Toning down the orange from henna

[AmselJoey]

I need opinions please! :confused:

My cousin's wedding is this weekend and I am in the bridal party.

The problem: my hair is hennaed with about an inch and a half of dark blonde/light brown roots and looks fiery orange in the sun. The wedding photos are going to be taken outside and this is not going to look pretty!

I was going to not mess with the color and let my virgin hair grow out, but I am now worried about how these photos will look. I was going to experiment with buxus and henna, but after pouring over that thread I am not sure about how successful this will be.

After more research on the LHC I am now thinking about trying (and desperately need advice about!):

1.) Using buxus only

2.) Using some kind of blue toner

3.) Using a chemical dye

4.) Blue Kool Aid rinse (different I know but it was mentioned in another thread and I'm open to anything!)

I am planning on strand testing before commiting to doing my whole head, but I was wondering if anyone has had success with any of the above methods OR if anyone had a different technique that worked for them.

Advice, opinions, and personal experience greatly needed and appreciated! :)

P.S.-I have the Chai and Cinnamon bundles from Catherine's site and am going to be strand testing tonight to see how those come out. I know it's a long shot as my hair is a medium brownish red right now (lighter and different from in my avatar), but I figured I would go for it anyway. Plus if it doesn't work I still have the buxus to experiment with!

[Rain]

I would not spend this time experimenting with new things. If something goes terribly wrong, you don't have much time to fix it. I would just go ahead and henna the roots and go back to letting it grow out after the wedding. An inch and a half isn't a lot.

[AmselJoey]

I know that's what I'm thinking...even though I'm not crazy about the red color I have henna DOES make my hair look shiny and feel healthy.

I still think I will experiment on the hair I have collected over the last few weeks though...why not?

[physicschick]

I would not spend this time experimenting with new things. If something goes terribly wrong, you don't have much time to fix it. I would just go ahead and henna the roots and go back to letting it grow out after the wedding. An inch and a half isn't a lot.

How long does it take to oxidize? I'm concerned that if you henna now, it won't have oxidized in time for the weekend, so you'll be just as bad off.

[Rain]

How long does it take to oxidize? I'm concerned that if you henna now, it won't have oxidized in time for the weekend, so you'll be just as bad off.

A couple of days.

[Velouria]

Something I did recently that helped darken and drab my length was using chemical dye without mixing with the peroxide developer. I bought Colorsilk brand (cheap and ammonia free) med. brown, and mixed just the bottle of colorant (aka toner) with an equal part of conditioner. Based on strand testing results, I left it on about 1 1/2 hrs. (just on the lower length), but YMMV. It turned out a bit dark, but that was intentional so that the fade would be less of an issue. It worked well, didn't seem to be damaging, and has faded to about the level I want (2 wks. later).

Of course toner can be purchased separately at beauty supply shops, but I don't know if they have any that are ammonia-free.

I still henna my roots, but my previously lightened lower length was too light and too red compared to my virgin hennaed, and I didn't want to henna the length anymore, as I didn't want it deep red or burgundy, but rather browner.

[Aisha25]

Something I did recently that helped darken and drab my length was using chemical dye without mixing with the peroxide developer. I bought Colorsilk brand (cheap and ammonia free) med. brown, and mixed just the bottle of colorant (aka toner) with an equal part of conditioner. Based on strand testing results, I left it on about 1 1/2 hrs. (just on the lower length), but YMMV. It turned out a bit dark, but that was intentional so that the fade would be less of an issue. It worked well, didn't seem to be damaging, and has faded to about the level I want (2 wks. later).

Of course toner can be purchased separately at beauty supply shops, but I don't know if they have any that are ammonia-free.

I still henna my roots, but my previously lightened lower length was too light and too red compared to my virgin hennaed, and I didn't want to henna the length anymore, as I didn't want it deep red or burgundy, but rather browner.
I did not know you can color with just the little color one. Does it do any damages to hair? Did you do the color first or henna?

[Treecrown]

Just wanted to contribute that based on my few experiments, oxidation time isn't as much of an issue with buxus mixes, because the buxus tones down the orange of the henna from the start.

[annarose]

AmselJoey, I just buxus/hennaed last night after going too orangy from henna. If you want to check out my journal I have pics and my recipe that I used there, if it can help any.

[Isilme]

I would buy a box of temporary wash out dye (without any peroxide or ammonia) in a light ashy shade and do a strand test. If it comes out nice, do your whole head.

[CopperHead]

My friend uses a brunette color glaze that washes out. I wonder if something like that would help. It probably won't color the roots completely, but it might tone them down enough. I think she uses John Frieda. :) I have fire roots myself, so I can understand your concern. ;)

[Nightshade]

Honestly? Any photographer worth his salt is taking digital pics, and doing some base retouching. If it's THAT off in the photos, well, that's what the Color Replacement Tool in Photoshop is for.

I'm not an advocate of you messing with your hair before such a big event. It's begging for trouble :(

[AmselJoey]

Thanks for all the advice girls! I really appreciate it! :D

The buxus/henna mixes I tested on my patiently collected bunches of shedded hair strands looks promising, but I have decided that I am not going to mess with my color that way before the wedding. Knowing my track record with dying my hair...it WOULD be begging for trouble as Nightshade so accurately put it. :p

I bought an ammonia and peroxide free nonpermanent color that I am going to strand test. Hopefully it will help tone down the orange. I know my hairdresser dyed over the henna before with some success, so I feel this is my safest bet.

