Coloring Your Hair At Home With Henna

I've been coloring my hair myself with Henna since I was in my thirties. Now that I'm 52, I have to leave it on for four hours to cover the grey. It's kind of an ordeal, but it's worth it. I've tried letting my hair go natural, but I just don't like the way it looks on me. I feel kind of like a hag with grey hair, I'm sorry to say. I admire people who do it, but I still cling to my henna. I like that it's natural. It's also far less expensive than going to the salon.

When I was younger, I used to mix the powder with freshly brewed coffee. A hairdresser friend of mine taught me that trick. She used to take my yoga class, and she had gorgeous long blonde hair. It worked really well, but as I got older, the caffeine started to bother my scalp. It felt like an allergic reaction to the caffeine was permeating my skin. It burned. I just use hot water these days. You can also use hibiscus tea, for red highlights. I've done that, too. It's very pretty.

I mix three different colors. I use brown or mahogany, red, and black. It gives a nice shade, and I get a lot of compliments on it. Henna really catches the sunlight. A friend of mine who is a hair colorist for animals in the movies really likes it. She always enthusiastically comments on my hair color when she sees me. I have noticed that sometimes hair dye can look almost painted. Sometimes it's too severe, and it looks obvious. The henna is more subtle. I usually apply it once a month.

In between applications, I use a powder called Wow. It's available on Amazon. You just brush it on your roots. It's really easy, and it works very well. I first learned about it from a professional make-up artist on a photo shoot. It's convenient and effective. It's a bit pricey, but the container lasts quite a long time.

I notice that the older women I know really spend a lot of time and money on their hair. I think it's one of the shocks of aging. Your hair really changes. I find taking a couple of capsules of fish oil each day helps my hair not to be so dry. I also let it air dry after shampooing  and conditioning it. The last time I had it trimmed, the hair salon owner commented, "Your hair is so healthy!" That was unexpected and nice to hear. I think it's because I don't put any chemicals on it. I'm sure diet also plays a role.  How about you? Do you color your own hair?