Tea Tree Oil and Henna

**JLeighs** · March 16th, 2013, 11:58 AM

I suspected it was happening, but I just confirmed it. Tea tree oil IS pulling henna out of my hair. I'm not upset this time because this last henna went a smidge too dark for me. Not much, but enough that the color has a bit of a "muddy" quality that I don't like. So, this time I mixed about a 1/4 tsp of straight TTO in with my shampoo and let it sit for about a minute. The shampoo was dripping orange suds. When I rinsed, the water was orange. I rinsed until the water turned clear. I'm waiting for my hair to dry, but I can tell that it's a bit lighter. I have wondered for awhile if it was fading my henna a bit because sometimes I mix a few drops into my shampoo because my scalp needs it, and over time my henna did fade. Anyway, I just thought it was interesting and I wanted to share.

**Shatam1** · March 17th, 2013, 10:48 PM

Hi there
I tried adding tea tree oil to my shampoo today to remove some of the henna but nothing happened. Maybe with time? It is excellent for my scalp anyway so I will keep trying

**littlestarface** · March 17th, 2013, 10:51 PM

I sometimes mix tt oil with conditioner and let it sit on the heat cap and I to get orange water. But I also used tt oil in henna before and it made it super dark so I dont know what to think.

**JLeighs** · March 18th, 2013, 08:48 AM

I did it again last night, and this time I used about 1/2 tsp of TTO mixed with shampoo and let it sit for 3-4 minutes while I finished showering. More orange water and yes, the color has lightened. I have been mixing a few drops in with my shampoo regularly for awhile (at least a year and I've been using henna for about a year) and I never noticed orange run-off, but my henna definitely gradually faded. I just didn't realize until recently that it was probably the TTO that was doing it. I don't know that it will do the same thing for everyone, but it sure is doing it for me.

I did do a Google search on the topic, but the only thing I found was on old LHC thread where someone was using Giovanni TT conditioner from her ears down and her henna had definitely faded from the ears down. Everything else I found was about using TTO to terp (I think that's what it's called) henna.

**truepeacenik** · March 18th, 2013, 12:04 PM

Ok, reading on why you terp your body art henna, is seems that the terms induce dye release into the solution.
I'm no chemist, but it seems that to "reterp" the henna stain induces another release....off the hair. What happens if you just have the shampoo or conditioner sit without a terping oil? Might the shampoo be stripping?

Pierre, please pick up the white courtesy phone...
And weigh in on the science here.

**JLeighs** · March 18th, 2013, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by truepeacenik

Ok, reading on why you terp your body art henna, is seems that the terms induce dye release into the solution.
I'm no chemist, but it seems that to "reterp" the henna stain induces another release....off the hair. What happens if you just have the shampoo or conditioner sit without a terping oil? Might the shampoo be stripping?

I've left both shampoo and conditioner sit on my hair before, and I've never had any orange run-off. The only downside that I've noticed with this is that the henna left in my hair is pretty bright --sort of (but not quite) like a fresh henna application. I'm wondering if I should try again to see what happens or if I should wait and see if the shade becomes more muted over the next week or so. I'm wondering if doing this has somehow restarted the oxidation process with the henna that is still in the hair.

**Natalia** · March 18th, 2013, 10:51 PM

How funny, When you put TTO int he mix for body henna it darkens the dye deposit.

**JLeighs** · March 20th, 2013, 07:52 PM

I just wanted to update that I used the TTO again and successfully pulled out more henna (orange water again). My henna is almost (but not quite) two shades lighter than it was before I started doing this. I really wish I had thought to take a before picture.

**truepeacenik** · March 20th, 2013, 09:40 PM

Then it is the terps!

**Quasiquixotic** · March 1st, 2014, 02:20 PM

So I tried this. I dyed my hair with hendigo and I wanted to see if I could pull it out. I have pretty short hair and aspirations to grow it to hip length. It's a dark blonde naturally (see aug siggie photo) and while I like being a brunette more, I am also lazy and don't like roots. So before my hair got really long, I wanted to know of I could reverse the henna with out bleach.

So I mixed about 1 tablespoon of tea tree oil (now brand) with two big glops of conditioner. I covered my damp hair root to tip and covered that with two shopping bags and then a tee shirt. I then fitfully slept on it overnight.

When I washed it out this morning it was definitely lighter. I'd say almost all the indigo washed out and I have carrot red hair again. I plan to try this a second time to see if I can get closer to a blonde. I'll keep you posted.