Thinking of trying henna - questions

[cmnt831]

I've actually been considering trying henna for the past 5 years, but so far have been hesitant because of the commitment and worry over getting a nice color. If I get a color that I love, I wouldn't worry over the commitment at all. I love the way it looks on others, but can't figure out if it would suit me. :p I've done a bit of research, but still have some beginner-type questions.

1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?

2. I may have the answer for this one already, but does it take long for henna to come off the skin? One site said a day or two.

3. a. If I'm using a coney conditioner, will I need to clarify to remove the cones before using henna? b. And should I use a non-coney conditioner thereafter?

4. I also love my lemon rinse, will this affect the henna color any?

5. And I've got gray hair, diffused mostly over the top of my head with a full-on white streak at the right temple. I've read some people have trouble with the gray hair picking up color, especially indigo, which I would probably use in the mix so that I don't have bright orange streaks in my (still rather dark brown) hair. :p Is there a good way to make sure the indigo sticks?

6. Can I still oil my hair after using henna or henna/indigo or will that interfere with the color?

Thanks so much for reading. :flower: I've tried to find these answers myself and either haven't had any luck or have found conflicting information. It could also be that I have no clue what terms to search for, too. :o

[Clarisse]

I’m not a hennahead myself, but perhaps you could put vaseline on the white streak/some of the white hairs and wrap them up to avoid red color on the beautiful silver strands and to avoid orange-red hair among the reddishbrown.

[cmnt831]

Ah, see now you've answered a question I hadn't even asked, yet. :D It was in the back of my mind to keep the white streak, but didn't know how that might be possible.

[MafiaPrincess]

Both henna hut bright red and yemeni came off my skin that night and enough was off my skin when I washed my face the next morning I didn't look funny.

I used conditioner with cones before now, and still do. Haven't made a change don't have any weird issues.

I put oil on my hair. Doesn't do anything to the colour.

[little_cherry]

First of all, henna is permanent.


1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?
Hmm...In the beginnings of my henna, I used to use Head and shoulders and noticed a little fading...especially with henndigo. Now, I don't have to use it since the henna has taken over taking care of my scalp. I also add a tsp of shikakai to my root henna mixture...my scalp loves this.


2. I may have the answer for this one already, but does it take long for henna to come off the skin? One site said a day or two.
A lot less than a day or two if you scrub the skin gently with baking soda, then rub olive oil after washing.


3. a. If I'm using a coney conditioner, will I need to clarify to remove the cones before using henna? b. And should I use a non-coney conditioner thereafter?IME, clarifying coney hair yeilds a stronger colour. You can use coney conditioners on hennaed hair if that's what you want to do. I used to do this before going herbal without any problems.


4. I also love my lemon rinse, will this affect the henna color any?I love my lemon rinse, too! It's lovely on hennaed hair. As a matter of fact, I use the lemon rinse as the liquid in my henna as well.


5. And I've got gray hair, diffused mostly over the top of my head with a full-on white streak at the right temple. I've read some people have trouble with the gray hair picking up color, especially indigo, which I would probably use in the mix so that I don't have bright orange streaks in my (still rather dark brown) hair. :p Is there a good way to make sure the indigo sticks?
If you want to cover up the grey (like I do...I have lots of whit-silver strands), do a few single henna applications followed by the henndigo. It will stick better.


6. Can I still oil my hair after using henna or henna/indigo or will that interfere with the color?
I use coconut oil prior to hennaing without any ill effects..the dye uptake is the same, if not stronger. Last night, I hennaed the roots and glossed the rest and let it in over night. When I washed it out, I used conditioner with some coconut oil mixed in, vinegar rinse and then oiled when I got out of the shower. I've been oiling/adding coconut oil to my conditioner for around 2 years now and have never ever noticed any colour fade. With the indigo, you may want to wait a week before you oil, just in case.

[sibiryachka]

I’m not a hennahead myself, but perhaps you could put vaseline on the white streak/some of the white hairs and wrap them up to avoid red color on the beautiful silver strands and to avoid orange-red hair among the reddishbrown.

I've had no luck with that idea so far, sadly. In my experience, henna does not stay where you put it, and oiling doesn't prevent uptake - although to be fair I didn't try Vaseline, which I would NEVER allow anywhere near my scalp. Wrapping them might help, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
The other problem I have - which might not be true for others - is that the parts of my head where the white hairs are most abundant also contain non-white hairs. Those would be very prominent not only among their white neighbors, but in comparison to the red hairs everywhere else.

cmnt831, if you can join the henna cult while still maintaining your renegray status and your gorgeous curls, you will be my new heroine. Watching this thread with much interest!

[cmnt831]

Both henna hut bright red and yemeni came off my skin that night and enough was off my skin when I washed my face the next morning I didn't look funny.

I used conditioner with cones before now, and still do. Haven't made a change don't have any weird issues.

I put oil on my hair. Doesn't do anything to the colour.

Awesome, thanks!


First of all, henna is permanent.


Hmm...In the beginnings of my henna, I used to use Head and shoulders and noticed a little fading...especially with henndigo. Now, I don't have to use it since the henna has taken over taking care of my scalp. I also add a tsp of shikakai to my root henna mixture...my scalp loves this.


A lot less than a day or two if you scrub the skin gently with baking soda, then rub olive oil after washing.

IME, clarifying coney hair yeilds a stronger colour. You can use coney conditioners on hennaed hair if that's what you want to do. I used to do this before going herbal without any problems.

I love my lemon rinse, too! It's lovely on hennaed hair. As a matter of fact, I use the lemon rinse as the liquid in my henna as well.


If you want to cover up the grey (like I do...I have lots of whit-silver strands), do a few single henna applications followed by the henndigo. It will stick better.


I use coconut oil prior to hennaing without any ill effects..the dye uptake is the same, if not stronger. Last night, I hennaed the roots and glossed the rest and let it in over night. When I washed it out, I used conditioner with some coconut oil mixed in, vinegar rinse and then oiled when I got out of the shower. I've been oiling/adding coconut oil to my conditioner for around 2 years now and have never ever noticed any colour fade. With the indigo, you may want to wait a week before you oil, just in case.

Yeah, I know it's permanent, hence my hesitating for 5 years. :p

So, henna helped with your dandruff? That's great! I had never hoped for a side effect like that. Does the shikakai contribute the the effect as far as clearing the scalp of flakiness?

Ok, so henna itself helps the indigo to stick better? I saw some video where the lady mixed the henna and indigo together. Are they to be applied separately, instead?

I'm glad to hear about the lemon rinse - I didn't want to give it up. :)

As for the grays, I'm in two minds about keeping my big streak, but was definitely thinking of covering the rest. They seem to be washing me out because they're so white. :lol: My hair already has a lot of red tones in it (even strands of natural red sprinkled throughout) and so I wouldn't mind the single silver strands looking coppery or orange, but I don't think the big white streak would look nice that way.

Thanks for the tips! This helps a lot. But I think I'll have lots of questions along the way. :D

[Roscata]

1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?
I have heard that dandruff shampoo can strip color. I have never used it on my own hair, so I'm not sure if that is accurate or not. However, if you read the e-book I linked you to at the bottom of my post, you'll see that using henna is suppose to eliminate dandruff, so you won't need it anymore. I personally massage the henna into my scalp. It gives me orange scalp for 2 washes but I feel like it gets a good chance of working.

2. I may have the answer for this one already, but does it take long for henna to come off the skin? One site said a day or two.
It depends where on the skin it is. For example it takes longer to remove it from hands than it does from the face. But usually it takes a couple of days to a week. You can always just oil your forehead, back of your head and ears and use gloves for protection against skin staining.

