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Thread: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it?

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    Member esfand's Avatar
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    Default Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it?

    I used henna before, and had true, TRUE red. Ruby red, almost burgundy, with Rajasthani henna. I remember adding a bit of white vinegar, or any acid, to the henna but I don't remember what my exact procedure was. I just tried the same brand of henna recently on a bundle of hair with just warm water and freezing, and the result is brownish and not the ruby red I am used to. I think it's the lack of acid that made the result duller than I am used to.

    How do I use acid to help the henna become true red? From what I remember, I either:

    1. mixed warm water and vinegar at the beginning when making henna paste, let it sit for 3-4 hours, and then froze it

    2. I made a paste with warm water only, added vinegar after 3-4 hour dye release, froze it

    3. I made a paste with warm water only, froze it, and then added vinegar after it thawed before applying it to hair

    I just don't remember lol! What's YOUR method for pulling the most red as possible? I heard that acid makes the delays the dye releasing time, but I don't remember. Please help.
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    LHC FairyGodMum lapushka's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    I used to buy boxes and they contained sodium picramate, it would bring out the red faster. I only kept the henna on my head each time for 30 min. tops, and boy I got *red* all right!

    Sometimes I used tea, other times water (boiling). Adding the powder cooled it off to an acceptable temperature to immediately apply.

    I followed no rules, and was a bright redhead.
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    Quote Originally Posted by lapushka View Post
    I used to buy boxes and they contained sodium picramate, it would bring out the red faster. I only kept the henna on my head each time for 30 min. tops, and boy I got *red* all right!

    Sometimes I used tea, other times water (boiling). Adding the powder cooled it off to an acceptable temperature to immediately apply.

    I followed no rules, and was a bright redhead.
    FYI, sodium picramate is one of those dreaded "metallic salts" that are always talked about causing disasters when trying to dye over henna. Wouldn't recommend it.

    I get a nice red using either Red Raj from Henna Sooq or Rajathani Twilight from mehandi.com. I mix it with a warm rooibos or chamomile tea.

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    LHC FairyGodMum lapushka's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    Quote Originally Posted by Wahlee View Post
    FYI, sodium picramate is one of those dreaded "metallic salts" that are always talked about causing disasters when trying to dye over henna. Wouldn't recommend it.

    I get a nice red using either Red Raj from Henna Sooq or Rajathani Twilight from mehandi.com. I mix it with a warm rooibos or chamomile tea.
    Sodium picramate is not a metallica salt, to my knowledge. Where did you get the info that it is? I always got my boxes from Hennaplus which is a certified metallic salt free brand, but does contain this ingredient.
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    The name indicates a salt, in a broad chemical sense. I don't know whether it's one of the dreaded "reacts with dye to melt hair" salts though.
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    I added acid right at the beginning, lemon juice seemed to work better then vinegar and you don't need a lot.

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    LHC FairyGodMum lapushka's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    Quote Originally Posted by Anje View Post
    The name indicates a salt, in a broad chemical sense. I don't know whether it's one of the dreaded "reacts with dye to melt hair" salts though.
    I often dyed over it, without a hiccup, and bleached it too without problems. Really often.

    I once only had an issue because I wanted to *totally* bleach my henna out and went at it with 2x high volume bleach - my hair kind of melted off the second time I wanted to color it with regular dye (chemical cut & burn). But that was the bleach and entirely my fault.

    Oh and I didn't only use the boxed henna, I used henna without sodium picramate in it as well (almost 50/50).
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    Henna Seeress Nightshade's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    What Is It?
    Picramic Acid is a dark red crystalline material. Sodium Picramate is the sodium salt of Picramic Acid. Both Picramic Acid and Sodium Picramate may be used as dyes in in permanent hair dyes and colors.

    Why is it used in cosmetics and personal care products?
    Picramic Acid and Sodium Picramate impart color to hair. The exact color obtained will depend on the other ingredients that are used in the preparation and the starting color of the hair.

    Scientific Facts:
    Picramic Acid and Sodium Picramate are used in permanent hair coloring systems where color is produced inside the hair fiber. This is accomplished through careful formulation of the product so that the ingredients interact in a highly controlled process.

    Linky linky.


    The fiery red and mahogany dyes also contain sodium picramate. It is not physically possible to achieve these colours on hair without a small amount of this chemical to help lift the natural hair colour and allow the henna to take. These colours are the most popular in our range. If you would prefer to use 100% plant dye please choose from the following colours: Chestnut, Copper or Black

    What is Sodium Picramate?
    Sodium Picramate is the sodium salt of Picramic Acid. Picramic Acid is a dark red crystalline material. Both Picramic Acid and Sodium Picramate are widely used throughout the world in hair dyes and colours. They have both been deemed safe for use on the hair by a large range of experts.

    Linky linky.


    Tl-Dr: it is a component of chemical hair colors used to push henna to get reds you can't easily get otherwise.
    Last edited by Nightshade; July 28th, 2017 at 02:18 PM.

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    Member esfand's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    Sodium picramate isn't damaging to hair or toxic at the amount used in henna, is it? I am using henna to dye wigs and don't plan on having them recolorable in the future, I just want the conditioning effect and the color.

    I use Red Raj, and I am going to try adding an acid at the beginning now. I think that's what I used to do anyway. I still have a weft of henna'd hair from years ago (still vibrant, vibrant ruby red) and sigh... I want to make this color again.

    I wonder what the effect would be if I add a dash of regular table salt to the henna mix. I know salt helps indigo take and last longer, but henna though?
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    Henna Seeress Nightshade's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to make henna release as much red as possible! I used to know how to do it

    Table salt doesn't do much with henna because it's purpose with indigo is as a dye enabler, which is not an issue with henna. Salt doesn't make indigo more permanent, but it aids in the dyeing process by helping to drive the dye onto the hair fiber, out of solution, so that it is in the right place for any bonding to the fiber to occur.

    Most fiber dying recipes with indigo call for ordinary non-iodized table salt (sodium chloride). The small amount of iodine in iodized salt will probably have no effect, but it's easy to find non-iodized salt, and then you don't have to worry about it. The other ingredients often found added to salt, such as the sodium silicoaluminate often used to promote free flowing, should have no discernable effect, positive or negative.

    As for the Sodium picramate, I don't think it's an issue since you're dying wigs. My point was more that people who are choosing people specifically because it isn't a traditional chemical hair color should be aware that Sodium picramate is precisely one of those things that they're likely trying to avoid.

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