How to pick the right henna colour for eyebrows and eyelashes?

Henna for eyelashes and eyebrows are popular products used for dying the natural hair, which are used in beauty salons and more and more often also at home. The treatment of hennaing eyebrows and eyelashes allows you to beautifully bring out the look and the eye contour, provided that the effect is not exaggerated and grotesque. What is the most important during the dyeing treatment is its correct performance, as well as the selection of the appropriate shade of the product that matches both the colour of the hair and the type of beauty.

What a dyeing treatment with henna for eyelashes and eyebrows is all about?

Dyeing the hair with henna for eyelashes and eyebrows is a quick and durable method of beautifying your eye area and thus sharpening the face contours, which is why the treatment is so popular among women of all ages across the globe. Henna itself is a plant dye made from leaves and shoots of Lawsonia inermis, which grows in Africa, Australia and South Asia. The plant contains a substance called lawsone, which is a red-orange dye that colours the skin and hair. Henna is produced from cooked and powdered leaves with no additives and takes the form of greenish powder.

There are also powder and gel types of henna for eyelashes and eyebrows available on the market. The powder version is considered to be stronger, because it dyes the skin more easily. For this reason, it is perfect for people struggling with eyebrow cavities. On the other hand, gel henna is more delicate, yet if kept on the eyebrows or eyelashes long enough, it can also dye the skin. A henna dyeing treatment is nothing more than a semi-permanent colouring after which you can enjoy a perfect effect and have an expressive look for up to 6 weeks.

How to properly pick the henna colour to match your client’s shade of hair and complexion?

The general principle that assures the best dying effect states that the shade of henna for eyelashes and eyebrows should be carefully selected. While picking the right colour, we should, in first order, take the colour of the eyes and hair, the complexion and individual expectations(ours or our client’s) into consideration, depending on whether we are performing the treatment on ourselves or someone else. However, it is worth sticking to several already well-proven rules which assure a satisfactory result.

Intense black is most frequently chosen for dying eyelashes. In the case of eyebrows, it goes well with dark hair and will be perfect for women with a darker eye contour and expressive facial features. Black with blue reflections is a mixture that gives a 3D effect which can often be achieved with mascara. Graphite is a henna colour which is the most suitable for mixing, because it perfectly cools off all other shades. Additionally, it offers a stunning effect on grey hair. Intense brown with a deep and strong taint is intended for people with dark hair as it has excellent covering power. In order to make this colour deeper, it can be successfully mixed with lighter shades. Another very popular choice is medium brown – it is perfect for women with auburn hair. Moreover, it can be added to some of the cooler shades to warm them up. Red is intended for ginger coloured hair, and it has a very expressive shade, whereas blonde, due to its delicate pigmentation and the effect of golden reflections, is perfect for blondes.

What is important to remember before the treatment?

Before treatment with henna for eyelashes and eyebrows it is worth taking a moment to consider what the desired effect should be, as henna-based products offer huge possibilities. They can help you get both a very natural and delicate result, as well as a deep look, which is a great solution for women with a darker kind of beauty. It is also worth following the manufacturer's recommendations and not being influenced by the stereotypes which say that the longer you keep henna on the eyelashes or eyebrows, the more intense the effect. There is nothing worse than getting a grotesque look that, instead of emphasising your natural beauty, lessens your self-confidence. You should also remember to perform an allergy test, as well as to use the correct activator. What is more, it is always a good solution to have your henna treatment done at a professional beauty salon rather than doing it on your own, especially if you do not have sufficient knowledge and experience.

Step-by-step henna dyeing treatment for eyebrows and eyelashes

Of course, the results of the treatment will be satisfactory provided it is done properly. To dye your eyebrows and eyelashes with henna, you will need cotton pads and cotton buds, a bowl with warm water, a brush for applying the mixture, a container for mixing the henna, petroleum jelly or rich cream, as well as tweezers and make-up removers.

Firstly, you will need to carefully remove make-up and then mix the dye with an activator in a container or a glass to form a smooth and uniform mixture. It is also worth thoroughly degreasing the dyed hair and protect the skin with petroleum jelly or rich cream to avoid the accidental smudging of dye in the eye area. Then, you should precisely apply the mixture to the natural hair and wait as long as the manufacturer recommends. The next step is to thoroughly wash the eyebrows and eyelashes to remove the product. At the end, it is also worth shaping the eyebrows, as hair in a uniform colour is more visible and easier to remove.

You should also remember about the contraindications to using henna for eyelashes and eyebrows, which include eye diseases and inflammations (e.g. hordeolum), as well as skin allergies. You should know that henna can cause allergies, so it is always worth doing an allergy test before the treatment. Additionally, avoid applying henna to damaged, chaffed or scraped skin.