Once a month I have a haircare day. This month's haircare ritual I prepared my henna/indigo/aloe hair mask just as I always do. This time however holds a bit more weight. I have a big event coming up ~ I am a bridesmaid in a close friend's wedding on Sunday. There will be a photographer taking our pictures
... and naturally I want my fine (often oily) hair to look its best.
Here is how I do it;
Henna is a wonderful plant that not only colors hair but also protects & strengthens. Unlike chemical dies, henna, doesn't modify the color of the strand but actually covers the strand - like paint. This creates a protective barrier over the hair and strengthens the roots too. Henna has a redish/brown color that looks nice on some but, personally I prefer a combo of henna and indigo to make a dark brown shade over my naturally light brown hair.
Both henna & indigo usually come in powdered form. With that I mix either plain yogurt or aloe vera. Both are nutritive and moisturizing but, aloe is the cheaper option. In my case it is free! All I need to do is chop off the spikes, scoop out the gel & blend it with the imersion blender.
Then, I mix the powdered henna/indigo with the aloe gel until it has a creamy (but not runny) consistancy. I apply this to my roots first and the the lenghts of my hair.
Then, all that is left to do is sit out in the sun for a few hours (2 or 3 works for me) until the mix hardens and it is time to take a shower. Henna can be subtle, especially for those of us with brown or black hair. But I can definately see that my baby hairs are thicker and my braid stronger too.
I have been using henna or henna and indigo for about three years. Only recently I made it a monthly thing and feel that henna has really helped my hair bounce back from the days out in the sun & wind. Does anyone else's hair get sunburnt? Or is it just me?