Cheap Henna?

Im planning on hennaing this weekend for the first time, but i dont want to order henna off the internet. I was hoping to go to my local indian store and get some. it way cheaper, like 2 dollars. so i was wondering what brands of cheapie henna do u use? what type of results do you get? and is it comparable to more expensive henna?

Thanks

All i use is henna from my local Indian store. I use Reshma or whatever they have in there!

do you get good results with tht? I here some ppl complain of the quality being lower than other hennas.

to me - henna is henna- I dont too much trust that this batch is better than this one . Those people are told they are donating their hair to their God and the hair is being sold over here to be place in wigs or tracks!

I have posted up close pics of my hair on my curl street journal. You can go take a look- if you like!

With online vendors you usually know what you are buying and the vendors will often hold your hand and walk you through the process if you are a nervous first timer. I have bought organic Rajasthani henna online and the quality is just out of this world and the woman who sells it to me is happy to engage in back and forth correspondence answering my questions.

Indian groceries are a fair bit cheaper but you do need to label read and be careful about what you are buying. There are some good henna only brands such as Jamila, Dulhan and Reshma but some henna products are blended with other stuff as well. Nupur, Ayur Rajasthani and Karishma hennas are blended with natural and herbal ingredients such as amla, shikakai, brahmi etc. - the colour may not be as deep red with blends but more of a brownish red. I've heard really great things about Nupur and recently purchased some but haven't had a chance to use yet. I tried Ayur Rajasthani when I first started the henna journey, it was okay.

Stay away from anything described as "black henna" or which show ingredients like "PPD" and "nitro2".

I stan for Karishma

I bought my henna from the local Indian store. I was pleasantly surprised that they sold the Jamila brand for about $2. I also got Brahmi powder. They also had the Vatika oil but I didn't purchase it. As for the results, it made my grey hair a copppery-brown color and was easy to rinse out.

My local Asian market sells the Jamila Henna for $1.70. I clean them out each time I go! I am going to henna every week during the summer.

R2D2 wrote:With online vendors you usually know what you are buying and the vendors will often hold your hand and walk you through the process if you are a nervous first timer. I have bought organic Rajasthani henna online and the quality is just out of this world and the woman who sells it to me is happy to engage in back and forth correspondence answering my questions.

Indian groceries are a fair bit cheaper but you do need to label read and be careful about what you are buying. There are some good henna only brands such as Jamila, Dulhan and Reshma but some henna products are blended with other stuff as well. Nupur, Ayur Rajasthani and Karishma hennas are blended with natural and herbal ingredients such as amla, shikakai, brahmi etc. - the colour may not be as deep red with blends but more of a brownish red. I've heard really great things about Nupur and recently purchased some but haven't had a chance to use yet. I tried Ayur Rajasthani when I first started the henna journey, it was okay.

Stay away from anything described as "black henna" or which show ingredients like "PPD" and "nitro2".

thanks for the advice! it really helped me today when i was picking out henna. there were a couple brands at the indian store but I picked up Dulhan like suggested. its on my head now, so i hope I have good results in the morning!

I've used and continue to use both. It depends on my pockets at the moment.
That said, for me, there has been a really big difference between the ones I've ordered from henna for hair and the kind I get from the local shop. Everyone's hair isn't the same so others may not have experienced this and you'd have to try them both to tell for yourself. But the one I get for African hair types at henna for hair are superior to the brands I get from the local shop (Dulhan, Hesh). Of course, for $30+ more than what I'd have to pay at my local shop, it should be. My hair comes out softer and fuller. Also, the red dye is a little "cleaner", if that makes any sense. When I examine a strand after I henna with henna for hair, the coating has a luminosity to it that I don't get when I henna with the ones from the local shop. It makes my hair look a nice auburn-ish color (my hair is a mousy brown otherwise). The local shop dyes it too, but it's slightly brassier looking and less rich (except Dulhan-there isn't a luminosity, per se, but it's one of the reddest hennas I've ever used-it's just a bear to get back out). There is still conditioning with the ones from the local shop too. Just not as much in my experience. So, I tend to mix those henna after the dye has released into my conditioner along with an avocado and a little oil. I still get the red dye and the conditioning. So, it's all good.

R2D2, I'm curious to know where you purchase your henna in Australia? I can't hand-carry henna with me when I visit Australia (the ACT) and would like to purchase some while I'm there. Any online recommendations would be great, or stores in Sydney or Canberra if you're near there. I've considered ordering from mehandi.com, but would rather purchase locally and forgo international shipping costs if possible. Thanks!

Hi Gado Gado Girl,

I hope you have a good time in Canberra, are you studying or working there?

I order my online supplies from Natures shop I've found Shoba who runs the site to be very helpful and willing to give suggestions. Her henna is the nicest I've used, organic Rajasthani henna. You can also buy henna and indigo on ebay.com.au (the Australian ebay) as well.

As for cheaper henna at the Indian groceries, Liverpool which is on the outskirts of Sydney not far from the freeway going towards Canberra is where I'll go as there are quite a few stores there. However, Canberra is quite an international city being where all the consulates are located and I'm sure there will be some Indian groceries there. It's quite a different sort of place, a city that looks like a country park.

