Henna Boy True Red Henna Hair Dye

True red henna hair dye

A blend of henna, beetroot, red kaolinite clay and amla for a saturated natural true red to auburn. The clay pulls the henna away from orange towards red, the beetroot adds a wine-berry tint for the first few weeks, and the amla adds body and shine.

Expected results by starting shade

How to mix

• Mix 100g of powder with 150–200ml of hot (not boiling) hibiscus tea or water and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
• Stir to a thick yoghurt consistency. The clay makes the paste stiffer, so add a little more liquid if needed.
• Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 8–12 hours at about 20°C, or 12–24 hours in the fridge (48 hours at most).

Resting releases the lawsone, the dye in henna. Too short a rest gives weak, patchy colour; beyond about 24 hours at room temperature the dye starts to break down.

How to apply

• Start with clean hair, dry or about 80% dry.
• Put oil or balm along the hairline and on the ears to avoid staining the skin.
• Work in sections, from roots to ends, until every strand is coated.
• Cover with a shower cap and keep warm.
• Leave for 3–4 hours. Under 2 hours gives weak, uneven colour; over 5 hours dries the hair out and makes the paste hard to rinse.
• Rinse with cool water only and don't shampoo for 48 hours.

Good to know

• The colour looks brighter and more orange at first and deepens over 2–3 days, so judge it on day 2 or 3, on dry hair.
• The beetroot tint fades after 4–6 washes.
• The clay shifts the tone from orange towards red.
• The amla adds body and shine.
• A second coat 7–10 days later deepens the colour towards burgundy.

The bottom line: on light hair, a natural-redhead true red to auburn, with a wine undertone for the first few weeks.

Ingredients

Per 100g: 65g henna, 20g beetroot, 10g red kaolinite clay, 5g amla.

INCI: Lawsonia Inermis Leaf Powder, Beta Vulgaris Root Powder, Kaolin, CI 77491, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Powder.