Do you love or hate the smell of Henna?

[Blueglass]

I don't know how to do the bars, but I'm interested in the perception of henna's smell.
I love it, but I'm surpaised. Many hate it.

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors

[Nightshade]

Oh, fun thread idea :D

I love the smell of henna, but I also really like woodland/herbal smells.

What does henna smell like to you? It smells herbal, somewhat like grass, somewhat like herbs hung to dry

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, several variations of "red hair in a box"

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I mix chamomile tea with my henna, and I think that just adds to the nice herbal smell.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Like something I should think twice before applying to my skin, chemical-ee

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Mineral makeup and scented oils such as BPAL

Do you like the smell of hair salons? No, the smell of perm solution just makes my toes curl (ha. ha.)

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors I trust them more for health reasons (allergy aside), but recognize that it's much harder to get the "ideal" color with them, and so understand why someone would opt out of them (to say nothing of the impossibility of getting henna out of your hair if you change your mind.

[Aisha25]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you? To me smells like hay grassy.
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes alot when I was a teen.
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I do black tea to mix my henna
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I don't really mind the smell but don't like the effects it does to hair.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? I use regular makeup kajal eyeliner and regular perfumes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? The smell is ok but not my most favorite
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? No

[iris]

Hate is a strong word, but I don't like the way henna smells, no.

(And I quit henna but I feel like taking the poll anyway :D)

What does henna smell like to you?
Like hay.

Did you ever use chemical color?

Not really before I started henna. But I just used some conventional blue color (with peroxide and ammonia) a couple of weeks ago to try to tone the hennaed length done some.

OK so the smell of that was AWFUL, the ammonia got on my lungs and I had to open a window. But, the smell didn't linger like henna smell does (for weeks and weeks and weeks).

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
I used to use just water. It's the hay-like smell of the henna itself I dislike, not the smell of the additives. I just don't like the association of hay and hair. Hay is dry and dusty, hair should not smell dry and dusty. Simple as that!

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Depends on the type of color. Ammonia is just awful to me. Deposit-only colors, with no ammonia or peroxide, smell fine to me (as long as they're not overly perfumed). And I actually really like the smell of hydrogen peroxide. Hmmm, hydrogen peroxide.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Patchouli oil, sometimes. Other cosmetics, yeah sure I use them, but not the strong-smelling ones. I don't like cosmetics that are heavily perfumed. I may be a smoker but my sense of smell is fully functional, thankyouverymuch.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Dunno, wouldn't know what they smell like.

I do hate the smell of cosmetics counters. Gives me a headache.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
I dunno, in what sense?

In terms of color, I think henna is quite limited, indigo is completely unpredictable, and amla doesn't give a lot of color IME. I would guess conventional color would have more options as to specific color results but I don't have enough experience with them to really know. For deposit-only dyes (the 8-10 washes kind) I can say that they fade unevenly (one component of the color will fade before other components do, so the color changes as it fades).

In terms of potential allergies, it seems that conventional color would be more of a risk than henna, but then again I became allergic to henna and I'm not allergic to conventional color, so ;)

Iris

[iris]

[/B] Do you like the smell of hair salons? [B]No, the smell of perm solution just makes my toes curl (ha. ha.)
That made me giggle :D. What does perm solution smell like? Is it rotten eggs?

Iris

[Urchin]

I love it.

What does henna smell like to you?
Wet hay.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, but I stopped several months before I first hennaed.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I've only hennaed once so far, and I mixed in lemon juice, and black tea infused with rosemary and sage. It smelled very herbal, which I liked.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Frightening. They smell like burning chemicals masked with hair perfume.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I use Bath and Body Works body splashes most days, BPAL on special occasions, and scented deodorant. As for cosmetics, I use powder foundation, acne-covering foundation, long-wearing lipstick, and eyeliner/mascara/eyeshadow sometimes. I don't wear makeup most days.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
They smell nice, but not extremely nice.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Absolutely. They condition hair extremely well, rather than damaging it. My hair has never been smoother than it was post-henna.

[Nightshade]

That made me giggle :D. What does perm solution smell like? Is it rotten eggs?

Iris

Yes, it has these unbearable strong rancid sulfur overtones.

Happy to have amused you :cheer:

[Ohio Sky]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?



I dislike the small of henna. I wouldnt say I HATE it, but its not a smell I want to have lingering in my hair for the 2 weeks my hair usually hold on to it. I hate it within a few days of hennaing.

Henna smells like wet hay. But, I find most poo bars do, too... I guess Im just not a big fan of plant smells. I have tried it with ACV and lemon juice. Both reak, though I think the smell lingered longer than normal the time I mixed it with lemon.

I have used chemical color, and its god awful, but was always gone within a day or two. Hair salons do, indeed, smell like rotten eggs.

I do use perfume, currently Im stuck on Tea and Sympathy from GR.

I definitely like the idea of color without chemicals. If it didnt seem safer to me, I wouldnt deal with the smell.

[cobblersmaid]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you? Timothy hay. Actually it smells like nasty guinea pig cages that need cleaned out. *BARF* Real hay, I love the smell of.
Did you ever use chemical color? Highlights once
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I have done several things before, ACV, coffee, tea...
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Can't say.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? sometimes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? no
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? no

(Note, I use henna on my little sis, not on me.)

[cassie_g]

I actually liked it.

What does henna smell like to you? Kind of hay like. Grassy farm type smell.

Did you ever use chemical color? Oh yeah. Lots of different reds but the occasional brown too.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? Lemon juice.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I hate it. It's gross. Not as bad as perm solution but close.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Nope. I have such a hard time finding perfumes that I can actually stand the smell of that I don't bother with it.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? No.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? In the past I didn't really care what I put on my hair but now I trust henna more than chemical. Besides I don't really plan on coloring all my hair. It would take far too many boxes of hair dye to do it all.

[jel]

If you love it - I do!

What does henna smell like to you?

Freshly mown grass, rather than hay.

Did you ever use chemical color?

Yes, throughout my twenties and early thirties I had my hair highlighted or dyed, in the salon or at home, in blonde, and later red shades.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?

No, just water - I also add cassia, but that just smells grassy, like henna.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?

I don't really remember it. May have even liked it, but it wasn't the smell that made me stop using chemical colour, it was the damage.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?

Yes, I love musky, dark scents but tend to prefer unscented cosmetics.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?

Not particularly, they remind me of old lady perfume, and hairspray makes me sneeze!

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?

Yes. Henna and cassia will not damage my hair, my skin, or the environment. On the contrary, my hair has got thicker and stronger. In addition, red commercial dye is notoriously difficult to keep - it fades quickly and the more you colour, the more the hair shaft gets damaged, which allows the dye to wash out*. It's a vicious circle! On the other hand, henna will not shift easily... and that's if you try your best!

ETA: * In my experience, on my hair

[Siowiel]

Neither do I love it nor hate it.
Henna alone is kind of neutral to me, but I use different essential oils with it or even conditioner, so when it is finally ready to apply, I like the smell.

What does henna smell like to you?
Hm... kind of herbal.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, it is still visible in my lenghts, they are lighter than the rest and have a reddish tone (I am brown).

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
Yes, I never use juice.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Oerx.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Yes, but not for hair.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Oerx - NO!

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
Kidding?! No. They did so much damage to my hair that I cozld do S&D nonstop.

[morningstar]

If you love it...Yes Yes Yes

What does henna smell like to you? Grass, Hay, an old library
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? Yes, lemon, vinegar, teas, red wine
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?pungent, bad in a sorta of chemical industrial strength urinal cleanser way
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes and am particularly drawn to woodsy, earthy smells
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Yes and No; No because of the smells of the chemical treatments and yes because my mom was a beautician and as a child I spent hours at the shops watching her tease and backcomb big pouffy 60's doos. I love those smells back then and it still makes me think of being a kid. I never go to salons now oh and those nail places you couldn't force me in there[/b]
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors oh hell yes!

[kimberlily]

I love it :inlove:

What does henna smell like to you?
Wet hay. But it doesn't bother me.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, for about 12 years.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Usually rooibos tea.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
It hurts my eyes and makes my sinuses burn.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Occasionally.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Only Aveda salons. I can't handle the smell of perm solution. Salon haircolour doesn't have such a strong odor as home colour.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Yes. It may be more tricky to get the colour you want, but it is safe and won't make my hair fall out.

[doodlesmart]

I've never used henna, but I just did cassia for the first time while a friend was doing henna.

I like the smell, but DF wasn't thrilled with it.

What does henna smell like to you?
Smelled like fresh cut grass or very sweet hay, which to me smells like barn, which is my happy place. So yes, I like the smell.


Did you ever use chemical color?
Once....*twitch*

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I did chamomile.


What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Don't remember.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Very rarely.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Some, but only if they smell more like conditioner than anything else.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Yes I would, though I'm not ready to color my hair at all at this point.

[MadHatter]

I don't like it or dislike it. Since I only do my roots, I don't get a lot of aroma, just a tea-like smell after I wash it all out.