Yes and just in case you have second thoughts about bringing your own henna I would suggest that you don't. Australian customs are incredibly restrictive and take stuff off you if they think there is the remotest threat to their agricultural industry e.g. if it might be infected or have some strange bacteria in it. I've known people to have their favourite foods confiscated upon arrival! The more processed the stuff is, the less likely it will happen so things like shampoos and conditioners will be fine but if it's like a packet of figs then you are on shaky ground LOL!

R2D2, Nature Shop is FANTASTIC! Thank you so much! And I am so happy to learn about Australian eBay. I only used it once or twice here in the US, but it is a godsend for all the things that are difficult to acquire in Canberra.

I studied at the ANU in 2007-2008 and met by fiance during that time. I had to return to the US to finish graduate school and soon after obtained a job in the US that allows me to work remotely, so I am able to travel to Australia frequently. Canberra is like a second home now

I'll definitely order the organic henna while there and not risk losing some henna brought from the US - Australian customs even made me throw away a dried fruit packet that I'd been given by the airline!

Thanks again for your help! Your hair is so gorgeous, by the way, so I look forward to trying out the organic henna and indigo.

You can also get shea butter and castor oil on the Australian ebay. I've been buying my castor oil at the Indian groceries but may try out the ebay ones as well. Fruit of the Earth aloe vera gel is sold at Priceline but is probably a bit more expensive than what you'd pay in the US.

In the early days when I was here (I'm from the UK originally) I used to ship hair products for afro hair here and the shipping costs were killers. But now I source all my hair stuff within the country, which I'm so happy with. The great thing about being natural is being able to use ordinary products that I can get at the supermarket around the corner.

How cool to get a job that allows you to spend a lot of time in Australia with your fiance - the best of both worlds!

My sister did a henna treatment last night using Karishma Henna from the Indian store. Karishma henna has henna, amla plus other herbs in it. Unfortunately, she had an allergic reaction to this brand. She has henna'd before using BAQ Henna from mehandi.com and has had noproblem. I think she had a problem because there might be more of the herbs then there is of the henna. Plus she said this brand did not cover her gray @ all.

I henna'd Friday night using Reshma Henna from the India store. This brand is 100% henna and can be used on the body. It covered my gray completely and I had a deeper reddish tint to my hair. My hair didn't seem as bright as it did with the henna from mehandi.com and I love that. I covered my edges only with indigo from butters-n-bars and my hair looks wonderful. I had no allergic reaction at all to this brand of Henna. It's 200 grams and I think I paid $2.49 for it.

I've used henna that I've received from mehandi.com and Indian store henna and there was no difference in the quality to me, but there is a major difference in the cost. If you are knew to henna treatments, it is in my humble opinion that you only by the 100% henna and the herbs separately and add them to your henna mix. That way you know exactly what the ratio is.

I have only purchased henna from three local shops in Queens and I've had no problems it's been cheap around 2-4 dollars depending on amount and quantity. I like the Nupur brand the most which I purchased at Patel Brothers Grocery.

There is a Patel Brothers in Cary, but it's so darn nasty. The Around the World Market is so much cleaner & they have more products there.

I have only used Reshma which I buy at the Indian market in Torrance, CA. They have a bunch of different brands and the sales girl was no help (she used chemical dye but after talking with me she said she was going to henna again!) but she did let me open all the boxes to look at the henna and they all looked the same so I settled on Reshma because it was the cheapest at $2.99 for 200 grams of BAQ henna. These are recessionist times. When I asked her about Jamila, she said she would order it for me, she thought it was around $1.99 for 100 grams.

I have never used henna that had harvest dates and locations. Henna on the internet costs between $5 to $7.50 per 100 grams. Then there's the shipping and handling charge, can't be less than $5. Since I have never used "expensive" henna I can only go on the words of fellow CN posters that it is more than worth it.

Once the recession is over and I am fully employed I will try the primo henna to see for myself. Meanwhile, I love, love, love what henna has done for my hair!!! For me, it was no less dramatic than getting your hair relaxed for the first time - it changed the texture of my hair from frizzy to shiny frizzy (I've only henna'd four times since June and in time I believe all my frizziness will turn to silk).

BTW: The reason it says "$3.29" on the box of Reshma in the pic is because I picked this up at an Indian Market in Diamond Bar.

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@ Estiscurls I use the Reshema also. I really like it. I've used BAQ Jamilla from mehandi.com and I like this better 1. because of the price 2. because it covered my gray a nice toned down orange and 3. because of the price. Now I henna'd 2 weeks a go and I already have gray hairs spouting up, but most are new growth and the other part is new hairs that have grown. I was very thin on the sides and now my hair is growing. So, from this point on I'm only using henna from the India store because s&h is ridiculous. It cost me 10.95 for s&h from mehandi.com and the henna kit was only 15.00 that's crazy.

"Carolina Natural ...I'm only using henna from the India store because s&h is ridiculous. It cost me 10.95 for s&h from mehandi.com and the henna kit was only 15.00 that's crazy."[/i][/size]



Whoa! That's 73% of sales price to ship!!! We have to pay an almost 10% sales tax in L.A. but I'd rather 10% of $2.99 than 73% of $15.00.

All for basically the same thing.