I dyed my henna-hair + question (pic heavy)

[oktobergoud]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e375/moresque/ombreee_zps3c94b40b.jpg

I felt the need for a change and I love ombre hair, LOVE IT! I know it's either a 'love it or hate it' hairstyle, but I can't help but love it. Since I'm growing it out and my hair is already a bright red, dying the ends lighter didn't seem like the option. So I made the top darker with a semi-permanent hairdye! At first it hardly seemed darker so I had to do it again and then it finally did turn out dark. I have done the exact same thing last summer and I do remember that it took a long time before it finally got out (or at least light enough to use henna again without having a big difference between my roots and the previously dyed hair)

Anyway, I also used a very mild bleach mix on my ends for about 10 minutes and it felt SO DRY. But I hardly saw any difference so I did it again (with an even milder mix and hardly any peroxide) and it didn't really help. My ends aren't that much lighter but SO DRY. I felt bad about it yesterday for the whole day. Eventually I just put my hair in a bun (which looks kinda cool by the way, an orange bun on brown hair haha!) because I couldn't stop feeling the ends 'are they still dry???'.

Right now I'm sitting like this:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e375/moresque/P4015342a_zps68e370f5.jpg

LOL! I used a henna-gloss for the ends but I don't want my other hair to get henna on it either, so I just tried this. I hope this will work haha!

And my hair before this:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e375/moresque/ombrebefore_zpsa8128f11.jpg

As you can see there already was a slight ombre-thingy going on. It always happens because I cheat a little and use the soap-cap-technique every 6 months or so to make it a bit brighter :)



Long story short: I'm growing out my hair AND bangs and needed a (not so permanent) change. I've been dying my hair with henna for more than 2 years now which is very long for me. I used to be one of those people who dyed her hair a different colour every month. Now my ends are bit dry due to dye and I'm FREAKING out. I might even step out of the 'no trims in 2013 challenge' and feel incredibly stupid. But I'm fairly sure my hair will survive and if not, I'll just microtrim! I only used the bleach on the last 2 inches anyway :) I can't believe I feel so guilty right now while I used to do this to my hair every month!

Something I'm wondering about though: if I want to go back to my red hair and the brown still is a bit too dark, will henna 'lock' the dark colour in or get the dark colour OUT? As in, henna is very permanent and it mixes with your hair colour, but if your hair is dyed dark, will it lock in the dark colour and thus stay darker for a lot longer? Or will it just make it more red and still keep fading? I hope you know what I mean haha!

Just for funsies, I just found this back on Flickr:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2225/3912287921_21ca7eac88_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/moresque/3912287921/)
white hair is gone! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/moresque/3912287921/) by Angélica Vis (http://www.flickr.com/people/moresque/), on Flickr

Woah o__O Never again! :P

[jacqueline101]

Looks great.

[Ayjay]

It looks fantastic.

[woolyleprechaun]

It looks nice :) I can't really suggest anything for the dryness apart from regular oiling, and perhaps a SMT (the honey may even help lighten! :)) I feel a little odd as I have henna ombre hair anyway, as I'm growing out the last few inches of highlights. I hate it on me, so it feels funny to see someone else actually strive for that look, and look great with it to boot lol :D

[woolyleprechaun]

Henna certainly will not help to remove any colour, sadly. If you do wish to go back to henna, I would attempt to lighten the brown PRIOR to henna. You know how henna has that reputation of clinging on.....

[oktobergoud]

Henna certainly will not help to remove any colour, sadly. If you do wish to go back to henna, I would attempt to lighten the brown PRIOR to henna. You know how henna has that reputation of clinging on.....

No I already thought so! I was planning on removing the colour before henna, because I'd be afraid that it would sort of lock the dark colour in, if you know what I mean?

& Thanks! I do like it, but it's only temporarily :) Sometimes I just need a little change! & SMT's don't work for my hair, my hair HATES honey sadly :( But I'll baby it for a few weeks :)

[Miss Maisie]

Your hair is gorgeous. You can pull off any color at all from the looks of it!!

My hair isn't crazy about honey either, so when I do SMTs I use molasses. It always works great!!

[Neneka]

It looks good on you! I really like the ombre trend. Also, your hair has grown so much. :toast:

[Nellon]

Looks seriously nice! Wow! Love it. As for the ends: heck, it's just hair, right ;) don't feel bad, it'll be ok.

