Updated: March 21, 2021
If you’ve been interested in Ayurveda and Ayurvedic treatments for natural hair, then you’ve probably come across the use of henna, a recipe for henna gloss, and henna treatments.
Henna is one of the strongest, most powerful ingredients for natural hair. It provides strengthening, nourishment, and conditioning that can help to prevent breakage — even for 4C hair!
This is because people often assume that 4C hair is problematic because “it won’t grow, or it is always dry.” However, everybody’s hair grows — you may just have a harder time with length retention on your 4c hair.
Another thing you may know about henna is how often messy and complicated the process is. Well, I’m here to simplify things for you. Henna can be applied using either a treatment or a gloss.
A henna gloss is just a less complicated way to apply a henna treatment.
In this post, I’m going to cover 9 different henna gloss recipes that you could try on your natural hair. And what’s great is that each recipe has ingredients that serve different purposes!
You can pick the recipe that is most adapted to your needs, then try another one the next time you’re due for a henna gloss.
The Pillars of a Good Henna Gloss Recipe
To successfully make a good henna gloss, here’s what you will need:
- Henna powder or Cassia Obovata (opt for cassia if you don’t want to risk your hair changing color)
- Coloring Agent: If you’re not a fan of the color change that henna gives, you may want to add a coloring agent to your gloss for the darkening effect.
For this, you can try adding indigo powder or ground coffee to the henna gloss recipe to achieve a darker color. - Liquids: This is what the henna is mixed with to begin the dye release process. A good liquid to add to your henna gloss recipe is a strong batch of tea, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice.
- Oils: This adds slip to the henna gloss and increases manageability during application. For this purpose, you can use any great penetrating oil, infused Ayurvedic oil, or even shea butter in your recipe.
- Glossing Ingredient: This what improves the henna’s ability to be spread throughout the hair shaft. In addition, it provides moisture to an otherwise super strengthening treatment. For this, you can use a store-bought hair conditioner, eggs, plain yogurt, marshmallow root, coconut milk, or blended avocados in your henna gloss.
- Additional Herbs: You can add any additional herbs you want for their possible added benefits to this process. You can add herbs like marshmallow root, or slippery elm for extra slip or other herbs like hibiscus, rosemary, amla, Brahmi, for conditioning and hair growth. You can find a full list of herbs in this Hibiscus Roots Ayurvedic herbs and oils glossary.
How to Use Your Henna Gloss Recipe Once it’s Prepared
- Apply the gloss to your freshly washed hair in sections, but don’t forget to use gloves! If you use henna and not cassia, the dye will stain your hands.
- Cover your hair and leave the henna gloss on for at least 30-45 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- After this time, rinse all the gloss out and make sure your hair is completely free of it. You can also try washing your hair lightly with conditioner (co-wash) to be sure of this.
- Style and dry your hair as usual!
Don’t forget to write down what your experience was with using this in your state of the union list!
You can find one in the free Hibiscus Roots hair journal here!
9 DIY Henna Gloss Recipes you Can Use on Natural Hair
Here are 9 combinations of herbs, liquids, oils, and glossing agents you can use in your henna gloss recipes for stronger, healthier, and longer natural hair!
1. Coffee Henna Gloss
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 Tbsp Coffee
- 1 Tbsp Amla
- 1 Tbsp your favorite Oils
- 3 Tbsp a moisturizing hair conditioner
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the lime juice slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the amla into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the conditioner and stir well
2. Simple Black Henna Gloss
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Organic Green Tea (brew 2 bags of tea in 1 cup of water)
- 1 Tbsp Indigo powder
- 1 Tbsp Fenugreek powder
- 1 Tbsp your favorite Oils
- 3 Tbsp a moisturizing hair conditioner
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the green tea slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the fenugreek into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the conditioner and stir well.
3. Hibiscus Henna Gloss Recipe
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Hibiscus powder
- 1 Tbsp Fenugreek powder
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 Tbsp a moisturizing hair conditioner
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the lemon juice slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the hibiscus and fenugreek into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the conditioner and stir well.
4. Slippery Henna Gloss Recipe
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Lime Juice
- 2 Tbsp Slippery Elm powder
- 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1 Eggs
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the lime juice slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Add hot water slowly into the slippery elm powder while stirring until it is slippery, then stir the oil into it until evenly mixed.
- Then, add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the conditioner and stir well.
5. Healing Henna Gloss
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Black Tea (brew 2 bags of tea in 1 cup of water)
- 1 Tbsp Brahmi powder
- 1 Tbsp Shikakai powder
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 Tbsp a moisturizing hair conditioner
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the black tea slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the Brahmi and shikakai into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Then, add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the conditioner and stir well.
6. Citrus Coco Henna Gloss
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Amla powder
- 1 Tbsp Fenugreek
- 1 Tbsp Slippery Elm
- 3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 3 Tbsp Coconut Milk
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the black tea slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the fenugreek, slippery elm, and shikakai into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Then, add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the coconut milk and stir well.
7. Floral Marshmallow Gloss
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Hibiscus powder
- 1 Tbsp Slippery Elm
- 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 3 Tbsp a moisturizing hair conditioner
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the apple cider vinegar slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the hibiscus powder and slippery elm into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Then, add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the conditioner and stir well.
8. Green Tea Henna Gloss
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Green Tea (brew 2 bags of tea in 1 cup of water)
- 1 Tbsp Indigo powder
- 1 Tbsp Brahmi powder
- ½ Tbsp Shikakai powder
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 Tbsp a moisturizing hair conditioner
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the green tea slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the indigo, Brahmi, and shikakai powder into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Then, add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the conditioner and stir well.
9. Coffee and Rose Henna Gloss Recipe
What You will need
- 3 Tbsp Henna
- 3 Tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 Tbsp Coffee
- 1 Tbsp Rose powder
- ½ Tbsp dried Rosemary (or 1 twig fresh Rosemary)
- 1 Tbsp Fenugreek powder
- 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1 whole avocado blended
Instructions
- Add the henna to a plastic, ceramic, or wooden bowl. (avoid using metals during this process as it will cause the henna to oxidize).
- Add the lime juice slowly into the bowl, and stir gently with a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon until your mixture becomes a creamy yogurt consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or a napkin and let it sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. The longer you leave the mixture to sit, the more lawsone dye will be released. This is important because it is primarily the dye that is beneficial for hair.
- After this time, when you should find that the darker Lawsone dye has been released to the surface of the mixture. (There is no dye to release when using Cassia).
- Stir the coffee, rose, rosemary, and fenugreek into the oil until it is evenly mixed, then add it to the henna mixture.
- Then, add it to the henna mixture.
- Finally, add the blended avocado and stir well.
Read Next: The Curly Girl’s Guide to Henna for Hair Growth!
featured image: source
