Can I Get Ruby Tones From Henna On Chemical Blonde Hair?

[Nightshade]

Thank you Nightshade. I have not seen Adore in stores. I read about it online and see the ingredients are nice. Probably better than the Colorsilk. I just wonder though will it fade out like the Natural Instincts did, leaving me with too bright hair again? If it does, would I go over it again with Adore in my natural shade? I would think doing that would cover my red and I don't want to do that. This is why I was thinking permanent color in my natural would be better, but there is that chance of damage. I found out the Colorsilk I have on hand comes with 20 vol peroxide.

It might, honestly (fade, I mean), but I think not all the way out. The core issue is that your hair is lighter and porous and it won't hold onto color super-well. Presuming this works, though, you could either just do it again, or, rather than your natural color, do a deposit only color in the color you're aiming for, maybe even made darker with black (you can blend colors of Adore dyes like paint).

Worst-case, you just have to fill it in a little bit with Adore / Manic Panic / something similar. Just keep it deposit-only, nothing with developer, and there's not going to be any additional damage from it.

[tangocurl]

Hi All! I am needing some advice as somewhat of a henna newb. I tried henna back in 2013 but after 4 six hour applications of Red Raj I decided the deep burgundy did not suit my complexion. My natural hair color is dark blonde, about a level 7. I was born a Strawberry Blonde but it faded to gold and then got mousey as I got older.

You might be my hair twin.

Thinking back, I believe the Raj got too dark on me because I had a semi-perm ash brown under it. So I Color Oopsed it in 2014, and after multiple heavy highlighting sessions with a hairdresser friend, finally got it back to blonde. Last year however, I stopped highlights and just used high lift blonde color (no more bleach). But, I noticed my hair was thinning. It was falling out at the root and breaking off too. I swore off chemical color last November and went back to henna with more restraint than my first foray.

I have a similar story. Got my hair down to BSL in '09 with Lush Caca Noir to try to mellow out some old highlights. Yes, it did fade quite a bit. I regretted the use of indigo because when I wanted to go lighter I had to cut a lot of length to keep it from going green. Then I was bleaching again until I realized that was truly destroying my hair. Then I did a brown semi permanent to aid in growing out to my natural color. Eventually I started doing henna again, but since it was over my natural hair, it wasn't as bright and didn't have quite the same line of demarcation. Even with henna, I had to keep my hair at shoulder length for about three years to cut off damage. It literally would not grow past there and I was still heat styling, just not as much as before.

As an aside, I think one of the hardest things with our hair color and texture is deciding whether we're brunette, blonde or redhead! Whether we are curly or wavy! We're all of these descriptors...flexible, but kind of fragile!

The Moroccan henna I used this time while lovely, is not the color I am going for. On my high lift chemical blonde lengths, it is very vibrant deep copper. My virgin hair with henna, only about 2" so far, is more of a ruby tone. So I want to try to get those lighter coppery lengths closer in color to my natural color with henna. I have some Organic Raj on the way from Henna Sooq. It is said to produce more of a burgundy tone, so I will be careful not to overdo it. But I am wondering if since henna is transparent and an orange tone, won't layering more of it over (basically yellow) level 9 hair just make it darker orange? Should I darken those lengths with a semi-perm dye similar to my natural color before I henna again so when I do use the new henna it will be heading more towards that ruby color? I know....I did it backwards. I should have evened up my color before the 1st henna but hindsight is 20/20 as they say.....

As someone who has been to bleach and back several times in my life, and used henna over bleach with natural roots coming in, my experience is that it is much more realistic-looking for my hair and skin color to avoid multiple layerings of henna and absolutely avoid indigo and henndigo. I did use a deposit-only color in about a level 5-6 neutral brown on the really bleached lengths. Then using judicious applications of henna (I've alternately used Moroccan and Jamila) I was able to preserve some length without having a weird bright color demarcation. That helped me avoid too much chemical process and get the henna benefits. Once my hair finally stopped literally crumbling off at the ends a couple years ago, I did my Moroccan henna about twice a year, enough for it to fade a bit from the lengths (YMMV -- I am one of those rare birds that does get a bit of fade from henna, but I'm not leaving it on for more than an hour).

