Anyone henna over mostly grey hair?

[maborosi]

I've been curious since I love henna and the fantastic color and wonderfulness it bestows upon my hair- has anyone here made a really long-term commitment to henna and how did you adjust your henna routine after you started going grey?
My understanding is that on grey/white hairs, the color will come out more orange.
Some of my family members began getting silvers at 24 or 25, so I'm curious how I'll adjust my routine in the future to accomodate that.

And for people who are naturally almost completely grey, do you still henna? Do you get an atomic day glo orange when you color? My hair gets bright bright orange and it is naturally light blonde when I use straight Moroccan henna.

~maborosi~

[Anje]

Oh yeah, straight henna on gray is loud!

My husband henndigos his ~90% white chin (he's mid-30s, but genetics are causing him to gray out early) along with the rest of his beard. His 50:50 henna:indigo mix tends to make a nice medium brown on that hair. So it's definitely doable, it's just that you need to adjust your formula a bit of your desired look is not 'traffic cone'.

[AmyBeth]

Most of my grey is concentrated on the top 1/3 of my head. The top is about 60% grey. I hendigo and get really nice hightlights which is nice because I used to highlight my hair and you can't really bleach highlights into hendigo unless you fancy green hair!:p

[maborosi]

Most of my grey is concentrated on the top 1/3 of my head. The top is about 60% grey. I hendigo and get really nice hightlights which is nice because I used to highlight my hair and you can't really bleach highlights into hendigo unless you fancy green hair!:p

Oh yes...I know this all too well, LOL.

Anje, right now I'm using a blend of 35% henna (Rajasthani and Moroccan) to 65% cassia to achieve a light copper. I wonder if this will still be possible for me in the future? I'm guessing I'll probably need to figure out ratios and such.

~maborosi~

[browneyedsusan]

I'm guessing I'm 75% gray on the sides of my head, and I like the color I get. It's nice and bright right after a henna, but oxidizes down in a few days.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9637735672_af98b196e5_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/) by Mom and wife (http://www.flickr.com/people/62007100@N08/), on Flickr

(I'm not certain HOW gray I am, because I haven't seen more than 1/2" of my virgin roots in 20 years. I like it red, so am in a torrid love affair with henna.)

[Andeee]

Browneyedsusan the henna looks great on your hair! I do find on dark hair with grays the mix of orange and dark doesn't look nice. At least I don't think so.

[Lady Mary]

I'm guessing I'm 75% gray on the sides of my head, and I like the color I get. It's nice and bright right after a henna, but oxidizes down in a few days.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9637735672_af98b196e5_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/) by Mom and wife (http://www.flickr.com/people/62007100@N08/), on Flickr

(I'm not certain HOW gray I am, because I haven't seen more than 1/2" of my virgin roots in 20 years. I like it red, so am in a torrid love affair with henna.)

Oh, how pretty browneyedsusan! I love watching your hair journey in your sig too, been very inspiring for me. :flower:

[browneyedsusan]

Thanks, LadyMary and Andeee.
I should have specified that my natural color is light or medium ash brown. Some would call it "dirty blonde", or "mousy brown". (It was bright strawberry blonde until my mid-20's, then became darker and ashey, which is probably why I feel best with red hair.)

[Autumnberry]

What a gorgeous red it is in the sun!
I'm guessing I'm 75% gray on the sides of my head, and I like the color I get. It's nice and bright right after a henna, but oxidizes down in a few days.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9637735672_af98b196e5_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/) by Mom and wife (http://www.flickr.com/people/62007100@N08/), on Flickr

(I'm not certain HOW gray I am, because I haven't seen more than 1/2" of my virgin roots in 20 years. I like it red, so am in a torrid love affair with henna.)

[Shatam1]

Thanks, LadyMary and Andeee.
I should have specified that my natural color is light or medium ash brown. Some would call it "dirty blonde", or "mousy brown". (It was bright strawberry blonde until my mid-20's, then became darker and ashey, which is probably why I feel best with red hair.)
I feel exactly the same like u brownwyedsusan and I also had strawberry blond hair that lost the reds along the way, now my hair is more than fifty% grey and I love the henna red and orange on me..the only adjustment for me is hennaying more often than before, like every ten days max, and only the roots.. I intend to keep using henna for as long as I'm in love with it.. No indigo for me..I tried it once and I looked horrible with the darker shade.. Your hair is lovely by the way..it is getting longer and longer by the minute:) keep going

[Islandgrrl]

I don't exactly know how gray I am....maybe 50%? I don't actually care that the henna makes the gray kind of day-glo initially.

[maborosi]

I'm guessing I'm 75% gray on the sides of my head, and I like the color I get. It's nice and bright right after a henna, but oxidizes down in a few days.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9637735672_af98b196e5_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62007100@N08/9637735672/) by Mom and wife (http://www.flickr.com/people/62007100@N08/), on Flickr

(I'm not certain HOW gray I am, because I haven't seen more than 1/2" of my virgin roots in 20 years. I like it red, so am in a torrid love affair with henna.)

