Features of Iranian henna

Henna is a familiar unfamiliar word that many have heard, but did not immediately remember what it is. Meanwhile, henna is henna, familiar to many. Affordable low-cost remedy is found not only in cosmetics stores, but also in pharmacies and tattoo parlors. With the help of this natural dye, the female sex becomes even more beautiful. That's just before the first purchase is worth thinking about which henna is better to choose.

The thing is that the southern thermophilic lawson plant, from which leaves and stems make powder, grows in North Africa, South Asia, and India. It is here that produce the most popular Indian and Iranian henna. Undoubtedly, these species are very similar, but also have their own characteristics, since plants grow on different soils, and therefore differ in chemical composition.

There are six major differences between Iranian and Indian powder.

1. Gritiness. To produce powder, leaves of lausonia are crushed, therefore natural plant particles are present in the composition. In the Iranian product, they are larger, which is noticeable when stained. Indian powder has the appearance of a homogeneous flour.
2. Ease of use. Because of the larger particles, Iranian henna loses to Indian.
3. Compatibility with other components. Other natural ingredients can be added to both powders to create new colors and shades.
4. Color variety. In its pure form, the Iranian product gives one bright copper color. The Indian powder without additives is seven shades.
5. Availability. Indian law is much less common in regular stores, but you can buy it using an online order. Iranian powders in various variations can be purchased at almost any cosmetic store, as well as on Internet portals.
6. Price. Ordinary Iranian henna without additives is quite inexpensive, it is a bit cheaper than Indian. But various complexes and mixes are on sale. Their price is much higher, but there is more benefit from them.

Henna has more interesting features. If you carefully get acquainted with the instructions for use of any powder, it turns out that they make it not only from Lawson. Yes, this plant produces natural dye with pigment, as well as colorless henna. But under the concept of henna also fit a number of products.

• Cassia is stupid. Used as a colorless substance for healing hair.
• Norway cassia. Colorless henna, softening the scalp and hair, as well as protecting the curls from the sun.
• Jujube. It is used as a remedy for dandruff, for the treatment and stimulation of hair growth. Protects hair painted with Lawson or Basma. It is used as a detergent for the head.
• Indigofera dyeing or basma. The powder, giving the hair a black color, is obtained from the young leaves of an Indian plant.

Thus, under the brand name "Henna Iranian" you can find love for color change, colorless, black basma, white henna for removing hair from face and body, as well as for lightening curls. And all because in the East henna is called powder products for body and hair care.

If we talk specifically about Lawson, then using flowers, leaves and stems, the plant is used for:

• hair coloring;
• treatment of the scalp, hair follicles and strands;
• cleansing from excess sebum;
• eyebrow tattoo;
• body painting (mehndi, mehendi).

The obvious advantages of natural Iranian paint include:

• hypoallergenic;
• no ammonia and hydrogen peroxide;
• the possibility of use during pregnancy and feeding the baby with breast milk (if earlier the use of henna did not cause individual intolerance);
• antiseptic properties for the treatment of scalp;
• the ability to thicken the hair structure, which makes the hair thicker;
• possibility of use since adolescence;
• improving the appearance of hair;
• low price and profitability;
• ease of storage of unused powder.

But there are drawbacks to this natural paint:

• Lawson does not paint over completely gray hair;
• henna straightens curly hair;
• it is very difficult to choose the consistency and time of the paint;
• It is important to use the proposed formulation correctly so as not to end up with green hair;
• wash the paint out of the hair is very problematic;
• frequent staining dries the hair, making it brittle;
• Iranian paint has a very peculiar smell.

Given that Iranian henna gives only one copper color, then other shades can be achieved by add natural ingredients to the powder:

• bright redhead gives turmeric or saffron;
• curls with red tint will be obtained if henna is kneaded not on water, but on chamomile broth;
• cherry shade obtained by mixing the powder on beet juice or adding 4 tbsp to the powder. l cocoa;
• dark chocolate colors achieve, adding coffee in proportions to 25 g of henna - 1 tsp, you can also use tea brewing;
• 1 part henna and 2 parts basma will do brown hair brown;
• Brown color can be achieved with the help of 5 Art. l ground coffee;
• 2 parts of henna and 1 part of basma will give brown hair bronze color;
• an hour of exposure to pure lawson, and then an hour - pure hair will make hair black.

But of primary importance is the original color of the curls, their thickness, condition, density. At first, choosing the right color will be problematic, since dark hair, in general, is not painted over the first time. Lawsonia has a cumulative effect. Correctly choose the proportions of the components and the exposure time will only experience.

