The 10 Best Henna Hair Dyes
This wiki has been updated 25 times since it was first published in April of 2018. If you're a little nervous about taking the plunge with permanent hair color, either because of the chemicals or because you may change your mind in a week, try one of these henna dyes instead. These selections make it possible to spice up your look temporarily, and you won't have to worry about long-term damage. There are plenty of natural shades to choose from, too. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Light Mountain Natural
2. Surya Brasil
3. H&C Herbal Ingredients Expert Cultivated
Editor's Notes
November 12, 2020:
Henna is a great, nourishing alternative to traditional hair dyes when you want results without the use of any chemicals, but it comes with downsides. It can be labor intensive to mix and apply, messy, and takes much longer to work its magic than the chemical-laden stuff. It's also less consistent, so you'll need to research the effects it can have on virgin and treated hair, as well as different hair colors. You'll want to keep your future plans in mind as well, since henna is classed as permanent by many specialists because while it fades, it never truly leaves your strands, and thus can interfere with any lightening agents you use later.
With all that said, plenty of people find henna to be heaven-sent and easy to manage once you get it down. Because it gradually fades after 4-6 weeks, we felt diehard users would want something like H&C Herbal Ingredients Expert Cultivated, a bulk option perfect for those who reapply often. We added this one at the expense of Herbs And Crops Lawsonia, which comes from the same company. You'll also notice Surya Brasil joining the ranks today in place of Jamila Powder, which is budget-friendly and finely milled, however many users find that it's not as vibrant as similar selections and takes a few applications to show up. Surya Brasil is rich, easy to apply, and contains a medley of botanicals to condition and enhance your tresses.
If you're looking outside of the usual red shade that henna imparts, The Henna Guys Best comes in an array of colors to suit myriad needs, and Kangana Black is a solid choice for darker results. Kangana has a longer ingredient list than many others, though, so if you're avoiding irritants, you'll want to scrutinize its packaging or else give it a swerve.
October 18, 2019:
There are many reasons beauty enthusiasts are switching over by the droves to henna hair dye. Henna is a natural dye derived from a tree — that's it. Unlike the dyes you'll find at the supermarket or in salons, henna is all-natural and non-toxic, which means it is less likely to cause irritation to the scalp. It's relatively simple to apply at home, and most packages come with enough for many applications, a note that anyone on a tight budget would likely appreciate. Henna is temporary, however, so if you love your results and want to slow fading, consider using a gentle, alcohol-free shampoo each time you wash your hair.
Color By Nature Lustrous has been removed in light of complaints about the dye imparting a green tone on blonde and gray hair. Similarly, the Ancient Sunrise Kit was removed because of its complicated application process. In place of these, Herbs And Crops Lawsonia and Kangana Black were added to the list, both of which were chosen for their pure formulas and ease of use.
Special Honors
Lush Coming from renowned beauty brand Lush, these henna hair dyes are all-natural, handmade, and vegan, with each color blended with henna, essential oils, and deeply conditioning cocoa butter. They come in solid bricks that look like oversized chocolate bars and are unpackaged except for a recycled paper sleeve. They provide step by step coloring instructions as well as information on how to choose the best shade for virgin and colored tresses. lushusa.com
Overtone For those who want to change their hair without using traditional dye, Overtone is a line that adds color via deeply-moisturizing shampoos and conditioners that deposit pigment with each use. Their offerings are demi-permanent and come in vivid rainbow hues as well as natural shades that can enhance your current color and hide roots and greys. Their website is a rich resource for beginners, as it answers lots of commonly asked questions, provides a color quiz, and offers plenty of advice on transitioning and maintenance. overtone.co
4. The Henna Guys Best
5. Kangana Black
6. Hannah Natural Pure
7. Rainbow Medium Brown
8. Zenia Pure
9. Silk & Stone Dark
10. Godrej Nupur Mehndi
Born in Arizona, Gia is a writer and autodidact who fled the heat of the desert for California, where she enjoys drinking beer, overanalyzing the minutiae of life, and channeling Rick Steves. After arriving in Los Angeles a decade ago, she quickly nabbed a copywriting job at a major clothing company and derived years of editing and proofreading experience from her tenure there, all while sharpening her skills further with myriad freelance projects. In her spare time, she teaches herself French and Italian, has earned an ESL teaching certificate, traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States, and unashamedly devours television shows and books. The result of these pursuits is expertise in fashion, travel, beauty, literature, textbooks, and pop culture, in addition to whatever obsession consumes her next.