Henna Color Lab Review

I have been using henna from Henna Color Lab for about nine months and I really like both the products and the company. They are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, hire local workers, pay a liveable wage, and source only natural and sustainable ingredients! I like to mix colors, so I always get a bundle package. This time I got five packs of henna during a sale:

There are lots of colors to choose from, including indigo, black, and a variety of browns and reds. Here is the front and back of one of the packs:

Each pack contains 100 g of henna (or henna and herbs depending on the color), directions, a shower cap, and gloves. The gloves are too loose and are a pain to use, though, so I use my own vinyl gloves instead.

I use a mixture that is 40% pure henna, 40% wine red, and 20% auburn:

The directions say to use a full packet (100 g), and I did the first time I used the product. Since then, however, I have only used 1/4 of a packet (25 g) at a time. This is enough mixture to cover my hair and using less makes it really inexpensive to use every two to three weeks. For my mixture, I use 10 g of pure henna, 10 g of wine red, and 5 g of auburn. (Be sure to use a plastic bowl and fork that you don’t care about staining.)

Note: my directions differ a bit from the package insert.

Wash your hair (shampoo only and no conditioner) barely towel it dry. You want it to still be fairly wet when you apply the henna. I tried a sample of Henna Color Lab’s rose shampoo and conditioner and loved them! I meant to order the full-size bottles this time but forgot and I am really disappointed!

Mix up the Henna. I gradually add 110 g (two teaspoons less than half a cup) of hot water to the 25 g of powder, while mixing with the fork until the lumps are gone.

You don’t want the mixture too thin, or it will run down your face, and you don’t want it too thick or it will be difficult to apply. This thin pudding consistency is perfect:

Wear something you don’t care about staining! I have an old hospital robe that I wear every time I use henna and it’s all stained in the back. Apply to your roots first, then all over your hair:

Put the shower cap on, then forget about it for two to three hours:

When the time’s up, rinse your hair until the water runs clear. This may take a few minutes. Then, use a good amount of conditioner (no shampoo) and rinse again. This will loosen any residual bits of henna. Finally, blow dry your hair to help set the color.

This photo from last year shows my natural hair color. It was actually a little bit lighter than it looks here, and was a dark blond to light brown.



Here is what my hair looks like now in the shade and in the sunshine:

I really like this color! According to the Henna Color Lab website, my natural hair color is dark enough that it should not get as red as it does. However, I have always had a lot of natural red highlights that would show in the sun, so I think that may be why. So, take any natural red highlights into consideration when choosing any hair color with henna. I hope this post was helpful to you if you are considering trying a natural hair color. Please comment below with any questions!