For using henna on your hair, generally a duration of 2 to 4 hours is often recommended to obtain good color and conditioning benefits. From an Ayurvedic perspective, considering the balance of your doshas and overall hair health, this time frame is quite safe for most individuals. Longer applications, like 4 to 6 hours, might deepen the color but could potentially lead to dryness, especially if one’s natural constitution (prakriti) is prone to vata imbalances, which often results in dryness.
In your case, since you have encountered some post-henna dryness, it’s worth reconsidering your method and ingredients. Thick hair does not necessarily demand a much longer henna soak; it might just require slightly more product to cover all strands. To minimize dryness, you can try adding moisturizing ingredients like a bit of aloe vera gel, coconut milk, or a few drops of sesame oil to the henna paste. These are beneficial from a Siddha-Ayurvedic viewpoint, as they align with balancing the vata dosha known for dryness. It would also be helpful to wash the henna out with lukewarm water, avoiding shampoo immediately after to let your hair’s natural oils contribute to post-henna hydration.
Assess the outcome every 30 minutes after 2 hours, keeping in mind your hair thickness and desired color depth. If dryness persists even with a revised method, it may help to follow up with a conditioning treatment, such as a nourishing hair oil session a day or two after the henna application. Be cautious with prolonging the duration just for color enhancement as henna is quite strong naturally. If excessive drying symptoms continue, it may be worth exploring other factors like diet and internal vata aggravations, for balanced hair health.