When I mix up a new batch:
What does henna smell like to you? Herb-y (I don't know what hay smells like)
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? No. The acid I add is always bottled.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Some of them smell nice, if I'm standing at a distance and don't pick up on the ammonia. But if I'm the one right there actually putting the color on someone's hair, I can smell the ammonia.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? No
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Absolutely!

[kwaniesiam]

I LOVE the smell of henna.

What does henna smell like to you?- herbal, fresh hay
Did you ever use chemical color? unfortunately...
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? chamomile and lemon, sometimes honey. it smells awesome
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?- they stink, like headaches and not something i want on me
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? just mineral makeup from Suncat. Perfume gives me headaches, but I don't mind scented oils
Do you like the smell of hair salons? They're terrible and so artificial. I hate nail salons even more
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?- yes yes yes 1,000 times yes. Even if they're more permanent and not for everyone, the results are so overwhelmingly better I could never go back.

[Celebrian]

Henna smells like baked grass - at first. Then, to me, it smells like a cowpat. The after-smell in my hair is the worst: to me it smells like unwashed, cheesy socks (or smelly hamster cages). Ugh.

Used and disliked the smell of 'chemical' haircolors.

Have used everything under the sun (apart from green tea :D) and it makes little difference to me - particularly to that 'after-smell'.

Yes, I use perfumed cosmetics - but dislike many of them. I don't use commercial perfumes any more for that reason.

I have never liked the smell of hair salons.

I trust henna/indigo/amla/cassia etc. more than the so called chemical dyes.

BTW - I lOVE the smell of fresh Indigo, but later on that turns to wet socks as well! I ADORE the smell of Amla... and like the smell of Cassia.

I LOVE woodland/earthy/berry/smoky types of scents... if that helps.

But henna? Yuk! :p

[Islandgrrl]

What does henna smell like to you?
Grassy, like hay.
Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, before I rediscovered henna.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
A little lemon, that's it.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Horrible. I hate the chemical smell.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
A little mascara. Lip gloss. Starting to experiment lightly with MMU
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Absolutely not.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Yes. Safe and I get just the coverage I want without changing my hair color (except those pesky gray ones).

[n3m3sis42]

Am I allowed to answer even though I don't really love it OR hate it? I don't dislike it, but I don't love it, either.

My husband actually HATED the smell of henna the first time I got him to put it on my hair. He still doesn't love it, but he hated it a lot less the second time around.


What does henna smell like to you?
Sort of like freshly cut grass, a smell which I also don't really love or hate.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes.

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
No!
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
I didn't really like the smell much. Perm solution is way worse, though.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
I use BPAL perfume. I use other cosmetics, but I only wear makeup when I feel like it (which is maybe once or twice a month).

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Ewww, definitely not.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
Trust? No. They're obviously potentially damaging, and (pure) henna is not. As for other natural solutions, I haven't really researched or tried them, so I can't say. The only thing that's "better" about chemical colors is that they can lighten your color, which henna can't do. But I'm so happy with having healthier hair (which is shinier and brighter due to henna) that I'm really okay with not lightening it anymore.

[iris]

Yes, it has these unbearable strong rancid sulfur overtones.
Thanks for the explanation. I secretly like sulphur smells, but in moderation, it sounds like perm solution may be a bit strong.


Henna smells like baked grass - at first. Then, to me, it smells like a cowpat. The after-smell in my hair is the worst: to me it smells like unwashed, cheesy socks (or smelly hamster cages).
...

BTW - I lOVE the smell of fresh Indigo, but later on that turns to wet socks as well! I ADORE the smell of Amla... and like the smell of Cassia.

I LOVE woodland/earthy/berry/smoky types of scents... if that helps.

I also dislike the after-smell of henna more than I dislike the smell of the paste itself. I think I would be OK with the after-smell even, if it wouldn't last so freaking long. To still smell wet dog when wetting your hair three weeks later... it just gets old.

I share a lot of your other smell sensations - LOVE amla, like indigo at first, not later (but it doesn't linger like henna does, only for a day or two so that's OK), and I'm also into woodsy/earthy/smoky types of smells. Cassia smells pretty much like henna to me, though. It just doesn't linger as much.

Iris

[Misso]

If you love it I do

What does henna smell like to you? Herby
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? Always add some ACV I do use teas sometimes but not all the time.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Not so pleasant. They smell very strange and I used to be so tense because of the smell
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? I am OK with it. But sometimes if I went and it was crowded I hate it.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors I never had such a satisfying experience with chemical coloring. I could never achieve any dramatic results not even with the new brands that promise so much. So I see no point in damaging my hair for a result that I would get much better with henna.
Henna has turned my damaged hair stronger, shinier and the color is deep as opposed to the shallow tints I got from chemical dyes.

[hazelceleste]

What does henna smell like to you?
Alfalfa or timothy hay. I didn't like the smell when I first started using it (a year ago), but I don't mind it at all anymore. My boyfriend seems to feel the same way (or at least, he's learned to complain a lot less, lol).

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Sometimes. I use whatever acid I happen to have on hand- usually acv, lemon juice or citric acid. Vinegar makes the henna smell worse, imo, but I don't think anything makes it smell better. I've tried using eo's and various teas, but nothing really masks the scent.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Ugh. The ammonia burns my nose (and my scalp).

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Occasionally, when I feel like it. I have a tendency to use perfume as air freshener, since most perfumes don't last long on my skin anyway.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Sometimes. My favorite hair salon smells really nice (albeit perfumey), but I've been in salons that stink of burning hair and ammonia.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Yes, since henna won't damage my hair like chemical hair color did. But, I'm also willing to deal with the fact that each batch of henna dyes my hair a slightly different color. If there was a specific shade of red that I absolutely needed my hair to be, I don't think I'd trust henna.

[squiggyflop]

i hate it

What does henna smell like to you?
it smells like nasty unwashed petshop mixed with wet leaves mixed with somthing that a dog would roll in.
Did you ever use chemical color?
yes many many times
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
yes i use ACV i hate the smell of lemon/citrus mixed with henna.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
i dont mind dye as long as its ammonia free
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
sometimes
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
yes
but not as much as i love the smell of nail salons
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
it depends. for short term color i trust chemical.. for long term im all about henna

[nowxisxforever]

I love the way my hair smells after I hennad for the first time last Sunday!
My mixture was with 2-3 tablespoons of ground cloves, the liquid being black tea, and added a little of the original formula (no-cone) of Nature's Gate's original herbal conditioner in.

Most of what I'm smelling is clove, but the henna is a nice smell too!!

I HATE the smell of salons. Yuck yuck yuck.

[Coral]

Henna reminds me of hay. I don't mind the smell at all, though I don't love it. I add some powdered cardamom to the henna to make it smell a bit better.
I have not used chemical color for about 2.5 years (and I don't think I will go back).
I do use perfumes and cosmetics, and in a small way I like the smell of hair salons.
I trust henna more. I like that its actually good for my hair, and its a little exciting to see what color I'll get, since I've never had a disaster.

[nienna42]

I hated the smell at first. I think part of what bothered me so much about the smell the first time I hennaed was that I was expecting it to smell like hay, because that's how so many people describe it, and I was really excited, because I love hay smell. The problem? When I think of hay, I think of the sweet grass hay they used to make in the field behind my house. The hay that henna kind of smells like is alfalfa hay, which smells very different from grass hay.

Anyway, the smell has grown on me, and while I'm not sure I love it yet, I do like it.

What does henna smell like to you? Henna? I suppose it does smell somewhat like alfalfa hay, but not really.

Did you ever use chemical color? Once.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I mix chamomile tea with my henna. I'm not sure it makes any difference to the smell, though.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? The kind I used smelled alright, though it definitely smelled chemical, and that's a little scary when you're putting it on your scalp.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I don't use cosmetics much. I am a perfume junkie, though. In terms of relating that to henna smell, I'd say it probably helps that I like earthy, incense-y scents.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? Egads, NO!

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? I trust them not to ruin my hair. I trust that they're probably much less toxic to my body and the environment.

[LanaMonsoon]

I love it!
What does henna smell like to you?
I work in a restaurant and henna smells EXACTLY like the iced tea machine when it's brewing a new batch (at least, the brand we use). It always makes me smile


Did you ever use chemical color?
For 10 years!

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I use chamomile and lavender e.o. with a splash of grapefruit juice. I haven't perfected my mixtures, I'm still messing around with it. That was what I used the last time though.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
It smells a little scary.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Daily

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical color?
I do. It makes me feel beautiful to use nature to enhance my hair and looks. I never feel guilty afterwards like I did with salon or box color.

[Delilah]

Hate.

What does henna smell like to you? Old grass clippings
Did you ever use chemical color? yes
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I use lemon or orange juice, sometimes red wine
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Not bad.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Yes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Perm smells make me gag
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? No

[jesamyn]

Love the smell!

