Lush Henna Caca Brun: Review and How To Tutorial

So it's been a while, a solid, 5 year while since I've made a change to my hair. To be honest I was getting bored, so it came time for a change! Now, what's a green juice sippin' girl to do if she wants to dye her hair? Get a box dye? Ohhh no! Go pay a fortune at a salon? Nah. Then the light bulb flickered on! Nichole,  a natural women I've always looked up to and friend I made while living in Hawaii came straight into my mind. She once told me, years ago about the benefits of henna for hair.

So there I went, researching henna, googling instructions and brands and so on. Here in South Africa there's not a huge amount of health food shops around so I decided to go with Lush and their henna hair dye line. Lush has it's up's and down's. On the up side they have a fresh and minimalist approach to packaging, as not to waste unnecessary cardboard or plastics. They fight against animal testing! Something much desired, who wants to think of sweet puppies getting tortured while you dye your hair?! And for the most part, their products include natural ingredients.  On the down side, there are some upsetting ingredients in their products like sodium lauryl sulfate in their shampoos...which my scalp absolutely hates! Needless to say, the henna line is 98% better for you and for the Earth when comparing the list of ingredients to the rest of the home dye treatments offered up by the beauty industry. The dye comes in a range of four colors, from black to red.  I went with the Caca Brun because ultimately, when it came down to it I wasn't ready to make a drastic change.  Haha!

What you need:

1. Depending on your hair length 1-4 blocks of Lush Henna Dye (I used 3) 
2. A knife to chop and dice henna blocks 
3. 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar 
4. Fresh Pressed Coffee 
5. Mixing Bowl
6. Vaseline 
7. Hair Bands
8. Saran Wrap
9. Gloves
10. Old Beanie and Old Clothes
11. Lots of Newspaper
12. Time (4 hours at least) 

How to Henna: 

1. Section your hair off so it's easy to dye when you are ready
2. Vaseline your hair line, neck and ears 
3. Place many layers of newspaper onto the surface and ground where you will be applying your henna, with mirror. 
4. Prepare a batch of strong coffee
5. Cut your henna blocks into a fine chop and place in bowl
6. Add 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 
7. Slowly add your hot coffee to the fine chopped henna, add and mix till you have a yogurt like consistency
8. Go to your newspaper area 
9. Put gloves on
10. Start from the back and work to the front till your hair is fully drenched in henna, use every last bit of henna mix on your head and work your hair into a classy up do
11. Saran Wrap your hair tightly 
12. Clean up any messy bits that got onto your hairline, neck and ears
13. Cover Saran wrapped head with old beanie (Optional, but henna works on heat so this helps keep heat on your henna head) 
14. Wait at least 4 hours till you rinse out
15. Once ready to rinse out apply lots of conditioner over the bathtub or shower area
16. Rinse with hot water, apply more conditioner and rinse out with hot water, repeat a few times till the water runs clear 

Results and Other Tidbits: 

I was pleased with this product and I will use it again.  Although, I found that my hair color only came in gradually, and that it was only three days after the dye job till I had the results I desired.  It was strange, each morning I woke up after the experience my husband told me, "Your hair is even darker today."  I think this kind of dye takes time, so patience is the key.  It was a gradual and natural change, something that suited me perfectly.

It was easy for me to apply, and easy to clean up since I was prepared.  The smell was enjoyable to me and lingered in my hair for days after the application.  My hair is also much nicer, healthier and stronger after this treatment.  The addition of organic, fair trade coco butter in this product really, really conditioned my hair, it was such a wonderful bonus!

I loved this so much that I think of doing this once a month or once every other month simply to rejuvenate my locks and add richness to it that it deserves.  Lastly, I highly recommend setting a free day aside to do this, make it a full on spa day, whip up some home made face masks, sip on some coffee, cozy up to your current book, bask in the sun or just do whatever it is you do that keeps ya chill.

Many thanks Lush!

Lots of Love,
Trish