Intensifying the red in henna?

[Konstifik]

Yarr!

Last year I stopped hennaing with my then very coppery red henna (unknown origin). But now I'm back to henna again (yemeni). I like how much red there is, but it's still a bit too... brown. This may be due to the fact that I'm using a new henna on a 6 year old other kind of henna. But is there a way to bring out more of the beautiful red? The virgin growth I got over the non-henna year is more intense red than the henna-over-henna length, but I'd want it even more red if that's possible. :D

So have you got any henna mixes which really brings out the fierce red? I've heard paprika is good to add for this.
My usual mix consists of henna, yogurt and honey.
Oh, pics of my current shade is on my profile. :)

[Veer666]

My BAQ henna is very red on it's own.

But with other henna's I've got more red results by using paprika powder, natural vinegar/natuurazijn, rooibos tea/red bush tea.

Good luck!

[prosperina]

I'd cut the yogurt. I found almost anything added to henna cut the dye too much. Somehow I ended up killing off most of the dye in one batch when I added too much yogurt, so I'm suspicious of yogurt in general. The simplest mixes gave me the most red.

[Konstifik]

Alright, so I'll cut out the yogurt and add paprika powder and maybe ACV instead. :)
Thanks, prosperina and Veer666!

[catastrophe]

My latest mix has given me the most intense red so far. For a 500g batch of henna I used 4 cups of strong red rooibos tea and then enough unsweetened, pure cranberry juice to get it to the right consistency. At the end I added some paprika and olive oil, but this was after dye release. :D

[cuppycake]

My BAQ henna is very red on it's own.

But with other henna's I've got more red results by using paprika powder, natural vinegar/natuurazijn, rooibos tea/red bush tea.

Good luck!
Where do u get your henna from? I love your color!

[Konstifik]

Awesome, catastrophe! :D
I have tried using tea in my hair before, although not rooibos, but I found the tea leaves to be very drying to my hair. Does rooibos have a drying tendency as well, or is that only for the tea leaves? :)

[Nymph]

Rooibos is a herb, not a tea, so I think it will work better for you. :)

[Konstifik]

Rooibos is a herb, not a tea, so I think it will work better for you. :)

Yeah I know, but some herbs are drying as well. :)

[Hana]

Just a suggestion, have you tried freezing your henna?

[Konstifik]

Just a suggestion, have you tried freezing your henna?

Nope. Does that help the dye release?

[Hana]

I believe so, yes! Something to do with breaking the bonds of the cell walls when it melts, so you get more dye released...

See if this thread helps you.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=59119&highlight=freezing+henna

[CaityBear]

Whenever I want to henna purely for the color I always do just plain henna without adding a whole bunch of stuff. My henna is usually very red on its own but I have tried adding paprika and I think it did make a difference in the color.

[catastrophe]

Konstifik, my hair's been a bit dry since the henna, but it's difficult to say whether it's from the rooibos, the cranberry juice, or the fact that I clarified beforehand and did not use a much conditioner afterward. My hair is dry, curly, and a bit on the frizzy side anyway, so its type is a bit different than yours.

I was really pleased with this mix, like I said before. When I tested for dye release, the spot was the usual orange shade, but after 24 hours, it had settled into a definite red, or even burgundy, shade. My hair hasn't quite gotten to full oxidation yet, but it is definitely richer and redder than my previous hennas. :D I'll keep you posted!

[redheadlynn]

I have always found that chammomile tea (for me) helps, and I'm sure roobios would, too. I always add paprika and turmeric to my hair; they seem to help brighten the color. The turmeric leaves a noticeable golden sheen, and the paprika makes the red pop. :D I always use just water. Adding anything acidic other than tea kills my dye. *shrug* Good luck !!!!

[Konstifik]

Thanks everyone for the nice ideas! :D
Paprika, rooibos and vinegar is going into the next mix!

catastrophe: Awesome! Maybe an action pic as well? :D