3. a. If I'm using a coney conditioner, will I need to clarify to remove the cones before using henna? b. And should I use a non-coney conditioner thereafter?
a. It's not an absolute must but it is recommended. I'm not really sure it makes any kind of huge difference though.The clarifying comes into play because you're suppose to remove anything that could prevent the Henna from penetrating the hair shaft, anything that coats the hair.
b. I use a coney conditioner after with no bad effects.

4. I also love my lemon rinse, will this affect the henna color any?
I use the lemon rinse and it hasn't affected my hair in any visible way over the past month. I believe that lemon can lighten your hair but only if you don't rinse it out and get exposed to the sun. Also, you might not want to leave it on your hair for too long without rinsing.

5. And I've got gray hair, diffused mostly over the top of my head with a full-on white streak at the right temple. I've read some people have trouble with the gray hair picking up color, especially indigo, which I would probably use in the mix so that I don't have bright orange streaks in my (still rather dark brown) hair. Is there a good way to make sure the indigo sticks?
Get top quality indigo and henna and make sure you follow the instructions. Also I heard that adding salt to your indigo mix will make it darker. Repeated applications work best in this case. A lot of people say it's hard to get indigo to stick but once it does it is virtually impossible to get it out. Amla is suppose to help you get cooler brunette tones (http://www.mehandi.com/shop/amla/).

6. Can I still oil my hair after using henna or henna/indigo or will that interfere with the color?
I oil my hair at least twice a week, and I see no color difference.


I suggest you download and read this free ebook: http://www.mehandi.com/shop/hennahairbook/index.html

Information about indigo: Dye your hair brunette and cover the gray with henna and indigo! (http://www.mehandi.com/shop/brunette/index.html)


Mehandi.com is a website I absolutely recommend for buying your henna, by the way. You get BAQ henna, which is the best kind.

[cmnt831]

I've had no luck with that idea so far, sadly. In my experience, henna does not stay where you put it, and oiling doesn't prevent uptake - although to be fair I didn't try Vaseline, which I would NEVER allow anywhere near my scalp. Wrapping them might help, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
The other problem I have - which might not be true for others - is that the parts of my head where the white hairs are most abundant also contain non-white hairs. Those would be very prominent not only among their white neighbors, but in comparison to the red hairs everywhere else.

cmnt831, if you can join the henna cult while still maintaining your renegray status and your gorgeous curls, you will be my new heroine. Watching this thread with much interest!

Hehe, well I can certainly try to keep all those stati (is that the plural of "status"?). :D Dh has offered to help me with the whole application thing, so maybe we can work something out on the streak. It has no dark hairs in it at all, though the rest of my hair is just sprinkled with silvers and I don't mind those turning orange or whatever. I've had a history of getting interestingly colored highlights. :) I wouldn't be adverse to trying vaseline on the streak and I would definitely try wrapping it. Maybe it will have an orange line in it at the base, though. :hmm:

So, what about the curls? Are they going to un-curl with henna? :bigeyes: I'm fighting to keep them at this point because they're weakening so fast with length anyway.

[MafiaPrincess]

Ive done 2 all over hair henna applications in about a month. I have psoriasis and it contributes to awful dandruff. I have always loved fiery red colours, and made my dandruff worse as I'd hold off wanting to wash my hair and use dandruff shampoo as it would increase the fade.

I've found in the past month my dandruff is improving and I haven't touched a dandruff shampoo in over a month.

[cmnt831]

1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?
I have heard that dandruff shampoo can strip color. I have never used it on my own hair, so I'm not sure if that is accurate or not. However, if you read the e-book I linked you to at the bottom of my post, you'll see that using henna is suppose to eliminate dandruff, so you won't need it anymore. I personally massage the henna into my scalp. It gives me orange scalp for 2 washes but I feel like it gets a good chance of working.

2. I may have the answer for this one already, but does it take long for henna to come off the skin? One site said a day or two.
It depends where on the skin it is. For example it takes longer to remove it from hands than it does from the face. But usually it takes a couple of days to a week. You can always just oil your forehead, back of your head and ears and use gloves for protection against skin staining.

3. a. If I'm using a coney conditioner, will I need to clarify to remove the cones before using henna? b. And should I use a non-coney conditioner thereafter?
a. It's not an absolute must but it is recommended. I'm not really sure it makes any kind of huge difference though.The clarifying comes into play because you're suppose to remove anything that could prevent the Henna from penetrating the hair shaft, anything that coats the hair.
b. I use a coney conditioner after with no bad effects.

4. I also love my lemon rinse, will this affect the henna color any?
I use the lemon rinse and it hasn't affected my hair in any visible way over the past month. I believe that lemon can lighten your hair but only if you don't rinse it out and get exposed to the sun. Also, you might not want to leave it on your hair for too long without rinsing.

5. And I've got gray hair, diffused mostly over the top of my head with a full-on white streak at the right temple. I've read some people have trouble with the gray hair picking up color, especially indigo, which I would probably use in the mix so that I don't have bright orange streaks in my (still rather dark brown) hair. Is there a good way to make sure the indigo sticks?
Get top quality indigo and henna and make sure you follow the instructions. Also I heard that adding salt to your indigo mix will make it darker. Repeated applications work best in this case. A lot of people say it's hard to get indigo to stick but once it does it is virtually impossible to get it out. Amla is suppose to help you get cooler brunette tones (http://www.mehandi.com/shop/amla/).

6. Can I still oil my hair after using henna or henna/indigo or will that interfere with the color?
I oil my hair at least twice a week, and I see no color difference.


I suggest you download and read this free ebook: http://www.mehandi.com/shop/hennahairbook/index.html

Information about indigo: Dye your hair brunette and cover the gray with henna and indigo! (http://www.mehandi.com/shop/brunette/index.html)


Mehandi.com is a website I absolutely recommend for buying your henna, by the way. You get BAQ henna, which is the best kind.

Oh, thanks for the links! I've been having a hard time trying to figure out where to start looking for good info online (well, I came here first, obviously :D). Thanks for answering my questions, too - very helpful. :)

[cmnt831]

Ive done 2 all over hair henna applications in about a month. I have psoriasis and it contributes to awful dandruff. I have always loved fiery red colours, and made my dandruff worse as I'd hold off wanting to wash my hair and use dandruff shampoo as it would increase the fade.

I've found in the past month my dandruff is improving and I haven't touched a dandruff shampoo in over a month.

Oh, wow! I'm so happy to hear this. :) My sister has psoriasis and has a hard time with it, is always looking for something that will actually work. Maybe I should tell her about henna.

[halo_tightens]

The only thing I'd add to the advice that you've already been given:

The e-book from Mehandi recommends using a very acidic liquid to mix with your henna. I've tried this once, using lemon juice, and I found it VERY drying to my scalp and hair. I rarely have problems with my scalp, but I did after that...

I normally use plain water or chamomile tea, and all is well. The stain is as good or better than with the lemon juice, and my scalp is much happier. I would recommend plain water over lemon juice any day.

[Roscata]

Oh, thanks for the links! I've been having a hard time trying to figure out where to start looking for good info online (well, I came here first, obviously :D). Thanks for answering my questions, too - very helpful. :)
You're welcome! :D


The e-book from Mehandi recommends using a very acidic liquid to mix with your henna. I've tried this once, using lemon juice, and I found it VERY drying to my scalp and hair. I rarely have problems with my scalp, but I did after that...

That's true my hair was really dry after using straight up lemon juice in my mix. Last time I hennaed I just used lemon juice for the overnight developing (because the ebook said it helps get the color out better) and then added warm water to the mix the next day and it was ok, especially since I used conditioner to help me wash it out of my hair.

[cmnt831]

The only thing I'd add to the advice that you've already been given:

The e-book from Mehandi recommends using a very acidic liquid to mix with your henna. I've tried this once, using lemon juice, and I found it VERY drying to my scalp and hair. I rarely have problems with my scalp, but I did after that...

I normally use plain water or chamomile tea, and all is well. The stain is as good or better than with the lemon juice, and my scalp is much happier. I would recommend plain water over lemon juice any day.

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind. :)


You're welcome! :D



That's true my hair was really dry after using straight up lemon juice in my mix. Last time I hennaed I just used lemon juice for the overnight developing (because the ebook said it helps get the color out better) and then added warm water to the mix the next day and it was ok, especially since I used conditioner to help me wash it out of my hair.

I haven't even gotten to read it, yet, because I need to download adobe first; but I'll keep this in mind. I'm guessing now that you put in a small amount of lemon juice for dye release over night and then use a larger amount of water for the part before the henna goes on your head?

[Roscata]

I haven't even gotten to read it, yet, because I need to download adobe first; but I'll keep this in mind. I'm guessing now that you put in a small amount of lemon juice for dye release over night and then use a larger amount of water for the part before the henna goes on your head?

Yes. My full henna routine is in my blog, there is a link on my signature but here it is again: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=80740

[cmnt831]

Yes. My full henna routine is in my blog, there is a link on my signature but here it is again: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=80740

Oh, cool! Thanks!

I'm having some trouble getting the e-book downloaded, but it may be a case of needing to shut down my computer and restart it. :rolleyes:

[leslissocool]

I've had amazing results with henna. My hair is visibly stronger, and the curl was more defined instead of just being wavy. I also have horrible flaky scalp, like chunks, and I've notice an incredible difference with henna, even when I used to use Selsun blue... I now use honey and henna for my flaky scalp, and it's done wonders so far!

My hair is really dark, and henna has given just a hint of purple to my hair (even with honey lightening)... people noticed how shiny and healthy my hair looks, not much color difference (even on my virgin roots, really almost no difference)... I've done henna 3 times in less than a month, my hair really loves it!

[cmnt831]

Leslissocool, I'm so glad to hear about how henna helps the scalp. :) I just kind of wanted to add some life to my hair and now I'm hoping it will clear up my scalp issues, too.

Based on my pictures in my sig and avatar (well, if you want to look in my album, too, you can) do you think my hair is lighter or darker than your natural color? I'm trying to gauge how much red I'll get. :)

[Erinshay]

I have Hennaed my hair for years on and off. I use henna and indigo to create a dark warm brown. I have some grays and they take the henna/ indigo just fine. ( my grays just don't hold the color as long) it is said that yemen henna is better for gray coverage http://www.hennaforhair.com/ Thats what I use. I also use it on my mothers fine gray hair.
I still oil my hair and use lemon and vinegar rinses. The acids bring out the color. It usually does take a couple days to get off my skin and less time if I use lots of lotion!
I sometimes clarify my hair before henna... I never really payed attention.
The nice thing about henna is that it strengthens hair and helps to relax my curls a bit making them wavy instead of frizzy. On my hair the henna fades out nicely so it's not supper noticeable if I am a couple months over due for more color. Ohh and the way it shines in the sunlight! ....Although it does taking playing with the find the right color, but once you do its hard to go without. Some hennas can be sooo orange, some fiery, some kinda dark cherry coke at maximum saturation. Just be careful not to over heat the henna or the color may fade quickly. For me, the biggest down fall is that indigo makes my scalp itch badly if I leave it on too long. I am slowly trying to fade out the indigo and go back to straight henna.
Good Luck with your decision!

[cmnt831]

Thanks for the tips and encouragement, Erinshay! :) I'm thinking of getting some samples to test on hairballs to find the color I want. I hope that process turns out to be more fun than frustrating. :p

One thing I'm looking forward to is the shine in the sun that I admire so much on other people. :)

[ddiana1979]

1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?

No experience with this.

2. I may have the answer for this one already, but does it take long for henna to come off the skin? One site said a day or two.

I apply vaseline liberally to my forehead, ears, and neck before I henndigo, and have had very little color stick to my skin. What does stick comes off in about two days of normal CWC, showers, washing my face, etc.

3. a. If I'm using a coney conditioner, will I need to clarify to remove the cones before using henna? b. And should I use a non-coney conditioner thereafter?

I clarify before henndigo-ing, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary. I use a non-cone conditioner immediately thereafter, then I skip CWC for about two days, and go back to my normal coney conditioner. I haven't noticed any major fading of the henna, but the indigo fades slightly, bringing out the highlights of the henna, which makes a really pretty purple/red sheen in the sunlight. (I know that sounds weird, but it's so subtle it looks good.)

4. I also love my lemon rinse, will this affect the henna color any?

Some people add lemon juice to henna to bring out the color, so I wouldn't think so. I personally add about a tablespoon of ACV to my henndigo, and then do ACV rinses a couple times a week, & haven't noticed color fade.

5. And I've got gray hair, diffused mostly over the top of my head with a full-on white streak at the right temple. I've read some people have trouble with the gray hair picking up color, especially indigo, which I would probably use in the mix so that I don't have bright orange streaks in my (still rather dark brown) hair. Is there a good way to make sure the indigo sticks?

I have some gray, and they just end up looking like highlights in the sun. . . sort of dark, but really shiny red. The instructions that came with the henna & indigo I use said a bit of ACV (I use 1 Tbsp. per cup of water) will help the indigo to bind to gray hair.

6. Can I still oil my hair after using henna or henna/indigo or will that interfere with the color?

I've safely used coconut & olive oil with no trouble. I just bought some jojoba today, but I don't anticipate any trouble with that either. It seems to me that coconut oil left on overnight makes my hair temporarily (a couple days or so) look slightly darker, but it might just be that it's shinier. I'm not really sure.

[cmnt831]

Thanks for you input, ddiana! My hair always looks darker when it's well oiled. Heh, well, the darker hairs look darker anyway and the silvers look shinier.

From what everyone's been describing and from the pictures I've seen, it seems like henna or hendigo is the right direction for me to take. I want the shiny red highlights because I like the ones I've got naturally and would love to give them a boost; and if henna is good for the scalp, that's just one more plus on the henna side. :)

[sibiryachka]

Hehe, well I can certainly try to keep all those stati (is that the plural of "status"?). :D Dh has offered to help me with the whole application thing, so maybe we can work something out on the streak. It has no dark hairs in it at all, though the rest of my hair is just sprinkled with silvers and I don't mind those turning orange or whatever. I've had a history of getting interestingly colored highlights. :) I wouldn't be adverse to trying vaseline on the streak and I would definitely try wrapping it. Maybe it will have an orange line in it at the base, though. :hmm:

So, what about the curls? Are they going to un-curl with henna? :bigeyes: I'm fighting to keep them at this point because they're weakening so fast with length anyway.

Ah, you have a couple of advantages over me: A helping pair of hands, and a streak with no dark hairs in it. Given those, you might just be able to pull it off. If you're game to use Vaseline, I can't think of anything more likely to be effective, except maybe WD-40:couch: The shea butter/jojoba oil blend I used didn't do much, but I'm by no means done experimenting, especially with wrapping it. It's so crazy, it just might work! Good point about the possible orange line, though. Only one way to find out about that, I guess...

For me the whites are both the best thing and the worst thing about henna. When they're good, they're very, very good sparkly highlights. When they're bad is week 3 of the 4-week touchup cycle. When the roots are showing they REALLY show, especially right around my face where the whites are most numerous.

