How to Remove Henna From Deep in the Hair Cuticle

While henna is often sold in various colors, only red henna, harvested from the red-orange leaves of the Lawsonia inermis plant, is true henna. Other colors are achieved by mixing various ingredients with henna. No matter what color of henna or henna mixture you are trying to get rid of, it must be removed completely before another hair color can be applied.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 70 percent alcohol
• Mineral oil
• Cotton balls
• Plastic shower cap
• Hooded dryer or blow dryer
• Clarifying shampoo

1. Apply alcohol with cotton balls to the hair. Saturate the hair completely, but avoid contact with the scalp. Let the alcohol sit on the hair for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Apply the mineral oil. Mineral oil may be applied cold or warmed. Saturate the hair, but avoid contact with the scalp.

3. Place the plastic shower cap over the head. Sit under a hooded dryer for 30 to 45 minutes. If a hooded dryer is not available use a blow dryer, set on high and held four to five inches away from the head, to continuously, but evenly, heat your entire head.

4. Remove the plastic shower cap and rinse the mineral oil from your head with warm water.

5. Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo. Lather well and rinse with warm water.

6. Check your hair. If some of the henna color remains, repeat the process.

Tips & Warnings

• If the clarifying shampoo will not lather, rinse well and repeat shampooing until a rich lather is achieved. Mineral oil left in the hair will impede lathering. Use a deep conditioning treatment after the henna is removed to restore moisture to your hair.
• Henna is oil based and coats the hair shaft. You cannot color over henna with another hair color product. The henna must be removed before coloring your hair again.

References

• Instructions for Removing Henna
• Step by Step Henna Removal
• What is Henna

Resources

• Henna Facts