Henna that gives a more carrot/natural red color?

[Oraien]

I'm... considering going henna. I have a lot of reservations! But my big reservation is once I commit, it's near impossible to go back with my fine hair so I'm coming to you all for some much needed wisdom.

I'm looking for a more carrot colored red. I see so many people with the gorgeous burgundy's, the wines, the dark reds and I'm looking for something with a little more copper, a little more fire. I know different henna has a different dye release and I'm trying to get all of that sorted out in my head but I check the Show Me Your Henna Hair thread and love all the colors and seeing all the results people get so...

Lay it on me! Looking for a bright, vibrant, still natural color! Think Karen Gillan, perhaps, though maybe a tad brighter than some of her photos.

[Rosetta]

To my knowledge, Jamila and Moroccan henna are the ones to give more coppery/orangey results :) Also keeping the henna mix on for a shorter time, around 2 hours, is supposed to help with that.

[Oraien]

Thank you Rosetta! I definitely remember seeing more results that were coppery with the Jamila but not sure I've seen Moroccan specifically so I'll have to go look for results from it :)

[Stray_mind]

It depends a lot on your starting color. If your natural color is lighter, henna will turn out more orangey, if it's darker, it will be more red. Of course the brand and exposition time are important.

[hennalonghair]

I would definitely try jamilla. It has an intense copper orange colour and has a forgiving dye release time. In other words you can make a batch and have more time to work with plus you can freeze any left overs which is a bonus. Morroccan on the other hand is darker but also has a dye release time of between 1 to 2 hours which also has a quicker demise time plus you can't freeze it. I'd go with jamilla. Plus it's got a really nice sift to it.

[Anje]

Diluting your henna with senna/cassia can help ensure that the color ends up lighter. Not doing multiple applications over previously hennaed hair (just touch up roots) also make a difference.

The biggest thing that will give you a lighter final color, though, is having lighter hair to start with. My hair is a medium brown, darker in value than copper hair; henna alone is not going to give me copper -- I would have to lighten my hair.

[texangrrl]

Like previously mentioned, Jamilla is a good one for the copper color. Mixing it with cassia and leaving it on a short time will both keep it from getting too dark. I highly advise doing a strand test first!! Collect some shed hairs and test the color before you go for it, especially since you have some reservations. Once you henna, it's nearly impossible to get rid of it. Just out of curiosity, what is your starting color?

[maborosi]

Depends on your starting color, how often you henna, at what dilution, etc. Sticking to roots-only applications will help keep the hair from building up to burgundy

[teal]

I lost count of how many people recommended Jamila, but I wanted to chime in and say, "Based on my personal experience, it's one of your best bets." I wanted something with more red than orange and went with a higher-Lawsone value, which is what leads to those red/burgundy/cola tones others have mentioned.

The other suggestions of considering your natural tones and touching up just the roots are also worth noting. I would also suggest waiting at least 3+ days after a henna job before making any judgments (good OR bad) about the tones in your hair, because it has a period of oxidization where the, er, orange halo fades out a bit. Honestly I'd say wait two weeks and wash a few times, because it takes a while to settle down. Also, look in both outdoor and indoor light for a more rounded judgment.

[lady mechanic]

I would try a lower Lawsone content henna with about 1/4 cassia mixed in. If it's not orange enough you can always do more applications but once you go to dark you can't go back so it's better to start out with a less is more approach

[Nightshade]

Jamila cut with cassia is your best bet. I use 35% henna and 65% cassia to get copper-red, and then only touch up my roots so multiple applications don't darken it.

[truepeacenik]

Listen to nightshade. Visit her links in her sig, and her etsy, Nightblooming.

[RavenRose]

I have naturally ash blonde hair, and had been using Jamilla type henna for over 2 years now. (Mostly because it is a cheaper form of henna) Still had the copper penny color! My hair is notoriously hard to dye, and Henna is the ONLY dye that has stayed in my hair more than a month. My first few treatments were full head, for 4-5 hours, and after that concentrated on my roots- about every 2 months. I recently experimented with adding Hibiscus, and now have a bit more auburn color.

[browneyedsusan]

I use jamila henna glosses, roots only, every couple of weeks. :)

[renia22]

Here's a color chart from the henna for hair website that might help:

http://www.mehandi.com/shop/hairinstructions2.pdf