So, although we've only been married a year, I'm already planning a long-term exit strategy from my henna commitment :rolleyes: This involves gradually shortening the time I leave it on, so that eventually the hair closest to my face will be lighter overall and the line of demarcation, when I do eventually kick it to the curb for good, won't be so pronounced. The coward's way out, maybe, but then again I may change my mind again in another year's time. It's too soon to give up trying to make it work somehow!

About the curl, who can say? Henna has a reputation for loosening it; some people have success with retaining it by adding amla or I don't know what all else. I do use amla in my mix, btw, but that's to tone down the orangeness; I can't really comment on how it affects texture. I do seem to have less wave since using henna, but I'm also growing out layers and had a massive shed earlier in the year, so I have no idea what is truly going on with my waves. In general, the impression is that the stronger your curl to start with, the less likely henna is to affect it; it's the wavies/wurlies whose hair isn't entirely committed who are more likely to see loss of waves & curls. If you're worried about your curls, I'd definitely consider that possibility in deciding whether or not to henna.

[sibiryachka]

Leslissocool, I'm so glad to hear about how henna helps the scalp. :) I just kind of wanted to add some life to my hair and now I'm hoping it will clear up my scalp issues, too.

Based on my pictures in my sig and avatar (well, if you want to look in my album, too, you can) do you think my hair is lighter or darker than your natural color? I'm trying to gauge how much red I'll get. :)

I'd say yours is darker than mine, with less tawniness. With as much white as you have, though, the hennaed white hairs will probably be much more noticeable than the hennaed dark hairs, and sort of dominate the general effect of the color. Henndigo would probably give you a more even color.

[cmnt831]

Sibiryachka, I'm not too worried about my curls at this point. They're fading fast as I grow, anyway. I'd have to cut my hair back to bsl to have them back in their full glory and I don't want to do that.

I do have some WD-40 around here somewhere.... ;) I've asked someone who has managed to keep her streak in (using regular dye, I think), so I'll see what she has to say about it.

At this point, if henna can make my dandruff go away, I'll gladly have multi-colored clown hair for the rest of my life. (No offense meant to any clowns reading this). :D

[cmnt831]

I'd say yours is darker than mine, with less tawniness. With as much white as you have, though, the hennaed white hairs will probably be much more noticeable than the hennaed dark hairs, and sort of dominate the general effect of the color. Henndigo would probably give you a more even color.

I'm thinking hendigo, too. I've got so much more research to do.... And dh is already saying, "Order some already, I want to see what henna's all about." ;)

[Cailie]

Good luck with your decision, I am very happy about my own henna (+ katam, sometimes) experience.

Maybe look into pepermint essential oil (dilluted in a carrier oil of your choice) in your henna mix to help with any scalp issue you might have. My scalp loves it and I know it can be very effective against dandruff (and it feels really good and cool on the scalp!)

And she's the only one I bought from, so cannot compare to others, but I really trust khadija of www.hennasooq.com for the quality of her henna & business ethics.

Have fun !

[cmnt831]

Thanks, Cailie! I've got all kinds of eos here and carriers, too, so I'm set there. :)

What is katam and what does it do in your henna mix?

[Cailie]

Katam is also blueish, like indigo, so mixed with henna it makes a brown.

The difference is that it is a softer blue, and it doesn't hold as well on most hair, so it fades a little with time. the result with henna gives a somewhat warmer brown (while indigo gives a cooler brown)

Personnally, I like that a lot, because I looove my "henna ritual" (on my whole head/hair to maintain the health of my ends too) and this way, I can control my shade better. With indigo, it would become too dark I think, and I would have to do only the roots.

With katam (50-50), if it's a little too dark, I don't worry because I know the katam will somewhat fade as the months go by (the henna lasts very well though).

I also heard some people had headaches with indigo, and that it smells bad (?)... so I feel reasured with katam for this too, even if that might be silly :)

I decided to use henna - in the first place - much more for hair care / strength / cover gray in a natural way / loosen a little my curls than for color itself (I liked my natural color very much). It has done all that beyond my expectations, my hair and scalp is healthier than ever... and the color is good too.


(btw, I had no problem dying the grays with henna. it hold very well for me)

[Nae]

Well, I PMed you Sea Mint but after reading this thread my plans have changed slightly. I will try the vaseline on the streak and henndigo the rest tonight. I was thinking of conditioner and then saran wrapping my steak but I think Vaseline may be the saving grace. (Thicker and stuff) I don't expect the henndigo to change my color a bunch so if I have a small buffer zone of dark hair around my streak I am cool with that.

Here is the plan, I will vaseline and saran wrap my streak. I am going to use a curl clip to keep it in place while I henna the rest, then we are going to wrap the rest in saran wrap and then unclip it and lay that piece on top of the rest of the saran wrap. Wrap it again, put on a hat and go to bed.

Yeah, I have been thinking about it for a while lol.

If it all goes bad............well, I am willing to take that risk at this point. I will let everyone know in the morning. Ack, now I am getting nervous. I am waiting for the henna to thaw. Using Yemeni from Henna Sooq.

[Cailie]

Well, I PMed you Sea Mint but after reading this thread my plans have changed slightly. I will try the vaseline on the streak and henndigo the rest tonight. I was thinking of conditioner and then saran wrapping my steak but I think Vaseline may be the saving grace. (Thicker and stuff) I don't expect the henndigo to change my color a bunch so if I have a small buffer zone of dark hair around my streak I am cool with that.

Here is the plan, I will vaseline and saran wrap my streak. I am going to use a curl clip to keep it in place while I henna the rest, then we are going to wrap the rest in saran wrap and then unclip it and lay that piece on top of the rest of the saran wrap. Wrap it again, put on a hat and go to bed.

Yeah, I have been thinking about it for a while lol.

If it all goes bad............well, I am willing to take that risk at this point. I will let everyone know in the morning. Ack, now I am getting nervous. I am waiting for the henna to thaw. Using Yemeni from Henna Sooq.


ooh fun ! good luck ! I love to see before / after henna ! Will you show us and make a post about it ? :D:D

[Nae]

ooh fun ! good luck ! I love to see before / after henna ! Will you show us and make a post about it ? :D:D

Yeah! Of course, probably in this thread since it is already going. You can see my streak in my siggy and in my album. I am going to do my best to save it, so let us see how it goes huh? If I can manage it maybe others can as well!

[Cailie]

Good luck with the wrapping ! :D

[cmnt831]

Katam is also blueish, like indigo, so mixed with henna it makes a brown.

The difference is that it is a softer blue, and it doesn't hold as well on most hair, so it fades a little with time.

Personnally, I like that a lot, because I looove my "henna ritual" (on my whole head/hair to maintain the health of my ends too) and this way, I can control my shade better. With indigo, it would become too dark I think, and I would have to do only the roots.

With katam (50-50), if it's a little too dark, I don't worry because I know the katam will somewhat fade as the months go by (the henna lasts very well though).

I also heard some people had headaches with indigo, and that it smells bad (?)... so I feel reasured with katam for this too, even if that might be silly :)

I decided to use henna - in the first place - much more for hair care / strength / cover gray in a natural way / loosen a little my curls than for color itself (I liked my natural color very much). It has done all that beyond my expectations, my hair and scalp is healthier than ever... and the color is good too.


(btw, I had no problem dying the grays with henna. it hold very well for me)

Thanks for the info!


Well, I PMed you Sea Mint but after reading this thread my plans have changed slightly. I will try the vaseline on the streak and henndigo the rest tonight. I was thinking of conditioner and then saran wrapping my steak but I think Vaseline may be the saving grace. (Thicker and stuff) I don't expect the henndigo to change my color a bunch so if I have a small buffer zone of dark hair around my streak I am cool with that.

