Colouring

Permanent dyes are harmful to the hair , as they peretrate the hair cortex layer with the acid of hydrogen peroxide, destroy the kertain structure and create porosity. These dyes gradually eat away and destroy the delicate structure of the hair. This is true of semipermanent dyes also.

Herbs, which are comparatively safe an healthy, have been used for many centuries as colouring agents. The best-known of these is henna (mehndi). Indian women apply it not only to their hands and feet on auspicious occasions, but also use it for colouring hair. Being natural colouring agent, its use is not restricted to the young but also to the old well past their middle age.

Henna is completely organic and comes in a powder form with a smell faintly resembling that of hay.

Henna, if used carefully and sensibly, can do more than just colour the hair. Like semi-permanent colour, it coats the hair shaft, but normally does not penetrate it. Because of this coating action, henna gives the hair a little bulk and body and thus it is also useful as a conditioner. It has a drying effect on the scalp and hence it controls an oily condition of the hair. It gives extra shine to the hair when used the first time, provided an egg and lemon juice is added to it. But repeated application will cause a buil up that cots the hair and gives an appearance of dullness. For this reason, the application of henna should be restricted to about four times a year.