[utdesertrunner]

I love it! It looks great on you!

[oktobergoud]

Your hair is gorgeous. You can pull off any color at all from the looks of it!!

My hair isn't crazy about honey either, so when I do SMTs I use molasses. It always works great!!

Thanks! & Thanks for the tip :)


It looks good on you! I really like the ombre trend. Also, your hair has grown so much. :toast:

Thank you! Yes it is, it finally starts to feel longish. It hasn't been this long for 7 years or so! That's why I'm so creeped out by the tiniest bit of damage I guess haha!


Looks seriously nice! Wow! Love it. As for the ends: heck, it's just hair, right ;) don't feel bad, it'll be ok.

Thanks :D It is just hair, that's true. I used to crazy things to it and not care about it.. and now I feel bad about the tiniest bit of damage haha. Oh LHC, what have you done to me? But I just rinsed out the henna-gloss and my ends feel so much better, no more dryness! Yay :D


I love it! It looks great on you!

Thank you! :flower:

[shirohane]

I find your hair looks really nice the way it is.

(Also, love your photos on Flickr. :blossom:)

[melusine963]

I think the ombre hair looks fantastic on you!

[SleepyTangles]

Neat! I loved the firey red too, but this is equally lovely.

[Micayla47]

you are rocking both looks :) i agree with your original instinct and what wooleyleprechan said about waiting until the brown dye is gone or mostly gone before re-hennaing. i'm glad the henna gloss helped your ends. it always works wonders for mine too. i used to bleach-dye-bleach-dye every 3-6 months and i still have at least 4 inches of that hair and it's still hanging in there, so try not to worry too much about the bleaching :)

[ghost]

The ombre looks really pretty on you! I'm glad some of the dryness is gone :)

[woolyleprechaun]

No I already thought so! I was planning on removing the colour before henna, because I'd be afraid that it would sort of lock the dark colour in, if you know what I mean?

& Thanks! I do like it, but it's only temporarily :) Sometimes I just need a little change! & SMT's don't work for my hair, my hair HATES honey sadly :( But I'll baby it for a few weeks :)
Ha! Yeah, I hennaed over old highlights and an area of brown dye. You can STILL see where the dye was origonally, 4 years on! It really does seem to seal the stuff in, so I totally get where you are coming from :) My hair can't take too much honey either, but its happy with a bit of aloe gel and conditioner, or an oil-and-mashed-up-avocado treatment or something :)

[WilfredAllen]

Oh my gosh, it looks so pretty! And it's gotten so long!

[MaryMarx]

I love it. I would like your hair, please. :)

[oktobergoud]

you are rocking both looks :) i agree with your original instinct and what wooleyleprechan said about waiting until the brown dye is gone or mostly gone before re-hennaing. i'm glad the henna gloss helped your ends. it always works wonders for mine too. i used to bleach-dye-bleach-dye every 3-6 months and i still have at least 4 inches of that hair and it's still hanging in there, so try not to worry too much about the bleaching :)

Thank you, that's a relief to hear! I guess I'm just watching my hair too closely. I've been growing it out for 2 years now, from a super-short pixie and that was SO frustrating that I never want to do that again haha! Every inch makes an enormous difference with my short hair :) But it'll be fine :D


Ha! Yeah, I hennaed over old highlights and an area of brown dye. You can STILL see where the dye was origonally, 4 years on! It really does seem to seal the stuff in, so I totally get where you are coming from :) My hair can't take too much honey either, but its happy with a bit of aloe gel and conditioner, or an oil-and-mashed-up-avocado treatment or something :)

Oooh really?? Woah that's crazy! I'll make sure to get it out! I tried an avocado-treatment once and boy, what a mess haha! But oiling definitely helps, thanks :)

& Thanks everyone!! :flower:

[missfaroe]

OMG, I also LOVE the ombre look, and your hair looks really beautiful with the red color! :D

[vindo]

It does look very pretty! I like ombre hair too, even though I never did in the past. My hair does get lighter (though very subtle) as it grows longer and I was trying to prevent it in the past (by keeping it out of the sun).
My hair only really does it from waist length down.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmHj8rNYCmM/UUJJtk5Bd-I/AAAAAAAALkk/4syDVs6t7fQ/s1600/MVI_5868-003.jpg
The dark 2 bottom inches on my hair are henna I grew out.

