Is this red possible?

[DorothyAtForty]

Hi all! I've never used henna in my hair before and never thought I would until I saw how shiny and healthy the users' hair looked here at LHC. I noticed that a lot of red-henna-heads have a rich, red cherryish look to their hair after using henna. Is this because they start with darker hair? I have medium/light brownish hair and was wondering if any of these types of coppery red are possible to achieve using henna on my color of hair, since I'm not a blonde:

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j322/greenblueviolet/LHC/redhair.jpg

I'm just curious. I've gotten a variation of this color before using Clairol Professional hair dye at Sally's. I haven't colored my hair in a long time. My current hair color (natural roots) is on my profile page in case that helps, because it's hard for me to define my natural color. Thanks in advance.

[Alvrodul]

I'm afraid not - you can never go lighter with henna.

[DorothyAtForty]

Thanks for your reply! It makes sense if it's an application and not peroxide. Thanks again! :)

[sibylla]

You can use sun-in to lighten up your own haircolor and then after a pair of days you can henna over it, just letting the henna act for 30 min. If you have peroxide still in your hair it will make the henna very dark-that´s why you have to wait a couple of days. You can have a look at hennaforhair.com where you can see before and after pictures with henna.

[UltraBella]

Oh, that's my color in your pictures !!!!!!! But, mine is not henna. It's Garnier Herbashine. Love that color of coppery red :)

[DorothyAtForty]

Oh, ok. Yeah I was wondering if achieving that color would be a two-step process if I were to use henna. I'll check that link out, thank you sibylla! The application itself seems like a feat (to me), so doing/waiting more seems like it's not for me at this point. Right now I'm letting my hair grow out, but I do really miss that color. I'll try searching the forum for ways to keep chemically treated hair a little healthier looking/feeling. I just wanted to double check the henna process with the community :D


Oh, that's my color in your pictures !!!!!!! But, mine is not henna. It's Garnier Herbashine. Love that color of coppery red :)

I do too!! Your signature photo looks lovely, UltraBella. I have never tried Garnier, though. I think I got tired of root maintenance, even though I did love the color :p

[prosperina]

I kind of have that color. Although my hair is naturally blond. Sometimes with cassia mixed with henna, you can given the illusion of lighter hair. A few people here have done that on darker hair and it looks nice.

ETA: On second thought, neither Kristen Dunst (right pic) or Amy Adams (left pic) are natural redheads. I'd try to approximate or guess what color they do. Or show it to a hairdresser.

[MandyBeth]

My hair is similar to yours, and I got the middle red tone in sun. Inside it looks darker, but still very hot in shade.

[Marjolein]

See my siggy pic? I'm naturally medium to dark blonde and I pretty much get the color these ladies have with henna. Henna just tends to looks pretty brown indoors and super bright in the sunshine, so I don't have that color all the time. Sorry, very vague post, but I don't know how to describe it better.

[CrisDee]

My hair is naturally light-medium brown (well with hefty streaks of gray these days!), and my avatar pic is a good representation of how my 50/50 henna/cassia mix comes out. A bit darker than the photos you posted, but the slightly darker color is well worth the healthiness and shine that henna gives! :)

[princessp]

Without lightening your hair unfortunately, I don't think you could get this with henna either.

Sounds like my natural hair color is similar to yours too. My siggy shows about 70% henna 30% cassia. I have since adjusted my formula to include way less henna (35% henna 65% cassia and a couple tsp of amla) because I think my hair is getting too dark for me. I'm following Nightblooming's method (you can find it in her sun-in thread http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=19317) and formula so my roots are a less henna more cassia mixture than the length. Once I get enough growth I am going to also attempt a very light sun-in application to bring it all together. This will take some time, but hopefully I'll get good results.

BTW, henna has definitely improved the quality my hair, but remember it is permanent.

[redhead2011]

I'm afraid not - you can never go lighter with henna.
*************
If you are a natural redhead who has darken and faded to more of a brownish red rather than the original copper/strawberry red you were....then, will henna "lighten/brighten" you up?

[Dolly]

*************
If you are a natural redhead who has darken and faded to more of a brownish red rather than the original copper/strawberry red you were....then, will henna "lighten/brighten" you up?


It depends on how dark you are when you apply the henna.....you cannot go lighter than your starting color....

[ilovelonghair]

I henna and am still trying to achieve that color in the link you posted, for some reason it doesn't work for me (I am medium-darkish blonde)

[McFearless]

I find light coloured hair- blonde and brown get to a vibrant cherry red colour. Dark brown and black hair might have a faint red colour but its not nearly as intense as light hair with many henna applications.