All henna is red -- everyone here will tell you that -- and will get more red to purple the more you layer and saturate it. I do notice a difference when I do one-hour applications with Jamila vs. Moroccan -- the Moroccan is browner when not hit with direct light. I'd be careful not to do too many layers of any henna or you'll get too red and then your roots application ritual will take a lot longer and the whole thing may be harder to match up.

I think you CAN even up your lengths after-the-fact with some deposit-only color. I think you might be happier if you do not layer any more henna on what you've got going and just do your roots. You can always slap another full-head layer on in a couple months once you have more grow-out. I've never used Red Raj, so I can't speak to how it is different from Jamila or Moroccan.

I can tell you I will never use indigo on my hair again. I think you and I were chatting on the swap board about Brahmi -- had I known about that herb in 2013, I might have not used any deposit-only color on my bleached bits. Or maybe I would have. Whatever -- I think my old bleach is cut off now and all that's left on me is my bottom four inches that's leftover heat damage. My experience was the Brahmi was not permanent and it did tone down gold/orange and darken, which is exactly what I wanted to do with my old bleach highlights at different points in time. Henndigo was not the right solution for me to correct unwanted highlights.

It is TIME to do my roots so hoping some former chemical blonde hennaheads can help me out

ETA: I have to learn how to upload photos! For some reason my avatar pic won't load either but you should be able to see my profile pic

Your hair is pretty, and it isn't as extreme as you describe!

[LexI bright]

It might, honestly (fade, I mean), but I think not all the way out. The core issue is that your hair is lighter and porous and it won't hold onto color super-well. Presuming this works, though, you could either just do it again, or, rather than your natural color, do a deposit only color in the color you're aiming for, maybe even made darker with black (you can blend colors of Adore dyes like paint).

Worst-case, you just have to fill it in a little bit with Adore / Manic Panic / something similar. Just keep it deposit-only, nothing with developer, and there's not going to be any additional damage from it.

Yes, that is what I was thinking too as I was typing my reply to you before. If it fades, hit it with deposit only in my target shade.

You might be my hair twin.




I have a similar story. Got my hair down to BSL in '09 with Lush Caca Noir to try to mellow out some old highlights. Yes, it did fade quite a bit. I regretted the use of indigo because when I wanted to go lighter I had to cut a lot of length to keep it from going green. Then I was bleaching again until I realized that was truly destroying my hair. Then I did a brown semi permanent to aid in growing out to my natural color. Eventually I started doing henna again, but since it was over my natural hair, it wasn't as bright and didn't have quite the same line of demarcation. Even with henna, I had to keep my hair at shoulder length for about three years to cut off damage. It literally would not grow past there and I was still heat styling, just not as much as before.

As an aside, I think one of the hardest things with our hair color and texture is deciding whether we're brunette, blonde or redhead! Whether we are curly or wavy! We're all of these descriptors...flexible, but kind of fragile!


As someone who has been to bleach and back several times in my life, and used henna over bleach with natural roots coming in, my experience is that it is much more realistic-looking for my hair and skin color to avoid multiple layerings of henna and absolutely avoid indigo and henndigo. I did use a deposit-only color in about a level 5-6 neutral brown on the really bleached lengths. Then using judicious applications of henna (I've alternately used Moroccan and Jamila) I was able to preserve some length without having a weird bright color demarcation. That helped me avoid too much chemical process and get the henna benefits. Once my hair finally stopped literally crumbling off at the ends a couple years ago, I did my Moroccan henna about twice a year, enough for it to fade a bit from the lengths (YMMV -- I am one of those rare birds that does get a bit of fade from henna, but I'm not leaving it on for more than an hour).

All henna is red -- everyone here will tell you that -- and will get more red to purple the more you layer and saturate it. I do notice a difference when I do one-hour applications with Jamila vs. Moroccan -- the Moroccan is browner when not hit with direct light. I'd be careful not to do too many layers of any henna or you'll get too red and then your roots application ritual will take a lot longer and the whole thing may be harder to match up.

