Alternatives to cling film/plastic wrap

[_fred_]

Hi everyone :wave: I'm trying to cut down on my plastic use, and I'd like to know if anyone has used any non-plastic alternatives to cling film/plastic wrap for wrapping your head while it's covered in henna.

I generally wrap my head in cling film, and then cover it with a re-usable plastic shower cap (and a hat if it's cold). I'm wondering if a shower cap and a damp towel might work, or if there's any other way to cut out the plastic wrap part of the process without letting the henna dry out.

[akurah]

If you don't mind a permanently stained towel, I think a reusable shower cap with damp towel will give similar or same results. A dark towel will probably eliminate any concern for stains too.

[Lisa Long4Life]

Thanks for asking this, I've been wondering about it too.

[Hailwidis]

Back when I did henna this was also something I wanted to look into. For me, cling film and kitchen roll were the only thing that (sort of) contained the drips. I never dared try just a shower cap because I would have had a stream of henna running down my back. I used to make my henna quite runny for ease of application though, so maybe that’s where I was going wrong.

Let us know if you try any alternatives. :)

[Lady Stardust]

Edited because I just realised you already use a shower cap and want non plastic

Some reusable shower caps are marketed as being eco friendly but they’re still plastic. A damp towel is the only other thing I can think of but that might be heavy on top of the henna?

A Buff (or cheaper equivalent) maybe?

ETA: I used a velcro hair band around the edges to help catch the drips, but it would dig into my ears after a few hours. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=velcro+hair+band&newwindow=1&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwisibf3qcniAhUVtXEKHVdZB_IQ_AUoAnoECAsQA g&biw=282&bih=466

[Liz_H]

I wonder if damp sheeting fabric would work? You might have to mist it with water occasionally, then replace your towel. People used henna long before we had plastic wrap. It would make for some interesting research. If you don't know where to look, I imagine the research librarian at your local library would enjoy the research. If nothing else, the penny shower caps would use less plastic than plastic wrap.

[Liz_H]

Well duh, of course Google has one answer.
https://myplasticfreelife.com/2012/08/coloring-hair-with-henna-non-toxic-and-almost-plastic-free/

[LittleHealthy]

When I’m doing hair masks, I use one of my old shirts that I use to dry my hair. I wet it and then put it on in a turban style. I am not familiar with how dye works but surely a damp rag or damp old shirt dedicated just to your hair dyeing would work?

[blackgothicdoll]

What about foil?

[_fred_]

Thanks, everyone! :blossom:

I think I'll go for damp towel or an old sheet or t-shirt from my fabric stash, and try wearing that under my shower cap. I'll set myself a calendar reminder to update this thread to say how it worked when I next henna.



Back when I did henna this was also something I wanted to look into. For me, cling film and kitchen roll were the only thing that (sort of) contained the drips. I never dared try just a shower cap because I would have had a stream of henna running down my back. I used to make my henna quite runny for ease of application though, so maybe that’s where I was going wrong.

Let us know if you try any alternatives. :)

Shall do! I haven't had any problems with the henna dripping at all, so I'm thinking maybe I don't need the cling film... How runny do you make yours? Mine looks like pancake batter.



What about foil?

I tried this once back when I was bleaching, and it was so noisy! Not to mention expensive, plus it didn't stay in my hair. This has made me think about foil-alternatives though :) I have some beeswrap, and maybe that kind of thing could work...

[Lady Stardust]

_fred_ I only ever used cling film or a shower cap, I didn’t need both. I had a lightweight turban towel thing (from Sally’s) which I put over the top for extra warmth. The turban was easier than a towel because it stays where it should. Then I put the Velcro band around the edge to catch any drips. It didn’t really drip much but my hairline is quite low in places and the band covered a bit more than the towel.

Is beeswrap a waxed cloth? I can imagine that would work.

[_fred_]

_fred_ I only ever used cling film or a shower cap, I didn’t need both. I had a lightweight turban towel thing (from Sally’s) which I put over the top for extra warmth. The turban was easier than a towel because it stays where it should. Then I put the Velcro band around the edge to catch any drips. It didn’t really drip much but my hairline is quite low in places and the band covered a bit more than the towel.

Is beeswrap a waxed cloth? I can imagine that would work.

That's the stuff, yes! I wonder if that would work instead of a shower cap, maybe over a damp turbie. What shape is the turban towel you have? I've seen them on sale, but I think I'd want to make my own seeing as I have so much fabric in the stash.

[Lady Stardust]

That's the stuff, yes! I wonder if that would work instead of a shower cap, maybe over a damp turbie. What shape is the turban towel you have? I've seen them on sale, but I think I'd want to make my own seeing as I have so much fabric in the stash.

It looks like a question mark when it’s folded flat. You twist the tail up and push it through an elastic loop at the back of your head. When it’s opened up it fits like a hood (plus tail).

I would take a pic but I can’t find it :)

[_fred_]

It looks like a question mark when it’s folded flat. You twist the tail up and push it through an elastic loop at the back of your head. When it’s opened up it fits like a hood (plus tail).

I would take a pic but I can’t find it :)

Thanks! And no worries, that makes sense to me without a pic. I hope you find it before you next need it though!

[Chromis]

I use an old shower cap that the elastic is already a bit shot on and then cover it with a turbie towel and then slap an old towel rolled around my shoulders to catch any drips. I've also tried using a plastic bag. Both involve plastic, but at least can be re-use. Using plastic wrap sounds rather messy and difficult to do on myself actually, but I never got on well with the stuff. Never sticks where you want it and then I cut myself on the razor bar. And that was on plates!