GORGEOUS!!!

What strain are you using? Are you just using straight henna, no gloss, no cassia? Your hair color is just amazing!

~maborosi~

[RedStripe]

This is why I call myself RedStripe!

My natural color is a medium-dark brown, but I have been henna-ing for several years, giving me a rich red-brown on most of it. However, I have quite a bit of gray, which is mostly concentrated in a single stripe (before I started coloring my hair I had a really cool skunk stripe, but when the amount of gray began to increase it turned into more of a gray blur). So, my gray shows up as this streak of red that is much brighter than the rest of my hair. I like the bright look of that red a lot, but I'll acknowledge that it probably wouldn't be what everyone would necessarily want.

[browneyedsusan]

@maborsi: I'm not fussy about the strain, but think this is jamila 2011 henna from the freezer.
I bought a bunch of it when I started with henna, and recently found that a dilution of 1/4 cup of dye-released henna with 3/4 cup of bargain-basement conditioner covers my roots well. I also add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum--from the baking aisle in the grocery store, next to the gluten-free ingredients-- to keep the drips under control, but it makes rinsing harder. I alternate between shampoo (for the xanthan gum) and condish (for the henna) for a LONG time in the shower. I experimented with senna/cassia mixed with henna, but it washed out too fast or looked about the same as diluted henna, so I'm just diluting henna now.

Again, I'm not fussy about the flavor of henna, just as long as it makes my hair red. Terra cotta or amber or scarlet or auburn are all fine with me.

[MissAlida]

I have 1-2 strands of white, and they have the same color with henna on as browneyedsusan's hair in the above photo. It's an orange-copper color. I think it's pretty, but I guess you must have the right skin tone for it. :)

[OOnaOwl]

Bumping up this older thread with my own input. I have been hennaing for nearly 15 years now. When I started off I didn't have any white hair at all, but over that time now I have completely white temples and about 15% white interspersed throughout my Level 6 light brown hair. For me, one application of plain red henna turns my white hair permanently dark orange/red, while my brown hair turns an auburn in shade, brighter red in sunshine. Now with so much white hair I am going through an awkward phase. I kept applying more and more henna all over until it got far too dark for my taste, then tried honey lightening, then moved to a bleach kit. Right now it is mostly 5th element neon orange with darker ends, not the look I desire. I am aiming for a natural redhead/auburn head color that is just a shade or two lighter than my own brown hair, with the brighter (formerly white) red sections. It has been a bumpy road these past 2 weeks, with another batch of henna set to apply tonight for overnight, hopefully redder, results. I am a henna head for life, and intend to use it even after I go all white. I just am currently a bit challenged in this in-between phase!

[browneyedsusan]

I have "bride of Frankenstein" streaks on the sides, too!
Let me try to find a picture.....

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/10999977704_9046f98659.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/hL2L91)

I don't mind them. Yet. :D

[OOnaOwl]

I think your "bride of Frankenstein" streaks blend in very well with your natural level of lightness BrowneyedSusan! :) I like my white Frankenstein streaks too, it is just a bit awkward adjusting my henna style to it. The white hairs grow in so much faster than the others. I find I have to henna every 3 weeks or so to keep it all covered-and really I could do every 2 weeks so not even a glimmer of white shows through.
I have "bride of Frankenstein" streaks on the sides, too!
Let me try to find a picture.....

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/10999977704_9046f98659.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/hL2L91)

I don't mind them. Yet. :D

[browneyedsusan]

I hear you OonaOwl!
That picture must be a fairly fresh henna, because I'm on the exact same schedule as you. --I can see a nice amount of roots after 2 weeks, and try to wait a whole month, but end up caving and doing them after 3 weeks! I just can't stand all that rooty, gray, ashiness! :D
(It might help if the henna wasn't such a stark contrast to the white, eh?)

[OOnaOwl]

How did you get a much lighter, more coppery red now that your hair is longer? Is that a result of switching to glosses as you mention above? I love the new color and length in your signature pics! I just ordered some jamila from hennasooq, I have been using light mountain red for years. I love the rusty colors as opposed to the cooler tones. Especially with the white/gray hair advancing. I am hoping the jamila is an orange/red and not a cool or dark toned red.

[browneyedsusan]

Huh. My hair color photographs badly most of the time. (Current siggy--taken this morning-- came out good, though!)

I can't help much with color tweaks. So much depends on the starting color, how strong you mix it, how long you let it sit on your head....
I shared my brand/mix a couple of posts back--scroll down a little--henna gloss on roots only, let sit 2 or 3 hours.
FWIW: my May 2012 siggy is henna over brunette dye, but I never had a demarcation line from the dye.

[durgidog]

browneyedsusan your color is lovely! I agree that your greys don't stand out much against your hennaed hair.