The most accurate to prepare the paint for light brown and gray hair: on blond curls, any dye is more noticeable, and gray hair is porous, it absorbs dye more quickly. The mixes put on dark hair will make them brighter, shining. A brown-haired woman or brunette is difficult to turn into a red one, using Lawson with or without additives. But you can lighten your hair with white henna.

The quality of natural paint directly depends on the time of collecting the leaves, flowers and stems, their location on the shrub, storage conditions. Raw materials are of different quality.

• Lower grade henna it is made from stalks and leafy powder. Chances are good that they harvested after rain, there is little chlorophyll in it, so it has a brown color and not a light green color. With vitamins, tannins and oils in this product is also a clear problem.
• Medium quality product made from leaves collected from the lower branches of the shrub. Collect raw materials in the fall, so it dries much longer, which affects the amount of lavson and chlorophyll. But there are much more vitamins and essential oils.
• Top grade characterized by a light green color, as the top young leaves are collected in hot summer and instantly dried under the scorching sun. Quick drying retains chlorophyll and all beneficial ingredients. Coloring with such powder will be more resistant. Henna has a healing effect.

Two companies represent their products most vividly: "Artkolor" and "Phytocosmetics". Products from other manufacturers are extremely rare. Undoubtedly marketing opposition wins "Phytocosmetics".

• The range of the company is much wider: here not only dry powders, but also ready mixes. The highest quality premium dry powder is designated as “Natural elite henna”. Ready-made mixes in a huge assortment with the addition of burdock oil are listed as “Cream-henna” or “Hair Mask”. There is a colorless composition and white.
• Packaging is much more attractive: There are both cardboard boxes and metallized bags.
• Price very diverse depending on the composition.

"Artkolor" also offers color, colorless and white henna. Buyers confirm that this is a decent product of excellent quality, but it does not look as attractive as that of a competitor. Ready-to-use formulations are also not observed here.

Both companies present a high-quality product on the market, but experts still recommend buying henna made in Iran. And such shops can also be found. But the goods are not always accompanied by the translation of the instructions for use, and therefore neither the expiration date nor the specific recommendations are known.

Depending on the composition of the mixture, the painting technology at home may differ. But still there are common rules of preparation and work.

• The following items should be taken care of in advance:
  • rubber or polyethylene gloves;
  • brush or foam sponge;
  • flat comb with sharp tip to separate the strands;
  • cape on the shoulders;
  • polyethylene cap;
  • oilcloth or newspaper on the floor;
  • container of glass or ceramic for paint;
  • mirror (better folding);
  • nourishing cream or medical petrolatum;
  • henna powder (75-100 g per medium length) or finished composition (according to the instructions);
  • hot water (everything is done differently, someone makes boiling water, someone with water at 60 - 90 degrees);
  • vinegar (for example, apple) or juice of one lemon.

• Head wash shampoo dry or completely dry hair.

• Prepare a mixture of henna and water, other natural ingredients, any vegetable oil (or without it). The consistency of sparse sour cream, which will easily fall on the hair, but do not drain from them - this is what should happen when mixed.

• Before painting scalp along the hair edge smeared with cream (petroleum jelly).

• Shoulders covered with a towel, floor - oilcloth. Wear gloves on your hands.

• Starting from the back of the head, carefully brush over the roots of the entire head with a brush, separating the strands with a thin hand comb.

• Next, brush and hand paint over the entire length of the strands. Hair gently whipped and laid from the roots to temechku. This should be done quickly, until the paint has cooled. Warm henna penetrates hair more easily.

• A plastic cap, a bag, a cap, and then a towel - and the exposure time begins. It is very individual: for a blonde to turn red, you need to keep the paint for 15 minutes; dark hair coloring is done in a couple of hours. The use of additional components increases the staining time by 3-4 times. But some leave the paint overnight, and are satisfied with the result. Colorless henna is kept on blond hair for 30 minutes, and on dark hair - an hour.

• Without shampoo henna washed under running water.

• Paint is absorbed within 2-3 days, so the use of shampoos at this time is undesirable.

There are a lot of reviews about the use of Iranian henna. They are mostly positive. Women like to experiment, select their color. But absolutely everyone writes that washing Iranian paint is much more difficult than Indian paint.

Both Artkolor and Phytocosmetics received good reviews. But often there are statements of buyers, that the paint, bought in different stores, is very different from each other. Hence, it is a question of poor-quality goods or counterfeit products. Users are advised to pay attention to the expiration date, as well as carefully consider the packaging before purchasing.

Excellent feedback received compositions, enhanced by algae and oils.

How to dye hair with Iranian henna at home, see the next video.