To avoid completely, I am thinking probably you'd have good luck making a shower cap from waxed cloth, since that is what many of the alternative fridge wraps do. (At first, I had clicked this from new posts and was happily going to tell you about how our sets of baking dishes all have silicone lids so I never need plastic wrap around here, but that would not work so much for henna haha)

[Kat]

I use a plastic grocery bag; I put it on my head and tie the handles at my forehead (if you have a bigger head though, the handles might not tie, so it might not work). A bit annoying, but not as much as plastic wrap would be, and I can make it tight, unlike a shower cap.

[school of fish]

I just saw this thread now. My system is similar to what some others are doing - it doesn't eliminate the plastic altogether but it does reduce it pretty substantially.

I put a shower cap directly on my mudded hair and then wrap the whole thing up in a length of stretchy jersey fabric. The shower cap is the really thin clear dollar store type and the stretch of the jersey both clings the cap to my hair and catches drips.

I henna my roots every week and my shower caps last for months on end. It's not entirely plastic free but I'm definitely not throwing out plastic wrap every week :)

[Genne]

If you don't mind a permanently stained towel, I think a reusable shower cap with damp towel will give similar or same results. A dark towel will probably eliminate any concern for stains too.

Perfect, thank you. I'll follow this suggestion too.

Jen

[beneaththetrees]

I know I'm a little late to this thread, but you could try biodegradable plastic wrap if you don't end up liking the other suggestions here! I think most of them are made from corn.

[SwanFeathers]

Does anyone know how it was done historically? Women have been henna-ing their hair long before cling wrap, so they must have had a method.

[Hairkay]

Does anyone know how it was done historically? Women have been henna-ing their hair long before cling wrap, so they must have had a method.

I've heard that in some places they just let the henna dry on their heads just like that. They applied it outdoors and remained there until they wanted to remove the henna. They didn't wrap their heads at all. This would be hard to do today if you don't live in hot sunny climates with outdoor access.

[SwanFeathers]

I've heard that in some places they just let the henna dry on their heads just like that. They applied it outdoors and remained there until they wanted to remove the henna. They didn't wrap their heads at all. This would be hard to do today if you don't live in hot sunny climates with outdoor access.

Somehow I don't see this working for the desert dwelling middle-eastern ladies who practice this, maybe in the humid parts of India. Maybe we can make a collection of all the different methods by culture and region :)

[zift]

I could never use a towel damp or not, it's heavy on my knee length hair. I always use a plastic wrap and throw it away. And I wouldn't recommend drying it just on , once I tried that and it was painfull for my scalp and dried my hair out.

[Genne]

Somehow I don't see this working for the desert dwelling middle-eastern ladies who practice this, maybe in the humid parts of India. Maybe we can make a collection of all the different methods by culture and region :)
Hi,
I agree. I live near Phoenix, AZ and it was over 105 and very dry here today. The mud would likely turn to dry cakes and break the hair here.
Jen

[lapushka]

I've heard that in some places they just let the henna dry on their heads just like that. They applied it outdoors and remained there until they wanted to remove the henna. They didn't wrap their heads at all. This would be hard to do today if you don't live in hot sunny climates with outdoor access.

I used to do that. I only kept my henna on my head for 30 min. max. (often just 15 min.) though (and it colored just fine, and was superbly hard to get out, 2 full volume bleachings and it still was not out). So 30 min. is definitely enough. And I never got dry hair or crusts.

I think if you want to avoid it, leave the henna on for 15-30 min.

[_fred_]

Update, as promised:

I used a damp microfibre towel with a thick re-usable plastic shower cap on top, and it worked fine. It was far less faff than using cling film. I might just use the shower cap by itself next time.

The towel I used was small, btw - one of the narrow strip-shaped ones sold as gym towels. It was the closest thing to hand.

Really pleased with this, now I know I don't need to use cling film with henna :D

[samanthaa]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but if you already have plastic bags around the house (the kind you get at a convenience store, with the handles), they work as a wrap too. I seem to always have one or two lying around (even though I actively avoid them when I go to the grocery store), and tying the handles at your forehead keeps the bag snug to your head. I've done this with henna, and more recently I do it with deep conditioning treatments.

[Hedera]

Any new ideas on using henna without using a lot of plastic?

I've been doing a weekly (or more) very mild henna gloss to keep up with my very silver roots.

So far, I use a strip of cut-up plastic bag over my ears to keep my 'sideburns' damp, over that goes a re-usable plastic shower cap and over the whole thing a knit hat from once-fancy merino yarn that turned out too big years ago... I had actually been using it as a tea cozy for a small teapot! :D

Everything gets rinsed as I wash out the henna gloss (the hat only when it gets too gloopy, since it takes quite long to dry), along with the nitril gloves that I also re-use for months and so far it works quite well - but I would like to move away from plastic as much as possible.

I have two large pieces of beeswax wraps on the way from a 'green' German internet shop: I might sacrifice one of them when they arrive to make a sort of henna-headwrap, perhaps with some elastic band. :hmm:

[maborosi]

Ooh, do let us know how the beeswax wraps go, that sounds interesting!

I use a re-useable shower cap. I don't leave henna on for very long, so it works great.

When I want to do cassia, though, and leave it on for 8 hours, then I usually pull out cling wrap so it doesn't seep out of the cap and get all over.