Henna: is permanent, or does it fade or wash out?

[StripySocksAndDocs]

All seems a bit vaugue on googling. (Makes me wonder if the answer is 'depends')

Semi-permanent really.

It gets brighter and more intense for the first 48 hours or so after application then fades... Is it pure henna or mixed with something else to tone down the redness (coffee / indigo etc)?

Assume you are talking about hair rather than tattoos on skin...?

It's permanent, it fades but doesn't go away - it's like a semi opaque varnish. Regular dye fills the shafts with colour while henna coats the outside.

Yes hair. Sorry hadn't thought about tattoos!!

I had been looking at the Lush henna - that's a mixture I think.

Permanent as in it stays in the hair long after the colour has faded. Can adversely affect future colour processes. As an ex-hairdresser it can be a nightmare when you discover a customer has previously hennaed hair and they want to change the colour!

I've henna'd my hair and regret it now as new colour doesn't take because of the henna, so I need to grow it out.

Grey out of interest if someone has previously hennaed and then subsequently wanted a hairdresser to cover a few greys in a similar /same colour a few months later would that still be an issue.

I’ve hennaed my hair a few times but it’s just not covering the greys like it used to and is far too much hassle with a small child so going to have to stop.

I’ve hennaed my hair a few times but it’s just not covering the greys like it used to and is far too much hassle with a small child so going to have to stop.

You need to use indigo with it if your hair is brown. It will cover greys no problem. Not the lush kind but pure henna definetly will. I am really grey and have been using henna /indigo for over a year. My hair is in beautiful condition.

I sleep with my henna on. No hassle.

It depends on whether you mean actual, pure henna or ICan'tBelieveIt'sNotHenna which is sold in many forms and with many additions. Pure henna is completely permanent. It doesn't contain any metallic salts if it is pure henna, and won't cause horrid reactions (burning, smoking, melting) if you subsequently use chemical dyes or peroxides with it.
Lots of stuff sold as 'henna' like the Lush henna has a bunch of extra ingredients. Those hennaplusstuff dyes can fade, and can react badly to future hair treatments.

But real henna only comes out with scissors. You need to be prepared to live with the red until you grow or cut it out.

I agree with barrack.
There are so many misconceptions about henna.
I use pure henna from henna cat and mix it with indigo so i get a brownish red. I agree with this about henna:

It doesn't contain any metallic salts if it is pure henna, and won't cause horrid reactions (burning, smoking, melting) if you subsequently use chemical dyes or peroxides with it.

I'e ben a fan of this website about henna for ages, there's loads of information, and used to buy pure henna from Mehandi.com. It's the purest you can get and really great for anyone worried about dyes in chemical hair colours.

Thanks!!

Interesting. Learnt a lot.

I hennaed my hair years ago had bright brick coloured hair until it grew out. It really only works on darker hair