You’ve taken the plunge and used pure henna to either dye your hair red or to further enhance your natural ginger shade. First of all, let me just say: I commend you. Using natural henna for the first time is a brave decision (and one that should be taken following our step-by-step guide).

However, if you’ve found your way to this article, it probably means that your henna-ing escapades didn’t exactly go to plan.

But despite what the rest of the Internet may tell you, all is not lost. Henna is a totally permanent dye, so you better commit to the ginger way of life before you do it. Which, why wouldn’t you want to?

While it’s true that henna may be impossible to remove, there are still some ways to affect its specific shade.

Luckily for you, there are a few products that can help to change your henna-ed hair shade. And do you want to know the even better news? These products can all be found in your own home.

Lemon juice

Regularly used as a natural form of highlighting (usually blonde) hair, lemon juice can also be used to drastically lighten henna-ed hair, too. However, be warned that it’s very acidic so will drastically dry out your hair so treat it to a heavy dose of conditioning.

Coconut oil

For fading henna-ed hair, coconut oil is a healthier option for your red hair, rather than lemon juice. It won’t affect your hair as much as the lemon juice, but coconut oil is great at keeping your hair full of moisture and shine.

Olive oil or grapeseed oil

Both of these products faded the henna quite a lot but to reveal a duller, more brownish shade.

Combining products

Mixing olive oil with either coconut oil or grapeseed oil lightens and brightens the henna significantly.

Whitening toothpaste (yes, really)

This product’s lightening effect is unexpected but impressive at its ability of keeping the fade looking more natural.

As you can see, the products have varying effects on different henna/hair shades and the above images are simply a guide. Also worth noting is the longer you leave the ingredients on your hair, or the more frequently you carry out the above treatments, the more intense the results.

READ: 10-Step Guide To Using Henna To Dye Your Hair Red or Boost Your Natural Ginger Hair

READ: What Is Henna & Why Is It Good For Your Red Hair?

Thanks to Silk & Stone for their helpful tips!