Fairy1
November 6th, 2014, 12:04 PM
Hi everyone, I have a question about how long you leave your henna/indigo on..or rather what's the least amount of time you've left it on and gotten decent results? I usually do henna 3 hours and indigo 2 hours, but wondering if I can shorten that bc I think the indigo is irritating my skin leaving it on that long.
I have used the 2-step Henna and Indigo process for about 2 or 3 years, with the rare occasional salon dye in between when I just didn't have time to do the hendigo process. I have been in love with the results every time I've used it, I get a jet black that seems to shimmer fire red in the sunlight. I love it, but I have developed some itching issues that's concerning me about continuing to use it, though I don't want to go back to chemical dyes. Chemical dyes don't cause me any issues, and I don't mind doing it rarely when I'm desperate and out of time, but I'd rather go as natural as possible, especially for a long term solution. My hair was naturally medium-ish to dark brown but in the past 10 years is started growing in silver and the rest a golden light brown. It's like my hair is just losing all pigment. The lightening started around 17/18, the grey was there in my early 20's, I'm 29 now with about 50/50 silver and light brown. I missed my dark hair so I decided to go black with the 2 step because it seemed easier than trying to figure out a recipe for a brown shade.
The issue I have developed is I get really intense itching/redness(no swelling) along hairline after the indigo. My scalp gets a little warm and maybe itches a little but the real problem is around my hairline and on my neck and ears. It gets so bad I can barely sleep and it all peels after a week. It doesn't itch if I get it on my hands or arms either. Just below my hairline/ears/down my neck a few inches. The smell of an entire head application also seems unbearable to me now, where I didn't mind it before, it makes me a little nauseous now and I think has caused a headache once or twice.
So some things I've discovered is that the amount of indigo and time of exposure seems directly related to how badly I itch. I have always used mehandi henna and indigo so I'm confident it's pure. I used Rainbow brand on a whim twice, once it didn't itch, and once it did a little but no redness or real irritation, however it doesn't want to cover my all my greys, and I usually end up with various shades of brown through roots bc my roots grow in various colors. I have started coating my hairline/neck/ears with coconut oil, which seems to help prevent the itchies and redness. Adding spices and mixing with tea seems to make the smell more bearable. Also conditioning with herbal essence seems to help as well. Even with the coconut oil helping, it still concerns me to leave the indigo on too long though because I think I'm pretty sensitive to it.
So after all that rambling lol, my question is, what is the shortest amount of time you leave henna and indigo on in a 2 step process and still get grey coverage and decent color? I want to try using my mehandi henna/indigo just on my roots, instead of whole head applications, which really aren't even necessary. I think with just a root application, left on for a shorter amount of time, with coconut oil on my skin, I may be able to avoid the irritation and still get decent color. I'm just seriously bummed at the thought of having to quit henna/indigo and want to try everything before giving it up.
I know I may not be able to maintain a deep black not leaving it on very long, but the most important thing to me really is covering the grey and getting my hair back to at least an even shade of brown. I'm wondering if I can go as short as an 1.5 for the henna, then like 30-45 mins with the indigo and get enough results to dye my grey at least a darkish brown.
Thanks in advance ladies for any replies!
I have used the 2-step Henna and Indigo process for about 2 or 3 years, with the rare occasional salon dye in between when I just didn't have time to do the hendigo process. I have been in love with the results every time I've used it, I get a jet black that seems to shimmer fire red in the sunlight. I love it, but I have developed some itching issues that's concerning me about continuing to use it, though I don't want to go back to chemical dyes. Chemical dyes don't cause me any issues, and I don't mind doing it rarely when I'm desperate and out of time, but I'd rather go as natural as possible, especially for a long term solution. My hair was naturally medium-ish to dark brown but in the past 10 years is started growing in silver and the rest a golden light brown. It's like my hair is just losing all pigment. The lightening started around 17/18, the grey was there in my early 20's, I'm 29 now with about 50/50 silver and light brown. I missed my dark hair so I decided to go black with the 2 step because it seemed easier than trying to figure out a recipe for a brown shade.
The issue I have developed is I get really intense itching/redness(no swelling) along hairline after the indigo. My scalp gets a little warm and maybe itches a little but the real problem is around my hairline and on my neck and ears. It gets so bad I can barely sleep and it all peels after a week. It doesn't itch if I get it on my hands or arms either. Just below my hairline/ears/down my neck a few inches. The smell of an entire head application also seems unbearable to me now, where I didn't mind it before, it makes me a little nauseous now and I think has caused a headache once or twice.
So some things I've discovered is that the amount of indigo and time of exposure seems directly related to how badly I itch. I have always used mehandi henna and indigo so I'm confident it's pure. I used Rainbow brand on a whim twice, once it didn't itch, and once it did a little but no redness or real irritation, however it doesn't want to cover my all my greys, and I usually end up with various shades of brown through roots bc my roots grow in various colors. I have started coating my hairline/neck/ears with coconut oil, which seems to help prevent the itchies and redness. Adding spices and mixing with tea seems to make the smell more bearable. Also conditioning with herbal essence seems to help as well. Even with the coconut oil helping, it still concerns me to leave the indigo on too long though because I think I'm pretty sensitive to it.
So after all that rambling lol, my question is, what is the shortest amount of time you leave henna and indigo on in a 2 step process and still get grey coverage and decent color? I want to try using my mehandi henna/indigo just on my roots, instead of whole head applications, which really aren't even necessary. I think with just a root application, left on for a shorter amount of time, with coconut oil on my skin, I may be able to avoid the irritation and still get decent color. I'm just seriously bummed at the thought of having to quit henna/indigo and want to try everything before giving it up.
I know I may not be able to maintain a deep black not leaving it on very long, but the most important thing to me really is covering the grey and getting my hair back to at least an even shade of brown. I'm wondering if I can go as short as an 1.5 for the henna, then like 30-45 mins with the indigo and get enough results to dye my grey at least a darkish brown.
Thanks in advance ladies for any replies!