Here is the plan, I will vaseline and saran wrap my streak. I am going to use a curl clip to keep it in place while I henna the rest, then we are going to wrap the rest in saran wrap and then unclip it and lay that piece on top of the rest of the saran wrap. Wrap it again, put on a hat and go to bed.

Yeah, I have been thinking about it for a while lol.

If it all goes bad............well, I am willing to take that risk at this point. I will let everyone know in the morning. Ack, now I am getting nervous. I am waiting for the henna to thaw. Using Yemeni from Henna Sooq.

Haha, I've been thinking about it for 5 years! I'm crossing my fingers for you! :)

[little_cherry]

So, henna helped with your dandruff? That's great! I had never hoped for a side effect like that. Does the shikakai contribute the the effect as far as clearing the scalp of flakiness?
Absolutely without a doubt. Adding shikakai to the henna is very cooling to the scalp..it feels so good! I've had issues with dandruff since I was a child, so this henna/shikakai combination is a wonderful welcome. :)


Ok, so henna itself helps the indigo to stick better? I saw some video where the lady mixed the henna and indigo together. Are they to be applied separately, instead?Applying henna and indigo separately will most probably give you dark brow-black tones, unless you did an indigo gloss. If you're looking for a warmer brown, I highly recommend buxus over indigo...it's not a deep commitment like indigo. Indigo is nice for cool browns.


As for the grays, I'm in two minds about keeping my big streak, but was definitely thinking of covering the rest. They seem to be washing me out because they're so white. :lol: My hair already has a lot of red tones in it (even strands of natural red sprinkled throughout) and so I wouldn't mind the single silver strands looking coppery or orange, but I don't think the big white streak would look nice that way.

You can wrap the silver streak with kitchen wrap after oiling to the roots with something like jojoba.

[Pierre]

1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?
I've never tried a dandruff shampoo, but my scalp itch went away with henna. If my scalp starts itching, I know it's time to henna again.
5. And I've got gray hair, diffused mostly over the top of my head with a full-on white streak at the right temple. I've read some people have trouble with the gray hair picking up color, especially indigo, which I would probably use in the mix so that I don't have bright orange streaks in my (still rather dark brown) hair. :p Is there a good way to make sure the indigo sticks?
My gray hair takes the henna color just fine. I've never tried indigo.
6. Can I still oil my hair after using henna or henna/indigo or will that interfere with the color?
I oil my hair all the time and it never bothers the color a bit.

As to curl, my hair is as curly now as it was before henna, though when I started hennaing my hair was short, and the curls are at the tips. I use amla in my henna mix.

[cmnt831]

Absolutely without a doubt. Adding shikakai to the henna is very cooling to the scalp..it feels so good! I've had issues with dandruff since I was a child, so this henna/shikakai combination is a wonderful welcome. :)

Applying henna and indigo separately will most probably give you dark brow-black tones, unless you did an indigo gloss. If you're looking for a warmer brown, I highly recommend buxus over indigo...it's not a deep commitment like indigo. Indigo is nice for cool browns.


You can wrap the silver streak with kitchen wrap after oiling to the roots with something like jojoba.

Can you get buxus at the same place as henna? Do you use it the same as indigo, then? I don't have cool tones in my hair naturally (except in weird lighting), so I guess a warmer toned brown would be better.

I'm so happy to hear about the dandruff thing. I've also had dandruff problems since I was little, but can't complain much because at least I don't have the psoriasis that my sister is plagued with. I've told her about henna and hope she'll be willing to try it.


1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?
I've never tried a dandruff shampoo, but my scalp itch went away with henna. If my scalp starts itching, I know it's time to henna again.
5. And I've got gray hair, diffused mostly over the top of my head with a full-on white streak at the right temple. I've read some people have trouble with the gray hair picking up color, especially indigo, which I would probably use in the mix so that I don't have bright orange streaks in my (still rather dark brown) hair. :p Is there a good way to make sure the indigo sticks?
My gray hair takes the henna color just fine. I've never tried indigo.
6. Can I still oil my hair after using henna or henna/indigo or will that interfere with the color?
I oil my hair all the time and it never bothers the color a bit.

As to curl, my hair is as curly now as it was before henna, though when I started hennaing my hair was short, and the curls are at the tips. I use amla in my henna mix.

Thanks for the input, Pierre! I'm glad to hear it helps with your scalp itch. I never imagined that henna would do that, so now I'm really looking forward to trying it.

What color is your gray hair with the henna? Do you mix it with something to tone down the color, since your hair doesn't look like a bright color in your avatar?

[Cailie]

katam = Buxus

As said previously, I get all my herbs / henna / katam from Hennasooq

She also has a choice of pure henna from many countries and other stuff too, as well as explication on how to use everything.

Katam / Buxus (http://www.hennasooq.com/usa-store/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=127)
All natural hair care products
(http://www.hennasooq.com/usa-store/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=7)

I like that I can buy everything at the same place :)

[Nae]

First report back, hair is still wet but I think I did a pretty good job of missing the streak. But I feel like it needs to dry better first so I can really check things out.

Hmmm, so far my biggest concern is that I now have vaseline in my hair and I just used indigo. I don't really want to use a harsh shampoo to get it out in case it strips my indigo. But I have vaseline in my hair!!!!!!!!! ARGH! I may try and leave it with one gummy strand for a day or so and just put it up lol. (Maybe I could SLS the strand?)

I used probably 60% henna and 40% indigo and the whites around my temple are pretty bright orange (but still wet) so we are waiting a bit to pass judgement. I also think I missed a few on my one temple. DOH!

ETA: Okay the vaseline was driving me nuts so I put some cornstarch on it and washed it out with shampoo. It is still slightly gummy there but WAY better. I guess if I lost some of the indigo that is okay for the first go around, my hair is still WAY dark. Hair feels strong but a bit dry, I may do an SMT soon. I have leave in conditioner in there now and it is making it better. I will use a bit less lemon juice next time, I just put in a couple splashes but I don't think I needed quite that much. Oh and my curls seem uneffected. They are still as crazy as always.

At any rate, hair is still not dry due to the second washing. Will be back later.

[cmnt831]

katam = Buxus

As said previously, I get all my herbs / henna / katam from Hennasooq

She also has a choice of pure henna from many countries and other stuff too, as well as explication on how to use everything.

Katam / Buxus (http://www.hennasooq.com/usa-store/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=127)
All natural hair care products
(http://www.hennasooq.com/usa-store/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=7)

I like that I can buy everything at the same place :)

Thanks for the links! I will check them out this afternoon. :)


First report back, hair is still wet but I think I did a pretty good job of missing the streak. But I feel like it needs to dry better first so I can really check things out.

Hmmm, so far my biggest concern is that I now have vaseline in my hair and I just used indigo. I don't really want to use a harsh shampoo to get it out in case it strips my indigo. But I have vaseline in my hair!!!!!!!!! ARGH! I may try and leave it with one gummy strand for a day or so and just put it up lol. (Maybe I could SLS the strand?)

I used probably 60% henna and 40% indigo and the whites around my temple are pretty bright orange (but still wet) so we are waiting a bit to pass judgement. I also think I missed a few on my one temple. DOH!

ETA: Okay the vaseline was driving me nuts so I put some cornstarch on it and washed it out with shampoo. It is still slightly gummy there but WAY better. I guess if I lost some of the indigo that is okay for the first go around, my hair is still WAY dark. Hair feels strong but a bit dry, I may do an SMT soon. I have leave in conditioner in there now and it is making it better. I will use a bit less lemon juice next time, I just put in a couple splashes but I don't think I needed quite that much. Oh and my curls seem uneffected. They are still as crazy as always.