Just curious...has anyone tried buxus only on their hair to tone down the orange or a buxus conditioner mix? I read through the buxus thread but don't remember if using only buxus was mentioned. Most likely I missed it!

[easternsunrise]

I have to say that I agree with Nightshade here...please be careful.:)

[Velouria]

I did not know you can color with just the little color one. Does it do any damages to hair? Did you do the color first or henna?

I've been hennaing for over a yr.; the 1st couple of times I did my whole head, but since then I've only touched up my roots because I don't want the length any redder.

I wanted the length to be a more brownish red to match the top 6 or so inches of my hair, which is henna only; the length had been chemically dyed a light red before henna.

I used the chemical toner/conditioner mix separately from my hennaings, and below my ears only. I don't intend to do it regularly. Maybe I will again if it fades too much, but I'm trimming away that hair anyway, and will someday be hennaed only.

I found using the toner to be maybe very slightly damaging, but *much* less so than using dye, even no-ammonia dye, with a developer.

It worked better and has faded less than when I tried to do the same thing with Loving Care (a 4-10 washes semi-permanent), but the colorant does have PPD and resorcinol in it, whereas those other type of dyes only have coal-tar dyes. But what I used didn't contain peroxide or ammonia, and it didn't go anywhere near my scalp.

[mellie]

AmselJoey, I did lots of strand tests with katam (buxus) and use it now with henna for my grays. I think that you totally could do a katam only application over your henna. How long has it been since you hennaed?

If you've got some, I'd say do some test strands but it should work pretty well!

[AmselJoey]

Thanks Mellie! :D:D:D

I have been pouring over the buxus/katam thread and your experiments, but was not sure how to best proceed, so I am very happy to hear your advice! I did some interesting strand tests with buxus/henna and buxus/henna/cassia on my hair, but am not daring enough to mess with more henna on my hair before the wedding. To answer your question, I have only hennaed once and that was towards the end of June.

I have enough hair strands leftover for a buxus only test and will be trying that tonight. Hopefully it will be a success and I can do a full-on buxus treatment to my hair tomorrow, which is the last day I have free time before the wedding...EEK!

Wish me luck and thanks everyone for all the input. It is MUCH appreciated! I can be a complete idiot when it comes to dying my hair. :o

P.S. I definitely will post the results of strand tests with buxus/henna and buxus/cassia/henna in the buxus threat when I get some free time...just in case they're helpful to anyone! :)

[mellie]

I'm pretty confident that it will work for ya!! Keep us posted! :-)

[Aisha25]

I've been hennaing for over a yr.; the 1st couple of times I did my whole head, but since then I've only touched up my roots because I don't want the length any redder.

I wanted the length to be a more brownish red to match the top 6 or so inches of my hair, which is henna only; the length had been chemically dyed a light red before henna.

I used the chemical toner/conditioner mix separately from my hennaings, and below my ears only. I don't intend to do it regularly. Maybe I will again if it fades too much, but I'm trimming away that hair anyway, and will someday be hennaed only.

I found using the toner to be maybe very slightly damaging, but *much* less so than using dye, even no-ammonia dye, with a developer.

It worked better and has faded less than when I tried to do the same thing with Loving Care (a 4-10 washes semi-permanent), but the colorant does have PPD and resorcinol in it, whereas those other type of dyes only have coal-tar dyes. But what I used didn't contain peroxide or ammonia, and it didn't go anywhere near my scalp.
Thank you :)

[AmselJoey]

Hello ladies!

Just wanted to give an update on the status of my hair color. I used buxus mixed with tepid tap water, applied it to my hair immediately, and let it cook under saran wrap and a shower cap for about an hour and 15-20 minutes. It was successful in cutting the orange and darkening my hair!!! The color initially was a shade btw medium and dark brown, but has been lightening up and is now leaning more towards medium brown. It still has a slight orangish glint to it in the sunlight, but this is not very noticeable at all (especially when compared to how it looked before!). It looked 100 percent better for the wedding than it would have if I left it alone.

So overall a success!:cheese:

Thanks again to everyone for their opinions and advice. :)

[annarose]

I'm so glad it worked out for you!

[burns_erin]

I am glad it worked for you. I had the same concern but i just used a very coney product which kinda darkend my hair up enough it did not glow.

[mellie]

Yay!! So happy that it worked well for you!!

[AmselJoey]

Me too!:D

I think there may be more buxus experiments in my future...

[mellie]

Cool, I really like buxus too! Please post if you have any pics and if you do some more experiments!

[sarahariz]

AmselJoey, I just buxus/hennaed last night after going too orangy from henna. If you want to check out my journal I have pics and my recipe that I used there, if it can help any.
I would like to look at your journal. How do I get to it?

Thanks,

Sarah

[sarahariz]

Me too!:D

I think there may be more buxus experiments in my future...

I would love to see your pictures. What was the source of your buxus?

Sarah

[AmselJoey]

I will definitely post some pictures when I get a chance. Most likely in the blog I plan on starting here and/or the buxus thread. My cousin's wedding and school sucked up all my free time this past month and I'm still recovering (of course I am now sick! :(), but I promise to work on getting them up within the next several weeks. I'm getting a digital camera for my birthday next weekend so that should provide some extra motivation!;)

Plus I really want to try to reach a light ash brown with buxus/henna/cassia. I know it's a long shot because my hair is darker than that right now, but my natural color is dark blonde and I miss my hair being lighter!

BTW the buxus is from Catherine at hennaforhair.com. I bought some blonde bundles from her, which included the buxus. You can buy it on its own though.