Have you decided to try henna and natural hair dye but are a complete beginner and don’t know where to start among the endless information you find online? Do you have tons of doubts you’d like to clear up and questions you want answered before buying a natural hair dye made from henna and herbal powders? You’re in the right place at the right time — we’re here to answer all your questions and share plenty of tips to help you achieve salon-quality results at home! Here’s what we’ll cover in this article: Henna and natural hair dyes: what they are and why to choose them Henna and herbal dyes: the final color will never be flat or one-dimensional Henna and herbal dyes: answers to the most common questions How long should you wait after your last chemical dye or treatment? How should you prepare your hair for henna? Can you use a chemical dye or bleach after henna? Can natural dyes turn your hair green? Do henna and herbal dyes cover gray hair? What is the double application, and when is it necessary? How should herbal dyes be mixed? Is it difficult? How long should a natural dye be left on? How should henna be rinsed off, and what is an acid rinse? Can natural dyes lighten hair or create “highlight” effects? How often should you redo your color with natural dyes? Conclusions Henna and Natural Hair Dyes: What They Are and Why to Choose Them Natural hair dyes are a blend of coloring herbs, among which henna is often the main ingredient — a yellowish-green powder obtained from the dried and ground leaves and branches of a thorny shrub native to Africa and India, called Lawsonia inermis. This plant-based dye is capable of coloring the hair and perfectly covering gray strands. Natural hair dyes are a healthier and more hair-friendly alternative to chemical dyes, which are often full of strong allergens that can irritate the scalp and are also highly polluting and toxic to aquatic life. In addition, chemical dyes tend to dry out and weaken the hair, making it more prone to breakage and requiring intensive moisturizing treatments afterward — which is why there are entire product lines dedicated to “treated hair.” With natural hair dye, on the other hand, the colored pigments coat the cuticle and bind to the keratin, filling in the hair’s scales. The result is hair that feels fuller, shinier, and stronger, with fewer split ends and beautifully natural highlights. Henna and Herbal Dyes: the Final Color Will Never Be Standard, Flat, or Monotone The final color you achieve with a natural hair dye made from henna and herbal powders will indeed reflect the chosen shade, but it will be “personalized” to your hair. This means the result depends on your hair’s individual history and type: your natural base color, your hair’s ability to absorb color, and any previous chemical treatments. For this reason, we always recommend doing a strand test (using a hidden section of hair or hair collected from your brush) to see if the final color meets your expectations. In any case, don’t expect a standard, flat, monotone effect like chemical dyes. Natural powders layer the color (without lightening it), creating shiny, unique, and personal highlights. For example, applying a copper red over brown hair won’t lighten your base color but will produce vivid red reflections. Henna and Herbal Dyes: Answers to the Most Common Questions We’ve given you an overview of the benefits of henna and natural hair dyes. If you’re thinking of switching from chemical dyes to natural ones, you probably have some questions. Here are the most common ones: 1. How long should you wait after a chemical dye or treatment? After a chemical dye or treatment, you can safely use herbal dyes without risking strange reactions or unwanted colors (the dreaded green!) as long as you wait about a month after the chemical application and the herbal dyes are 100% natural with no chemical additives. Unfortunately, some ready-made herbal dye mixes on the market contain sodium picramate, a synthetic substance that enhances color and intensifies red tones. This can chemically react with metal salts from previous chemical dyes, resulting in an undesired color. It’s therefore best to choose 100% natural dyes, like those in our Hennetica line   2. How should you prepare your hair for henna? Before applying henna, you need to prepare the scalp with a shampoo to allow the natural dye to penetrate properly. If excess sebum is present, the henna may not take well. We recommend washing your hair with our Avatara pre-dye shampoo. This purifies the scalp and cleans the hair deeply, ensuring a fuller, brighter, and longer-lasting color 3. Can you use a chemical dye or bleach after henna? Hair recently treated with henna will not take chemical dyes. Henna coats the hair with a protective layer, making it “immune” to immediate chemical treatments. If you want to return to chemical dyes to change color or remove red, you’ll need to wait a long time or use bleach. Regarding bleaching: if you used pure henna (Lawsonia), your hair may turn coppery or orange instead of blonde, especially after repeated applications. Avoid bleaching after indigo, as this can make hair turn green. 