What does henna smell like to you? fresh cut hay
Did you ever use chemical color? yes
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I have mixed it with various things in the past. Currently, I mix it with ground cloves (because now I expect the cloves smell along with the hay) and some variety of vinegar.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? So gross! They give me headaches.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I wear makeup, but seldom perfume aside from some BPAL stuff. I did just discover that I can wear a couple of Guerlains without headaches.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Depends. If they don't do chemical processing, then there usually isn't a smell to bother me. If they do a lot of chemical processing, it makes me nauseated and headachy.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Absolutely. I've been using henna for over 6 yrs now, and the proof is in the pudding, as they say.

[starfire]

I like it!
What does henna smell like to you?
herb-y?

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, and they smelled terrible.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I use a splash of lemon juice.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
They smell awful.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I love perfume and makeup but don't bother with them usually. If I have time and remember to do so, I'll wear perfume.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Nope. I like the smell of hair products though. I could sniff bottles all day :)

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Trust that they won't damage my hair like chemical colors, yes. Provide consistent results/color, no.
Oh and I absolutely abhor the smell of indigo!

[Suldrun]

What does henna smell like to you? At first it smells like hay which I like, but when it gets wet after the first time it amells a tiny bit like used hay lol so not so good. My roommate thinks it smells fine the first time also but after says my hair smells like dog crap and he leaves the room if i come in with freshly showered hair :D

Did you ever use chemical color? yes for a few years in my 20's I was blonde ( I am naturally dark brown.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? i have only tried Lemon and the first time I used lavender EO and everytime I washed my hair for almost a month it smelled awsome. I have not been able to repeat this result:(

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? horrible rotten eggy and chemically.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I cannot stand perfume anymore ( I became chemically sensative after an illness) they smell like chemicals to me now although I have noticed as I get better this is going away but the memory of that smell keeps me from wanting them on my skin. I use EO and mineral makeup

Do you like the smell of hair salons? NO

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes I think the chemicals are so unhealthy and I could not get near them now even if I wanted to they make me so sick.

[Rain]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you? I don't hate it but I don't like it. It smells like hay. Reminds me of being at a dirty petting zoo. Not a huge fan of smelling like petting zoo.

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, various kinds for years.

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? Not vinegar. Sometimes coffee or just plain water. I usually add conditioner to make it rinse out more easily. The only lingering scent is henna hay.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I don't like that either and it usually lingers for a few days to a week after dyeing as well so it's six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Sometimes perfume but not usually. Definitely other cosmetics.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? I don't love it but it doesn't usually bother me.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? As far as consistent and predictable results, yes. As far as being damaging to my hair/scalp, no.

[Riot Crrl]

What does henna smell like to you? Like a farm with less poo.
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, for many years.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I did straight lemon juice at first, but now I find that water works fine and that's all I ever use.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I could deal with them, even though they were pretty gross. DH since confessed that every time I used to dye my hair, he felt sick for days. He never said anything while I was still using it. He liked the way I looked as a blonde, but as far as smell he definitely prefers henna.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Cosmetics yeah, at times. Perfume no. My conditioner is smelly enough :P
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Oh no.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors Depends what we are trusting them to do. To get consistent color results every time, like the one on the swatch, then I guess I would trust salons more. Though I don't trust them very far with that. With henna, I do trust it to not damage my hair further. And it hasn't. What I don't trust it to do is result in the exact shade of L'oreal Sunset Shade #5645312 or whatever. It just makes hair redder, and I have to accept it and resist the urge to try and "adjust" it to exactly what I want.

[Irishred]

Can answer one way or the other. I have only used the non-henna (no color stuff- cassia?) once and that was a while ago, don't remember the smell.

What does henna smell like to you? - every one says hay, I love the smell of hay and live on a farm :D In fact, they just cut the field and the rolls are aging next to the house.
Did you ever use chemical color? nope
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I think I did vinegar
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I HATE it. my mom has colored for years and I can't stand the smell.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? light smelling perfumes and a couple oils on occasion. I prefer a fresh scent and not a chemical flower.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? NO!
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? no, I would henna/herbal before chemical.

[karishaf]

I don't like the smell at all.

What does henna smell like to you? Hay

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes. lots and lots of it

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? No I haven't tried vinegar, I used grapefruit juice.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? The ones I used smelled really good, real fruity.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Not really. A little lipstick every once in awhile.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? I have smelt some good ones, and some REALLY bad ones.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
No. I trust henna a lot more. I just wish it smelt better.

[tiny_teesha]

What does henna smell like to you? henna? Sort of herby, but not...like mud,...i can't describe it. I don't LOVE it but i don't HATE it. It is an ok smell.
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, now THAT stinks!
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I mix a strong tea with a few tsp lemon juice.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Bad, very ammonia-offensive, breath stealing chest hurting smell.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? occsionally. I wear eye liner and mascara and colourless lip gloss (matte)- not necessarily all at once.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? NO, what is that horrible smell, i think it is the hairspray, it makes me sick it hurts my lungs and nose...it is just really ew. Maybe it is the ceramic irons?
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? No, i don't think they are as reliable, it is luck of the draw- therefor STRAND TEST...lol. But I'm done with henna-ing my ends, i just do my mothers hair now.

[tennies]

I neither love or hate it, really doesn't affect me one way or the other. My husband dislikes it.
What does henna smell like to you? earthy compost combined with wet dog
Did you ever use chemical color? no
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? no

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? no
Do you like the smell of hair salons? never really noticed
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? no

[Michiru]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you?
I don't know how to describe fresh henna but trying to wash it out 3 weeks later makes me want to throw up.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, pre-college

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
nope, just lemon juice.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
don't like or hate

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
no perfume. but I do wear eyeliner and brow make up.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
It's not a nice smell but I do like it.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
No, henna it better for me, that's why I put up with the stink

[Dark Rosaleen]

I should say, I don't love the smell, but neither do I hate it. It's just ok.


If you love it

What does henna smell like to you? Guinea pig hay.
Did you ever use chemical color? I used to, but my fine textured hair doesn't appreciate it.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Usually just lemon, but last time I did put some lilac scented essential oil into the mix.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? They're ok.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes, I do.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? They don't really bother me unless someone is getting a perm. Yuck, it's a lovely rotten egg smell.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes I do, they don't damage the hair like chemical colors do. However, chemical colors are perhaps more predictable.

[effe]

What does henna smell like to you?
Herby!!!!!!!!

Did you ever use chemical color?
Nope.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I put hibiscus tea

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Ok....

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yup

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Depends on the salons.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Yes

[michelle99]

Hate the smell of henna but..., love what it does to my hair.

[Blu11]

I neither like it or hate it, I just don't like that in a week after hennaing, when I get hot or sweat - the whole room smells of henna. :D I went to a job interview a few days after hennaing and I could tell by the faces in that office they were wondering what smelled so weird.

What does henna smell like to you? Hay, earthy...

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, for about 12 years.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? No lemon, I use chamomile tea (for scent and conditioning), coconut milk or oil, and sometimes some cinnamon.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Unpleasant, and I still have to smell it once a month because I dye my mom's hair.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes/yes.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? The one I go to usually smells of hair products: shampoo, condish and hair gel so I like it.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes

[akka naeda]

What does henna smell like to you? - like plants
Did you ever use chemical color? - yes, manic panic type stuff, so not sure this counts
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? - hibiscus tea
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? - they're ok
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? - not usually, but occasionally eyeliner
Do you like the smell of hair salons? - don't think aboutit, they just have a generic smell to me
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors - yes

[vindo]

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?
Weed

Did you ever use chemical color?
Lots of it in the past (past shoulder is all chemical)

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Nope just water

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
gross..very sharp smell mixed with parfume

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yes but nice subtle scents/ yes MMU

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
omg no..smells like burned hair, chemicals, lots of perfume...

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
100%

[buttons]

I think If i ever henna again (i'm trying to grow out my natural color) I won't do it when anyone else is home. :o
My one and only time using it, my little sister walked in the room to get something and threw up from the smell. I didn't think it was that bad :shrug:

[lookingglass]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What does henna smell like to you? like a rich tea...I LOVE IT! (DH dosn't though)
Did you ever use chemical color? - Yes, when I was a teenager: from red in a box from the drustore to bleach/manic panic
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? - chai tea and a tangerine, usually
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? - it smells like chemicals...something is definately happening, there!
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? - Yes! Mineral make up (I love Pure Lux eye shadows and blush), Cover Girl lipgloss, Clinique lip butter, random eye liners (the self sharpening kind), I LOVE perfume but my favorites are Snake Oil, Coco, Madame X, Love's True Blusih Light, Bois de Violette, Luctor et Emergo, and Highland Lilac
Do you like the smell of hair salons? - No. I don't trust that smell!
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors - Totally. I know that my henna will be nothing but good to my hair.

[wintersun99]

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors

I'm indifferent to the smell of henna.
yes - and I HATE the smell, noxious
yes, I mix cloves
hate hate hate the smell of chemical color
not really, unless they have auromatherapy
yes, but can't get the color right

[Bellatrix]

What does henna smell like to you?

