Undoubtedly, pregnancy is a time of drastic bodily changes: after all, you are creating life. While the internal changes are incredible in their own right, it is really the external, outwardly changes that are most noticeable by both those around us and ourselves. With excess hormones fluctuating and rampaging through our bodies, we can experience both positive side effects (glowing, clear skin, less hair fallout) and/or those which are less than ideal (oily skin and hair, breakouts, redness and itching, hair loss). Naturally, many of us seek to alter our daily care routines to accommodate not only the changes we are undergoing, but also the growing baby within.
When it comes to our pregnancies and babies, we are generally hyper-aware of what we are both consuming and applying to our bodies. When I first became pregnant, I made a conscious decision to stop using synthetic/chemical hair dyes, regardless of their practicality. While the majority of research indicates that the chemicals found in semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic and generally safe for use during pregnancy, I decided I wanted to return to a natural, healthier alternative I had regularly used in the past: henna and indigo.Henna, which is a powder derived from the plant Lawsonia Inermis, has been used to both colour and condition hair for over 6,000 years in Northern Africa, the Middle East and India. One of the first recorded uses of henna as a hair dye can be traced to an ancient Egyptian queen named Ses, who also used henna preparations as a means to cure hair loss. Mummified bodies with hennaed hair have been dated as far back as 3400 BCE. The famous queens Cleopatra and Nefertiti were also known to use henna for its cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
Today, henna is often mixed with other natural plant dyes, such as indigo, cassia and amla, to achieve a range of colours and tones:
Indigo creates rich, blue-black tones on darker hair and black-brown tones when mixed with henna (2-step process) for white or lighter hair.
Cassia does not significantly alter the colour of dark hair, but may be used as a hair treatment to add strength and shine. It creates warm golden tones for lighter or white hair, and can be mixed with henna and indigo to create dark, golden blonde tones.
Amla conditions the hair and darkens indigo, and adds cool tones to henna mixes.
In addition to serving a natural alternative to dye hair, henna and plant-based dyes have many beneficial properties. Henna is antibacterial and antifungal, helps to balance sebum production and scalp pH, aids in the prevention and treatment of dandruff and skin dryness, promotes hair growth, and conditions/protects the hair. Henna further does not cause any damage to the hair; while synthetic dyes open up and penetrate the hair, henna simply coats it, adding strength and shine. When used consistently, the colour created by henna becomes richer and deeper with each application.
Regardless of which powder is used, each is mixed with water (and occasionally other ingredients, such as salt or lemon/orange juice) to create a paste which is applied to the hair. Generally, depending on the colour and depth that is wished to be achieved, the paste is left on the hair for 1-3 hours, and then washed out.
What I particularly enjoy is the long-lasting results (I exclusively use indigo power for a completely raven black head of hair, and I can go a good two months between applications) and the fact that shampooing immediately will not fade the colour. I also love that I can easily apply it at home without spending hundreds of dollars at a salon or having to inhale the pungent fumes of a box dye. For each application, I use approximately 200g of pure indigo powder on my waist-length hair. I am currently located in Canada, where 100g of organic henna or indigo powder sells for $8-$15 CAD (22 - 42 SAR), depending on where it is purchased.
For pregnant ladies or those with babies and young children in tow, not only are plant-based dyes a natural and affordable alternative to synthetic dyes, but they are very practical. Simply apply the paste at home, wrap your hair in either plastic wrap or an old cloth/scarf to keep the paste moist, and wash it out after the necessary time for the colour you are wishing to achieve. Women are able to get on with their day and not be forced to disrupt their daily tasks/routines while they wait (you can even leave the house with your hair wrapped in a scarf or cap, including under a hijab), and the results are vibrant, rich colours, a healthy scalp and immense shine.
Have any of our readers used henna or other plant based dyes? Have any questions or concerns? Feel free to comment below!
