Henna hair dye - my first time!

I used henna hair dye for the first time last night, and boy was it an experience! It turned out a lot better than it should have because I hadn't done my research beforehand. I purchased it thinking it would be just like dying your hair normally. Wow, was I wrong!
I have been dying my hair red for 12 months now and I love it. But i don't want to use the usual hair dyes with all their chemicals, so was looking for a more natural approach. It was really faded red as it had been so long since i had dyed it.
I went to the two health food shops in town, the first one had none and the second only had Bonvit in dark brown. I didn't even know that it came in any other colour except red! The lady at the counter warned me that it was hard work and very messy so do it in the shower, which was very helpful advice. I decided to buy it as brown would be good for a trial, before going red. I am so glad that i did now.
The instructions were very vague. It didn't tell me how much water to use, how long to leave it in for, or how to wash it out so I just winged it. I left it in for 30 minutes, and then I blasted it with a hairdryer to dry it. I rinsed it out with warm water only. It turned out quite nice, I'm not used to seeing my hair brown though. It does have a slight green tinge to it, but nothing too noticeable. Apparently I should have washed it out with conditioner which might have helped.

Here are the main tips I wish I had known beforehand, to save you some of the troubles I had:-

* Do your research first.
* It won't cover greys and if you have streaks and regrowth beforehand, you'll still have that afterwards.
* When purchasing henna, make sure it only contains lawsonia inermis and indigo. Try to purchase body art quality henna. A lot of henna has added metallic salts which react badly with ammonia in synthetic hair dye. To be safe, don't use henna for a couple of months before or after dying your hair with a permanent colour, as this can cause your hair to burn.
* Wash your hair first and make sure it's dry before applying henna.
* Sift the powder for a smoother consistency.
* When making it up, read your packet instructions. I just used boiling water with mine and let it cool slightly. Some people add coffee, tea, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice etc. It's best to start out simple though, and once you get the hang of it, then trial with liquids. It is supposed to be roughly the consistency of a pancake batter. (Mine was way thicker than this, and was very crumbly!)
* Use some sort of barrier cream around your hairline as it stains everything. I used my tea tree and jojoba oil face oil mix and it worked great.
* Wear gloves so your hands don't stain. If possible get someone else to put it through for you (I roped my husband into it), and make sure you do it in the shower so you can rinse it straight off the floor afterwards, before it stains. A lot will fall onto the floor in the process. Clean up will be so much easier.
* It looks really disgusting (like cow poo!) and smells strongly of herbs. It keeps dropping off when applying down your back etc, so rinse off your skin straight afterwards to prevent staining. Also rinse out your bowls, utensils straight afterwards for the same reason. My bowl is stained green and will never be the same again.
* Read your pack for instructions on how long to leave it in for. Mine didn't say anything, but after further research, it was meant to be 2 hours. A lot of them are 8 hours, or overnight for best results.
* Wrap your hair in a shower cap, cling wrap, a plastic bag or whatever you have. This will keep the heat in for better results, and also save it dropping off all over your furniture and floors. If you need to go out, just add a beanie or bandana over it and no-one will even notice.
* When washing it out, only use conditioner. If you use shampoo the colour won't develop properly, and it will mess with your final result.
* As an added bonus, henna is actually really good for your hair! Some people use clear or natural henna just for the treatment benefit, without wanting the red colouring. Henna makes your hair shiny and reduces frizziness. My hair feels so soft and lovely, and I didn't even condition afterwards. In saying that, while you have it on it is a different story. My hair was so matted and it felt like I had dreadlocks as I was trying to wash it out, and it wasn't pleasant to comb my hair after it was washed out. It was worth it in the end though.

I will most definitely be using henna again. I am looking forward to trying it again now that I have all the information needed and will be venturing to red. I'll start out with a more natural red colour and work my way up to the brighter reds. Wish me luck!