A bit like hay.

Did you ever use chemical color?

Yes, for about 7 years.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?

Nah.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?

Excuse whilst I perish of ammonia fumes...

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?

Just Dior Poison and MAC black eyeliner.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?

Generally, yes.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors.

Yes, because the effect is much more subtle. However, I have dark hair. I suspect if my hair were dramatically lighter, I'd be more cautious of using henna as the change could be much more significant.

In terms of damage, I trust henna much, much more.

[camillacamilla]

I hate the smell, but like the results...my answers:


What does henna smell like to you? hay
Did you ever use chemical color? used to for years
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?um no. I think it wouls smell worse.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?Tolerable, smell better than henna.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?Yep
Do you like the smell of hair salons?no.
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?no.

[Medvssa]

What does henna smell like to you?
Hay
Did you ever use chemical color?
Lots
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I used lemon, and tried many other things. With wine it stinks. Vinegar is not good either
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Quite bad
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yeah, BPAL addict here
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
It's terrible, especially the perm liquid
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Very newbie to amla and haven't tried indigo, but henna made my hair better than even, which chemical dye certainly didn't

[Aromatic]

Hate it. Hate it also the next two hairwashes. Always swear to never do that again... but I hate chemical color - smell more. *smile*

[lavenderblue]

I don't really love or hate it, it isn't the most pleasant smell but I can live with it

What does henna smell like to you? hay, black tea
Did you ever use chemical color? yes, for a long time
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I mix it with eo's to make it smell nicer
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I absolutely hate that smell
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? sometimes (perfumes more than cosmetics)
Do you like the smell of hair salons? absolutely not!
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
absolutely!

[cherryblossom]

i love it - in its purist form with no coffee

What does henna smell like to you? fresh herbs
Did you ever use chemical color? no but i dye my friends hair often
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? yes
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? its a bit strong but its ok i guess
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? yes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? yes
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? yes and no. With chemicals you can dye your hair a specific colour but with natural stuff, sometimes it goes wrong and the colour isn't quite what you want.

[Fencai]

I LOOOOOVE it!

What does henna smell like to you?
Smells like "outside" to me, and you cant beat that! my hubby likes the smell of it on me too!

Did you ever use chemical color?
Sadly yes, for the past 11 years I did. I only just started using Henna

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I use a mix of a "glug" of ACV and the rest is tap water to make it the right consistency

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
EGAD!!!!

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I have a bottle of perfume that is a light scent, but I use oils and oil blends on a daily basis that a good friend makes.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Nope. Its kind of like the smell of a hospital to me. Tolerable, but I cant get the smell out of my nose for a while.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
ABSOLUTELY!!!!! I had been bleaching my hair platinum blonde and stopped because I was noticing damage. After one application it made such a HUGE difference! I'll never go back to anything else!

[mooglewoo]

If you love it Oh I do!

What does henna smell like to you? deep earthy-not like top dirt, but if you dig a few feet it's that fresh dirt with minerals and water smell.
Did you ever use chemical color? in junior/high school
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? i use black tea
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? they make my nose feel all dry and depending on the brand give me a headache.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? yes. both.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? no. "hair salon: lingering hint of ammonia, cleaners and low note of hair spray" is not something I want to see on BPAL
Do you trust henna/alma/herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes, but I control how much color goes in and how long I keep it on, and unlike chemicals I know if I leave it on longer to get a certain color my hair is not being abused and won't fall out.

ETA: someone said "hay"-yes I'll agree it has a hay smell especially after you rinse it out the first time.

[Akiko]

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?

I don't know if I can say I love it. Besides, I just hannaed only once. Well anyway, I kind of liked it. It smells like wet hay. Freshly cut grass after rain. It feels earthy.

Did you ever use chemical color?
I did once about 20 yrs ago.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I mixed henna with black tea, but nothing acidic.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Not EDIBLE. Do Not Swallow. Substance with a scull mark on the box. It smells TOXIC.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Mineral makeups. No perfume. I cannot stand perfume on my body. I gag....:D

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
No. In fact, I dislike. When I was a teenager, I passed out several time at a salon. I was overwhelmed by the smell of perm agent and heat from a blow dryer. Since then, I am very reluctant to get a hair cut at a salon.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors.
So far, it is good. I just need to try henna more.

[Kirin]

Hate it..... the smell will actually keep me up at night in my hair. Smells like wet moldy cut grass to me. 1/2 teaspoon of clove solves the problem.

[twilight_faerie]

I don't know if I'd say I *HATE* it, but I definitely don't like it. I wouldn't dislike it so much if it didn't stick around for so long.

What does henna smell like to you? I don't know...I guess very earthy, but in a bad way.
Did you ever use chemical color? Yeah, for several years.
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? No, I use lemon juice. I add cloves too, but they don't really seem to take away the smell much.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Awful. They SMELL like chemicals.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Of course.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Sometimes. I don't go to hair salons very often.
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? Of course not. If I did, why would I bother using henna? Whether it smells or not, henna still does way more good for my hair than chemical dyes ever did.

[EvaSimone]

I really dislike the smell of henna, I only use Lush Henna so I am not sure if it smells a whole lot different.

What does henna smell like to you? Hay and cloves, it's an icky combination and doesn't leave my hair for almost a week.

Did you ever use chemical color? I did a lot previously but not anymore.

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? Nope I've always mixed mine with water.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Chemical hair colors are pungent and not so pleasant either.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? I use light makeup, mascara, cheek shimmer, lip gloss. I wear DKNY "be delicious" or BPAL

Do you like the smell of hair salons? Not really.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? I trust them more for reliability... as in if I put ash brown on my hair it will turn out a variant of ash brown. But if I place a mix of Henna and indigo on my hair it could turn out anywhere from a bright auburn to a reddish black depending on my dye uptake and if I guessed my proportions right. As for actual safety for hair I definitely trust Herbal stuff more than chemical stuff.

[vampodrama]

I hate the smell of henna.

What does henna smell like to you? a mix in a bowl, it smells like hay which I don't mind at all. on my head, it smells like rotting wet wood for 3 weeks after application. this part I seriously hate.
Did you ever use chemical color? yes, for many years.
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? no, I use either lemon juice or karkade tea.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? they fade after washing out, so I don't mind.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? yes, perfume and lotions and things like that.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? yes, I do
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? hell no. I would never go back to chemical dyes because apart the stink, henna has given me the most wonderful hair of my life.

[mellie]

I hate the smell of henna.

What does henna smell like to you?
Hay-ish, I guess?

Did you ever use chemical color?
A few years ago, but not anymore.

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
No, none of those. Just a tiny tiny splash of vinegar to stick to grays.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Hate it.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
No, not really.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Ack - no!

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
No, definitely not. Henna is far superior.

[Shanarana]

What does henna smell like to you? Hay, and grass

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I have not as of yet.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I hate it.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I try and use the most natural ones I can find.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? No, smell like they are doing some awful experiments.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes, anything that is good for my hair works for me.

[SHELIAANN1969]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?

If you love it I LOVE IT!!

What does henna smell like to you?
It smells very earthy, almost like a mix between wet grass/ hay/ the forest and dirt.

Did you ever use chemical color?
No, I used to years ago and quit.


Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Every mix is different, lol. I usually use some kind of herbal tea, usuallu Chamomile and/or Peppermint instead of just plain water. I also use Rosemary essential oil, sometimes lavendar eo, sometimes orange or lemon eo or Patchouli eo, or a mix of many.


What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
YUCKKY


Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I use essential oils and no cosmetics what so ever.


Do you like the smell of hair salons?
NO, YUCKKY!!

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
YES, I like the "naturalness" of these products, although nothing in nature is guaranteed to satisfy everyone either.

[marshwoman]

If you love it
love henna, not the smelll!

What does henna smell like to you? Grass compost. Wet dog after application.
Did you ever use chemical color? Up until this year...brown, blonde, red, in a box or professional, single color as well as any combination throughout the years
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
For the first henna I did. Orange juice. It stunk to high heaven. Ugh! Now I use filtered water with a splash of vinegar. Works great!
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Neutral.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Mineral makeup and very seldom high-end perfume. I like the way unrefined coconut oil smells on my hair and skin.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Actually yes - it triggers a memory of "good times" to me, because going to the salon was usually both exciting and refreshing to me. Now I only go very seldom to get my ends dusted and my face layers trimmed and that's it, but I still associate the smell with good times.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Oh yes! I love that pure nature is going on my scalp and into my hair, and I love the rich results of it. I always wanted red that stays, so the color is a bonus.

