by Shikha

Created on: June 13, 2008

There are few makeovers as dramatic as changing the color of your hair. I thought about it for so many years and like every other time I decide to do something new, I research more than is good for me. And finally decided that I am not too eager to get my hair colored by chemicals which may act harsher than they sound. It was then that I decided to use the henna leaves in our backyard. Natural and safe.

Of course grinding leaves into a paste is a hard job, even to become beautiful. So I buy the powder which you get very easily in shops. Here are a few tips to apply henna the right way and to make the color last longer.

BEFORE YOU START
- The first time you buy henna, make sure it comes from a shop you trust. Buy it from an Asian or Middle Eastern shop. There is a chance that additives would be added for more color but stay away from black henna. This can be harmful for your hair and skin in the long run.
-Get ready with all the apparatus and ingredients you will need:
*A stainless steel bowl and spoon
* Plastic sheets or newspapers for protecting your floor as well as your neck from dripping henna
*Brushes for applying
*Gloves
*Napkins
* Henna powder
*Ground beetroot
*Tea powder
*Lime juice
*Water
And whatever you are wearing will have to be your henna dress from then on with orange stains here and there; so choose a not-so-favorite dress before you start.

MIX
-Mix henna with water till it becomes creamy. Make sure it is not too watery because you do not want henna dripping all over your face. Henna stains fast and an orange face is not really attractive!
- When mixing henna add a little tea powder, lime juice and ground beetroot. And let the mixture sit for about two to three hours before applying. This makes the color darker.

APPLY
-If someone else is applying for you, things get a little easier. Sit on a stool. Take hair strand by strand, apply henna using a brush and then wrap it around your head. The thinner the strands the better, but if your helper has low levels of patience and her knees are wearing out from standing, it wont hurt to take thicker bunches of hair.
-After using up all hair and turning your head into a turban, make the final touches by covering the strands with another layer of henna using gloved hands so that the turban is sealed.
-If you are doing it yourself, brushes may not be very handy. Just use your gloved hands to do the same steps mentioned above. But make sure that you are away from walls and that there is an extra layer of newspaper on

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