The Mix

Here's my mixture:
A bunch of heeping spoonfulls of instant coffee
A few generous squeezes of light corn syrup (*note* I usually use honey but have always forgotten to buy some)
A little water
A few tablespoons of olive oil
Lots of apple cider vinegar
Henna powder (in this instance 80 grams)
1 egg

**NOTE: If mixing henna with water, it should not be boiled. Stick to room temperature or lukewarm water. Boiling the water can weaken the end result's color.


Now this may seem a bit complicated but in reality all you need in a henna mixture is the henna powder and some water. However, an acidic liquid (e.g. lemon juice or vinegar) helps the dye release better and gives a stronger color pay off. I like to use ACV instead of lemon juice or regular vinegar because it seems to make the color less brassy.
I use instant coffee because it makes the color more brownish and less orangish.
Olive oil helps condition and seal in moisture.
Any sugary/humectant/sticky ingredient like honey, corn syrup, or vegetable glycerin is helpful in a henna mixture, because it allows for the henna to stick onto the hair better. It is also good for softening the hair.
I put an egg in my mixture this time because I felt the need for extra conditioning. This is of course optional, because henna by itself is very conditioning. I just wanted to strengthen and nourish my hair.


If you want to henna your hair, all you will really need is the henna powder, lemon juice/ACV/any other acidic liquid, and some water. The other stuff is completely optional and depends on what you are looking for when it comes to color and conditioning results.