Has anyone wrestled with dry straw-like hair after henna?

[GRU]

Sounds like leftover resin if you ask me.

When I'm ready to remove my henna, I:

mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
SMT or other treatment for 1-2 hours and rinse

Happy hair!

For the first year I resisted mermaid soaks because they sounded like a PITA, but once I tried it I'd never go back to just showering and CO-washing off the henna. When folks here say it makes a HUGE difference, they mean it!

[Roscata]

Yeah that happens to me if I use lemon juice to dilute my henna and if I don't use conditioner to wash it out.
But since I've been mixing my henna with warm water and using conditioner to wash it out it hasn't been giving me any trouble.

[pixiestar]

I do henna glosses, and have found they make my hair soft and shinny see my avatar this is sameday henna straight after drying with a hairdryer (before I started airdrying) , no products.

[Fethenwen]

When I first started hennaing I would get incredible results with super shiny soft hair. But nowadays my hair gets dry easily. So I use it sparingly only on the roots. I do an occasional henna gloss a few times a year. I don't find henna glosses at all drying, I just try to avoid getting too much color build-up on the rest of my hair.

[Mesmerise]

Sounds like leftover resin if you ask me.

When I'm ready to remove my henna, I:

mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
SMT or other treatment for 1-2 hours and rinse

Happy hair!

For the first year I resisted mermaid soaks because they sounded like a PITA, but once I tried it I'd never go back to just showering and CO-washing off the henna. When folks here say it makes a HUGE difference, they mean it!

I do this... well 1/3 of this lol... One mermaid soak is enough (bath gets filthy lol) and one CO wash. Then again, I probably only have 1/3 of GRU's hair!!

In the past I also used to do a clarifying shampoo afterwards to remove resin...but I'm trying to be CO now!

[GRU]

I do this... well 1/3 of this lol... One mermaid soak is enough (bath gets filthy lol) and one CO wash. Then again, I probably only have 1/3 of GRU's hair!!

In the past I also used to do a clarifying shampoo afterwards to remove resin...but I'm trying to be CO now!

Yeah, my hair tends to be a "special case" in many ways!

As for shampoo or not, I've found that the multiple CO-washes and the SMT make for no leftover resin -- I can still smell the henna for a few days when my hair gets wet, but I can't feel the resin anymore.

[moonlight]

I soak my hair in a bucket of water (upside down) instead of doing a full Mermaid soak. Then one CO and I'm good.

But I only do my roots....practically never do the length. Maybe once a year or so.

[wvgemini]

Yep. It leaves my hair very coated. But I am another who uses up the conditioner in getting it out (I find the chunky bits come out much easier if I use this method anyway). I'm just past SL and use about half a bottle on mine. And usually a few days after I'll do a coconut milk and honey soak for extra moisture.

[lacefrost]

Henna is naturally very drying and a pain in the butt to get out! I have really really dry hair so I add olive oil and cheap slippery conditioner (and yes, I still add lemon juice to my mix for dye release.) After I'm done, I duck my head in a bucket and swish around. Then I get in the shower, rinse and rinse and rinse til the water is clear, shampoo and condition. I wash all of my bits, rinse again (during this rinse I notice even more henna coming out.) Then I deep condition my hair (usually overnight cause I can't be fussed.) When I rinse out, loads more henna comes out until my hair is soft and shiny.

If you hair is dry after henna it means that there's still henna in it or you haven't conditioned properly.