Me thinks as your hair grows longer you might get a similar effect, and I suppose there are some natural ways to make it more obvious. :)

It seems the ombre you have right now would be difficult to keep. The semi permanent dye can stick more than you would like it to. Especially the more often you use it. At some point, mine did not fade anymore and I had to grow it out (in 2006).
Henna however will not lock in the color since it is basically just small molecules entering your hair shaft without lifting the cuticles.

One last thought - I think ombre hair would also be possible with henndigo and henna.:)

[Kome]

That's funny. My hair as just like this when I as growing it out starting a couple of inches below my shoulders. My hair was so damaged and much lighter than the rest growing out. I hated it. It looked so uneven and I've finally cut all of the lighter parts off finally. I look back at pics and realize it wasn't so bad, but to each their own. It looks cute.

[Rosetta]

It looks very nice :) Can I ask what semi-permanent hair dye did you use for the roots/top?

[Cristina84]

The color of your hair is perfect with the color for your skin and eyes :)

[oktobergoud]

It does look very pretty! I like ombre hair too, even though I never did in the past. My hair does get lighter (though very subtle) as it grows longer and I was trying to prevent it in the past (by keeping it out of the sun).
My hair only really does it from waist length down.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmHj8rNYCmM/UUJJtk5Bd-I/AAAAAAAALkk/4syDVs6t7fQ/s1600/MVI_5868-003.jpg
The dark 2 bottom inches on my hair are henna I grew out.

Me thinks as your hair grows longer you might get a similar effect, and I suppose there are some natural ways to make it more obvious. :)

It seems the ombre you have right now would be difficult to keep. The semi permanent dye can stick more than you would like it to. Especially the more often you use it. At some point, mine did not fade anymore and I had to grow it out (in 2006).
Henna however will not lock in the color since it is basically just small molecules entering your hair shaft without lifting the cuticles.

One last thought - I think ombre hair would also be possible with henndigo and henna.:)

First of all: your hair is GORGEOUS! I really love it, even though it was just grown out henna, it looks very pretty (and intentional haha!)

Second: I don't want to keep this, this is more of a temporary change :) In a few months I'll go back to my henna again, because I just feel like a redhead at heart I guess :P My hair also becomes ombre on it's own, as in, the ends are always a bit lighter than the top! I also lighten my henna-hair every 6 months or so, to make it a bit brighter. And then the roots come in a little darker. I like that, but sometimes I just want something more drastic? With more contrast? So that's why I did this! And I sometimes get the urge to change something or to dye it dark-brown because I love the contrast.

But this is just temporarily! I know it will probably not fade as fast as I'd like it too, but I'll see about that in 2 months or so :) Maybe I'll keep this for a few months (and just dye the roots with the semi-permanent dye) or maybe not. I'm not sure yet, but I like the brown for a change. But I did the exact same thing last summer and after 2 months or so I lifted the last dark brown with a soap cap (so a very very mild bleach-mix that was also diluted a lot with shampoo, so hardly any damage!) and then used henna again. Worked like a charm, so hopefully that will work again!

(sorry for the novel lol)


That's funny. My hair as just like this when I as growing it out starting a couple of inches below my shoulders. My hair was so damaged and much lighter than the rest growing out. I hated it. It looked so uneven and I've finally cut all of the lighter parts off finally. I look back at pics and realize it wasn't so bad, but to each their own. It looks cute.

Ha I can imagine though that you hate it when you don't do it intentionally, if you know what I mean? Plus, I've been seeing this a LOT lately on other people (since it's a trend) and keep thinking 'that looks awesome!'. And for me this is just a fun little change while growing it out. Eventually I'll go back to the red again! :)


It looks very nice :) Can I ask what semi-permanent hair dye did you use for the roots/top?

Thank you! Ehm I used something from a salon-store, but they're own 'home brand' if you know what I mean? Something professional haha, but cheap.

[joflakes]

It looks lovely! :D

[vindo]

I understand! :) Then I hope the brown will lift if you need it to and your color turn out the way you want it. I hear what you are saying about the light and dark contrast.
I won't get that naturally, the lightest my ends will get without henna is medium-light orange brown I suppose. How odd my henna is darker than my natural ends though.
Yours looks very bright, I never heard of lightening it, but I think it looks great.

