Many women with natural hair are choosing to try henna as a conditioning or hair dyeing treatment. Some naturals have expressed concern that their curl pattern seems loosen since starting their Henna journey. Is this true?
What Is Henna?
Henna comes from a flowering shrub. Once the leaves have become dry, they get ground until you end up with a fine-textured powder. You can use this powder on your skin and hair to dye it temporarily.
Henna shouldn’t get mixed with any other chemicals or pollutants. It is a natural substance with a red-brown tint that can dye hair different colors ranging from auburn (burnt orange) to maroon, mahogany or burgundy.
Why Use Henna?
There are a few reasons that you may choose to give dyeing hair with henna a try. Aside from being safer than standard box dyes, it’s fun to see which color you end up with when you want a change.
You have to be okay with knowing you’re not getting a wide variety of colors. Any color will be between a shade of red-orange to mahogany or even bright red. It depends on the color you’re starting from.
If your hair is dark, you may notice that it doesn’t look much different when you finish the treatment. In the sunlight, you’ll see that your hair looks deep red.
Your hair will be stronger after you use henna. It’ll also be healthier and shinier since it helps fill in broken areas of your hair strands, making it an excellent conditioning hair treatment.
Will Henna Make My Curl Pattern Loosen?
Yes, henna can loosen your curl pattern depending on your curly hair type. Different hair types react to henna differently and so does the loosening. For some hair types, henna can loosen the curl pattern more and for some, it might not loosen it at all! Even if the curl pattern loosens because of henna, it’s temporary.
Henna is safe when applied to your hair. Although henna is not changing the chemical structure of the hair, it does change the weight of the individual strands through plant deposits. Moreover, henna also fills any rough spots on the hair cuticle that you may have, making your hair smoother and softer.
What Henna Does to Your Curls
- Henna will condition your hair.
- Your hair will be fluffier.
- Henna elongates your curls.
- Henna will make your curly hair thicker and stronger.
- It makes your hair less frizzy.
- This treatment makes your curly hair easier to manage.
- Henna will relax your curls, but it doesn’t straighten your hair.
- Henna weighs your curls down loosely.
Is Henna Safer Than Box Dyes?
Henna is safer than a box dye because it doesn’t contain chemicals that process your hair and dry it out, like ammonia or peroxide.
One of the main concerns with using box dyes is breaking down your strands and destroying the cortex. It is crucial to be sure that the henna you use is 100% natural and organic. Any additives can make your hair susceptible to damage and alter your curls, waves, or coils irreversibly.
Related: Does Bleaching Hair Loosen Curl Pattern?
FAQs
Yes, henna is suitable for all hair types: type 1A to type 4C.
For the best result, keep henna for at least a few hours up to 7-8 hours. Many women use henna overnight as it’s more convenient.
Don’t keep it for too long to avoid scalp sensitivity and dryness. Also, henna will stop adding color to your hair if kept for too long.
Yes, henna is safe and you can use it every day on your hair without any worry.
Final Thoughts
Henna can be beneficial to your hair in numerous ways. It all depends on what you want for your hair.
Apart from obviously changing your hair color, henna also has conditioning properties and is a great way to dye and condition your hair with natural ingredients. Just be sure to purchase organic henna hair color powder to ensure that you have a high-quality product.
Finally, remember that everyone’s experience is different. Whether it changes or loosens your curl pattern will depend on the density of your hair and whether you use henna regularly. So stick to the precautions set out in this guideline and be sure to reap the benefits from a henna treatment.