At any rate, hair is still not dry due to the second washing. Will be back later.

Thanks for the update! It sounds promising about the streak so far. Yes, please come back and update further - with pictures if possible? Pretty please? :D

[Cailie]

First report back, hair is still wet but I think I did a pretty good job of missing the streak. But I feel like it needs to dry better first so I can really check things out.

Hmmm, so far my biggest concern is that I now have vaseline in my hair and I just used indigo. I don't really want to use a harsh shampoo to get it out in case it strips my indigo. But I have vaseline in my hair!!!!!!!!! ARGH! I may try and leave it with one gummy strand for a day or so and just put it up lol. (Maybe I could SLS the strand?)

I used probably 60% henna and 40% indigo and the whites around my temple are pretty bright orange (but still wet) so we are waiting a bit to pass judgement. I also think I missed a few on my one temple. DOH!

ETA: Okay the vaseline was driving me nuts so I put some cornstarch on it and washed it out with shampoo. It is still slightly gummy there but WAY better. I guess if I lost some of the indigo that is okay for the first go around, my hair is still WAY dark. Hair feels strong but a bit dry, I may do an SMT soon. I have leave in conditioner in there now and it is making it better. I will use a bit less lemon juice next time, I just put in a couple splashes but I don't think I needed quite that much. Oh and my curls seem uneffected. They are still as crazy as always.

At any rate, hair is still not dry due to the second washing. Will be back later.

don't forget the color will change in the first few days :)
can't wait to see !

[indigonight]

I am a real hennahead and am always on the look out for good places to buy henna and herbs. I have a found a great place to order cheap and wonderful jamila henna as well as bringraj powder etc, so here is another link to check out apart from hennasooq.

www.hennausa.com

[Roscata]

Good luck with your decision, I am very happy about my own henna (+ katam, sometimes) experience.

I tried finding info on katam but I couldn't find anything conclusive.

How long does it last on hair?

Is it permanent and how can you remove it if it is?

Do you have any links where I could find more information on it?

[Cailie]

Here are some links on katam / buxus


http://www.mehandi.com/shop/buxus/index.html
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=8580
http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38802
http://www.curlynikkiforums.com/henna-f1/katam-buxus-dioica-powder-in-henna-mix-for-brown-tones-t6215.htm


I agree, there isn't much written about this plant, if we compare to henna and indigo...

[Roscata]

Here are some links on katam / buxus


http://www.mehandi.com/shop/buxus/index.html
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=8580
http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38802
http://www.curlynikkiforums.com/henna-f1/katam-buxus-dioica-powder-in-henna-mix-for-brown-tones-t6215.htm


I agree, there isn't much written about this plant, if we compare to henna and indigo...

Thank you! I read the first two during my independent research, but I couldn't find answers to:

How long does it last on hair?

Is it permanent and how can you remove it if it is?

If you use it, do you mind answering them here? I'd really appreciate it. :)

[cmnt831]

Thanks for the links, indigonight and Cailie!

[Cailie]

Thank you! I read the first two during my independent research, but I couldn't find answers to:

How long does it last on hair?

Is it permanent and how can you remove it if it is?

If you use it, do you mind answering them here? I'd really appreciate it. :)


well, I can only answer for myself :p

on my hair, it lasts a few weeks / months. It gets lighter (more orange /red : the henna shows more) as the time goes by (but it's not sudden at all, and doesn't color my shower water, etc.). The colors looks very natural at every stage. (I don't wash my hair everyday though, maybe 2-3 times a week, and often I only Co or use shikakai)


I don't know if there's a way to remove it, but I don't think it's usually permanent. On my hair it doesn't seem to be.


I usually only henna my hair, other times I added some Katam (from 20 % to 60 % of my henna mix). You let henna dye release. Then, you mix the katam seperatly and let this dye release 15 minutes.

When both have released their dye : mix the two (I then add lots of thick oils to my mix because I find the texture helpful, it still dyes well (for me anyways) and protects from dryness), and then I apply on hair and leave it 6 hours (night, usually)

With a 40-60 henna / katam mix, I got the ends of my hair pretty dark at first, but with a few washings it became more of a warm natural deep brown.

[Roscata]

well, I can only answer for myself :p

on my hair, it lasts a few weeks / months. It gets lighter (more orange /red : the henna shows more) as the time goes by (but it's not sudden at all, and doesn't color my shower water, etc.). The colors looks very natural at every stage. (I don't wash my hair everyday though, maybe 2-3 times a week, and often I only Co or use shikakai)


I don't know if there's a way to remove it, but I don't think it's usually permanent. On my hair it doesn't seem to be.


I usually only henna my hair, other times I added some Katam (from 20 % to 60 % of my henna mix). You let henna dye release. Then, you mix the katam seperatly and let this dye release 15 minutes.

When both have released their dye : mix the two (I then add lots of thick oils to my mix because I find the texture helpful, it still dyes well (for me anyways) and protects from dryness), and then I apply on hair and leave it 6 hours (night, usually)

With a 40-60 henna / katam mix, I got the ends of my hair pretty dark at first, but with a few washings it became more of a warm natural deep brown.

Thank you so much!

I am still reading the LHC thread (Buxus dioica AKA katam) and although I am 7 pages in the results are still not very conclusive. Your answers really help.

I am considering using katam to get brown hair temporary when I get bored with the red from Henna so it's awesome to know it's only temporary and it will wash out so I don't have to do anything else to get it out but wash my hair. I really appreciate you answering me. :D

Thank you again!

[Nae]

Okay, get ready for a lotta pictures! Here are the photos that have been promised.

This is only a few hours after removing the henna. Here is my streak. If you look carefully you can see a few whites that are now really red. (Which I am loving by the way!)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5236302708_5b6c1f26f4_z.jpg

Okay here is another one, my part looks weird here but pay no attention. In this one you can really see the white hairs that got caught in the henna. These first two shots are at the window but, it is a really grey day here.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5235710645_8c1b959477_z.jpg

Here are the white hairs above my temples....no longer white! This blends really well. This is indoor lighting.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5235710953_bf8e655ffc_z.jpg

Here is a good shot of the curls, I don't feel like I lost any curl at all. This is in fluorescent lighting. Looks different huh?
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5235711223_83a48e550b_z.jpg

And for comparison.........here is the back of my head in October, indoor light.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5093537339_3795bec048_z.jpg

I feel it has added a lot of warmth to my hair and I am seriously considering just doing the whole head again in a day or two and just have a super bright flaming streak! I am loving that color but I am going to wait until it oxidizes first. I can't get over the conditon of my hair today, it is touchable and lovely. It feel super strong and thick. It is really amazing!!

[Cailie]

Very nice !! thanks for the pictures ! I really love your curls and shine !
Did you used only henna and water ??


for a second application, I would wait a minimum of 2-3 weeks, too many henna applications in short delay could be a bit drying (or so I heard :p).

[Nae]

I used a splash or two of lemon juice along with the water but it was mostly water.

I can really tell a difference in the color but in all reality that is because I scrutinize my hair so much. For the regular non-hair obsessed it probably looks much the same lol.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will probably wait anyways, I need to order some more henna, I am not quite sure I will have enough for a second application at the moment.

[cmnt831]

Nae, you did a wonderful job! It looks awesome! At least we know the white streak is doable now. :) I love the orange strands, too. I was hoping they would look like that on me, too.

