How to Get the PERFECT Auburn Colour Result with Henna

How to Get the PERFECT Auburn Colour Result with Henna

Auburn has long been considered the ‘gold standard’ colour result to achieve for most redheads.

Rich enough to stand out, but not so vibrant it looks unnatural, Auburn tones can range from a hint of coppery red on dark hair, to rich russet hues on mid browns and natural reds.

Disney best captured the ‘spirit’ of auburn best with its character ‘Merida’ from the movie Brave. Fiery, independent, and untamed. Those who choose brighter auburn as their hair shade of choice certainly aren’t looking to fit in.

In this guide, we explore how to get the best auburn colour result with Henna.

We’ll give auburn henna recipe options for lighter and darker hair, although you can also use our pre-mixed organic henna dye in auburn if you prefer.

There are a few techniques to get the best auburn colour result:

For those with lighter hair:

If you’re very gray or blonde, it takes a couple of additional steps to get a rich auburn, so be prepared to be a little patient. The good news is, unlike commercial chemical dyes, henna lasts, so you won’t face the same challenges with fading.

Obviously though, this means it’s super important to do a strand test to ensure you’re happy with your colour result, developing time and number of applications.

Pre-pigmenting: Henna is translucent, deepening with every application, so if your hair is very light or very dark, you may need to add a base of just henna to ensure you get a good depth of colour result.

Leave it for long enough: Those of you with medium brown can get a great auburn look by applying your Henna mix once, maybe twice and having a development time of 4 – 6 hours.

If you have blonde to light brown hair, a longer time will be necessary – from 7-8 hours.  You may want to consider leaving overnight.  Remember to let the colour oxidise over a day after dying to get a ‘true’ colour result.

If you’re very dark, henna will give you a nice shimmering red, but will not colour your hair to any depth.  You may prefer to look at our ‘wine red hair’ guide for a more dramatic result.

 Soak the Henna in Lemon first:

The acid means that the Henna gives a much richer, deeper tone then when mixed with water. 

For everyone:

ALWAYS do a strand test to see how long your hair needs to go the colour you want and to get the blend right.  Our guide to ‘10 Things that can affect the result of your henna hair dye’ should help you.

After you’ve left the colour on for your amount of time (usually up to six hours for deeper shades), leave your strand test for two days. 

If it’s not quite deep enough, add a little indigo – usually about thirty percent of the amount of henna you used.  If it’s not rich enough, you need to leave it for longer.

If you want a multi-tonal colour result, create two shades of dye – one with indigo in a higher percentage.  Apply using a brush in sections, alternating between the two colours, then comb through for a natural ‘broken up’ result.

The Auburn Hair Colour Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 120 gms henna powder (may need more or less depending on length of hair)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Two tablespoons of hibiscus water

• Two tablespoons of water

• Balm to protect your ears (we love Odylique Ultra Rich) 

Method:

Mix the ingredients together, cover and chill in a refrigerator overnight. 

Using a brush, section the hair into quarters and apply a thick coating bit by bit, covering every strand.

Ensure you have enough time to develop. Henna stains the hair, unlike chemical dyes which alter the molecular structure, so it needs to be left for much longer to take effect.

Safety Advice:

It’s vital to do a strand test to see how long your hair needs to go the colour you want and to get the blend right.  Our guide to ‘Things that can affect the result of your henna hair dye’ should help you.

A patch test should always be done before each dye, to ensure the safety and comfort of your scalp. 

Other options:

For an easy alternative, choose It’s Pure Auburn. Alternatively, you could try the It's Pure 'Chestnut' shade, which will offer a similar result on mid to dark brown colours.

For more advice on colouring your hair with organic henna, ask our hair colour experts now