Red hair-carrot rinse

[sweetlidlred]

Has anybody tried doing the carrot rinse in the article section? I have natural red hair and this time of year it is not as red as in the sunny summer months, and was hoping that maybe the carrots would add some life.

[EvilPigeon]

I have never tried a carrot rinse. Maybe you should try a henna gloss :)

[homeschoolmama]

I'm a strawberry blonde and have heard before that this would help bring out my natural red highlights. Thanks for bringing this up! I think I'm gonna just go ahead & try it. What's the worst that can happen with a carrot?
love,
mom

[Shell]

I'm a strawberry blonde and have heard before that this would help bring out my natural red highlights. Thanks for bringing this up! I think I'm gonna just go ahead & try it. What's the worst that can happen with a carrot?
love,
mom


Ooo good luck and post pics--we wanna see!

[homeschoolmama]

My hair is just about dry. I'll post a pic once it's completely dry so you can see. So far I'm not sure I notice much (or any?) color-difference though. The rinse water looked a little lighter than apple cider so I was dubious at best. I left it on for a full 45 minutes in hopes that more time would help. I'm wondering if perhaps my hair just didn't have enough red in it for the carrot to make a difference?

However my hair is SO soft & shiny right now! My hair is naturally somewhat fragile, but I was able to comb through it while it was still fairly wet and felt NO tangles! It feels absolutely amazing right now, so even if it doesn't change the color much I may make this a routine treatment!

Alrightie, here are the pics. The left is from January of this year, and the right was taken 10 minutes ago. Other than looking healthier, shinier and a teeny bit longer... I see NO change in color - do you?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/Homeschoolmama/1-21-08.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/Homeschoolmama/4-5-08.jpg
love,
mom

[Shell]

Hmmm, maybe a bit redder, but yes, I think shinier. Well, at least you got a great deep treatment! Pretty hair.

[angelic]

I'm a strawberry blonde and have heard before that this would help bring out my natural red highlights.

Judging from your pics, I wouldn't say you were strawberry blonde...you look like a redhead to me. I see strawberry blonde hair as being predominately blonde hair with red highlights...you have red hair with blonde highlights.

Totally off topic in regards to the rinse, but your hair is quite similar to my own shade and I am most certainly a redhead, lol!

[ktani]

My hair is just about dry. I'll post a pic once it's completely dry so you can see. So far I'm not sure I notice much (or any?) color-difference though. The rinse water looked a little lighter than apple cider so I was dubious at best. I left it on for a full 45 minutes in hopes that more time would help. I'm wondering if perhaps my hair just didn't have enough red in it for the carrot to make a difference?

However my hair is SO soft & shiny right now! My hair is naturally somewhat fragile, but I was able to comb through it while it was still fairly wet and felt NO tangles! It feels absolutely amazing right now, so even if it doesn't change the color much I may make this a routine treatment!

Alrightie, here are the pics. The left is from January of this year, and the right was taken 10 minutes ago. Other than looking healthier, shinier and a teeny bit longer... I see NO change in color - do you?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/Homeschoolmama/1-21-08.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/Homeschoolmama/4-5-08.jpg
love,
mom

Your hair looks beautiful - more conditioned - moist and very shiny- it was lovely before - it just looks even better now, IMO.

Carrots contain pantothenic acid as well as Vitamin C - and Vitamin A.
http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/Canada/HealthInformation/Encyclopedias/Carrot.htm

How did you prepare it?

[homeschoolmama]

Judging from your pics, I wouldn't say you were strawberry blonde...you look like a redhead to me.

lol... thanks! I consider myself a strawberry blonde because I've got a baby sis who has vibrant flame-red hair, and she throws a fit whenever someone has suggested that my hair is red. And in bright sunlight, my hair is definitely more blonde than red. But indoors the red is more obvious.