I think you CAN even up your lengths after-the-fact with some deposit-only color. I think you might be happier if you do not layer any more henna on what you've got going and just do your roots. You can always slap another full-head layer on in a couple months once you have more grow-out. I've never used Red Raj, so I can't speak to how it is different from Jamila or Moroccan.

I can tell you I will never use indigo on my hair again. I think you and I were chatting on the swap board about Brahmi -- had I known about that herb in 2013, I might have not used any deposit-only color on my bleached bits. Or maybe I would have. Whatever -- I think my old bleach is cut off now and all that's left on me is my bottom four inches that's leftover heat damage. My experience was the Brahmi was not permanent and it did tone down gold/orange and darken, which is exactly what I wanted to do with my old bleach highlights at different points in time. Henndigo was not the right solution for me to correct unwanted highlights.


Your hair is pretty, and it isn't as extreme as you describe!

Yikes, 3 years of cutting off damage! I have only used a blow dryer to diffuse or sometimes concentrate on my roots because my hair grows so flat to my head. It also grows toward my face which is super annoying!! If I don't blow dry the roots (even if I DO blow dry them) I have this big split in the back left of center where my hair grows up and forward. A major cowlick that will NOT be tamed. It is the bane of my existance. When I wear my hair down, I always have to pin that side back to cover my scalp or it looks like I got hit with a hatchet.

I notice the Moroccan does look browner at times, and other times just a weird dark copper. Un-natural looking. My new stuff isn't Red Raj, it is Organic Rajisthani...a few dollars cheaper than Red Raj but a similar strength. I do have Brahmi in my closet. Now that I hear the darkening is not permanent and it toned the gold/orange I am intrigued. I was scared to use it when I read that it darkens the hair. I bought both Brahmi and Bhringraj for their hair growth/rejuvenation claims. Are you saying to try it before trying a direct dye?


Thank you so much for the compliment! I am such a chicken I have just been doing nothing to address the color. It is not terrible, but it is starting to get on my nerves. And I love henna so much!!! Good thing I have plenty of cassia, ziziphus, amla etc to slap on my head when I get the henna urge so I don't end up too dark like last time!! I will have to stop being a wus and bring the Brahmi & Bhringraj out to play!

I went to your profile to see my hair twin, but no pics!

[tangocurl]

Yes, that is what I was thinking too as I was typing my reply to you before. If it fades, hit it with deposit only in my target shade.



Yikes, 3 years of cutting off damage! I have only used a blow dryer to diffuse or sometimes concentrate on my roots because my hair grows so flat to my head. It also grows toward my face which is super annoying!! If I don't blow dry the roots (even if I DO blow dry them) I have this big split in the back left of center where my hair grows up and forward. A major cowlick that will NOT be tamed. It is the bane of my existance. When I wear my hair down, I always have to pin that side back to cover my scalp or it looks like I got hit with a hatchet.


I notice the Moroccan does look browner at times, and other times just a weird dark copper. Un-natural looking. My new stuff isn't Red Raj, it is Organic Rajisthani...a few dollars cheaper than Red Raj but a similar strength. I do have Brahmi in my closet. Now that I hear the darkening is not permanent and it toned the gold/orange I am intrigued. I was scared to use it when I read that it darkens the hair. I bought both Brahmi and Bhringraj for their hair growth/rejuvenation claims. Are you saying to try it before trying a direct dye?


(

Yeah, I would try the Brahmi first and see if that solves it....Sorry no pics -- I have not gotten around to new pics yet!

[Blue Mermaid]

Yeah, 20 vol developer is quite strong. It's enough to lift 2-3 shades LIGHTER on natural hair. That's the problem with box dye- it doesn't know your starting so uses a one size fits all formula. Your hair is porous and damaged and will soak up the color (and the developer) readily. It's definitely going to cause more damage. The more you do the less happy you'll be, I think. Deposit only dyes are much gentler. As someone else already mentioned you could try something like manic panic OVER the henna to tone it down. You could use a dark red or a ruby red over the henna to neutralize the orange. Of the direct deposit dyes, I've found the Ion brand from Sally's and Special Effects last the longest. Manic panic never lasted more than a week or two for me.

