Not Your Mother's Henna! Color Your Hair The Natural Way

Henna is synonymous with a healthy hair and scalp. And being extremely messy. And smelly. And time consuming.

Just a few henna basics, in case you missed out on the henna rage in the seventies (I was just a girl as I sat and watched my mother smear henna paste on her head and then wrap it up in plastic wrap!). Henna is a rich natural dye derived from the dried leaves of the Lawsonia shrub. It is a chemical-free, temporary hair coloring method. It is also safe for use during pregnancy, and covers gray hair.

Muss and fuss is a thing of the past, unless you're a die-hard henna purist who likes to blend their own powders. Now, new cream formulas are available, loaded with aromatic essential oils that will make you swoon. They make using henna easy, practically fool-proof AND luxurious. Yes, these exotic-scented creams actually seem like a DIY spa treatment.

Surya Cream Henna and Color Fixation products were recommended to me by a friend with a gorgeous, shiny, healthy head of ebony curls. I wasn't going to argue! My hair, recently thinned by a certain prescription medication, was in dire need of pampering.

Cream Henna has a thick gel texture and a delightfully fresh herbal/nutty aroma that is reminiscent of Aveda products. No musty smell detected! Unlike henna pastes that you mix yourself, it glides easily through your hair and feels like a deep-conditioning masque, not a tear-jerking hair coloring treatment chock full of chemicals.

The results? Extremely shiny, well- conditioned hair that feels strong, thick and healthy. Henna fades gradually from your hair and there is no harsh line of demarcation (a big plus in my book!). A gentle, sulfate-free shampoo is best for your henna'd hair, as the color will last longer. I'm completely enamored with Surya's Color Fixation Shampoo, Conditioner and Restorative Masque.

My hair has renewed vitality, increased body and more defined texture. I might even say that I'm feeling a little sassy...

To maintain my dramatic black/brown hair, which is about 2 shades darker than my natural shade, I reapply about every 4 weeks. You'll probably find that 6 weeks is average for you if you're applying cream henna to enhance your color as opposed to changing it.

Don't want to do it yourself? Most salons will apply it for you (my stylist jumped at the idea when I mentioned I was coloring my hair myself... she said "bring it on in, I'll do it for you!")... and many salons are starting to offer henna as an alternative to traditional hair coloring.

The best part of all? Most all-natural products are accompanied by a higher price tag. Surya Cream Henna and Color Fixation products are very reasonably priced from $7.99-$9.99, leaving me plenty of spare change for spring shoes...