So, you find that the silvers that turned orange blend pretty well overall? I'm so impressed with how well it turned out. :cheese:

[Nae]

Nae, you did a wonderful job! It looks awesome! At least we know the white streak is doable now. :) I love the orange strands, too. I was hoping they would look like that on me, too.

So, you find that the silvers that turned orange blend pretty well overall? I'm so impressed with how well it turned out. :cheese:

Overall my hair looks warmer and the orange/red sparklies just blend in and make it look warmer to me. They are hardly noticeable in the far away shots as you can see. I am really pleased with the result!

[Roscata]

Overall my hair looks warmer and the orange/red sparklies just blend in and make it look warmer to me. They are hardly noticeable in the far away shots as you can see. I am really pleased with the result!

Your hair looks beautiful, but I'm kind of surprised by the results. I thought your hair would get redder. How long have you let the henna sit before putting it on your hair?

[Nae]

Your hair looks beautiful, but I'm kind of surprised by the results. I thought your hair would get redder. How long have you let the henna sit before putting it on your hair?

Thank you. I had it on for 8 hours. I am assuming that it is just because my hair is so dark it is hard to see.

[Roscata]

Thank you. I had it on for 8 hours. I am assuming that it is just because my hair is so dark it is hard to see.

No. I meant how long did you let the henna stay in a bowl that is covered by cling film in order for the plant to release the color.

I usually leave my bowl at room temperature over night. 12 hours is the recommended time in the e-book.

*edit* This is what I mean: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a207/ioana2adelina/TheLongHairComm/release.png

[Nae]

No. I meant how long did you let the henna stay in a bowl that is covered by cling film in order for the plant to release the color.

I usually leave my bowl at room temperature over night. 12 hours is the recommended time in the e-book.

*edit* This is what I mean: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a207/ioana2adelina/TheLongHairComm/release.png

Ah, of course. I put it in the freezer almost immediately, it was out for probably 20 minutes tops. Then I let it thaw, which took about 2-3 hours. Henna Sooq recommended about 2-3 hour dye release for the Yemeni henna. I was getting orange stains on my skin so it seemed alright before I mixed in the indigo.

[Roscata]

Ah, of course. I put it in the freezer almost immediately, it was out for probably 20 minutes tops. Then I let it thaw, which took about 2-3 hours. Henna Sooq recommended about 2-3 hour dye release for the Yemeni henna. I was getting orange stains on my skin so it seemed alright before I mixed in the indigo.

In the freezer the color will not be released. It needs at least room temperature, that is why you did not get red hair. Also if it is the best quality henna, pure henna (Body Art Quality) it will take 12 hours to release the color. If the instructions say less than 12 hours than it probably contains metalic salts which are bad for your hair.

Look: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a207/ioana2adelina/TheLongHairComm/b4after.jpg

The difference is noticeable despite my original dark hair color. I once again recommend mehandi.com for buying the henna. It's really up to you if you want red hair or not and if you want pure henna on your hair or not.

*shrug* The choice is yours I just thought you should be informed.

[Cailie]

In the freezer the color will not be released. It needs at least room temperature, that is why you did not get red hair. Also if it is the best quality henna, pure henna (Body Art Quality) it will take 12 hours to release the color. If the instructions say less than 12 hours than it probably contains metalic salts which are bad for your hair.

Look: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a207/ioana2adelina/TheLongHairComm/b4after.jpg

The difference is noticeable despite my original dark hair color. I once again recommend mehandi.com for buying the henna. It's really up to you if you want red hair or not and if you want pure henna on your hair or not.

*shrug* The choice is yours I just thought you should be informed.

Not sure I inderstand ?

She sure did get some dye release, as it colored the white hair bright orange...

But I do agree with Roscata, you probably would have had more dye release and much redder hair if you had let it release 2-3 hours with the warm water first, covered in a warm place (or up to 12 hours for some henna - I follow khadija's instructions, depending on the henna I buy), without freezing it before it has released completely. This is probably why your dark hair doesn't look very red. But if you love the result, it's all that matters :p

You can test this method in your scond application if you dare :p


As for "pure henna" ; doesn't henna sooq have great quality / pure / body art quality henna ? must have misunderstood this comment ... :confused:



edit : aaah, I just saw that you had indigo mixed too, this might be another reason why it is not more orange (curious : what was your henna / indigo ratio ?).

[Roscata]

She sure did get some dye release, as it colored the white hair bright orange... [...]
As for "pure henna" ; doesn't henna sooq have great quality / pure / body art quality henna ? must have misunderstood this comment ... :confused: [...]

That release probably came from the 20 minutes it was not in the freezer, I was only speaking about the time it was in the freezer. I'm sorry if that was confusing. I only meant to say that in the freezer there can be no dye release.

I did not know that Henna Sooq had BAQ henna, my mistake.

[CurlyTresses]

double post - my apologies (happened when system slows)

[CurlyTresses]

But I do agree with Roscata, you probably would have had more dye release and much redder hair if you had let it release 2-3 hours with the warm water first, covered in a warm place (or up to 12 hours for some henna - I follow khadija's instructions, depending on the henna I buy), without freezing it before it has released completely. This is probably why your dark hair doesn't look very red. But if you love the result, it's all that matters :p

As for "pure henna" ; doesn't henna sooq have great quality / pure / body art quality henna ? must have misunderstood this comment ... :confused:

edit : aaah, I just saw that you had indigo mixed too, this might be another reason why it is not more orange (curious : what was your henna / indigo ratio ?).

Nae, your henna results came out great and you hair looks beautiful, soft and healthy, very pretty.

I also get my Yemeni (BAQ) henna from HennaSooq and I get good dye release within 2.5 to 3 hours and then after I may put in freezer. Also, I have read that with freezing before dye release, you'll still get dye release but a weaker stain, this from the henna expert, Caribou123(?) hope I got the username correct. I also think this may be why the not too reddish results, because of the indigo. :)

[cmnt831]

Those of you with dark hair to begin with, does henna change the actual color much or does it give your hair more of a red sheen when the light hits it, but still looks dark otherwise?

If anyone wants to look in my album to see my hair color (which can change significantly depending on the lighting - just compare my sig to my avatar, for instance), could you tell me by looking if my hair is such a color that it might change a lot with henna or not? I'm just curious. I know the silvers will be orange. Oh, and I plan to test hairballs before hand, so of course I can see for myself whenever I get some henna. :)

Also, anyone with fine hair, has henna helped it to not be so fragile?

[Cailie]

could you tell me by looking if my hair is such a color that it might change a lot with henna or not?

with pure henna, I think it would change a lot, be much brighter and more orange/red in the sun. inside, it will probably look fuller, brighter, but not orange. Henna doesn't completely alter and cover your color, it sort of adds to it in a natural looking way. like this : http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a207/ioana2adelina/TheLongHairComm/b4after.jpg


you should test strand, because it's very individual !


Also, anyone with fine hair, has henna helped it to not be so fragile?

very much, yes !

[aenflex]

I oil my hair after henna. My advice is that it's better to apply henna a few times and build up a good stain before aggressively oiling, specially with oils than penetrate the cuticle.

I used Greenworks Dishsoap on myhands right after my most recent henna application and it removed all but the stains on my nails. I was very impressed as other soaps I've used right after were not able to remove the stain from my palms.

I waited 6 weeks atfer my last chemical colour before I used henna.

Good luck!

[cmnt831]

Thanks for the tips, aenflex!

