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. An affordable, inexpensive tool is found not only in cosmetics stores, but also in pharmacies and tattoo parlors. With this natural dye, the female sex becomes even more beautiful. Just before the first purchase, you should think about which henna is better to choose.

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

There are six main differences between Iranian and Indian powder.

1. Granularity... For the production of powder, the leaves of lavsonia are crushed, therefore, natural plant particles are present in the composition. In the Iranian product, they are larger, which is noticeably noticeable when stained. Indian powder has the appearance of a homogeneous flour.
2. Ease of use... Due to 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. Indian powder without additives is seven shades.
5. Availability... Indian lawsonia is much less common in brick-and-mortar stores, but can be purchased online.Iranian powders in various variations can be bought in almost any cosmetic store, as well as on Internet portals.
6. Price... Regular Iranian henna without additives is quite inexpensive, it is slightly cheaper than Indian henna. But various complexes and mixtures are being sold. Their price is much higher, but they are also more useful.

Henna also has more interesting features. If you carefully read the instructions for the use of any powder, it turns out that it is made not only from Lawsonia. Yes, natural pigment dyes and colorless henna are obtained from this plant. But a number of products also fit under the term henna.

• Cassia is blunt-leaved. It is used as a colorless substance for hair rejuvenation.
• Cassia holly... Colorless henna that softens the scalp and hair and protects curls from the sun.
• Ziziphus... It is used as a remedy for dandruff, to treat and stimulate hair growth. Protects hair colored with Lawsonia or Basma. It is used as a head cleanser.
• Indigofer dyeing or basma. The black hair powder is obtained from the young leaves of an Indian plant.

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

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

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

The obvious advantages of natural Iranian paint include:

• hypoallergenic;
• lack of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide;
• the possibility of using during pregnancy and feeding the baby with breast milk (if earlier the use of henna did not cause individual intolerance);
• antiseptic properties for scalp treatment;
• the ability to thicken the hair structure, which makes the hair thicker;
• the possibility of using from adolescence;
• improving the appearance of hair;
• low price and profitability;
• ease of storage of unused powder.

But there are also disadvantages to this natural paint:

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

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

• bright red hair gives turmeric or saffron;
• curls with red tint it will turn out if henna is kneaded not on water, but on a decoction of chamomile;
• cherry tint obtained by mixing the powder in beet juice or adding 4 tbsp. l. cocoa;
• dark chocolate achieve by adding coffee in a proportion of 25 g of henna - 1 tsp, you can also use tea leaves;
• 1 part henna and 2 parts basma will make light brown hair;
• Brown color can be achieved with 5 tbsp. l. ground coffee;
• 2 parts henna and 1 part basma will give brown hair bronze color;
• an hour of exposure to pure lawsonia, and then an hour - pure basma will make the hair black.

But of paramount importance is the original color of the curls, their thickness, condition, density. At first, it will be problematic to choose the right color, since dark hair, in general, does not stain the first time. Lawsonia has a cumulative effect. Only experience will help to choose the right proportions of the components and the holding time.

The most careful preparation of paint for light brown and gray hair: on light brown curls, any coloring matter is more noticeable, and gray hair is porous, absorbing paint faster. Blends applied to dark hair will make it more vibrant and shiny. It is difficult to turn a brown-haired or brunette into a redhead using Lawsonia with or without additives. But you can lighten your hair with white henna.

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

• Low grade henna made from stems and leafy powder. Chances are good that the crop was harvested after rain, there is little chlorophyll in it, so it is brown rather than light green. Vitamins, tannins and oils in this product are also a clear problem.
• Average quality product made from leaves collected from the lower branches of a shrub. Raw materials are collected in the fall, so it dries much longer, which affects the amount of lavson and chlorophyll. But there are many more vitamins and essential oils here.
• Top grade characterized by a light green color, since the upper young leaves are harvested in hot summer and instantly dried under the scorching sun. Fast drying retains chlorophyll and all the beneficial ingredients. Staining with such a powder will be more resistant. Henna has a healing effect.

Two companies represent their products most vividly: "Artkolor" and "Phytocosmetic". Products from other manufacturers are extremely rare. Unambiguously, the marketing opposition is won by Phytocosmetic.

• The range of the company is much wider: there are not only dry powders, but also ready-made mixtures. Dry powder of the highest premium grade is designated as "Natural henna elite". Ready-made mixtures in a huge assortment with the addition of burdock oil appear as “Cream-henna” or “Hair mask”. There is a colorless composition and a white one.
• The packaging is much more attractive: there are both cardboard boxes and metallized bags.
• Price very varied depending on the composition.

"Artkolor" also offers colored, colorless and white henna. Customers confirm that this is a decent product of excellent quality, but it does not look as attractive as the competitor. There are no ready-to-use formulations here either.

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

• You should take care of the following items in advance:
  • rubber or plastic gloves;
  • brush or foam sponge;
  • flat comb with a sharp tip for separating strands;
  • cape on the shoulders;
  • polyethylene cap;
  • oilcloth or newspaper on the floor;
  • glass or ceramic container for paint;
  • mirror (preferably folding);
  • nourishing cream or medical petroleum jelly;
  • henna powder (75-100 g for medium length) or ready-made composition (according to the instructions);
  • hot water (they do everything differently, someone brews it with boiling water, someone with water at 60 - 90 degrees);
  • vinegar (such as apple cider) or the juice of one lemon.

• They wash their heads with shampoo, dry or completely dry the hair.

• Prepare a mixture of henna and water, other natural ingredients, any vegetable oil (or without it). The consistency of light sour cream, which will easily fall on the hair, but at the same time not drain from them - this is what should be obtained when mixing.

• Before painting the scalp along the hairline is smeared with cream (petroleum jelly).

• Cover the shoulders with a towel, the floor with oilcloth... They put gloves on their hands.

• Starting at the back of the head, carefully paint over the roots with a brush all over the head, separating the strands with a thin comb handle.

• Next, paint is applied with a brush and hands along the entire length of the strands. The hair is gently whipped and laid from roots to crown. This should be done quickly, until the paint has cooled down. Warm henna penetrates the hair more easily.

• A plastic cap, a bag, a hat, and then a towel - and the holding time begins. It is very individual: for a blonde to turn into a redhead, the paint must be kept for 15 minutes; dyeing dark hair is carried out 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 happy with the result. Colorless henna is kept on light hair for 30 minutes, and on dark hair for an hour.

• No shampoo henna is washed under running water.

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

There are a lot of reviews on the use of Iranian henna. They are mostly positive. Women like to experiment, choose their own color. But absolutely everyone writes that it is much more difficult to wash out Iranian paint than Indian paint.

Both Artkolor and Fitokosmetik received good reviews. But customers often say that paint bought in different stores is very different from each other. This means that we are talking about a low-quality product or counterfeit products. Users are advised to pay attention to the expiration date, and also carefully consider the packaging before purchasing.

Formulations fortified with seaweed and oils have received excellent reviews.

See below for more details.