I thought that trying henna would be a great option for coloring my hair. My mother’s mother did it and she always looked so pretty with her strawberry blond hair. I always thought my grandmother looked great and using henna was a bit unusual in the 1970s and 1980s, especially in a rural Michigan area. But it worked for her. Why not me?

At first it did work for me. It covered my grays and provided a rich auburn shade to my otherwise mostly brunette hair color. After a few months it began penetrating the hair shaft more which makes the hair look and feel healthier. I was finally able to transition away from hot tools and frequent washing. I loved washing my hair only every other second or third day instead of daily. My hair was no longer oily and my natural curls were looking great for a change.

I continued to enjoy using henna but as I started getting more gray hair, I started to notice that the henna was making this hair bright orange and it was not the same color as the rest of my hair. I was using Morrocco Method brand henna and decided to try using Indigo to add more brunette shades and to decrease the copper tones. At first it worked but then with each application (about six weeks apart) my hair kept getting darker and darker. Eventually it became such a dark shade of brown that it practically looked black yet the gray hair was not taking on the color and was contrasting with the rest of my hair.

I tried switching brands and gave Khadi a chance. At first it seemed to be a good option. It was much easier to use than the Morrocco Method brand (less hours and planning was required) but ultimately it provided the same results.

After more than a couple of years of using henna it was time to quit. I researched extensively, finding all manner of solutions including using vinegar, ketchup, bleach, and more. Finally I decided to use Head & Shoulders shampoo on my hair, using it once a day for several days because the zinc helps to strip out color. It slightly lightened my hair.

Finally I decided to see a hairstylist who has worked with one other person in the same situation. Everyone is different and most stylists stay far away from henna because it so difficult to remove. I went to her knowing that it could take months and many applications and treatments to get my hair back to normal.

My stylist began by using foils in my hair to begin stripping the henna. After this she would use toners to replace the color. There was an underlying green-blue shade that she did a great job of masking by using just the right color. Sometimes I could see the underlying greens and blues in my hair but other people did not seem to notice it. As my color started to fade, I could see the blue-green shades more but then I returned to my stylist, she put in the foils to strategically strip areas of my hair that were not stripped previously, and then toned it with shades of brunette, caramel, and dark blonde.

There is no quick and easy way to remove henna and ultimately the blue green areas of my hair may never go away until they grow out and are removed in a haircut—but with every visit, they are further stripped of henna.

I use natural products on my hair, only wash it once every few days, and try not to use too much heat styling on it. This has proven to be a good decision and my hair feels very healthy despite all of the treatments.

Update: Eventually the blue-green shades grew out from my hair and I returned to traditional hair color. This was in the late twenty-teens and in 2020, I colored my hair at home with Madison Reid hair color. I continue to use this brand of hair color to treat gray roots but also return to my amazing hairstylist every so often to get my hair colored and cut.