Cailie, is that your hair? I love the way it turned out! Did you just use plain henna, then? ETA: Oh, right, you use buxus. :doh: Oh, and I'm definitely going to test beforehand. I'm already collecting hairballs for that purpose. :p

So, now I've got two good reasons to try henna besides the color: dandruff and hair strength. :cheese: Heh, yes, I always seem to have to justify anything I do to make it seem more - uh, medicinal.... :p

I finally got that e-book downloaded and it has really helped me get a grasp on the colors. I'm thinking I might just do plain henna and not add indigo after all. :hmm:

[Cailie]

no, that's not my hair, it's tghe link that had been posted above :p

My hair had similar results though when I use only henna, so I agree with the picture :D

[leslissocool]

My personal suggestion would be, if you are satisfied with the strand test, to do only henna first. My hair barely changed color with henna the first time, and while indigo can last very little in the hair, If it does last it attaches to the hair permanently.

If you want to experiment with the warm tones, I think you should really just try henna by itself. If you are not happy with the results (too bright) then use hennindigo for darker results. That way at least you know how how henna alone looks with your hair, and you won't have any problems getting indigo out of your hair.

I did henna this month every week. I really like the way my hair feels with it, and my color has changed very little. It has also done wonders with my scalp, that's the reason I do it so often.

[cmnt831]

no, that's not my hair, it's tghe link that had been posted above :p

My hair had similar results though when I use only henna, so I agree with the picture :D

Haha, that's why it looked familiar. My memory is not the greatest.... :p


My personal suggestion would be, if you are satisfied with the strand test, to do only henna first. My hair barely changed color with henna the first time, and while indigo can last very little in the hair, If it does last it attaches to the hair permanently.

If you want to experiment with the warm tones, I think you should really just try henna by itself. If you are not happy with the results (too bright) then use hennindigo for darker results. That way at least you know how how henna alone looks with your hair, and you won't have any problems getting indigo out of your hair.

I did henna this month every week. I really like the way my hair feels with it, and my color has changed very little. It has also done wonders with my scalp, that's the reason I do it so often.

Yeah, definitely going with warm tones, that's why I beginning to think henna by itself would do fine. The hair on my canopy has darkened from what it used to be (as well as adding silvers) and it seems kind of harsh with my pale skin tone now, plus the grays are washing me out at the same time.... :rolleyes:

If you do multiple applications of henna, doesn't it darken with each application?

[hermosamendoza]

1. Henna is noted to help with dandruff. That is what it says on hennaforhair.com And I did notice my scalp in better condition. I usually henna in the winter just to help with my dry scalp. I am not sure how dandruff shampoo will effect it since i dont use it.
2. I used to use jemila henna. it has a more coppery orange stain and it lasted for a week. Once I didnt have gloves and decided to do it anyway. My hands where bright orange for a few days then it faded slowly. But my nails stayed orange until i grew out. it was a nice pumpkin color. I am currently debating whether to dry a dark red henna so i'm not sure how this will stain. i see others say a day or two as well.
3.I've only ever used cones. I never changed my routine. I would wash my hair normal and towel dry it and add henna. It seems to hurt less when the hair is a little moist than dry. Some sites say dry some say wet. its a personal preference i believe.
4. acidic juice is what helps bring out the dye in the henna plant. so it might make it lighter as in a brighter red. but i'm not sure. i just know that jemila henna has to sit for 12 to 24 hours before and sit for 2 to 10 hours on your hair. other hennas aren't so hard. i would think it might just freshen up the color.
5.check out hennaforhair.com or google henna over gray. it give nice natural highlights of a brighter red than the rest
6. it won't interfere with the color. once henna is on it is there to stay until you cut it out.

and i am not sure if anyone else has adressed this. there are no colored hennas, i.e. burgundy henna, brown henna, black henna. etc. these contain metal salts that will burn your hair. you can get a sample at the website above of true pesticide free henna for $1 of the henna or your choice.

ETA: henna will be a bright bright coor the first day or two and as it goes on it will darken

[cmnt831]

Oh, thanks, hermosamendoza! You actually addressed some issues I hadn't thought of, like whether to apply to wet or dry hair. :)

[leslissocool]

My hair has not darkened at all... It's actually brown now (after some honey lightening) with purple tint (my hair is just too dark to turn red, so instead I noticed it turns a warm dark red purple tone).

I think that the more henna you use, the more intense your color gets. If you are blond (or a light brown), It might get darker or even just a deep red. The first 3 days you might have an orange color (it actually makes my hair appear lighter when it's dried right after the henna) and after 3 days it oxidizes, so it does turn darker. So far, after 3 hennas, my hair gets warmer but not darker at all. Even if my hair is pretty much close to pure black ( I used to dye my hair blue black with chemical dye, and you couldn't see the roots at all even after 8 months or more).

I do hear that it's personal, everyone gets different results with henna. What I have really noticed is that I have not seen any fellow pure henna user that looks bad with it... it's like, on virgin hair, it kinda adds to the actual hair color. Even the blondes who get the fiery red ,in my opinion, are able to pull it off good. It's like somehow it enhances the color, and it looks really natural.

[AnnaJamila]

I use indigo and henna in conjuction to make a really nice purply dark auburn, and you need an acid to process it, I usually use lemon juice and hybiscus-lemon tea to process mine. You'll have a REALLY fun time keeping the henna off of your streak, I wouldn't count on it working very well. And I really need to try henna hut, their burgundy is intriging...

[cmnt831]

My hair has not darkened at all... It's actually brown now (after some honey lightening) with purple tint (my hair is just too dark to turn red, so instead I noticed it turns a warm dark red purple tone).

I think that the more henna you use, the more intense your color gets. If you are blond (or a light brown), It might get darker or even just a deep red. The first 3 days you might have an orange color (it actually makes my hair appear lighter when it's dried right after the henna) and after 3 days it oxidizes, so it does turn darker. So far, after 3 hennas, my hair gets warmer but not darker at all. Even if my hair is pretty much close to pure black ( I used to dye my hair blue black with chemical dye, and you couldn't see the roots at all even after 8 months or more).

I do hear that it's personal, everyone gets different results with henna. What I have really noticed is that I have not seen any fellow pure henna user that looks bad with it... it's like, on virgin hair, it kinda adds to the actual hair color. Even the blondes who get the fiery red ,in my opinion, are able to pull it off good. It's like somehow it enhances the color, and it looks really natural.

Sweet, this is what I was hoping to hear. :D I've seen some bottle-job redheads around here that the color clashes with their skintone and makes them look unwell. I'll probably get some brighter orange because of all my silvers, but I've been reading that even those blend in well with the rest of the darker hair. :)


I use indigo and henna in conjuction to make a really nice purply dark auburn, and you need an acid to process it, I usually use lemon juice and hybiscus-lemon tea to process mine. You'll have a REALLY fun time keeping the henna off of your streak, I wouldn't count on it working very well. And I really need to try henna hut, their burgundy is intriging...

Yeah, the streak is yet to been seen, but someone here already had success in keeping hers. Just it was a lot of work. How much lemon juice do you use? Just a splash?

So, I've been doing research thanks to all the links you all so thoughtfully posted. :flower: And thanks to all who responded when I sent you questions on your profile page. :flowers: At this point I've got Yemeni henna on the top of my list and will probably order some this week. :cheese: Then, I will probably have even more questions to ask, because I'm like a 2 year-old that way. :p And everyone's replies have been so greatly appreciated. :flowers:

[tangocurl]

1. I have to use a zinc dandruff shampoo currently. Will this affect the color of the henna if I continue to use the shampoo?

No experience with this.


I used pyrithione zinc shampoo about a week ago. :o Since then, I have shampooed twice with regular shampoo, the most recent time a very cheap sulfate shampoo, to make sure I really, really got the zinc out.

Y'all think it is safe to henna my roots now?

Thank you. :blossom: