I have just started CO. I have only been doing it for three weeks, and am loving the texture of my hair, especially now that I have found out that a little aloe gel after my rinse will keep it from going drowned-rat flat. My hair is shiny, soft, and slippery, and much happier at this length than it has ever been before. Some of the static has even calmed down!

However, the CO seems to have taken the henna out. I carefully used a Burt's Bees conditioner that does not contain mineral oil and is intended to help protect color, but suddenly I am seeing a lot more grey than I thought I had, so I'm thinking that even though I had been using neutral henna, it must have affected my color more than I had realized. It's not that I mind being grey, but I'm wondering if there's any point to doing henna applications if the CO is just going to take them right out again.

Has anybody else had this experience? Any suggestions?

Oh my goodness! This is a concern of mine. Is your color gone completely?

How often are you doing CO? In my thread on fading, some posters said that doing it too often will definitely fade your hair quicker.

Maybe the conditioner is too harsh. I know alot of the posters have had sucess with the Vo5 and Suave conditioners, though I found them leaving my hair too greasy.

Are you talking about red henna, or cassia?

Cause very, very few things will budge red henna.

If you are using a mix of henna ( the red stuff, nothing budges it unless you put harsh things in your hair directly after a henna) and neutral henna (cassia, it makes a golden tone) then you can expect some fading. Mine always does. The trick is to find the right mix of cassia and henna. I was using 50/50 and I could not get it to stay. My hair is fairly light, so once I changed the ratio, it worked. If you are using pure cassia (neutral henna) CO or no Co, it fades since it is not permanent.


ETA: however there is always *some* fading with the henna/cassia, for me at least. I can get a good amount to stick if I get it just right.

I have to tell you girls...I have used CO as my washing method probably greater than 95% of the time for the past few years, and it certainly has not taken out any henna.

It doesn't do anything to mine, either. But I'm talking henna, the red kind.

Oh my goodness! This is a concern of mine. Is your color gone completely?

Yup. But I wasn't using much actual color - Rainbow neutral, with a bit of red added.

How often are you doing CO? In my thread on fading, some posters said that doing it too often will definitely fade your hair quicker.

Once a week.

Maybe the conditioner is too harsh. I know alot of the posters have had sucess with the Vo5 and Suave conditioners, though I found them leaving my hair too greasy.

I'm using Burt's Bees, which I'm pretty sure is as mild as you can get. Since my hair is fine, straight, and therefore quite flat, I need something that wil rinse completely and not leave any oiliness behind.

Are you talking about red henna, or cassia?

I don't know, Akura. I use Rainbow henna that I get at Wild Oats in the "neutral" color, with a little bit of the red added - just enough to give some interesting highlights to my "mouse brown with grey" natural color.

If you are using a mix of henna ( the red stuff, nothing budges it unless you put harsh things in your hair directly after a henna) and neutral henna (cassia, it makes a golden tone) then you can expect some fading. Mine always does. The trick is to find the right mix of cassia and henna. I was using 50/50 and I could not get it to stay. My hair is fairly light, so once I changed the ratio, it worked. If you are using pure cassia (neutral henna) CO or no Co, it fades since it is not permanent.


ETA: however there is always *some* fading with the henna/cassia, for me at least. I can get a good amount to stick if I get it just right.

Proserpina, that must be the answer. I use mostly neutral, and although it is marketed as "henna", it may well be cassia. That would certainly explain it.

So, is there much point in redoing it? Will it stay in long enough to do some good?

I agree that it's just the high cassia content in your mix. I find that I get fade at my freshly-done roots, but after a second application they're pretty colorfast.

Honestly, I don't think it's CO, or even the conditioner you're using, just the natural fade you're going to see with your particular blend :flowers:

moraq, my hair is quite similar to yours and I love Kiss my Face's Whenever conditioner (I'm always talking about it :)) It definitely doesn't leave the hair greasy and my hair will last 3-4 days depending on the whether (I'm in a humid, muggy area)

moraq, my hair is quite similar to yours and I love Kiss my Face's Whenever conditioner (I'm always talking about it :)) It definitely doesn't leave the hair greasy and my hair will last 3-4 days depending on the whether (I'm in a humid, muggy area)


Thanks, Amaiaisabella! I'm really happy with the conditioner I'm using, and am going a week between washings, so I'm not in a hurry to change, but I'll surely keep your Kiss My Face in mind. It's always good to have alternatives if something goes awry down the road. :)

If you are using a mix of henna ( the red stuff, nothing budges it unless you put harsh things in your hair directly after a henna) and neutral henna (cassia, it makes a golden tone) then you can expect some fading. Mine always does. The trick is to find the right mix of cassia and henna. I was using 50/50 and I could not get it to stay. My hair is fairly light, so once I changed the ratio, it worked. If you are using pure cassia (neutral henna) CO or no Co, it fades since it is not permanent.

I agree that it's just the high cassia content in your mix. I find that I get fade at my freshly-done roots, but after a second application they're pretty colorfast.

Honestly, I don't think it's CO, or even the conditioner you're using, just the natural fade you're going to see with your particular blend :flowers:

Prosperpina and Nightshade, I think you have the right of it. What I am using definitely is golden, and probably is cassia. Maybe I just thought it washed out faster because I'm paying so much attention to my hair right now.

But now I have more questions:

1. When/if I reapply my henna/cassia, should I shampoo first to give it a chance to get into the hair better? Or would just a rinse be enough?

2. Is there any version of "real " henna that is neutral? Or is it always some shade of red?

Thanks! :blossom:

I have to tell you girls...I have used CO as my washing method probably greater than 95% of the time for the past few years, and it certainly has not taken out any henna.

And your hair looks gorgeous, too! I'll consider it a miracle if I ever get mine to look that thick and beautiful.

Turns out I'm probably ignorantly using cassia, not henna at all. :o

It doesn't do anything to mine, either. But I'm talking henna, the red kind.

I used to use red. For a long time now I've been using neutral, which as it turns out is probably cassia.

Who knew? Certainly not me ...

I like the results though, so I'll probably keep messing around with it. :)

Prosperpina and Nightshade, I think you have the right of it. What I am using definitely is golden, and probably is cassia. Maybe I just thought it washed out faster because I'm paying so much attention to my hair right now.

But now I have more questions:

1. When/if I reapply my henna/cassia, should I shampoo first to give it a chance to get into the hair better? Or would just a rinse be enough?

2. Is there any version of "real " henna that is neutral? Or is it always some shade of red?

Thanks! :blossom:

1. While it isn't necessary if your scalp isn't oily, I still do it. Scalp oil can inhibit the uptake of dyes and since my roots fade as it is, I want to discourage that as much as possible.

2. "real henna" is always, ALWAYS red. Henna is Lawsonia Inermis (sometimes referred to as Lawsonia alba, or Lawsonia spinoza, which are older names that they accidentally gave immature and adult henna plants not realizing they were the same thing). Most people aren't very herb-savvy, but may have heard of henna, so many companies dishonestly label any "natural" hair coloring henna, regardless of what else may be in it.

Check out the henna article linked in my sig, it'll give you a lot more information!

... Check out the henna article linked in my sig, it'll give you a lot more information!

Thanks so much, Nightshade! I will do that.