I don't qualify as mostly grey yet, but here are my hennaed silvers in the sun. I love the highlight effect I get with henna but when I get beyond 50% grey I may need to start adding indigo or perhaps cut to pixie and grow out to silver. I'm not sure that much red/orange will enhance my complexion. I figure I have at least 10 more years of just henna before I need to make that decision.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9811&d=1395082783

[Allie_snowflake]

I have two gray streaks and the sides are pretty much salt & pepper now. I haven't seen much more than an inch of roots is ages either! I call my hair "pumpkin spice" :) My darker color on my roots is a light ash brown.... Very mousy looking.

(I wish I could figure out how to post photos...)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alliewinter/13728657563/


I don't know if that pic works... On my iPad it doesn't. The pic I tried to post is my profile pic (not avatar pic!)

[red-again]

Browneyedsusan the henna looks great on your hair! I do find on dark hair with grays the mix of orange and dark doesn't look nice. At least I don't think so.

Totally agree with you. I am naturall darkest brown / almost black ( irish heritage) and the henna glow is not for me! Hence the two step! I did try a one step process but my greys either didn't take as much as the lengths or went greenish.

[browneyedsusan]

Thank you all!
You are a sweet bunch! :flowers:
I will feed on those kind words for weeks! :)

[alyaziaaah]

my mom is originally chestnut brown and has now maybe 60 or 70%grey and white hair.
she uses straight henna and the result is wow. darker red braun hair with auburn highlights, she does only roots every 3 weeks.
her hair looks truly amazing.
i have brownblack hair with 30 white, i use straight henna as well and my hair looks dark cherry with ruby stripes that glisten in the sun light. i do full henna every 3 weeks. cant wait to get more white hair, i want to be fire red!
hope it will go with my complexion as i am NC 30 olive neutral cool medium skinwise.
i think it will look beautiful when your whites or greyes come in and you put straight henna on them.

[maborosi]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9811&d=1395082783

Beautiful! Dark hair with henna highlights is so gorgeous!!

~maborosi~

[durgidog]

Beautiful! Dark hair with henna highlights is so gorgeous!!

~maborosi~

Thanks maborosi! It's pretty high contrast, definitely not to everyone's taste. :)

[renia22]

Wow, browneyedsusan and durgidog, what striking colors you guys have!

I don't do full on henna, just half henna (Yemen light is the last one I bought), half cassia roots only glosses, just to tint the grays. The rest of my hair stays medium brown but it looks copper in the sunlight.

In this picture, my hair looks a little darker than in real life, but you can see how the cassia/ henna mix turns the grays a golden blonde. I have quite a few new grays coming in (which you can see in the bottom right side of my head, I haven't done the henna in a while!) so I have no idea what I will do when those start taking over. I have brown eyes and light skin with pink undertones, and I do not think blonde would suite me. Yikes!

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd39/elikitty/image_zps76d4409f.jpg (http://s225.photobucket.com/user/elikitty/media/image_zps76d4409f.jpg.html)

[evelynmosby]

alyaziaah, your hair sounds similar to mine. I had never colored my hair before and it's started to turn grey, so I deiced to try henna. I did my first application about three months ago at Lush (they did it for me) using the caca marron. I loved the way my hair felt and looked afterwards, super lustrous, but this time I want to do it my self, I'm wondering what your are your henna techniques? Any input you could give me will be helpful.

[Allie_snowflake]

Here's a pic that shows my grays with henna. I'm about 50-60% on top layers and probably 25% underneath. My dark growth on my roots is a medium ash brown. I am one of the ones who don't want orange! I like the cooler reds. I wish mine was more purplish.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/13954557529_7010dc96b9.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/alliewinter/13954557529/)
image (https://www.flickr.com/photos/alliewinter/13954557529/)

[hennalonghair]

Ive been using henna for over 30 years now and started going gray about 10 years ago.
Now my routine has changed a bit. I colour my roots every two weeks since I have about 1/4 inch showing. The gray really shows up quite a bit which is why I colour so often. Because I do it so often I only use a gloss. I used to use morrocan henna but now I use Godrej since its darker and freezes well. It covers my grays extremely well and doesnt take me nearly as long as it used to. It also freezes well so I mix a bigger batch and divide it for later use. I usually add herbal tea and then let it set for about 12 hours. Two thirds goes into the freezer. I only use about 3 tbsps. each time. The hennaed greys look like shiny highlights. Ive tried the henndigo method ( henna mixed with indigo ) but found the indigo just washed out and I was left with just reddish hair anyway so I simply eliminated it. The indigo isnt as forgiving as henna so you have to be more careful about what products you use or you can end up having greenish tints in your hair. With using straight henna I have no such concerns..
Until I decide to embrace all my grays, I will continue to henna. Its such a gentle colour choice option for graying hair.it was so well that I only recently noticed how gray I was going. Lol.

[ladonna]

Oh so nice! You have the hair I want! I've always been afraid to use only henna on my greys, I think I will try it now though... I can always 2 step the grey if my grey turn orange.

[Bagginslover]

I have some greys coming, but I have to search for them. However I LOVE the streaked look with henna, so I fake it with bleach!
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=10798&d=1399631344
(that might be a bit big....)
I LOVE the effect.