4. Can Natural Dyes Turn Hair Green? With pure natural dyes that contain no sodium picramate, there is no risk of hair turning green. Our natural hair dyes are made solely from henna and herbal powders, with no chemical additives such as sodium picramate. So, there’s no danger of permanent green coloring. The only exception may be with Hennetica Ratri Color Dark Brown, where you might notice a slight greenish reflection at the roots — but this is just a temporary reflection. Waiting 24 hours and performing the first rinse will make it disappear. In any case, from the second application onwards, this slight tint will no longer be visible 5. Do Henna and Herbal Dyes Cover Gray Hair? Henna and herbal dyes perform very well at covering gray hair when used correctly and with proper precautions. Unsatisfactory results usually stem from common mistakes, often made unknowingly, in product choice or in the application method of the herbal powders. There are simple rules to follow for perfect coverage. You can read them in detail in our guides: “The 6 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Hair Dyes” and “Covering Gray Hair: 10 Rules for a Perfect Result.” 6. What Is Double Application and When Is It Necessary? If you have a lot of gray hair, a double application may be necessary. This usually involves applying Lawsonia (classic red henna) first and then, on the same day or the next, the herbal mix needed to achieve the desired color. Double application can also be done with ready-to-use natural dyes, like those in our Hennetica line. When using our vegetable dyes after the Avatara pre-dye shampoo, even large amounts of gray hair can often be fully covered with just one application. 7. How Should Herbal Dyes Be Mixed? Is It Difficult? Preparing herbal dyes to apply to the hair, i.e., making the paste, is very simple. Always wear gloves, as prolonged contact with henna can stain the skin! Here’s how to do it: In a bowl, mix the dye powder with warm water (around 35–40°C / 95–104°F). Add water until you get a smooth, homogeneous paste. For perfect application, it should be neither too runny nor too thick. Nothing else needs to be added — your paste is ready! The amount of powder depends on your hair length and should be enough to cover all the areas you want to treat. Typically, 100 g of powder is enough for medium-length hair. The ideal consistency is a creamy mixture, easy to spread, that does not drip or fall apart. A paste that crumbles into pieces is a sign of poor-quality powder containing sand. Sand is sometimes added to reduce production costs and increase weight — a trick unfortunately used by dishonest suppliers.     8. How Long Should a Natural Hair Dye Be Left On? When using henna and herbal hair dyes, you also need to consider that a few hours will be required. The paste should be left on for 30 minutes to 2 hours, knowing that the longer it stays, the better the color adheres and the more coverage it provides. A minimum of 30 minutes will give you beautiful subtle reflections of your chosen color, while for fuller color and greater coverage, it should be left on for 2 hours. These are the times of nature: no chemicals, just health and beauty! 9. How to Rinse Henna and What Is an Acid Rinse? After leaving the henna on for the required time, we recommend not shampooing it out. Instead, rinse with plain water, followed by a final acid rinse. An acid rinse (recommended every time you wash your hair, regardless of henna use) lowers the pH of the scalp and hair, closes the cuticles, and adds shine. In the case of henna, it also helps set the color more effectively. You can buy ready-made acid rinses, but you can easily make one at home by diluting 1–2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 1 liter of water and pouring it directly over your hair. 10. Can Natural Dyes Lighten Hair or Create “Highlights”? Natural dyes made from henna and herbal powders cannot lighten hair, as they contain no chemical agents that bleach or decolorize. Therefore, it’s not possible to achieve “highlight” effects, which require hydrogen peroxide. With natural dyes, you can achieve a shade similar to your own or darker, or add beautiful red or chocolate reflections to brown hair, or enhance golden tones in blonde hair. 11. How Often Should You Refresh Color with Natural Dyes? Unlike chemical dyes, natural dyes do not damage hair. In fact, they strengthen and enhance shine, so they can be used more frequently without stressing or damaging your hair. To maintain a vibrant and full color, our experience suggests refreshing natural dyes every month to month and a half. This also accounts for normal hair growth of about 1.3–1.5 cm per month, meaning there will be roots to even out or cover. The color will gradually fade with washes, but a brown or blonde shade will never fade to red, so no need to worry. Conclusions In this article, we’ve explained the benefits of henna and herbal hair dyes and answered the most common questions for anyone switching to natural hair color. The main advice is to choose 100% natural dyes, free of sodium picramate. La Saponaria has developed the Hennetica line, consisting of 8 vegetable dyes and the Avatara pre-dye shampoo to purify and prepare the scalp and hair for henna. Our natural dyes are easy to apply, made with only natural ingredients, ensuring rich color and shiny, healthy hair, all with a short application time. Now it’s time to take action and finally have beautiful, perfectly colored, and healthy hair! {{cta('4795f700-811e-4d93-946b-7cad14a52d83')}}

