Henna after Chemical Hair Dye

[ShieldMayden]

Hi Folks!

So I'm new and can't figure out the answer to this riddle for the life of me.

I have natural light brown hair, but I've been dying it jet black since early 2009 with regular drugstore hairdye, whichever brand was on sale (usually Revlon). Alas, almost 5 years down the road and it's starting to feel like poison. I'm debating whether to go back to my natural colour or stay black as for some reason black requires less make-up and more people take as my natural colour (makes sense I guess, I was born with black hair then it fell out and grew back in light).

The last time I dyed it was at the start of this month and I'm debating holding out for a few months, till late February or so and then redying it with henna if I really hate the roots that are coming out (they'll be a good 3 inches by then so I figured I'll have a grasp of it). Henna is much more natural and actually good for the hair from what I gather so it should not leave me feeling "poisoned" the way regular dye is. (I know saying it feels toxic is weird, but I seriously have no other words!)

However, I'm not sure you can put henna over any hair that has been chemically touched. Help? Advice? Pretty please?

Thanks dears! <3

[lapushka]

I have natural light brown hair, but I've been dying it jet black since early 2009 with regular drugstore hairdye, whichever brand was on sale (usually Revlon). Alas, almost 5 years down the road and it's starting to feel like poison. I'm debating whether to go back to my natural colour or stay black as for some reason black requires less make-up and more people take as my natural colour (makes sense I guess, I was born with black hair then it fell out and grew back in light).

The last time I dyed it was at the start of this month and I'm debating holding out for a few months, till late February or so and then redying it with henna if I really hate the roots that are coming out (they'll be a good 3 inches by then so I figured I'll have a grasp of it). Henna is much more natural and actually good for the hair from what I gather so it should not leave me feeling "poisoned" the way regular dye is. (I know saying it feels toxic is weird, but I seriously have no other words!)

However, I'm not sure you can put henna over any hair that has been chemically touched. Help? Advice? Pretty please?

Thanks dears! <3

You can if your henna is BAQ, Body Art Quality. To obtain a nice dark brown / black, you might want to consider a two-step process with indigo. Read up on it sometime. There's a whole henna thread here, and lots of answers can be obtained by doing some research on hennaforhair.com.

[ShieldMayden]

Thank you so much lapushka, I'll take a look around there. :)

[ailin]

I had a few years worth of black box dye in my lengths the first time I henna'd. I used BAQ henna and I had zero issues - except that the henna didn't really show up on the dyed hair, so I was two-toned for some time :)

[ShieldMayden]

I had a few years worth of black box dye in my lengths the first time I henna'd. I used BAQ henna and I had zero issues - except that the henna didn't really show up on the dyed hair, so I was two-toned for some time :)

Phew! You saved me worries of all my hair falling out or snapping off because I've been worried something like that would happen. So I guess BAQ henna is the trick here.
As for being two-toned, I guess it's inevitable but if it's black now and if I go for the indigo then henna two-step thing to get black on the rest of it... then I guess it won't be the end of the world. Will be similar enough to work.

[AmyBeth]

I've hendigoed over chemical color and highlights and my hair is healthier than ever.

[ShieldMayden]

I've hendigoed over chemical color and highlights and my hair is healthier than ever.

That's very good news t ohave! :) And our current hair length and types don't seem THAT different so odds are it'll work well on me too. Thanks so so much! :)