Henna
HEN-uh
A plant-based hair colorant whose lawsone pigment binds to hair keratin and produces warm reddish-brown tones.
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True henna is made from the powdered leaves of Lawsonia inermis. Its primary coloring molecule, lawsone, diffuses into the hair and binds with keratin, creating a persistent orange-to-reddish-brown stain. Because this interaction changes the surface and feel of the fiber, henna is often described as making strands feel fuller, firmer, or less flexible after treatment. Results vary by starting hair color, processing, and product composition.
Pure henna should also be distinguished from products marketed as “black henna,” which may contain additional dyes such as PPD and can pose different allergy risks.