I get a lot of questions on how I do the henna

 So I thought I'd do a photo essay.  There are a lot of ways to henna your hair, this is how I do mine.  

What do you need to do it "my" way?

Plastic wrap 

Henna powder (the import grocery has plenty for me)

Apple cider vinegar

Measuring cup 

Plastic or glass bowl - you will not be able to use it for food after you do this.  

Plastic (not metal!) spoon(s).  I like a big mixing spoon and a smaller "regular" spoon

Plastic gloves

Old Towels

Water (tap water is fine)

Tea bags (3-4 "black" tea bags if you want to get fancy you could use something like Earl Gray or Orange Spice)

Coffee cup to steep tea (can use again).  

I started with this: 

I have used various brands from the import stores, they're all good.  You want the one that looks like this, in the mylar (2 different brands where I shop) or the kind in the box that says "Red Henna".  The black and brown hennas are not 100% henna they have other stuff added.  Notice my bag says 100% pure henna.  That's exactly what I want.  

I opened the bag and put some essential oil in it.  The pyrex  bowls are dedicated for my hair.  I use something else for food this is only for henna.  

Yes, I'm going to get red hair out of this.  

Pretty self explanatory.  Take the seeds out or they get stuck in your hair.  Ask me how I know!  

This morning I brewed 1 cup of tea with 3 tea bags and let it sit for hours.  I added 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and more essential oils to it.  I like to use lavender, cedar, and patchouli but only 2 drops of patchouli!!  I did 10 drops of lavender and about 6 of the cedar.  A little bit (I get headaches) of essential oil helps bring the color out and the oils are conditioning for the scalp and hair.  

You can see my "pasta noodle" in the background.  I had 12 ounces combined with the tea, vinegar, and lemon juice (the acidity, by the way, helps release the color and I have found if I use vinegar when I dye I don't have the color bleeding for days afterward).   Remember, dedicated utensils here.  

I combined it, it was too dry.  

Reminder you cannot use anything for food after it touches the henna and essential oils - I keep all this stuff under my bathroom sink.  

I warmed up a half cup of water and added that.  

Much better!  I prefer a thick batter consistency.  You can make it thicker or runnier; but when I make it I remember this is going to be on my head for 4 hours.  If it is too runny it will keep leaking down on my face and neck.  

I tied it up in a plastic bag and have it in the warm spot in my kitchen.  It will work for 4 hours.  I finished making the henna at 11:30 so I'll apply it at 3:30.  Once it is applied I wait four hours from when I finish to rinse it out.  When I rinse it out I will use water only for about 10 minutes, once all the matter is out I will condition it.  The henna goes everywhere when I rinse it out so I will need a full shower.  I will condition (no rinsing), pin it up on my head (I use a claw clip) while I wash up.  When I'm done with that I'll let my hair down, rinse out the conditioner, dry.  

Another trick with henna don't  shampoo for 2 days.  You can "wash" with conditioner but you probably won't need to, much, as the henna does a good job of keeping my oil production (VERY oily hair!) down after a treatment.  

I use a black towel.  The henna doesn't stain but it looks like poop if you drop some during application, and the rinse water comes out a brownish red (you want to stay in the shower until it runs clear).  

I wear old clothes when I do this.  I will update with more photos as I do this.  

I wrap my hair with plastic wrap after I do the application (this is an older photo not today), then I put 2 shower caps, one more to the front and one more to the back.  I have longer hair (mid back).  

Self explanatory photo above, below, I had some leftover.  If you have leftovers you can put it in a baggie and freeze it.  Thaw it on the counter (in the baggie) for hairline root touchups or just throw it in the next batch.  This is enough for me to do a hairline and part root touch-up in a few weeks.  

I'll do an after photo tomorrow when my hair dries.  It took me about 3 songs on the radio (I'm guessing 10-15 minutes) to rinse it all out, then I did the conditioner (I like Garnier whole blends cocoa butter for this), pinned it up, another 15 minutes washing up, rinse the conditioner.  

Important tip.  So I'm standing there in my old clothes with the plastic on my head, looking at the shower.  I put the small garbage can either next to, or IN the shower.  I take the clothes off and set them aside.  Leave the plastic on your head until you get in the shower.  No one talks about this but you will have an awful mess if you take it off outside the shower enclosure.  

Get in the enclosure (naked), take the plastic off, there goes the henna falling everywhere.  Put the plastic in the can, set the can aside, take the shower.  

Here I am with the wet hair.  You can see the hairline and part look much better already.  

More tomorrow.