[Koala Kim]

Where is the cheese option? :wail:


Well, I certainly don't hate the smell, so I'm going to answer the 'love' questions. Even though 'love' may be a strong word for it, depending upon how I feel. ;)

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you? Hay

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes- usually L'oreal and usually something in the red family.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? Lately, I have just been adding my ever faithful ground cloves to the mix and a dash of citric acid. I have added in the past lemon juice, lime juice, herbs, EO's. You get the idea. I like to experiment. ;)

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? They literally bring tears to my eyes and take my breath away. A *big* reason I wanted to try henna.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Most scents turn on me. I can use some BPAL's & Dragonfly Blue oils.
Cosmetics? I have a ton of it and never use it. :rolleyes:

Do you like the smell of hair salons? Short answer- no.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes. :)

[Arctic_Mama]

Love it.


What does henna smell like to you? Wet timothy hay with a tang.

Did you ever use chemical color? Yup.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? Yup. Lemon juice and Lavender eo.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? YUCK!

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I used to collect perfume but I hardly wear it anymore. My nose is too sensitive and my breastfeeding babies don't like it. My cosmetics are mineral makeup and unscented.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? Not particularly.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes, I get my henna straight from Mehandi, no weird additives or chemicals. Everything else I add, myself, so I can control it. It makes my hair look good and feel much better than chemical colors.

[soleluna]

I love it ;)

What does henna smell like to you? herbs
Did you ever use chemical color? nope
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? sometimes lemon, sometimes vinegar, sometimes rooibos. I sometimes add some E.O.s
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? yuck
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? yep, love them ;)
Do you like the smell of hair salons? yes
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors I do. Wouldn't let chemical colors touch my hair

[Paliele]

I love it.

What does henna smell like to you? Very herbal. I don't notice a difference in smell between when I mix it up and the smell of my hair for the next several washes.
Did you ever use chemical color? Only on other people.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? No, just water.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? They smell like tub cleaner.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Not so much anymore. Since I've cut back I've noticed that lotions or perfume on other people seem stronger--almost to the point that it bothers me.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? No! They are so chemically--I walk in and feel like I need to put a hanky over my nose like some Victorian lady.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Trust not to fade as much? Yes. Trust to be nice to my hair? Yes. Trust it to come out the color I thought it would be? Not so much. But I don't mind.

[Yeesha]

I don't "hate" it, but I hate, to smell it for weeks... oO

What does henna smell like to you?


Did you ever use chemical color?
Jep... And I like the smell of henna more than the smell of chemical color...

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
Mix it with warm water... Without lemon juice or vinegar

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
*urgs* ^^

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
I don't like perfume... Smells so strong that I find it hard to breathe^^...

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
I have never been in one... oO

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
No.

[Shypii90]

I don't love it but I don't hate it..
I'm not really sure... I'm used to it, if that helps! lol.
My mum and sis HATEEE the smell with a passion!!

What does henna smell like to you? Weirdly..spinach!!
Did you ever use chemical color? Until 6 weeks ago yeah; black, chestnut brown and 'chestnut mahogany'
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I mixed half a fresh lemon off a tree from my garden!
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Oh god. Ammonia. My nostrils feel like they're going to melt off! It smells so yucky.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Several deoderants but what does that have to do with henna? :confused:
Do you like the smell of hair salons? !!.. for sure NOT! the smell of blow-fried hair and chemicals makes me want to gag.
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? Well I only tried henna for the first time last night so I don't know lol! But so far I prefer natural dyes BY FAR :D

[Jorja]

What does henna smell like to you?
Teabags and tobacco But I still love it :p
Did you ever use chemical color?
I have done
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
No
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Horrible burns my nostrils lol
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Yes - vanilla bases perfume, liquid eyeliner and lipgloss
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
No
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
No

[Eden Iris]

What does henna smell like to you? Hay.

Did you ever use chemical color? For years when I was younger.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? This last time I added chamomile tea and ground cloves.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Cat pee.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? BPAL and essential oils; does lip balm count?

Do you like the smell of hair salons? No.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors I trust it be safer for me and the rest of the planet.

[Paniscus]

I love the smell of Henna.

What does henna smell like to you?
Grass, wilderness...Mother earth :)
Did you ever use chemical color?
Nope
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Yes to all of the above! Depending on my mood, of course.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
When I've smelled it at Salons, it smells like chemicals, harsh chemicals. Kind of pungent.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I do. I'm a minimalist, but yeah.
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Not when someone is perming or whatever they do that makes it smell like batteries on fire. Otherwise, the *pretty* shampoo smells are OK.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
I guess at this point in my life, yes. I'm not totally opposed to using chemical dyes. I'm of the mindset that hair does grow back. I just like the fact that henna seems safer for all concerned (environment, my head, etc.) That, and I get a rush doing it. It's the whole process. I feel like I'm doing something tribal and it's good :)

[hennabrain]

If you hate it, - i don't hate it, exactly, but i sure don't want anyone else to notice it on me

What does henna smell like to you? - jamila smells like wet hemp rope, slightly rotten. other hennas smell more like hay, less offensive and not as strong.

Did you ever use chemical color? - yes

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? - no, i use chamomile or rooibos tea with a splash of lemon
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? - scary, though i'll admit i used to like the smell of the conditioner they include in l'oreal excellence box dyes

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? - occasional mineral makeup, a little drop of EO once in a while

Do you like the smell of hair salons? - no

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? - i think chemical color is much less trustworthy, health-wise, but more predictable in terms of the end result. i don't trust henna to stay light enough for my coloring anymore, that's for sure ... oh well. :rolleyes:

[rhosyn_du]

I'm pretty apathetic about the smell of henna, but my husband loves it. :eyebrow:

What does henna smell like to you? A lot like very strong, fresh green tea, but a bit more woody.

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? Nope. Just water.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I don't like any of them. Depending on the specific formula, my reaction is anywhere from "ew, chemical-y" to "oh, god, open all of the windows and turn on the fan, stat!"

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes, but I prefer unscented/very lightly scented cosmetics and am very picky about my perfumes.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? No.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Oh yes. I find the color results to be equally reliable, with henna being more permanent, which is a plus for me, and herbal dyes to be much, much kinder to my hair's condition than chemical dyes ever were.

[Marlowe]

Have henna/indigo for the first time ever on my hair right now so I think I'm worthy to answer this poll now. (This stuff better darn well dye my hair by the way. Y'all better not be playing some grand joke on me with all those pretty hennaed hair photos)

What does henna smell like to you?
Peppery hay. My mother says grass.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, I've used pretty much every type of chemical color there is. Permanent, semi, temp...

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Nope, not needed in any way I think. Smells just fine on its own.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Not too bad, but I also like the smell of white vinegar and nail polish remover so I might have a weird sense of smell.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
No, can't stand perfumes or makeup of any sort.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
No idea, never been in a full service hair salon before. And I haven't been in a plain hair cutting place since I was wee.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Since there's apparently no chance of it breaking or melting my hair like with most normal dyes, yeah, I trust it more. Whether it actually dyes hair or not I'll know in a few hours.

[VanillaTresses]

I like it-- it really just smells like hay to me, which is a good smell and I have good connotations with that smell (playing in the hay barn as a kid). I mean, it looks like goose poop but thankfully doesn't smell that way! :)

[RedHeadDancer]

What does henna smell like to you?
newly mown alfalfa...ever heard of a roll in the hay?

Did you ever use chemical color?
for YEARS

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
chamomile tea

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
sometimes they smell okay, but mostly they stink

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yes, both

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
not really
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Well Yeah!

[MAO]

I love the smell of my hair after henna. I reminds me of dirt/fresh cut grass. I love being outside!!

[SeaPhoenix]

Never enjoyed the henna smell on its own - but mixed with a good amount of ginger, cloves, or lavender - the smell was great.
Hahaha - whenever I did the hendigo mixes with cloves, one of my coworkers at my old squadron would tell me my hair reminded him of Christmas at his grandmother's - because she always baked a clove studded ham and the scent would permeate the house lol...

[Bianca]

What does henna smell like to you?
Like hay, the smell didn't really bother me
Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, and it smells far worse
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
I used lemon last time
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Dont like it, very harsh
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Yes
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
So long since i'v been in one, cant remember
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
No

[AutumnSky]

I enjoy the smell of it!

What does henna smell like to you? A stable. Horsey, grassy, warm

Did you ever use chemical color?Yes, for years.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I just tried it with black coffee for the first time yesterday.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? They're painful and amonia-y.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I do. And I'm not picky. Although my perfumes lately are more oils, and less spritzy things.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? I do.... especially in summertime. It's a childhood thing, I think.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Trust it for what? I trust it to color, and stay put without damaging my hair, which chem dyes can't do, so yeah.... I suppose I do.
:cheese:

[sahiba]

I don't use it on head but on hands several times and love it. Does this count?

[MandaMom2Three]

I :love: it!

What does henna smell like to you? Matcha
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, I coloured my hair black from the ages of 15-20. Then I lost all my hair. I didn't colour again until I was 26 then I went burgundy, then DARK brown. Then I stopped and went henna :D
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? Chamomile tea
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Nasty
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Not generally
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Absolutely!