My vote; henna only, and if you have to keep refreshing your ends to keep them from getting too bright, then do that. But everytime you put a chemical on your hair you're causing damage, and once you've done multiple different colors and lightenings and henna your results will become less and less predictable.

[LexI bright]

Yeah, I would try the Brahmi first and see if that solves it....Sorry no pics -- I have not gotten around to new pics yet!

I wish I could find pics of Brahmi on hennaed hair! I just dont have shed hairs to test it on. I suppose I could do just a chunk on my hair in a hidden spot. I just am scared it will turn black! Did you use it as a rinse or a paste?

Yeah, 20 vol developer is quite strong. It's enough to lift 2-3 shades LIGHTER on natural hair. That's the problem with box dye- it doesn't know your starting so uses a one size fits all formula. Your hair is porous and damaged and will soak up the color (and the developer) readily. It's definitely going to cause more damage. The more you do the less happy you'll be, I think. Deposit only dyes are much gentler. As someone else already mentioned you could try something like manic panic OVER the henna to tone it down. You could use a dark red or a ruby red over the henna to neutralize the orange. Of the direct deposit dyes, I've found the Ion brand from Sally's and Special Effects last the longest. Manic panic never lasted more than a week or two for me.

My vote; henna only, and if you have to keep refreshing your ends to keep them from getting too bright, then do that. But everytime you put a chemical on your hair you're causing damage, and once you've done multiple different colors and lightenings and henna your results will become less and less predictable.

I did a test on my one and only hairball of the new organic raj, full strength but with 4 T of Amla added, and some cloves, cinnamon and paprika left on 4 hours after freezing and thawing. It is still VERY vibrant, but not oxidised so I won't judge. I think I will do roots only for now (gotta get those grays covered!). I took the Colorsilk back, and am going to Sally today to look at the Ion. I think they have a sale on now buy 2 get 1 free. So maybe get one in my natural color, and two in a ruby red.

Thank you all for your input!! I will update with results!!

[Nightshade]

Just for future reference, paprika, cloves, and cinnamon don't do anything to the color of henna, other than diluting it (I say this as someone who did it for years, then tested and found out that all they were doing was diluting the henna and so altered the color that way).

But if you're adding them for how they smell, godspeed, carry on XD

[LexI bright]

Just for future reference, paprika, cloves, and cinnamon don't do anything to the color of henna, other than diluting it (I say this as someone who did it for years, then tested and found out that all they were doing was diluting the henna and so altered the color that way).

But if you're adding them for how they smell, godspeed, carry on XD

Wow good to know Nightshade thanks. I had read somewhere on here that they did help with the color as far as toning it down a little bit during the pre oxidation phase and I do like the smell but that wasn't my main goal. I didn't put a whole lot of said spices in, but won't bother with them next time.

On my way home from Sally's with semi-perm Clairol Beautiful Collection in 6N "Toasted Hazelnut" to match my natural color and even things out a bit. I couldn't find Adore anywhere. I also bought Manic Panic Infra-Red, MP Pastel-izer to lighten the Infra-Red slightly if needed for more Ruby less burgundy, and MP Virgin Snow toner which I was thinking of adding to my conditioner to use occasionally.

I am actually starting to like my copper ends, and fiance does too, but I would have to lighten my roots to get maintain it and that's not happening. I tried 70 cassia/30 henna before but it didn't cover my silvers so just went with full henna and got the ruby-ish color.

[LexI bright]

I am wondering how long to leave the 6N in my hair. The bottle says process 25 minutes, but I have heard with Manic Panic, people leave it on much longer to make the color stay longer. Since my hair is porous, I am thinking I should leave the 6N on longer as well, so it doesn't fade too fast. I think I will do an hour.

[Nightshade]

Nah, they don't do anything Here's some strand tests I did on mohair for 2 hours. You can see very few herbs have the ability to stain, and even fewer stain strong enough to be able to influence henna in any meaningful way. Most the color you see, like in cinnamon? It's just stuff I couldn't get to rinse out of mats, not actually stain

















Different types / crops of henna for comparison: