Heat & Henna - How To Achieve Great Results This Summer!

This summer is set to be a scorcher! If you’re a regular henna user, you might have your current routine sorted; but with temperatures soaring, this can affect everything from simply storing henna to the longevity of your dye. 

Don’t worry - we’ve put together our top tips for maintaining happy, healthy, Hennaed hair in the heat!

1. First Things First - Store Your Henna Well

If you’re a long time user of henna, you probably already know that storing henna somewhere warm or wet is an absolute no. Henna and other plant dyes degrade quickly in the heat; meaning that left somewhere warm, in direct sunlight, or damp, will stop your dye from giving a good colour.

If you’re going to use the whole dye at once, it’s pretty simple - just make sure you store it in a cupboard somewhere cool. With our new packaging in the pre-mixed dyes, of two 55g bags, this is much more simple!

If you only use a part batch, this might be slightly trickier! Kept well, the dyes should last to their expiration date once opened. We advise wrapping back up tightly in the original packaging, and storing in an airtight container with few gaps - but if you’re using a clear container to store it in, it might be a little harder to protect it from the sunlight.

One trick you can use is to freeze your henna dye mix once it’s been mixed; if you’re only using a small amount of the dye straight away, but you’re likely to use the rest over the next couple of months, then make up all the paste straightaway. Use only what you need, then store the rest in an airtight container with minimal gaps - make sure it is plastic and not metallic - and pop it in the freezer!

When you need to use the rest, defrost inside the container in a bowl of warm water.

2. Make Sure You Clarify

If you’re out and about in the sunshine, you might be exposing your hair to environmental pollutants that can bond to your hair; or if you have dry hair, you might be using extra conditioner, or leave in products, to help keep hair moisturised in the hot weather.

All these things can bond to your hair shaft, preventing the henna from taking as well, and leaving you with lacklustre results.

It’s crucial to make sure you clarify before you dye; using our It’s Pure Pre-Colour Mineral Clay. This is a very gentle clarifier, so if your hair is feeling drier in the heat, it won’t strip your natural protective oils!

3. What to mix with Henna in the heat

If you’re using pure Henna, or pure Cassia, you might have heard a top tip that mixing with lemon juice can help with the dying process. Lemon juice helps to bring out the pigment in Henna and Cassia; but in hot weather it might not be best for your hair.

Lemon juice is an acidic liquid so it can be quite drying on the hair; and it’s also advisable not to use lemon juice on the skin if you’re planning on being out and about in the sunshine (of course, properly rinsed, this is no risk!) Have a read of our suggestions of what acids to mix with henna, here: https://itspure.co.uk/blogs/news/what-acids-can-i-mix-with-henna-and-what-will-the-results-be

If you’re really struggling with dryness in the heat, try a henna or cassia gloss mask instead. Using coconut milk, a few drops of your favourite essential oil, and some apple cider vinegar (only a tiny amount!) you can achieve a really hydrating, nourishing mask for your hair. If you’re struggling with scalp dryness or sensitivity in the heat, adding lavender or chamomile into the mix can help with soothing your skin - plus coconut milk helps nourish very dry skin.

We’ve put our own vegan recipe together here.

If you’re using our pre-mixed dyes, or pure Indigo, then all you need to mix with is pure water - it really is that simple! Using any other base with Indigo or brown dyes can dilute the colour overall, meaning you don’t get a good result. 

4. Protect Your Henna Colour!

If you’re making the sunshine while it’s here (and who could blame you?) you might be wanting to show off your henna colour, especially if you’ve tried one of the summer trends, such as strawberry blonde! 

Sadly, sunshine is not your friend - too much sun can fade henna dyes really quickly. Cover up with your favourite sunhat, and wear a swimming cap when swimming, to stop the sun from fading that gorgeous colour! 

5. Hoping To Fade Your Colour? 

As above, sunshine can fade henna dyes really quickly; so if you’ve attained the perfect shade you’ll want to cover it up to avoid that! But if your dye has gone too dark, or it’s built up over time, and you’re hoping to fade it - then get out there in the sunshine! It’s the easiest way to lift that colour.

If you have very dark hair naturally, or brown hair that you want some natural highlights in, you probably already know that natural dyes won’t lighten your hair. Using a little mix of apple cider vinegar and water on your hair when sunbathing can help. Apple cider vinegar is a lot more gentle than lemon juice, and less of a risk of getting burned from the sun - so while it won’t lighten your hair as fast, it’s better for your overall hair and skin health!

Lastly, if you’re trying either of these, make sure you’re giving your hair the TLC it needs in the heat. Hot weather can be so drying on hair; it can cause heat damage even if you’re not styling. Use a bi-weekly oil treatment, by warming up a small amount of oil and leaving it on as a hair mask for up to 45 minutes, then washing out fully (you may need to double shampoo!) For extra hair care benefits, a cold rinse will do your hair wonders.

You can see all our hair colour tips and tricks, here >>>

To ask us anything about dying, from how to, queries on ingredients, or which colour to try, contact our experts here >>>