Color me happy

Earlier today, I colored my hair with henna. In the process, I made a giant mess, but I'd forgotten how much I like the smell of powdered henna. It reminds me of the sweet smell of clean straw in a barn...which I realize may be a major turn-off for many women. 

(Full disclosure: this forum about the smell of henna is just one example, albeit a comedic one, of the frustration that some women experience.) 
 
There are many things that I appreciate about using henna, and which make the messiness of using it instead of chemical colorants worth it. I like that I can get it in bulk using my own jars.

I like that it doesn't burn my scalp, or make me wonder how much toxicity my brain is absorbing. Henna comes from a plant: 

"The word henna has its origin in the Arabic word Al-Hinna. In botanical terms if is Lawsonia Enermis, a plant which grows to be 4-8 feet high in hot climates... The leaves, flowers and the twigs of the plant are ground into fine powder containing natural dying properties called tannins; the powder is then mixed with hot water.

It is very unusual for anyone to have an adverse reaction to natural henna...."  -Retrieved from http://www.mtoni.com/mrembo/henna.pdf

(The one exception I found is for people with Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.)

I also like that using henna costs less than $10.00, and that I can apply it at home and leave it on while getting other stuff done.

Preparing it requires the avoidance of metal mixing bowls or spoons, which in turn helps to avoid getting unexpected colors on one's head. I use a wooden spoon, an 'oven safe' glass bowl, and a glass kettle (for boiling the water) which I found at my local hardware store a few years ago.

I'm not sure if the glass kettle is a requirement. In any case, the plastic handle makes using it possible without injury. Plastic has many benefits, and in no way would I vouch for eliminating plastics entirely. The difference between this kettle and a plastic fork, however, is that I'll use this kettle for a lifetime.

Speaking of lifetimes, I've had this plastic comb since high school, which is a little weird perhaps, but it's always served a purpose (such as de-tangling wet hair) so I never got rid of it. Today, I used it to pull the henna (which gets caked as it sets) through my hair during rinsing. A wooden comb used like this would probably rot over time.
 

The instructions for applying henna say to use plastic gloves but this isn't really necessary. Henna takes time to set, so hand-washing right after application is adequate. (It's the same for rinsing the gloppy mess from the surface of the tub...I didn't have to do it right away, but if I'd waited too long, it would have stained the porcelain.)

Last but not least, the shower cap that I used to cover and keep my head warm while the henna sets is technically disposable, but I got it from a hotel a few years ago and use it over and over for this kind of thing.

All in all, pretty green. Except the hair color itself, thank goodness.