[rymorg2]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you?I don't really like the smell of henna, but I'm getting used to it, it smells like grass.
Did you ever use chemical color?Yep, all the time until recently!
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?I mix my henna with 2 tbps of organic ACV and a cup of hibiscus tea, and usually will add a few squirts of camellia oil too.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?Since I'm a hairdresser, I'm used to it, but it depends on the product itself.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?I only use camellia oil on my face, I use mineral makeup mostly, and I use BPAL for scent.
Do you like the smell of hair salons?Well, since I work at one, :rollin: I'm used to it. It really depends though. Perm solution NO WAY but we don't do perms so it's not an issue.
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?I only recently have started to use henna/indigo. I don't necessarily trust either one LOL, or should I say I trust them both?? It depends on the person and what I'm doing. If I'm working I HAVE to use chemical color. I'm limited in what I can do there. But for me henna/indigo is the way to go. I'm chemically sensitive after all.

[HennaFaerie]

you guys are going to think im weird, but to me, henna smells like caterpillar food. yes, caterpillars. when i was in elementary school, we kept monarch caterpillars. we had to mix this food up for them which i am now convinced was henna. same color, texture and smell. so everytime i henna, i think of monarch caterpillars. lol

[spidermom]

I hated just about everything else about henna, but I don't remember hating the smell. Maybe this is because I used it outside, sitting on a fallen tree beside a river. I mixed it with hot water at my house, let it sit for awhile, took it down to the river, glopped it on, sunned myself until I was good and sick of it, then went swimming in the river. It was a terrific day (other than the color and dry, brittle-feeling hair that I got with it).

[Blu11]

I hated just about everything else about henna, but I don't remember hating the smell. Maybe this is because I used it outside, sitting on a fallen tree beside a river. I mixed it with hot water at my house, let it sit for awhile, took it down to the river, glopped it on, sunned myself until I was good and sick of it, then went swimming in the river. It was a terrific day (other than the color and dry, brittle-feeling hair that I got with it).

Sounds dreamy... :D

[twilight]

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors

henna smells like hay or grass to me.

i've used every type of dye known to mankind.

i mix henna with lemon juice, water, sometimes ACV, sometimes chai tea (because i like the smell).

chemical dye smells like my respiratory system being permanently damaged. seriously... nasty!

i do not use perfume, sometimes i use esssential oil for scent, and i use my own handmade cosmetics only.

hair salons are cancer factories (and i wanted to be a cosmetologist...).*

i "trust" henna/indigo/amla with the condition of my hair, definitely. i don't necessarily "trust" them to give me the same color every time i use them. the opposite is true for chemical colors in my experience. i'd rather gamble with the color than my hair/health.

fun post!

*that is not a criticism, really, it's just how they make me feel. i appreciate a good stylist and wish they didn't have work in places with bad ventilation and chemicals on every surface. i'm not a hater!

[Oskimosa]

I think I posted on this thread earlier and said I hated the smell...

Well, now I'm getting the Punjabi Prime henna and I really don't mind the smell at all. I think not using lemon juice keeps it from smelling sour. Also, after my first shampoo after hennaing, it smells like sweet honey tea. I love that smell! Its awesome :D

[audree_ov]

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you? A dirty guinea pig cage
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, for five years. My most recent was two or three weeks ago
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? Nope, I used lemon juice
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Hate it. Hurts my nose and head
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? No. Any chemical fragrance gives me a bad headache
Do you like the smell of hair salons? No
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? Yes

I've only done a strand test for henna, not my whole head yet... But I despised the smell. My boyfriend tried huffing it though, he loves it that much...

[Buggheart]

I don't love the smell but I don't hate it either. The first night after hennaing is a little annoying in that it stinks up my pillow but it's tolerable.

[vindo]

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?
Sweet Gras, Hay ,Herbs

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes until 7/2006

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
No

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Okay, little too perfumy

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yes, very little perfume, organic cosmetics. I dislike too strong scents.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Weirdly..yes, dunno why..

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Of course


I wish there was Henna scented candles or something ^^

[Naava]

I don't really love or hate the smell of henna, but unfortunately I seem to get migraine from it :(

[Lillie]

I love it. :)

What does henna smell like to you?
Hay

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Sometimes

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
http://www.cosgan.de/images/midi/ekelig/a015.gif Some of them smell really bad.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yes

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Not really. But I don't hate it either.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Yes :)

[Su]

... It's a strange smell, but I'm getting used to it.
I couldn't say that I love it, but I really don't hate it.
I prefer the smell of henna to the smell of chemicals!

[Upside Down]

I love it.

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?
Herbs :)
Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Yes, citrus and beetroot jucie and red wine...
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Yuck. But, they don't stick to your hair after rinsing the color, the henna does.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Very very little.
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
No, but I hate the salons so maybe it is not about the smell.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Definetly yes.

[linzarg]

What does henna smell like to you? Cooked spinach!
Did you ever use chemical color? I have, a lot! I'm going all henna and indigo now.
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I don't think I would like vinegar, I use lemon juice and herbal teas.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? They give me a headache, make me feel queasy, and I am allergic to PPD dye so I also get a lovely rash!
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? I use essential oils as perfume but I use all kinds of makeup, though I try to use more 'natural' stuff whenever I can.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Ugh, no!
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? No way. I have gotten much more satisfactory results from henna and indigo than I ever did from salon or boxed haircolor. Except, of course in my Manic Panic days. Pink and purple hair is so cute! Though the damage from bleaching the hair first to get the desired color is not cute...

[HairColoredHair]

I'm ambivilant, but I'll answer anyway. :lol:

What does henna smell like to you? Grass... um... yep, grass.
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, long time ago.
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? Nope. Just water. No lemon/citrus/etc.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? BURNY.
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Nope.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? BURNY. :lol:
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? No?

[klcqtee]

Oh I do so love the smell of henna!

What does henna smell like to you?
Being out in a field!

Did you ever use chemical color?
I did use chemical dyes before (even a lightener with peroxide in it!)

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I'm strictly a water only hennaer

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
They make my nose sting, and I sneeze a lot.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Just deodorant as far as smellable cosmetics.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
nope, they make me sneeze for hours after I leave them!

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
I do, but I also worry about what is actually in henna. People could put in additives, and I may never realize until it's too late. I do realize that henna made my hair soooo much healthier. The only downside was it killed my waves. I got from being a 2b/2c to being a 1c. Do you know how sad that is?! Of course, the minute I dump chemicals on my head, my hair is super wurly, and beautiful!

[BranwenWolf]

What does henna smell like to you?
Cut hay or dried grass. (I'm a horse girl so this is awesome!)

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
No, I used Surya Henna which is just pre-mixed powder and water.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Awful. It makes my eyes water.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Some. I don't use perfume that often.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
I HATE the smell of hair salons.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Yes. It was pleasant to use and gave much better color. (Surya henna basically gives a henna gloss that fades out) I've had scalp burns from chemical color and henna didn't bother me at all.

[BunnyBee]

What does henna smell like to you?

strong herbal tea!
Did you ever use chemical color?

yes quite a bit before i became allergic
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?

sometimes lemon but i get great results with only water too
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?

overpowering chemical-ness making my eyes burn etc
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?

yes and yes, most days i don't though
Do you like the smell of hair salons?

no i think they smell of fakery!
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors

definitely; all chemical colour ever did was damage my hair and fade badly

[3azza]

I love it
What does henna smell like to you?
It smells like herbal tea (matteh)
Did you ever use chemical color?
nope
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
whatever is in the kitchen cupboard (lemon/ citric acid/ ving., black/ green/ herbal tea, cloves/ peper/ nutmeg, eucalyptus/ pine/ cypress leaves)
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?...
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
of course
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
naaa
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
sure

[zombi]

I like the smell of henna, too, but like Nightshade am a fan of herbal "earthy" scent.

What does henna smell like to you? It smells herbal, like hay. I like the smell of hay.

Did you ever use chemical color? I used chemical dyes for years, both the colour-at-home kind and in salon.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I put only chamomile tea in mine, too. I think when I did my sister's I put in an imp of BPAL because she wasn't fond of the smell.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Well, it activates my asthma, burns the eyes -- so it smells like something to be worried about the effects of, to me. Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Mineral makeup and scented oils like BPAL. I still have a few "regular" perfumes and my MAC stuff I'm using up, but yeah.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? Hmm. I haven't noticed a smell, I guess because I've never been to one where someone was getting a perm or anything.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors: I think they're healthier, so I trust them more because of that. But I trust them less in terms of getting the colour you want the first time.

[maaria]

I love it

What does henna smell like to you? Dry grass
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, many years ago
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? No, I have only used henna 1 time.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Poison
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Yes and no, yes for: " something new and fresh is going happen in my life, and no for it is to strong for your hair, if you care about it!!
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors Yes

[GlassEyes]

My boyfriend tried huffing it though, he loves it that much...

...o-o;;...

[rapunzhell13]

The mud smells good to me, but post-henna wet hair is... not so good.

What does henna smell like to you? Tea leaves.

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes.

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I used lime juice and tap water.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? It reminds me of working in a salon, so it's a familiar smell to me.

