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Thread: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

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    Default Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    Hi, I've got the same problem I had one year ago.. starting to regret my henna (already, have only done two full-heads since starting in april) and wanting tips.

    My natural hair is ash-blonde, and before I took the plunge (again) with henna I'd almost gotten back my natural hair colour, except for my yellowy-lengths.

    I don't want to bleach again and I'm okay with my hair being darker than my natural hair, darker than my henna is now, but I really really don't want this screaming bright orange my hair has got going in sunlight now. My hair is quite damaged due to henna+chemical dye+bleach+bleach+henna in the time of just a year.

    So what I'm looking for now is something that will severely pull down the brightness of my hair, without going dark brown or black. I'm also up for sun in, oil mask, hairspray (read that that would pull some dye out) or anything to first go a bit lighter, and then maybe doing a natural dye in ash brown or something?


    Has anyone had success in this? Is the only solution to grow it out?

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    Member Nellon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    I did try sun in and it worked to a certain extent. However if your hair is damaged already be careful! You might just want to skip that one!
    With henna glosses I found over the time SLS schampoo faded them, but not sure that applies to full head applications...

    If I were you I'd bite the bullet and let it grow out while cutting off each month's worth of growth.
    Last edited by Nellon; June 6th, 2016 at 02:33 AM.
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    LHC FairyGodMum lapushka's Avatar
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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    To be able to cover the red of henna, you'll have to go really dark - and that's not what you want.

    Maybe try color removers like color oops or something of that nature? You will not get your ashy hair back, but maybe some of the orange will be toned down a bit.
    Last edited by lapushka; June 6th, 2016 at 06:33 AM. Reason: typo
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    Obsessive Oilaholic ChloeDharma's Avatar
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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    Amla tends to tone down the red of henna so you could try making a mask of that and using it regularly or just as required. It also has the benefit of being conditioning and very popular for supporting hair growth. I would go for the gentlest solutions first given your hair is already in a damaged/fragile state.


    ETA I mean the henna mask made from the powdered herb, not the oil.
    Last edited by ChloeDharma; June 6th, 2016 at 05:29 AM.
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    I'd rather be outside browneyedsusan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    I've used Sun-in, but don't think it lifts henna. I think it lightens hair by lightening the natural hair color instead. Henna is rock, solid permanent for me. IMHO, and it's just a guess: Sun-In would make the problem worse.

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    Now-shorthaired mod Anje's Avatar
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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    For what it's worth, "soap cap" bleaching, where you mix your bleach with shampoo, has a reputation for being less damaging than doing it the normal way. Soaking hair for a few hours in coconut oil, then bleaching the oily hair, has a similar reputation. Finally, some people have been swearing by Olaplex for keeping their hair intact when doing intensive bleaching.

    So all those might help you, but you might end up losing some length, depending on how resilient your hair is. The real challenge: get rid of your henna powder and don't get more. Henna is pretty much a product for people who want to be redheads for at least the next decade.
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    I'd rather be outside browneyedsusan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    Quote Originally Posted by Anje View Post
    *snip*
    Henna is pretty much a product for people who want to be redheads for at least the next decade.
    Ya. I'll still be a smoking hot redhead at 60!

    henna keeps it
    red, and red makes me happy.
    Pixied for 15+ years and liked it.
    Growing for fun.

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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    Quote Originally Posted by ChloeDharma View Post
    Amla tends to tone down the red of henna so you could try making a mask of that and using it regularly or just as required. It also has the benefit of being conditioning and very popular for supporting hair growth. I would go for the gentlest solutions first given your hair is already in a damaged/fragile state.


    ETA I mean the henna mask made from the powdered herb, not the oil.
    Just amla mask or amla + something? Like amla + cassia on top of henna, would that make the hair less brassier?

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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    Hi, gang - I'm new to the LHC, and I joined because I used henna for the first time a few days ago and I'm regretting it. I used Rainbow Henna in Strawberry Blonde (I've typically had a dark golden/strawberry look via salon and at-home single process chemicals for decades, though my roots at this point - age 58 - are pretty dark w/a fair amount of grey). I went ahead with the henna for health reasons - I wanted to try a natural, non-chemical process. The Rainbow instructions say that it will fade out after 4-6 weeks, so I figured I'd chance it. I did a strand test, but not in a "root" area, which was a mistake. Then I'd have known that the henna would not take to the dark roots, which looks horrible against the orangey new color. So I followed their instructions to speed up the fade by using mineral oil followed by one of several kinds of poos (they recommend DISHWASHING SOAP first (?!), but alternatively suggest poos with essential oils, so I used something I already had on hand: a Trader Joe's body wash loaded with tea tree and peppermint oil). No great change, and I was going to try doing the roots with my old standby non-permanent, Natural Instincts. But the instructions for that said NEVER use it over henna, and when I called Clairol to ask why, the rep said it may cause a "smoking" reaction, and that I shouldn't use ANY chemicals over the henna - that I'd have to wait for it to grow out completely. Really? Why such a contradiction w/what the Rainbow folks say, which is that once you've started the sped-up fade w/mineral oil, etc., you can use chemicals over it (though I'm def not doing the Nat. Instincts, of course). I called my colorist, who said he'd never done a color over henna, but he'd be OK w/attempting a root cover in a couple of weeks after the henna may have settled down a bit and there may be enough root for him to work with. In the meantime I plan to do the oil again, and I now have a clarifying poo (which the peeps at Rainbow confirmed is an OK alternative). But I'm willing to try a different poo if any of you have a suggestion other than the Rusk clarifier that I bought. Any advice at all about my situation would be greatly appreciated!! - Brennie

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    LHC FairyGodMum lapushka's Avatar
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    Default Re: Regretting henna, getting rid of red pigments?

    Quote Originally Posted by Brennie View Post
    I called my colorist, who said he'd never done a color over henna, but he'd be OK w/attempting a root cover in a couple of weeks after the henna may have settled down a bit and there may be enough root for him to work with. In the meantime I plan to do the oil again, and I now have a clarifying poo (which the peeps at Rainbow confirmed is an OK alternative). But I'm willing to try a different poo if any of you have a suggestion other than the Rusk clarifier that I bought. Any advice at all about my situation would be greatly appreciated!! - Brennie
    You can use chemical dye over henna just fine, preferably over BAQ henna. Chemical dyes cover their butt in case it doesn't turn out well. That's all.

    Just try and strand test the Clairol. It should normally be no problem, but the risk is yours to take.
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