[AnnaB]

wow you hair always looks great. This look really suits you!

just keep oiling your ends for a while, should help with the dryness. Or buy some hair conditioner for dry hair? see if it works

As for the colour, I had bleached hair at the start, and then I used permanent and semi permanent hair dyes before using henna. Part of it washed out (on the roots) but it seem to have locked the colour on the ends. So if you want to go back to your exact colour before, I wouldn't risk just hennaing on top.

[oktobergoud]

wow you hair always looks great. This look really suits you!

just keep oiling your ends for a while, should help with the dryness. Or buy some hair conditioner for dry hair? see if it works

As for the colour, I had bleached hair at the start, and then I used permanent and semi permanent hair dyes before using henna. Part of it washed out (on the roots) but it seem to have locked the colour on the ends. So if you want to go back to your exact colour before, I wouldn't risk just hennaing on top.

Thank you! :flower:

I'm already using conditioners/deep conditioners/leave-ins for very dry and damaged hair haha! I like to baby my hair ;) But oiling helps, yes! I also trimmed a tiny bit, since my hair was uneven anyway (the left side was about an inch or so longer than the right side. Something that always bothered me a little, but I never wanted to lose length. Thank God most of the dryness was on the longer side, so I just evened it up and now it's already so much better!! :))

Ah okay thanks! I'll just soap-cap it a little then, to get back to red :)

[lapushka]

Long story short: I'm growing out my hair AND bangs and needed a (not so permanent) change. I've been dying my hair with henna for more than 2 years now which is very long for me. I used to be one of those people who dyed her hair a different colour every month. Now my ends are bit dry due to dye and I'm FREAKING out. I might even step out of the 'no trims in 2013 challenge' and feel incredibly stupid. But I'm fairly sure my hair will survive and if not, I'll just microtrim! I only used the bleach on the last 2 inches anyway :) I can't believe I feel so guilty right now while I used to do this to my hair every month!

Something I'm wondering about though: if I want to go back to my red hair and the brown still is a bit too dark, will henna 'lock' the dark colour in or get the dark colour OUT? As in, henna is very permanent and it mixes with your hair colour, but if your hair is dyed dark, will it lock in the dark colour and thus stay darker for a lot longer? Or will it just make it more red and still keep fading? I hope you know what I mean haha!

I think your ombre hair looks awesome. But, to be fair, I don't see much of a difference between you dyeing your hair a different color every month and all the damage (soapcaps aren't damage-free) you're doing now, even though it's got more of an inbetween period.

The semi-permanent dye you used should fade out with x-number of washes or within x-number of weeks. I would not use henna until the dye has faded out, because... what's the point? It's not going to lighten the brown color.

[oktobergoud]

I think your ombre hair looks awesome. But, to be fair, I don't see much of a difference between you dyeing your hair a different color every month and all the damage (soapcaps aren't damage-free) you're doing now, even though it's got more of an inbetween period.

The semi-permanent dye you used should fade out with x-number of washes or within x-number of weeks. I would not use henna until the dye has faded out, because... what's the point? It's not going to lighten the brown color.

But soap-caps are still less damaging than regular hair-dye! Plus I use soap caps for max. 10 minutes, where I used regular hairdye for 30 minutes. And for soap caps I use 10vol and other dyes are at least 20vol. Trust me, it really makes a difference. And I just use a soap cap every 6 months instead of every month AND I use henna in between. I might be crazy but I do think that makes a huge difference. With my hair it does anyway, it's a lot happier now :)

I'm not saying that my routine now is damage-free, of course it is not, but it's the lesser of 2 evils ;)

Problem with the semi-permanent is that it fades with about 28 washes. That will take me at least 3 months or so haha, so I might use a soap-cap. Or wash it every day, but in that case I think it's less damaging to just use a soap-cap once for 5 minutes, than use SLS-shampoo every day for 2 weeks or so! Oh well, I'll see what I do when I'm sick of it :)

[MaryO]

Wow, that ombre looks amazing! I'm experiencing some hair envy over here...

[seven77]

Lovely ombré!!!
I dyed permanent black last May, then used henna to warm up the black.. I was shocked when the henna kicked the black completely out! I posted a thread in the henna section with pics back then.. I mixed with yogurt only from what I remember. So the henna may kick it out without you having to lighten it.

[icallitbliss]

The ombre looks super nice! I like the ashy red color on top.