Ingredient glossary / Colorant
Henna
On the label: Lawsonia Inermis Leaf Powder · Colorant
What it is
Ground henna leaves, the plant dye that stains hair and skin orange-red. Pure henna is only ever red-brown; 'black henna' means PPD was added.
Colorants: Colorants tint the product or the skin; in the US each is listed by its FDA name (CI number or D&C name).
Wikidata: Species of plant. Q182448 →
In the research
364 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Adverse reactions associated with henna-based cosmetic products: a twenty-two-year pharmacovigilance analysis of the FDA adverse event reporting system · Cutaneous and ocular toxicology, 2026
- Clinical efficacy and safety of Lawsonia inermis (Henna): A systematic review of human clinical studies · Complementary therapies in medicine, 2026
- Topical herbal medicine as treatment for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials · Frontiers in oncology, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other colorants
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.