avoid darkening but keep red color

[Chocowalnut]

I'm wondering what's the best way to get the most vibrant red from henna without going darker. I have to recolor the length of my hair after a few washes because it fades fast and, unless under a bright light, looks more reddish brown. But I don't want my hair to get any darker. Should I try BAQ henna instead of what I use now which is a henna base mixed with other natural plants (like alma, etc)?

[Firefox7275]

Some top up with a high pigment semi permanent like Manic Panic or La Rich Directions. These are colour molecules in a conditioner base so non damaging.

[Shatam1]

If you don't want henna to darken try not to do the length often. Roots only is the way. One more thing, when I used to add amla to my henna my hair was darker and browner. Now I just use henna only and it is way lighter , you can say orangeyer and that is what I like:)

[Hairitic]

If you want a RED henna without going darker, use Red Raj from Henna Sooq and after the first full application, do roots only. BAQ pure henna doesn't fade and roots only prevents darkening.

http://www.hennasooq.com/red-raj/

[Anje]

What do you mean, it fades quickly after a few washes? That's not characteristic of henna at all, unless by "fades" you mean that it calms down from that initial fluorescence, which it does over a few days to a week without any regard to washing.

What henna are you using?

[Chocowalnut]

It fades as in it loses the strength and vibrancy of the red and the shine. When I first henna its pretty noticeable red but after washing awhile it looks more dull and almost brown in some lighting. I've been using henna maiden wine red.

[Anje]

Brownish in some lighting (particularly fluorescent tubes in offices and the like, which is really quite greenish) is pretty normal, fwiw.

I'm inclined to suggest that you go to 100% henna instead of a blend, as that'll probably give you some more staying power. I thought for a second I'd be able to blame sodium picramate for your fading, but it doesn't look like that's in what you're using.

[Hairitic]

Not sure what Henna Maiden "Wine Red" is. Most BAQ (Body Art Quality) henna do not have a "color" name to them. From most of the varieties of henna that I've seen, the ones that carry a "color" name are not pure henna. They tend to contain other ingredients. It may be those other ingredients that are causing your henna color to fade. Most BAQ henna will initially produce a bright orange-red tone which oxidizes over the first few days after treatment. Generally, the color tames down and turns less orangey. Red Raj from Henna Sooq is a henna with a high lawsone content. Lawsone is the active ingredient in the herbaceous henna plant which produces the reddish color. The higher the lawsone content of the henna, the redder and less orange the results, in general. HTH. :p

[Chocowalnut]

I've been thinking about using pure henna too recently, but not sure because the first time I used it I got a dark red-orange which I did not like. I either want straight red or straight orange(natural red looking hair which I can't really get unless I lightened my hair first). And sometimes I get a burghandy color from the henna I use which I don't really want either (I don't want it to look purplely.) So not sure what to do at the moment.:confused: