Honey thread - from TBB and bits from old LHC

[flapjack]

I used 1 ounce of honey, 4 ounces of water, about 1 tsp of cinnamon, 20 drops of evoo and 10 drops of coconut oil.

I wrapped my hair in a towel and when I took it off to hop under the showerhead, it was really a goopy mess... I left it in for about two hours. I think the extra goopy feeling was caused by the evoo which I don't think I had used in a treatment before. It took a good washing to get out and I actually went back and rinsed it out a few hours later because I still had some grainies here and there from the cinnamon. Today, my hair doesn't feel any drier and there isn't any residue.


The pictures are all in my hair photo album and they're the top 6 photos (most recent) and all have "junehoney" in the title. Personally, from looking at it, I think it REALLY nailed the bottom... I don't know how many inches of my hair this time around. They look much lighter. This is amusing because I purposely used my squirtbottle again only on the top part of my hair! It must have ran down the strands under my towel. I also have a few more noticeable/larger streaks than before.


Sorry about the blob of shade in a few photos, it's late afternoon here and I was trying to find better angles with all the trees, hahaha.


I'm going to make my hair album public in a second, although Ktani should still be able to see it, I believe.


I hope everyone is having good luck with this.

[ktani]

Alley Cat

I am glad to read that your hair is so soft and that you are getting lightening.

As an experiment, I mixed cinnamon and water then added honey - the honey made the solution a lot smoother but with your current water situation, 4 parts water to 1 part honey alone will be much easier.

Chamomile tea was recommended to help counter cinnamon irritation, but it may add colour to the hair and it is more time consuming - you need to wait until it is cooled to room temperture before adding the the honey, spice or oil to it.

The only other thing I can suggest trying is distilled water as the 4 parts of the recipe - it may help the honey work even better.

[ktani]

I used 1 ounce of honey, 4 ounces of water, about 1 tsp of cinnamon, 20 drops of evoo and 10 drops of coconut oil.

I wrapped my hair in a towel and when I took it off to hop under the showerhead, it was really a goopy mess... I left it in for about two hours. I think the extra goopy feeling was caused by the evoo which I don't think I had used in a treatment before. It took a good washing to get out and I actually went back and rinsed it out a few hours later because I still had some grainies here and there from the cinnamon. Today, my hair doesn't feel any drier and there isn't any residue.


The pictures are all in my hair photo album and they're the top 6 photos (most recent) and all have "junehoney" in the title. Personally, from looking at it, I think it REALLY nailed the bottom... I don't know how many inches of my hair this time around. They look much lighter. This is amusing because I purposely used my squirtbottle again only on the top part of my hair! It must have ran down the strands under my towel. I also have a few more noticeable/larger streaks than before.


Sorry about the blob of shade in a few photos, it's late afternoon here and I was trying to find better angles with all the trees, hahaha.


I'm going to make my hair album public in a second, although Ktani should still be able to see it, I believe.


I hope everyone is having good luck with this.

flapjack

Thank you for the recipe details - your recipe is perfect.

Was your hair wrapped in plastic under the towel?

I had a quick look and I can see your light ends in the 2 pictures on the far right.

I can also understand how the recipe would pool on your ends.

One suggestion - after you saturate your hair - pin it up - then cover with a plastic bag - it should help even things out.

[flapjack]

I have yet to use a plastic bag but I shall give it a go next time. I've been gooping up beach towels instead, hahaha.

[ktani]

flapjack

I did not realize that you were just using towels.

You have been working against yourself with the treatments.

The towel will absorb water - the water is necessary for the honey to keep producing peroxide at a constant level.

As the towel dries - the honey will slow its production of peroxide until it stops producing peroxide altogether.

The hair needs to be kept wet during the entire treatment and you only need 1 hour.

The plastic ensures that moisture level. The bag does not have to be too tight but it need to be secure - you will get less drips that way.

Your towel has been getting more water than the honey and your hair.

The towel can go on top of the plastic or around your neck to catch drips.

[flapjack]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I fail.


Alright, trying again soon... WITH plastic and NOT a towel on the hair. Doh doh doh doh.

[ktani]

flapjack

You did get some lightening on your ends - it is not a complete failure and you got the recipe right.

You can still use the squirt bottle - just make sure that your hair is evenly saturated before you pin it up and cover it with the plastic.

A better way might be an applicator bottle or a washed out shampoo bottle (provided the opening is not too small) if you are using spice - no clogged squirt bottle nozzel.

Add the water and honey together first - then add the cinnamon and oil for a smoother solution.

A tint or blush brush will work too.

[ktani]

This has come up before in different ways - how far in advance can a honey lightening treatment be made?

Does the peroxide start to degrade after 1 hour?

People have been leaving the 4 parts water to 1 part honey treatments on their hair for 2 hours with no problems.

There is no indication that the treatment peroxide starts to degrade immediately after the maximum strength has been achieved.

I think that a treatment only needs to be left on the hair for 1 hour and 1 hour has been reported to work very well.

What if - the the treatment is mixed and left it sit for 1 hour before applying it - the peroxide in the honey should be at full strength from that point on.

It may work even better than mixing and applying a treatment right away. Leave it on the hair for 1 hour only.

This has been suggested too - it is not an original idea on my part - at this point - with what has been reported so far - why not?

And if distilled water is used - will the 2 things combined be the next level of successful honey lightening reported results?

[Alley Cat]

Alley Cat

I am glad to read that your hair is so soft and that you are getting lightening.

As an experiment, I mixed cinnamon and water then added honey - the honey made the solution a lot smoother but with your current water situation, 4 parts water to 1 part honey alone will be much easier.

Chamomile tea was recommended to help counter cinnamon irritation, but it may add colour to the hair and it is more time consuming - you need to wait until it is cooled to room temperture before adding the the honey, spice or oil to it.

The only other thing I can suggest trying is distilled water as the 4 parts of the recipe - it may help the honey work even better.

Thanks for that.
I noticed myself with my last treatment how when I had a towel over my head on the top of my plastic shower cap to cover drips at the front where I hadn't had good coverage with the plastic [ it slipped up ], the towel had dried up that front part of my hair. Something to think about in the future.
The length of my hair was dripping but some of my scalp was almost dry

[ktani]

Alley Cat

For me using a plastic bag to cover my hair has always been easy - I buy and use freezer bags.

But some people here have difficulty with them - comfort and getting them to work just right - they can be challenging - so can plastic wrap.

Both mellie and firebird at one point - they may still prefer it - reported successful honey lightening using a spray bottle and no plastic.

The plastic came from the first successful reports of honey lightening in the original Honey thread and was used for overnight treatments.

I use the bags to maintain body heat to aid catnip getting deeper into my hair and it is more successful than if I do not use them.

For honey lightening it is not about body heat - it is about keeping the hair wet after the treatment has been applied.

IMO, using plastic is still the best way to maintain the needed constant moisture level.

If you or anyone can keep the hair wet during the hour the treatment is on the hair - not moist, not damp but wet - misting it is an option.

The wound research emphasises that there must be a constant source of liquid for honey to keep producing peroxide.

The hair cannot be allowed to start to dry - if it does - the honey will slow and eventually stop producing peroxide.

If the treatment is applied when the honey peroxide is at full strength and then allowed to dry - IMO, the treatment will still not be as effective.

So it is important to maintain the moisture level the entire time.

There will be even more drips with misting and the water content of the treatment will evaporate quicky during the hour - but it is an option.