Coenzyme Q10 is a moisturizing, protective, and antioxidant facial serum. Let’s discover what it is and why it’s the perfect serum to include in an anti-aging beauty routine. If you already know and use La Saponaria’s Coenzyme Q10, we’d like to reassure you: its formula hasn’t changed! The only difference is the packaging, now made from re-bottle plastic, which is post-consumer recycled plastic — an even greener material than regular recycled plastic, as it comes from the separate waste collection each of us contributes to. If you haven’t had the chance to try it yet, let’s find out more together! Coenzyme Q10 Coenzyme Q10 is a molecule found in all the cells of the body and for this reason, it’s also called Ubiquinone. It’s located in the mitochondria, where the synthesis of ATP — that is, energy — takes place. It’s essential for the proper functioning of all cells and, consequently, for our overall well-being. As the years go by, our body produces less and less of it, so it’s important to supplement it to preserve its protective action against oxidative damage. What is a coenzyme? It’s a non-protein substance necessary for enzymes (which are proteins) to carry out their activity. In simple terms, enzymatic reactions cannot occur without coenzymes, such as the well-known A and Q coenzymes.   The Antioxidant action Coenzyme Q10 is the star ingredient in one of our active serums — a highly concentrated, oil-based formula that should be used with a few simple precautions. This pure active ingredient has a powerful antioxidant action, helping to counteract the formation of free radicals, which are known to cause premature aging. In our article about Vitamin C, we discussed free radicals and explained how antioxidants work. Skin aging depends on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The intrinsic ones are related to the natural passage of time and genetics, while the extrinsic ones involve damage caused by external agents such as sun exposure, pollution, smoking, alcohol, and stress. The antioxidant action of Coenzyme Q10 helps slow down both types of aging by neutralizing free radicals — which are not only generated by photoaging (extrinsic aging) but also increase naturally as the years go by. Just like Vitamin C, Coenzyme Q10 enhances the effect of Vitamin E and delays its oxidation, giving the skin a fresher, more youthful appearance.   The protective action   This ultra-pure active ingredient helps restore the skin’s lipid barrier, supporting the healthy function of cell membranes and offering a true protective action. In the skin, Coenzyme Q10 is found not only in the epidermis but also in the natural surface lipids, where it serves as a first line of defense against both internal and external oxidative stress A simple trick to recognize its purity: pure Coenzyme Q10 has an orange-yellow color when present in high concentrations — just like ours! This is an anti-aging, energizing, and revitalizing active ingredient that brings new radiance even to the most tired skin. How to use it  Our Coenzyme Q10 active ingredient is highly concentrated and is the only Pure Active with an oil base! For this reason, to make the most of its properties, we recommend using it as a booster for your favorite cream or facial oil. Just one drop is enough to enhance the effects of your cream or oil. A 100% Anti-Aging Beauty Routine for a WOW Effect! Every skin is unique, so we recommend booking a consultation with one of our beauty experts to find the skincare routine that best suits your needs. However, if your goal is to feel and look younger, here’s an anti-aging beauty routine designed to make your complexion fresher and more radiant — quickly and effectively! Step 1 – Cleansing:As we all know, a great skincare routine always starts with proper cleansing. We recommend our Blueberry Mousse Cleanser, or, if you wear heavier makeup or prefer a creamier texture, our Melissa Cleansing Milk. Step 2 – Toner / Botanical Water:Prepare your skin to absorb active ingredients with an antioxidant and anti-aging botanical water, such as our Pomegranate Antioxidant Active Water. Step 3 – Serum:In the morning, apply a few drops of Vegetable Collagen for an instant tightening effect. In the evening, before bed, use a few drops of Phytoretinol and Hyaluronic Acid to nourish and smooth the skin. Step 4 – Cream:In the morning, apply our No-Age Pomegranate Face Cream, adding a drop of Coenzyme Q10 to boost its effect, deeply hydrate the skin, and protect it from free radicals. In the evening, you can use the same cream again or opt for Rosehip Oil mixed with a drop of the Q10 active. Step 5 – Eye Contour:An essential step in any anti-aging routine! A refreshed, relaxed look is the first secret to appearing more youthful. We recommend our 3-in-1 Eye Contour Cream from the WOW Line to help reduce wrinkles, puffiness, dark circles, and signs of fatigue. Step 6 – Weekend Pampering:While you’re watching your favorite TV show, reading a book, or relaxing on the couch, why not treat yourself to an extra dose of self-care with a super-hydrating fabric mask that gives an instant smoothing effect? Try our Wondermask Anti-Age and feel like a true beauty superhero!