minutes on low heat. The low heat allows the bars to melt down without loosing their conditioning properties.

After it has melted I add the conditioner one step at a time and mix everything really well.

Melted Henna Gloss Bars

Super thick conditioner

You can use tea/coconut milk/cream, conditioner or whatever other “liquid” you like. If you do opt for a conditioner I recommend using a moisturizing conditioner over one with protein simply because henna (even as a gloss) can make the hair feel dry and the protein can heighten that.

DIY Henna Gloss with Conditioner

Application/Rinsing:

I apply the gloss on wet/damp cleansed and detangled hair starting from the back, making sure my hair is coated from root to tip. I cover my hair with a clingfilm, a shower cap, a plastic bag and then finally a scarf. The layers keeps my scalp & the henna gloss nice and warm…really warm! I leave the mix on for 30 minutes – 1 hour (but it can left on for longer/shorter depending on your hair needs) and then rinse. Once I am ready to rinse it out, I loosen the henna by doing a really long run through with plain water, followed by rinsing with conditioner until the water runs clear and the final step is a moisturizing Deep Conditioner (DC). ALWAYS DO A MOISTURIZING DC AFTERWARDS even if your hair feels wonderful since henna can make the hair feel brittle and dry.

Pros & Cons:

As with anything there are pros & Cons to using a henna even as a gloss. These are some of the ones I have noticed:

Benefits:

Easier to rinse out (compared to full strength henna due to the extra slip from the conditioner and other additional ingredients used to make the henna bars e.g. butter, oil).
Reduces frizz.
Softens the hair
Less drying than full strength henna due to the additional ingredients used to make the bars.
Strengthens the hair.
Less time consuming (left on for less time than a full strength henna).

Cons:

Less red dye (lawsone) due to the additional ingredients used.
Not as strengthening or conditioning as a full strength henna (due to the additional ingredients & limited application time).
Still requires a moisturizing DC afterwards (even if your hair feels great you should ALWAYS do one!)

That is it!

I would love to hear what you think!

Maicurls

DIY Henna Gloss Bars

7 Replies

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.

Henna Bar Experiment 1

Henna Bar Experiment 2

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

First melt the Cocoa butter in a double broiler for no more than 5 minutes.
In a glass bowl combine all the powders together and mix well.*
After the butter melts take it off the stove, add the oils together and stir.
Slowly add the melted butter and oils to the powder step by step and stir really well.
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).
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.

Covered henna bars

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

Maicurls

Henna Glosses

3 Replies

Hey Maicurlies,

I will occasionally do Henna Glosses whenever I remember (I should do them more often because they are awesome!) I tend to do Henna/Amla DC’s but will do a henna gloss when I do not have time to do a full strength henna DC or when I am running low on henna. I have already written about the benefits of Henna and made a video explaining how and why I use it.

Benefits of henna glosses (Glosses are not as “strong” as a full strength henna treatment but it:

Gives shine to the hair.
Strengthens the hair from root to tip.
Provides a slight tint – (depends on the length of time you leave it on, how much you dilute the henna and how strong your henna is).
Can help fight dandruff and scalp irritations (check with your dermatologist first).
Leaves the hair feeling less dry/rough versus a full strength henna treatments.
Requires less time (the time you leave it on your hair).
Rinses out easier.
Requires less henna (due to the additional ingredients you add).
Can be used as a “touch up” to a full strength henna treatment.

What can I add to my Henna mix to make it a “gloss”:

The simple answer is anything, but popular additions are:

coconut milk
coconut cream
conditioner (preferable protein free)

You might also add

honey/agave nectar
oils

How to make a Henna gloss:

Again, the options are endless. My personal opinion is that even though a henna gloss is supposed to be “diluted” I still want to be able to get its benefits. It is the lawson or Lawsonia inermis (red/orange dye) that provides the benefits therefore, I choose use a mix that has dye release versus applying the paste right after mixing (before dye release).

For my henna glosses I actually use a paste that has already been mixed (from the last time I applied henna) and is stored in my freezer. The intensity of red dye is incredible when I use henna that has been frozen. I let the henna defrost (naturally no heat) and then add my ingredients. If I do not have any mixed, I make my full strength paste, cover it and wait for dye release (I get due release after no less than 4 hours based on my henna powder). I use 50% henna paste and will then add 50% coconut cream or conditioner, a tiny dab of honey, a little oil and apply it to damp hair.

I let the henna gloss sit on my hair for 1 hour and then rinse, rinse, rinse. Due to the fact that I add other ingredients, it makes the rinsing much easier and my hair does not feel dry. I do follow up with a Moisturizing DC afterwards just to make sure and that is it!

Do you use henna glosses? If so, what is your mix?

Thanks

Maicurls