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Lexie
April 2nd, 2008, 10:48 PM
So are there any indigo users around who achieve blue-black? If yes, how do you use it? Post-henna? Post-cassia? Alone? With/without salt/amla or other additives?

Chromis
April 3rd, 2008, 01:09 AM
So are there any indigo users around who achieve blue-black? If yes, how do you use it? Post-henna? Post-cassia? Alone? With/without salt/amla or other additives?

I do! I use it in a two-step process with henna first. I put a dash of salt with y indigo but nothing else. My henna mix always changes, but some things I like well enough to do every time include using tea as most of the liquid (type varies), rosemary, and cloves.

ETA: Mine does fade after a couple weeks though to very dark brown. Henna also fades on me though, so my hair might just be highly resistant...and all my henna and indigo is a couple years old by now!

Delilah
April 3rd, 2008, 09:23 AM
My natural color is a meduim ash brown. I double-process with henna and then indigo, and as you can see it is quite black.
To keep it dark I do need to re-do the indigo every 2 weeks or so, but indigo only takes an hour to dye so it isn't a big deal for me. If I'm lazy it'll just fade to a nice espresso color.

After reading nightshade's experiments with indigo and pH I add a teaspoon of baking soda to my indigo, and it does increase the stain. Be sure to correct your hair's pH with a vinegar rinse after though. Vinegar also sets the stain, I get staining on my towels if I do not use it, but none if I do.

Lexie
April 3rd, 2008, 10:02 AM
Funny you should mention baking soda. I was thinking of it yesterday. The last time I mentioned it as just an idea on H4H, I'm pretty sure that was shot down, but then most of the people around didn't even like the idea of BSO. I think I'll give that a try and possibly keep it on for longer. Like an hour.

I only ever used amla with indigo and kept it on for 30 minutes and got jet black. And nothing will easily remove it, so I know indigo loves my hair. I'm just sad I didn't get any blue tones out of it. Maybe a routine change will help there.

Delilah
April 3rd, 2008, 10:23 AM
Amla is acidic, and (I'm not sure where the link is now) but indigo loves a pH of around 8-9 if I recall correctly. Amla is also known for giving a brownish tone, and you want the undiluted navy indigo color it seems.
Maybe give it a shot with indigo-only, a little baking soda, and leave it for an hour? It couldn't hurt.

Lexie
April 3rd, 2008, 10:38 AM
I know it is, and I know indigo likes alkalinity. The indigo itself is alkaline from what I've read. But amla has given better results to the majority of people who used it. At least in obtaining a darker color that's less likely to fade.

Chromis
April 3rd, 2008, 02:33 PM
My natural color is a meduim ash brown. I double-process with henna and then indigo, and as you can see it is quite black.
To keep it dark I do need to re-do the indigo every 2 weeks or so, but indigo only takes an hour to dye so it isn't a big deal for me. If I'm lazy it'll just fade to a nice espresso color.

After reading nightshade's experiments with indigo and pH I add a teaspoon of baking soda to my indigo, and it does increase the stain. Be sure to correct your hair's pH with a vinegar rinse after though. Vinegar also sets the stain, I get staining on my towels if I do not use it, but none if I do.

I take it you are not using henna each time you indigo? I'd love to keep the black up more, but I just don't have the resolve for henna/indigo marathons that I was assuming that would entail. I get a very nice blue-black at first but three weeks later I'm dark, dark brown with reddish tones in the sun.

I am going to try the baking soda and vinegar next time, I missed that in the big thread!

zift
April 3rd, 2008, 04:25 PM
I've never heard of adding baking soda with indigo. Guys do you think it will work with the one step process too? Mixture of henna+indigo+baking soda

Delilah
April 3rd, 2008, 07:50 PM
I take it you are not using henna each time you indigo? I'd love to keep the black up more, but I just don't have the resolve for henna/indigo marathons that I was assuming that would entail. I get a very nice blue-black at first but three weeks later I'm dark, dark brown with reddish tones in the sun.

I am going to try the baking soda and vinegar next time, I missed that in the big thread!

No, I henna every 3 weeks-1 month or so, whenever I feel like I need it.

Delilah
April 3rd, 2008, 07:52 PM
I've never heard of adding baking soda with indigo. Guys do you think it will work with the one step process too? Mixture of henna+indigo+baking soda

The thing is that henna stains better in an acidic environment, and indigo in a basic one. Henna is naturally acidic. The two mixed would have weaker results than if used alone.
Understand that this is just my experiences, on my hair, and aiming for a blackest of black color.

Lexie
April 4th, 2008, 01:06 AM
Well, keep in mind that mixing them together does dilute the individual dyes. If you were to use the same amount of each in a 2 step, using cassia or conditioner to stretch them so you could cover all your hair, you'd still not get black. The more dye saturation, the closer to black you'll get.

Riot Crrl
April 4th, 2008, 01:42 AM
Lol I think I was one of the BSO shooter downers. But I'm a chemically lightened curly, don't pay attention to me. :D

Lexie
April 4th, 2008, 12:43 PM
It's all good. :) I love BSO so it probably won't matter to my hair if I do add a tiny bit.

Delilah
April 4th, 2008, 07:13 PM
Well, keep in mind that mixing them together does dilute the individual dyes. If you were to use the same amount of each in a 2 step, using cassia or conditioner to stretch them so you could cover all your hair, you'd still not get black. The more dye saturation, the closer to black you'll get.

Good point.
If there is a better way to use indigo, I would love to find it. Having to reprocess every 8 washes or so gets old really fast.

Lexie
April 4th, 2008, 10:06 PM
I wish I could tell you why it fades for some and not others. I wish I knew.