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? No.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? Again, it's familiar, but not necessarily good.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? I trust that salon colours are more reliable in terms of results (especially since I've had training), but I trust that henna is actually good for hair in a way that salon colours are not.

[HoneyBeeMissy]

What does henna smell like to you? It smells of an herb shop, not too bad but it does get annoying after awhile.

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? no

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? They give me a headache

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? yes, occasionally

Do you like the smell of hair salons? no

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? Well I've never had an unexpected result with chemical colors but they were very harsh on my hair so no, I don't trust them more than henna.

[Fractalsofhair]

What does henna smell like to you? It smells like lemon to me. At least the stuff they use to put on your skin. Lemon and spices?

Did you ever use chemical color? Yep, one bad bleach job and tons of manic panic.

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? Nope, I've only had it mixed with lemon juice.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Manic Panic doesn't really have a smell, but ammonia at the hair salons makes my scalp itch like crazy!

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Essential oils

Do you like the smell of hair salons? Nope, gives me headaches. I do like the smell, it smells relaxing, but headaches and hives and all that fun stuff aren't fun.

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo? I've never used henna on my hair, but I don't exactly trust bleach at all.

[Woven Darkness]

I think I invent 'roots' just to use the henna ... love the smell.

What does henna smell like to you?
Newly cut fields, a little horsey, all natural.... walking in the fields and woods at dusk...

Did you ever use chemical color?
I have, and have the damaged hair to prove it.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I use green tea with a splash of lime juice

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
The smell alone tells me it's not healthy. It stinks up the bathroom, in fact, the entire downstairs of our home.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I use cosmetics very sparingly, no perfume, but I do use essential oils mixed with a carrier oil for scent.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
No, my eyes immediately start watering and my nose runs...same thing going thru the garden center aisles at WalMart..

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
Absolutely. Being fully aware that 'Mother Nature' does produce toxins such as nicotine, cocaine, etc., I am still more comfortable with henna

[NamedForTheMoon]

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you? It smells like wet hay, to me, but my husband LOVES the smell of my hair after I henna it. He's always putting his head on my shoulder and sniffing my hair, lol.
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, but not anymore! I've learned my lesson. I'm sticking with henna.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I used to do crazy recipes with this tea or that tea and some extra herbs and cloves and yogurt, but now, I just add a bit of lemon juice for acidity.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Icky.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I use mineral makeup, and the ONE perfume I wear (and it's rare that I wear any at all) is Happy by Clinique.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? Nope. They usually reek of chemical solutions.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes I do, because it seems like I either get a surprise with chemical colors, or they rat up my hair, or both. I love henna, I love the color and the way it makes my hair feel once I've rinsed it out. It's the best thing ever.

[neema]

I love Henna smell. Chemial hair dyes don't cut it for me, no matter how they smell. Aisha25, I have heard that if you mix thick yogurt with Henna it is easier to apply. Have you heard of this?

[Thila]

What does henna smell like to you? Fresh cut grass (delightful to my nose)

Did you ever use chemical color? In the past, but no more

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I mix mine with Vanilla Chai tea

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Some bothered me but others gave me a headache. Especially the ones that were tagged "no ammonia".

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Oh heck yeah! Certified perfume lover. My current favorite is plain Burberry.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? It depends on if someone is getting a permanent. I do not like that smell at all.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors. I was a little leary at first but now I am a certified henna head.

[dulce-de-leche]

What does henna smell like to you?
green tea
Did you ever use chemical color?
I used to before LHC
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?I don't use either.I use tea.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Nasty and it burns your eyes
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
I use both
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
No but I've always wanted to be a cosmetologist.Does that make any sense?;)
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
I trusted them but don't like what they do to your hair.

[batteredcakes]

To me, I don't really mind it but don't necessarily enjoy it. I guess I'm just used to weird smelling products because my family buys them and both of my parents are from different countries so I get all types of smells lol

What does henna smell like to you? Not sure, just asian smells?

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? When I use henna I use rosemary, tea tree, and eucalyptus oils. I haven't used it on my hair yet but that's what I use when I do henna tattoos.

Did you ever use chemical color? I use chemical dyes but am going to resort to henna from now on, I've been wanting to for a long time just haven't yet.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Chemical hair colors smell way bad, if I take too much of a strong sniff I feel like I burned off my little tiny nose hairs o.o and that I just killed a few brain cells here and there.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I love perfumes and body sprays so I use it often (more of the body spray than perfume) and I only use eyeliner and lip gloss.

Do you like the smell of hair salons? I'm okay with the smell of hair salons but if I prefer not to smell it.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? I trust natural hair dyes more than chemicals, for sure.

[ladylibra]

:love: Love! :love:

What does henna smell like to you?
It smells very "earthy."

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes. Last time was right after Thanksgiving 2005.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
The first time I tried it years ago, I used raspberry zinger tea and honey. Very iffy/okay results. This last go-round I used lemon juice and cinnamon, then later added the honey before putting it on my head. Awesome results. :D

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Strong stinky smell. I don't like it. :mad:

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yes, on occasion. I have sensitive skin though, it takes me forever to find something that doesn't break me out.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Not really, no.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Well, yes because at least henna is strengthening. What chemical color can boast that? ;) Plus I feel like I know what I'm doing with henna, whereas with peroxide and dye I have no clue. If I were really worried about it I'd learn by doing test strands but, I'm not that interested in it as of right now.

[free_hug]

Just counted it, i hennaed for four year (early 2005 to early last year)

so:

What does henna smell like to you? Herbs. (the wet hay simili is not bad either, though) I love the smell, reminds me of a steaming pot of herb tea. And it didnt wear out for a week, and i used to love it all the time :) Maybe i should try some colorless henna? :o:o

Did you ever use chemical color? Yes. Now that made me shed like hell, and i just friggin hated the smell. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? none

What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Read above.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics? no, not really. when i started to use coconut oil on my hair, i started to use that as a body/face moisturizer as well, and it smells nice enough for me. Or did you mean an armpit deodorant? Inevitably :)

Do you like the smell of hair salons? No. Many of them smells like perm, and also my last few experiences in salons were nightmare-ish O_O

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors Absolutely! And everything natural i trust a lot, lot, lot more than everything synthetic. Honestly, you don't even understand what's in it, and how is it produced, even if you learned your list of ingredients by heart, unless you have a chemist/pharmacist degree :confused:

[free_hug]

Ladylibra, i second your words, "verx earthy" is a great way to put it :) at least for those who love the smell.

[23_seconds]

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[julierockhead]

I LOVE henna, love it love it love it.
What does henna smell like to you?
Herbal-y and green, fresh with a little muskiness
Did you ever use chemical color?
Yep, it's how I ruined my hair!
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I mix in hibiscus tea, honey, and terp with essential oils like lavender, rose, geranium
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Ew, poisonous.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Sunblock, mineral makeup, a large variety of commercial and oil-based perfumes
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
*GAGS*
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Yes!

[auburntressed]

I don't know how to do the bars, but I'm interested in the perception of henna's smell.
I love it, but I'm surpaised. Many hate it.

If you hate it,

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?
Did you ever use chemical color?
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colorsI neither love it nor hate it. I feel pleasantly disposed toward the smell IF it is light enough that it doesn't bother me. If the smell is so strong that it overpowers me, I gag a bit. The fact that it is henna smell is no different from any other very strong smells for me.

- No, I never use chemical color. If I did, I have a feeling the smell would give me asthma attacks. Strong chemical smells often do.
- I mix my henna with lemon juice, but the smell of henna overcomes any citrus scent that might be there.
- I never wear perfume or cosmetics of any kind.
- I do not like the smell of hair salons. My lungs can't handle it that well.
- Yes, of course I trust henna more than a chemical dye. Chemical dyes damage hair, and henna nourishes and conditions it. The two are more different than night and day. There really isn't any comparison. It's like comparing apples to oranges, as the saying goes.

[ladylowtide]

I thinks it is bit stinky!

What does henna smell like to you?
Hay, or grass

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, many times before I hennaed

Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice?
I have tried many different mixes including lemon and different vinegars, the least stinky mix I have made is with pomegranate, rooibos tea instead of water, adding 2 tablespoons of Red wine vinegar for acidity. Something about the tea seems to greatly reduce the smelliness

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Because it is bad for you!

Do you use perfume/other cosmetics?
I use make-up from time to time, but I cannot bring myself to use scented products, they smell artificial and gross to me.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
NO WAY

Do you trust chemical colors more then henna/alma/herbal/indigo?
Hell no.

[PurplePenguin]

I love the smell of henna

What does henna smell like to you? Earthy, can't really explain it but its actually nice.
Did you ever use chemical color?Yuppers, bunches of times up until the day before I henna'ed for the first time.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?I mix with lemon juice and water
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? I don't mind the smell of chemical dyes, its not the best thing in the world but its not horrible to me, I guess its because I have chemically dyed for so long.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?Rarely, I mostly use a perfume from LUSH, its orange blossom or something like that and comes in a stick. I don't really wear makeup.
Do you like the smell of hair salons?They don't really bother me, I don't go around sticking my head in salons and sniffing around for no reason but I don't mind the smell of them when I'm there.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colorsChemical dyes are easier to get the color you want but sometimes I find it fun to see what my new color is going to be when I henna.