This is an outside pic taken 3 days ago, next to an indoor pic:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/Homeschoolmama/AprilSiggy.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/Homeschoolmama/4-5-08.jpg

See what I mean? I figure since it shifts between more-red & more-blonde, I've just about GOT to be something in between, and the only term I know of for that would be strawberry-blonde.

To prepare the carrot, I took two large-ish carrots and cut them into 1/4" slices and brought them to a boil in 2 cups of water. I let them simmer for 15 minutes, then drained the water & let it sit for 45 minutes until it was still quite warm, but not TOO hot anymore. I poured it over my hair, bagged up my hair & put a towel over that for heat, and let it sit for 45 minutes. Then I just rinsed & conditioned. I'm definitely doing this again... three days later my hair STILL is tangle-free!
love,
mom

[ktani]

That alone - the tangle free hair for 3 days I think would make it worth it but the conditioning - awesome!

Thank you for the recipe - I know someone who will love this.

The colour might build - it does not look redder to me but it may just need time to enhance tone.

[homeschoolmama]

I should probably point out that not ALL of the extra conditioning you see is because of the carrot. I've been playing with oils & different conditioners since January as well. But it was definitely MORE well-conditioned after the carrot than before!

And no, I'm still not seeing any change color-wise either, but my husband says that the red "flashes" a bit more often now than before - if that makes sense to anyone ;)
love,
mom

[ktani]

Thank you for the clarification on the conditioning.

It also means that the carrot rinse plays nicely with conditioners and oils.

Yes, the red flashes make sense - to me anyway.

I think that the colour red - will probably increase slightly each time you use the rinse - and that it is definitely there now but to a small degree, only clearly visible under certain lighting conditions.

[ktani]

This is dated almost 18 years ago - whatever happened with it, I do not know.

An intense red dye from carrots
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE5DA1031F934A35754C0A9669582 60

[ktani]

homeschoolmama

If the colouring in carrot is anthocyanins, it is my understanding, that like hibiscus and cranberries, the colour may be subject to changes because of pH and other factors.

I do not understand the chemistry of that as well as others.

Right now you are doing well with the rinse - there is no reason I can think of why you will not continue to do well with it as you are currently using it.

[homeschoolmama]

I was wondering if anyone have any idea how often I ought to be able to repeat this? I was thinking either once a week or every other week sounded fairly reasonable, but I've not done a whole lot of experimenting with my hair.
love,
mom

[ktani]

homeschoolmama

Play with it.

I suggest that you keep using it as you are right now.

If it builds-up you may need to clarify - maybe not.

[mommy2one05]

homeschoolmama: did you just use a carrot juice? How often a week is it supposed to be used?

[angelic]

I figure since it shifts between more-red & more-blonde, I've just about GOT to be something in between, and the only term I know of for that would be strawberry-blonde.

Wow! That's quite a difference in your hair colour, but even in the natural sunlight, your hair looks more red to me than blonde. I guess it all depends on the perception of the person! Regardless, your hair is a lovely colour :) :flowers:.

[Capriquarius]

I'm interested to try this...it reminds me of reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books where she described how they colored homemade butter with carrots!

[ktani]

angelic

I have difficulty with colour perception with my own hair sometimes.

[angelic]

angelic

I have difficulty with colour perception with my own hair sometimes.

I think we all do, and I personally think (just my own opinion) that naturally red hair is the hardest to define when it comes to colour.

[ktani]

angelic

I agree - it can be hard for many. I have seen the question come up many times with pictures on the boards.

I have some natural red in my hair - a friend of mine said with the catnip, it is less obvious.

I can still see it but to me it is not that the catnip has altered that so much, as years ago I used products that had reddish tones in them - not colour enhancers - but my hair being dry at the time, would pick up that colour and brown very easily.

I stopped using darker products and my hair for the first time in a long time is IMO more my own even with catnip.
I have always also had lighter blonde in my hair as well.

I have been told and consider myself to be a dark blonde - which is a rather vague colour - there is usually natural variation, IMO in most hair colours.

