My Journey to Becoming a Henna Head: Getting Started (Part 1)

I've decided to take the plunge. No, I'm not getting married. I'm going to become a henna head! A what? You might ask? I've been told by many that I'm way too young looking to have an 18 year old son. Yes, I said an 18 year old son. Well, I'm glad that mom and dad blessed me with good, youthful genes BUT my hair is being taken over. By what you might ask? I'm having grey hairs pop up all over the place like popcorn. It's as though everyday a new grey hair pops up, mostly around my hair line. Now anyone that knows me, knows that I'm not afraid of grey, but this is ridiculous. I'm not ready to have an entire head full of grey hair. Although I dyed my hair a while ago when I was in college, since my scalp condition I have opted to not go down the road since it would cause more irritation. However, with henna I'm able to use it and there are so many benefits that go beyond hair dye.

What are some of the benefits of henna? 

• Natural red color and/or highlights
• Shiny hair
• Stronger hair
• Rids hair of dandruff

Red Raj  Henna & Aloe Vera Powder
Hennasooq.com

Where do I order henna? I received my lovely package from Henna Sooq. I've had great service and information from this natural company based in Elkeridge, Maryland. This is very convenient, because I live in Maryland, so this is an extra plus for me. The service was fast and the package is neat. Here's a pic of the goodies that arrived.

How did I decide on which henna to order? I want a pop of red highlights, but I wasn't sure which henna to order. I saw on the Henna Sooq website that there was a chat function to connect with a representative. I hit the button and up popped a rep, so friendly and resourceful. I shared with the rep that I want the color to really be bold. She told me that the Jamila henna has warmer color, whereas the red raj is cooler colors.

How did I know how much to order? The amount you order should be based on how long your hair is and how often you plan to henna. Since I have armpit length natural hair, the rep suggested that I get 150 grams of henna.

What will I use to mix with my henna? As you can see from the pic I will use aloe vera powder with my mixture. Basically, I've learned that I should mix the henna and then, mix the aloe vera powder in a separate bowl with water. I'm not using the whole pack of powder only a couple tablespoons. I'll use one box of henna on my first application. Also, I plan to make raspberry tea and add a little grape seed oil to the mix for extra moisture. I won't add the oil to the mix until right before I apply it to my hair. The red raj henna mixture will need to sit for at least 3 hours for the dye release. Different hennas have different dye release times.

For more information on henna or to order please visit www.hennasooq.com

Stay tuned for my journey to henna head adventures! Next up! Applying henna: what to do and why. I will be applying my henna the later part of this week, so check back to see what happens.