[Laylah]

I love the smell of henna! I haven't actually put it on my own hair, but I put it on my aunt's hair.


What does henna smell like to you? It smells like a muddy forest after a heavy rain. Dirt, leaves, and rain.
Did you ever use chemical color? No
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? I put lemon juice in the henna mix.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Last time I dyed someone's hair, it didn't smell like anything.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? I use a pomegranate scented body spray but no makeup.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? I neither like nor dislike the smell. It smells like shampoo and product mostly... hey it's better than the dentist or doctor's office!
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors I don't like doing anything permanent to my hair, so no. I'm not sure what you mean by trust. Henna would definitely be less damaging but I wouldn't want to be stuck with a color that I would have to keep bleaching and touching up.

[morrigan*]

If you love it

What does henna smell like to you?
Like hay, but a bit stronger. I only do glosses with premixed henna-indigo mixes i add some amla, neem and other herbs that i just powder myself.
Did you ever use chemical color?
Sadly yes.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Teas sometimes, but usually just water.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Awful, except for deposit only.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I use mineral makeup, perfumes very rarely.
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
I don't know how salons smell.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Regard condition of my hair yes, but not entirely regards colour, this is the reason why i use more sort of glosses and don't leave it too long on.

[morrigan*]

Double post :D

[Soltimus]

I really like the smell of henna. I started using it when I was very young, and it reminds me of when I was a child, of my mother's hippie friends, and of growing up and being young and a bit odd, ha ha ha.

What does henna smell like to you?
The scent reminds me of hay or dry grass.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes, I've used chemical colour products from time to time.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I used to mix it with coffee and/or lemon juice.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Hmm, there are some pleasant scents there, but I think even though I might like the scent sometimes it also always makes me a bit wary because it's so artificial.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Yes, every day, but in moderate amounts. I don't want to drown in perfume or look too made up, ha ha.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Hmm, sometimes. I think it depends on what salon it is. Some salons use loads of very heavily scented products and that's almost like some kind of nasal rape.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?

[Vampyria]

Well I once used Lush Caca brun (henna, indigo, coffee,...) and it smelt horrible.:puke: I got a headache from it and it made me feel sick. I also read somewhere that putting coffee in henna mix is not a good idea, because it can cause headache.

But if we're talking about pure henna I actually liked it (I just used it once).

What does henna smell like to you?
Herb, hay like.

Did you ever use chemical color?
Yes a lot.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
I mixed it with lemon.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
To strong, unnatural, I hate it.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
I don't use perfume and I only use natural cosmetics. I also can't stand the smell of commercial deodorants. It takes a while to get use to the smell in some natural cosmetics, but when I do I just to love it.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
Not really.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
Yes I do. It doesn't harm my hair or my body. Last time I used chemical hair color I had a headache for a week:mad:

[Amber_Maiden]

LOVE the smell of henna!

What does henna smell like to you?: Like hay in a stable.
Did you ever use chemical colour?: Yes. Several years ago.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?: I mix in chamomile tea. Makes the henna smell a bit more herbal.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?: *GAG* They are awful. They make me feel like I'm dying and give me headaches... haha! DYING. Get it?!
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?: I use natural cosmetics. I also use perfume.
Do you like the smell of hair salons?: No. The smell makes me feel like I'm suffocating.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colours?: Yes. My hair is unpredictable when being coloured BY ANYTHING- even chemical dyes. I never got the right colour from chemical dyes (think nice light brown hair dye. On my hair- turns out black!), so henna is fine. At least it doesn't give me black hair! I also trust henna much more for health reasons.

[Becky9679]

I actually don't have any particularly strong feelings about the smell of henna one way or the other, or about indigo either which I know a lot more people hate!

What does henna smell like to you? It smells like henna! I know a lot of people feel it smells of hay or earthiness but I've never been able to pinpoint anything in particular that it reminds me of.
Did you ever use chemical color? I used to before I discovered you could get black with henndigo
Do you mix vinegar with henna instead of lemon/other fresh citrus juice? I mix mine up with black tea
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? The ammonia smell you get with most of them is pretty nasty. The only one that I didn't get this with was Daniel Field Watercolours, they don't seem to smell of anything!
Do you use perfume/other cosmetics? Very rarely I will use an essential oil based perfume (most perfumes give me a headache). I use some conventional makeup and cosmetics but I try to get natural products whereever I can.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? It's been so long since I've been in one I can't remember what they smell like.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colours? I certainly feel that they're better for me and for my hair and they have a lot more staying power than chemical colours (to me that's a good thing but it may not be so for others)

[longNred]

Personally, I love it.

What does henna smell like to you? hay, cut grass, earthy...
Did you ever use chemical color? yes, only a couple times though.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? chamomile tea, and a bit of fresh citrus.
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? horrendous.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? yes, but not heavily.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? depends. the smell of the shampoos, yes. when they do nails or heavy chemical processes, NO.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? of course.

[Khiwanean]

What does henna smell like to you?
I often read that others think it smells like hay. I don't. I can't say I've ever smelled anything quite like it. It is an earthy smell that I find very pleasant.

Did you ever use chemical color?
No. And I've never actually used henna on myself either. All my experience of henna is from using it to dye the hair of one of my friends.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
Chamomile tea

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
Unpleasant, but not intolerable.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
Not regularly. My conditioner has a pretty strong smell that lingers in my hair though.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?
It varies. I like the salons that smell like leave-in or other scented hair products, but not the ones that smell like chemical color or heat-fried hair.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?
I do as far as my health is concerned. In a more general sense, trust veggie dyes (even the "chemical" ones) more than oxidative dyes.

[red-again]

here goes!

What does henna smell like to you? GRASS/HAY/LEAVES
Did you ever use chemical color? YES
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? LEMON BUT NOW HERBAL TEA
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? STRONG, EYEWATERING, YUK!
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? YES BUT NATURAL ONES
Do you like the smell of hair salons? NO
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? MUCH MORE SO!

[browneyedsusan]

I love it! I'd use it once a week if it didn't make my hair so dark.
What does henna smell like to you?
outdoors
Did you ever use chemical color?
yup
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
chamomile tea with a tablespoon of lemon juice
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
yucky. burns my head
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
sometimes. Depends on who I have to impress ;)
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
not really
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
yes. My hair behaves wonderfully with henna. It hasn't been this nice in 15 years!

[Idjit]

I don't like the smell of henna at all and it lasts forever in my hair. Like, for weeks, months, every time it gets wet.

What does henna smell like to you?

Gross and heavy. Like wet moldy hay.

Did you ever use chemical color?

No.

Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?

I have mixed it with lemon juice, ACV, cloves, cinnamon, orange EO, some kind of berry tea, mint leaves, all kinds of stuff to mask the smell but I've found it works best just mixed with water. The other stuff just makes it worse somehow.

What do you think of chemical hair color smells?

Not sure. I know perm stuff smells nasty but I haven't really sniffed chemical dye intentionally.

Do you use perfume/cosmetics?

Occasionally I'll use Black Raspberry Vanilla, from Bath and Body Works or Key Lime Lust from Victoria's Secret. I don't wear makeup.

Do you like the smell of hair salons?

NO. They always smell of burnt hair.

Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors?

I think it's safer for my hair and it's the only type of dye I can see myself using but I think you would get more reliable color from chemical colors.

[Neneka]

I don't use henna anymore and there is none of it in my hair now but I will answer still. I liked the scent of henna.

What does henna smell like to you?
-Much like hay or just herbs.
Did you ever use chemical color?
-I have used a lot of them in my past
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna?
-I didn't mix anything in it
What do you think of chemical hair color smells?
-Quite bad... Especially if there is ammonia. It's not unbearable though and after the dye is washed of the hair just smells interesting, not bad.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics?
-Not really. I would like to use perfumes but I can't afford them right now. There is not much scents in the products I normally use.
Do you like the smell of hair salons?
-Oddly, yes I do
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors
-I trust that they don't damage hair. The result with herbs is not that predictable than with chemical dyes.

I must add, my sense of smell is really really poor.

[Tisiloves]

I love the smell
What does henna smell like to you? Like seasoned spinach, it makes me really crave spanakopita.
Did you ever use chemical color? Yes, for nearly ten years.
Do you mix lemon/other fresh citrus, chamomile, green tea with henna? A touch of lime juice (because I live in an incredibly hard water area).
What do you think of chemical hair color smells? Some are fine, I liked the Fuctis ones.
Do you use perfume/cosmetics? Yes, sometimes.
Do you like the smell of hair salons? It depends, some are fine, perms are disgusting.
Do you trust henna/alma/ herbal/ indigo more then chemical colors? Yes.