Which hibiscus

[glitterdeva]

Hi, ladies! Which hibiscus do you all use to make Henna more red? I ordered one kind from Amazon, but it seems that some of my greys are still kind of orange. Now I am reading that Hibiscus should be organic and maybe a special kind? Let me know which kind you all get! Also, I found that 20 bags of hibiscus tea works better then this hibiscus powder:

http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Hibisc...s+petal+powder

Do you think this one is better (it says it is for hair, but it doesn't say if it is organic or not):

http://www.amazon.com/Hibiscus-Petal...s+petal+powder

thank you!

I am trying to get as red as possible and less orange

[texangrrl]

I don't know about those, but I achieved a cherry cola red using Red Raj and the hibiscus powder sold by Henna Sooq. Another member, Neoma, uses hibiscus powder from the same source that I use (but with Jamilla henna) and she gets a very lovely red.

[glitterdeva]

I don't know about those, but I achieved a cherry cola red using Red Raj and the hibiscus powder sold by Henna Sooq. Another member, Neoma, uses hibiscus powder from the same source that I use (but with Jamilla henna) and she gets a very lovely red.

Thank you! I just ordered Henna Sooq hibiscus, will report back with results

[texangrrl]

Thank you! I just ordered Henna Sooq hibiscus, will report back with results

Great! What kind of henna will you be using with it?

[glitterdeva]

Great! What kind of henna will you be using with it?

Ancient Sunrise Raj. So I mixed Hibiscus Powder from Henna Dream (says its 100% natural and pure) with this henna yesterday, waiting for dye release. I have noticed that hibiscus powder def makes dye release longer, last time it took 16 hours! Also, I mixed 100g of each. So far my experience with henna + hibiscus is as follows:

- hibiscus tea (like 15 packets) does not make henna dye release longer, I got beautiful red from it. So far it has been the best mix and i might go back to it
- adding just a little hibiscus (I got petal powder from amazon and its like bright bright almost purple). Is that a good hibiscus? - this produced an OK batch, still had couple of orange hairs. Dye release took usual 9 hours, but I mixed it in Florida though and it was pretty warm there
- went back to Virginia and mixed this same hibiscus, but put 50:50 this time. It didn't take my grey hair at all!! This never happened before. Like at all. Its same hibiscus, same henna, just more hibiscus this time. I had to throw this batch away. This is the hibiscus i used in both cases:

http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Hibisc...ibiscus+powder

- time after that I mixed hibiscus tea with same henna and about 60g of this hibiscus. I waited for 16 hours of dye release and the color came out great, except I still saw maybe couple of grey hair that instead of turning red, turned orange. But this one was much better.

- well, yesterday I mixed water, this new hibiscus powder (http://www.amazon.com/Hibiscus-Petal...er+henna+dream) with henna 100g each. This powder is off green color and smells different then the hibiscus that I usually use. I am planning to wait 16 hours.

I think hibiscus powder makes henna dye release longer somehow, or maybe temperature is supposed to be hotter if you mix the two of these? Also, I am confused as to how REAL hibiscus looks like. Next time I am mixing 20 bags of hibiscus tea I will report back with results

[Vetticus]

I've ordered hibiscus, and was planning on adding it to my next henna... but I've never waited 16 hours (!!!!) for dye release.
I've always added hot water (and alma or cassia or whatever herbs I've had laying around), a spash of vinegar - mix - slap it on.

Is there any reason why you wait so long for dye release?
Can I not use hibiscus with hot water? (I'd assume it possible because there is tea.)

[texangrrl]

I've ordered hibiscus, and was planning on adding it to my next henna... but I've never waited 16 hours (!!!!) for dye release.
I've always added hot water (and alma or cassia or whatever herbs I've had laying around), a spash of vinegar - mix - slap it on.

Is there any reason why you wait so long for dye release?
Can I not use hibiscus with hot water? (I'd assume it possible because there is tea.)

I've never had to wait 16 hours for dye release with hibiscus added and I've used the Red Raj and Rajasthani Monsoon. I think the recommended time is 16 hours, but it releases sooner than that for me. In fact, I think the hibiscus powder actually makes it release sooner. And yes, you can use hibiscus powder with hot water - I always do.

[glitterdeva]

I've never had to wait 16 hours for dye release with hibiscus added and I've used the Red Raj and Rajasthani Monsoon. I think the recommended time is 16 hours, but it releases sooner than that for me. In fact, I think the hibiscus powder actually makes it release sooner. And yes, you can use hibiscus powder with hot water - I always do.

I get my Henna from mehandi.com and they have this chart on dye release. So its about 75 degrees here in VA right now. So 16 hours sounds about right? I am still waiting, about to be done

http://www.hennapage.com/henna/how/dyerelease.html

here is the chart

[Vetticus]

That chart... Been ages since I looked at it. So, you all make up your henna with water at room temperature. Nuff said.
I don't have the patience to wait that long. It's hot water for me, and superfast dye release.
Just got my packet of hibiscus....

[glitterdeva]

Ok, this is the best mix I have done so far. I mixed hibiscus and henna 50:50, waited for dye release for about 14 hours, then divided the whole mass in 3 portions, put two in the freezer and used one immediately. I mixed it with coconut milk (full fat), because i only wanted to hit the roots, so I did a gloss. I ended up with a lot though. I kept it for 5 hours, whereas I usually keep it for about 3. All my roots are redder then orange if it makes sense and I got a nice coverage. This is gonna be my mix for a while