Strange henndigo dye uptake, damaged hair - help?

[Evie]

Hi

I'm posting this question both on these boards, and over on the H4H forum, to see if any of you can help me, at my wits end!

I have quite short hair, and had been trying to get the residual bits of old dark dye off the tips, so I could go back to the lovely red henndigo that I loved. . .

I used some cream peroxide for a couple of attempts (left on a max of 15min each time), and a bleach bath mix (50% mixed up bleach, 50% shampoo) again used only on these tips and never left on for more than 20 min. I probably did this about 5 times, over a long period.

They tips went an ashy blonde, and I thought great (:rolleyes:), henna over them and all will be well.

Hmmm...they've gone a darkish brown / black at the tips. Now, it does not look bad, most people would think it was natural variation :rant: BUT I NOTICE!!!

You know what its like, when it is your hair, you see every tiny detail....:disgust:

I used BAQ henna and a little indigo in my mix, so it's not metallic salts I'm sure. I know I read something Catherine at H4H wrote when advising someone else about hair being alkaline as a result of damage and this causing a blackish stain from henna see (http://www.hennaforhair.com/forum/index.php?module=phpwsbb&PHPWSBB_MAN_OP=view&PHPWS_MAN_ITEMS[]=8161) here - could it be that? If so, can I do anything? I think she suggested protein fillers but I've no idea where I get these, what they are or anything??

Please help....I'm really not liking the ends. I'm not going to put my hair through anything like bleach ever again, it does not react well to it!

Evie

[Girltron]

I will guess that your damaged ends absorbed more indigo than the rest. Catherine's indigo has been extremely strong staining the last couple of years.

I suggest giving it a month to let it fade, and next time using straight henna and not the indigo. If you're looking for red colors, there's no need for indigo at all. If you're looking for brown colors, that's when you'll want the indigo.

[Evie]

Hi Girltron - I have naturally ashy blonde hair with not much pigment in it, it is very pale greyish blonde, so I use about 90% henna with just a tiny bit of indigo to tone down the flare of orange that could be seen from space that I get with henna alone....that's all.

Perhaps as my roots grow out, I will be able to use just henna, but I like the deep reds, and not the full on orange range of tones (whilst beautiful they just don't suit me at all) and so I have found that for me this seems to work.

I will give it time to see if it fades, and then try a henna gloss over it...

Thanks