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

[LexI bright]

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. 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.

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.....

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

[Blue Mermaid]

My hair was bleached and had faded blue when I started henna'ing. No matter how many henna applications I did, the color didn't even out- it had to be grown out and cut off. Henna is translucent- the end result is your base color + translucent layer of henna. More applications means a darker shade of henna, but if your starting is bleached, it's always going to be bright and coppery compared to the result from henna over ash blond hair. My natural is the same as yours- you should be able to see my profile picture if you click on my profile. That will give you an idea of what henna can look like with multiple applications over dark ash blond hair.

[LexI bright]

Thanks Blue Mermaid, that's what I was thinking. I bought some cheap Revlon Colorsilk on sale at CVS today, 2 for $6. I got light brown and dark blonde and will mix them. It's ammonia free but permanent not semi perm. I thought if I used semi it would eventually fade under the henna and I would be back at square one. Wish me luck!

[lapushka]

Just a word of warning. I would not start mixing frequent chemical dyes with henna especially not when bleach was or is involved. That is how my hair melted off (bleach, henna, chemical dye) and how I got a chemical cut & burn.

I would start strand testing first!

[Blue Mermaid]

Thanks Blue Mermaid, that's what I was thinking. I bought some cheap Revlon Colorsilk on sale at CVS today, 2 for $6. I got light brown and dark blonde and will mix them. It's ammonia free but permanent not semi perm. I thought if I used semi it would eventually fade under the henna and I would be back at square one. Wish me luck!

Yikes. I'm not entirely sure you're going to get the results you want. It's hard to know if the dyes (even if they're the same brand) will be compatible or what volume developer is in them. It may very well be 20 or 30 volume, which can cause further damage to your hair.

[akurah]

Henna is orange, you cannot get ruby from it unless your hair is quite dark, and even then, it’s still orange. You’re also never going to get it out of your hair. You might be better off with professional color correction, and have said professional strand test first

[LexI bright]

Just a word of warning. I would not start mixing frequent chemical dyes with henna especially not when bleach was or is involved. That is how my hair melted off (bleach, henna, chemical dye) and how I got a chemical cut & burn.

I would start strand testing first!

Ooh, a chemical burn sounds painful!! I will definitely strand test. I used Natural Instincts in dark blonde to "fill" my lighter lengths last Nov after the 1st henna. It toned down the orange to a more natural looking copper but since its a semi-perm it faded in about 6 weeks and my hair was bright again. I will be careful for sure.

Yikes. I'm not entirely sure you're going to get the results you want. It's hard to know if the dyes (even if they're the same brand) will be compatible or what volume developer is in them. It may very well be 20 or 30 volume, which can cause further damage to your hair.

No worries, the dyes are both the same brand, just one shade apart. I know I can mix them, that is not a problem and I have emailed the company to find out the developer strength. I am thinking it is most likely 20 vol. But you are right, there is the risk of damage with the developer. Now you have me thinking of taking it back and just using the semi-perm to deepen again. I will have to do more research. Meanwhile I can just do my roots.

Henna is orange, you cannot get ruby from it unless your hair is quite dark, and even then, it’s still orange. You’re also never going to get it out of your hair. You might be better off with professional color correction, and have said professional strand test first

My natural hair is what I would call ruby toned with the henna on it. It does have a slight orange sparkle to it but I do like it. I wouldn't say my natural color is quite dark, but dark enough that it isn't bright copper like the old highlighted hair. I definitely complicated things by not evening up my color before hennaing. I can live with it as it is, I was just wondering if someone had been able to effectively blend lighter, orangier lengths with darker, redder roots and if so, how they did it.

I have read that people have gotten a cooler red by adding hibiscus, or a small amount (25% or so) of indigo to their henna mix. Indigo intimidates me though. My new henna is a higher lawsone than the Moroccan I had been using. I will test strand it on its own. It may get me close enough. If not, I can just wait and research more.
It takes a long time to collect enough of my shed hair for multiple samples. No big deal

[Nightshade]

I think it's possible. I would use an Adore (or similar) deposit only dye in your natural color, then, after a day or two, henna over that.

You'll likely still have a color difference, if nothing else, just because your previously lightened hair will shimmer rather than shine, but I think it'll be much less.

[lapushka]

Ooh, a chemical burn sounds painful!! I will definitely strand test. I used Natural Instincts in dark blonde to "fill" my lighter lengths last Nov after the 1st henna. It toned down the orange to a more natural looking copper but since its a semi-perm it faded in about 6 weeks and my hair was bright again. I will be careful for sure.

Oh that's great, as that was the only point I was trying to put across. I didn't mean to scare you off of dyeing the hair or anything like that. But it was my experience and yeah, I was impulsive and didn't strand test at the time, so yeah hard lesson and all that!

[LexI bright]

Oh that's great, as that was the only point I was trying to put across. I didn't mean to scare you off of dyeing the hair or anything like that. But it was my experience and yeah, I was impulsive and didn't strand test at the time, so yeah hard lesson and all that!

No worries Lapushka, I appreciate you sharing your experience! I went back to henna because I am trying to mitigate damage and it is really helping my hair. That is why I didn't even up the color before hand, I just wanted to be done with chemicals.

I think it's possible. I would use an Adore (or similar) deposit only dye in your natural color, then, after a day or two, henna over that.

You'll likely still have a color difference, if nothing else, just because your previously lightened hair will shimmer rather than shine, but I think it'll be much less.

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.