[Heartwillfollow]

you can always strand test using diferent amounts of cassia to henna to see what you think of the color

[NouvelleNymphe2]

Thanks for your reply! It makes sense if it's an application and not peroxide. Thanks again! :)

I believe it is possible. In fact, I have already started the process of getting a color like that. I have medium to light gold-brown hair. I think you will need to do your research regarding honey, cassia, rhubarb, camomile powder, carcuma and other GOLD/YELLOWish releasing herbs and spices. I above all suggest you read the great honey threads posted here in the longhaircommunity and also visit the hennasooqs honey blog posting: http://hennablogspot.com/page/3/

I think that you need to be patient, and see how your hair responds to the lighting effects of honey. Also, I would use lemon juice and the sun during the summer. Once you've lightened your hair to a light golden brown color I definitely think these colors are achievable.

I can't post pictures yet because I don't have enough posting, but I have used 2 honey/cassia/camomile powder/carcuma/rhubarb powder/camelia oil/lemon juice/distilled water mixes and applied them and slept with them in my hair. The results are wonderful. My hair is really golden/yellow brown right now. I'm going to keep going until I get a light color and then slowly add in yemeni. I am afraid of the drastic henna effects so I'm going to try little by little to see what I get.

But don't give up trying to achieve this color naturally. Just be patient. I'm on here everyday and have seen some really awesome colors from regular light/medium gold brown hair. When I have enough posts I'll post the difference the honey/cassia mixes have made on my drab gold/brown/red locks, which are now quite light brown/yellow/gold.

Best of luck!:)

[Dolly]

I believe it is possible. In fact, I have already started the process of getting a color like that. I have medium to light gold-brown hair. I think you will need to do your research regarding honey, cassia, rhubarb, camomile powder, carcuma and other GOLD/YELLOWish releasing herbs and spices. I above all suggest you read the great honey threads posted here in the longhaircommunity and also visit the hennasooqs honey blog posting: http://hennablogspot.com/page/3/

I think that you need to be patient, and see how your hair responds to the lighting effects of honey. Also, I would use lemon juice and the sun during the summer. Once you've lightened your hair to a light golden brown color I definitely think these colors are achievable.

I can't post pictures yet because I don't have enough posting, but I have used 2 honey/cassia/camomile powder/carcuma/rhubarb powder/camelia oil/lemon juice/distilled water mixes and applied them and slept with them in my hair. The results are wonderful. My hair is really golden/yellow brown right now. I'm going to keep going until I get a light color and then slowly add in yemeni. I am afraid of the drastic henna effects so I'm going to try little by little to see what I get.

But don't give up trying to achieve this color naturally. Just be patient. I'm on here everyday and have seen some really awesome colors from regular light/medium gold brown hair. When I have enough posts I'll post the difference the honey/cassia mixes have made on my drab gold/brown/red locks, which are now quite light brown/yellow/gold.

Best of luck!:)


It is wonderful that this is working for you, but I would just like to add in one consideration for anyone wanting to go the same route......everytime your roots come in, you will have to go through the same lightening procedure in order to match the roots to the length......

[NouvelleNymphe2]

It is wonderful that this is working for you, but I would just like to add in one consideration for anyone wanting to go the same route......everytime your roots come in, you will have to go through the same lightening procedure in order to match the roots to the length......

This is very true, and I hadn't thought of this. Thank you so much for pointing that out because that is definitely something to consider when trying for these copper/strawberry tones. The honey lightening effect is so lovely though :cheese: .


It is wonderful that this is working for you, but I would just like to add in one consideration for anyone wanting to go the same route......everytime your roots come in, you will have to go through the same lightening procedure in order to match the roots to the length......

Oh Dolly, and it also occurred to me that I could still use my cassia+honey treatments all over after achieving the strawberry color I'm looking for. I think it would lighten the henna after awhile, but could keep a very light strawberry look which is all I'm going for, a very little bit of strawberry. I think I would have to just work with the strawberry color and gage how often and how much henna to apply. I have read that henna builds up, but with the honey treatments it will be interesting to see if honey will actually strip the henna out slowly causing or necessitating more light henna mixed with my honey+cassia mixes. I'll keep everyone posted. I posted pictures of my before and after honey+cassia in my profile if anyone wants to see. Honey works!

[KimmieWeiss]

Hi Dorothy, I get the strawberry color by Jamila Henna over my natural blonde. If your hair is light brown, you can easily do a chemical blonde, then BAQ henna over it. A warning though: it will be very bright, and attention getting. When I do a fresh henna a lot of people comment on it. I know users here say henna does not light the hair, but it does brighten it

[prosperina]

Hi Dorothy, I get the strawberry color by Jamila Henna over my natural blonde. If your hair is light brown, you can easily do a chemical blonde, then BAQ henna over it. A warning though: it will be very bright, and attention getting. When I do a fresh henna a lot of people comment on it. I know users here say henna does not light the hair, but it does brighten it

I have about that color on my natural blonde too, but I'm not sure I would recommend chemical blonde without strand testing. I got a funny bozo orange with henna over chemical blond....This isn't inevitable, but I'm suspcious of the idea. IME, henna and cassia together cut down on the super bright attentioning getting orange.

EDIT: Kimmie, your hair is beautiful. :flowers:

[GRU]

I recommend getting some cassia and henna and collecting shed hair and start experimenting with different ratios.... you'll never know for sure until you try!