[Shell]

I have a hard time figuring out my hair color too. I have always considered myself a blonde, but over the years many people have considered me to be a redhead--including a doctor who treated me for a skin condition that he said only redheads get (no, sorry, I don't remember what it's called). As the years have gone by, my hair has gotten redder. I don't know if it's age, or less exposure to the sun (less beach time). I have settled for calling myself a strawberry blonde. I have much more variation than homeschoolmama or angelic though--he ends are quite light.

[angelic]

I have a hard time figuring out my hair color too. I have always considered myself a blonde, but over the years many people have considered me to be a redhead--including a doctor who treated me for a skin condition that he said only redheads get (no, sorry, I don't remember what it's called). As the years have gone by, my hair has gotten redder. I don't know if it's age, or less exposure to the sun (less beach time). I have settled for calling myself a strawberry blonde. I have much more variation than homeschoolmama or angelic though--he ends are quite light.

The picture in your signature looks quite red to me. I have a lot of blonde highlights in my hair and in the summer my hair tends to get a bit lighter if I spend time outdoors. I know that if I wear my hair up, it tends to look darker as the highlights are hidden. I have actually had people ask me in the past if I have lightened my hair when they see it down for the first time. I don't have any photos downloaded on this computer at the moment, but there is quite a difference in colour if I am inside or outside. I will have to see about digging up some comparison pics to post.

[Shell]

The picture in your signature looks quite red to me. I have a lot of blonde highlights in my hair and in the summer my hair tends to get a bit lighter if I spend time outdoors. I know that if I wear my hair up, it tends to look darker as the highlights are hidden. I have actually had people ask me in the past if I have lightened my hair when they see it down for the first time. I don't have any photos downloaded on this computer at the moment, but there is quite a difference in colour if I am inside or outside. I will have to see about digging up some comparison pics to post.

The sig pic has had a very light henna gloss. This is my hair last year before glossing. My hair has gotten naturally redder, so much so that no one even noticed the gloss, which I think just blended my ends in with the other redder color. In this pic, it's a bit sunnier than the sig pic.

http://www.gossamerstrands.com/Hair/100_2432.JPG

[Nightshade]

I was wondering if anyone have any idea how often I ought to be able to repeat this? I was thinking either once a week or every other week sounded fairly reasonable, but I've not done a whole lot of experimenting with my hair.
love,
mom

I don't see a reason why you'd need a restriction, probably however often is convenient for you. :flowers:


Capriquarius- Thank you for reminding me of that! It's been so long since I've read those books.

[fleurdelis]

You made me inspired to try it! I am now sitting here with the rinse on my head....

[homeschoolmama]

Ohhh, someone else tried! I'd love to know how it worked for you!
love,
mom

[fleurdelis]

So..I woke up, got angry with my computer, youtube and stupid school film and now I can write how it worked for me. I really do not see a color differnce, but I will be able to tell only in the evening when I will take a comparisson photo, to have same lightning conditions as yesterday. Thing that I did notice is that when I was washing it out (after about 20 minutes leaving it in my hair)my hair was really soft. Now my hair is still soft (but I do not feel that much difference, my hair is generaly soft, but I think it is a bit softer) and pretty untangled. It also seems as if it would have a bit more volume, but I am not sure what affected that. I will certainly try it again, but in a normal school day (today I have vacations) to be able to fully compare the effects.

[homeschoolmama]

Sounds like you're seeing the same thing I am. It detangles & softens the hair, but doesn't seem to do much as far as changing the color.

I don't know that I've noticed a change in volume - I'll have to make not of this specifically when I do my third carrot-soak this weekend.

I'm definitely liking it too though. Whether or not it makes my hair LOOK different, it sure FEELS better!
love,
mom

[Barniie]

*bump*

for the readers who are looking for this thread

[ratgirldjh]

I've done this with beet juice from a can of beets! If you let it dry on your hair it definitely makes it redder!

But watch out for rain!

djh