Has anyone successfully highlighted after henna/indigo?

[Beloved]

I have very dark hair to begin with. I did a 1/3henna 2/3 cassia mix in my hair about 15 months ago. It faded quickly, and I decided I was done with the red tones. There was still some red left, so around Dec of 09 I did a Lush caca noir, which is indigo and henna. It didn't stay long in my hair, and I am back to a slightly reddish version of my natural hair color.

I've heard the horror stories of green hair after highlighting indigo.

Would I be crazy to ask my stylist to do some test strands and check it out? I REALLY want highlights. :-)

[LoveMyMutt]

I was just reading some of the older threads about henna removal, and there were a couple people who had horror stories involving highlights and indigo...For some people it seems the indigo is more permanent than you would think. And the odd thing seemed to be that *some* of their hair would lighten properly, but other bits would turn green.

Maybe have your stylist do test strands from different spots on your hair...and be prepared to do some emergency color correcting if things go awry?

I don't have indigo in my hair, but I am yearning to be blond again after henna myself.

[SpeakingEZ]

I've successfully honey-lightened my hair over henna, I'm sure highlights would be no different. It wouldn't be as dramatic as bleach or straight peroxide, though.

[LoveMyMutt]

I've successfully honey-lightened my hair over henna, I'm sure highlights would be no different. It wouldn't be as dramatic as bleach or straight peroxide, though.

Lightening the henna would be fine (though in my experience my hair stayed very orangey and will have to be toned to a normal color), but she had indigo in there also. My concern would be that even if she doesn't still have visible indigo color, there would be the potential for some random green streaks if it is bleached.

[Unofficial_Rose]

I would do a strand test if I were you. I thought I'd got rid of all my indigo (2 months of yoghurt soaks, oil soaks, harsh shampoo followed by 2 rounds of Colorfix) because you couldn't see it.

Green green green, followed by not one, but 2 radical haircuts. Yes, I had it highlighted twice. First time they toned the highlights and cut out the green bits. You would think it was all gone, right? Nope, second time it was highlighted a couple of months later, more green, more toning and another radical haircut. The roots were OK, because they'd had no indigo.

Then again mine was pure indigo - maybe Lush doesn't stick around so long? But I'd still do a strand test.

[Beloved]

SpeakingEZ, how did you lighten with honey? That sounds good to me, either that or the old fashioned lemon juice way. I'm going to stay away from bleach until my roots have grown out enough that I wouldn't mind cutting off the green, if the indigo'd part happens to turn green. Thanks for the input ladies! I don't think I can rock green hair.

[annarose]

I've highlighted after using hendigo, twice, though at first the strand tests did go greenish. I waited a few more months and then tried again...success! The ends were a slight light green but the top was fine. Nothing too noticable.

I think the indigo was faded enough out of my hair both times, I might have waited a few months since the last hendigo. Perhaps maybe four? I did go quite blond afterwards too, highlighting my way there (by a salon).

It's probably YMMV, but it worked for me. I'm one of the success cases I guess. :grin:

[pumori]

As an answer: I just tried highlighting, I have about 3 layers of henna and 2 of indigo, and the indigo is a year old, maybe more by now. It didn't turn my hair green at all- but my ends were so damaged that they turned mushy and ripped out while I was conditioning. I had no idea that might happen, because I know the indigo I used was safe, and it was very old. I even left the bleach on for only 10 minutes, and there was still damage. Your hair may be different, but definitely proceed with caution :)

[Aibell77]

One day I had the fabulous idea to put highlights in my previously henndigo'd hair. I had been more than one year since I henndigo'd. On the 'roots' I had lovely highlights, but in the lengths they are green :( The hairdresser put a red color over my entire hair to fix it. Now I have the same color as henna, but chemical with a touch of green...
Do a strand test! And if it turns green, don't listen to the hairdresser who says it will be fine when the bleach stays in longer (as I did)

[BenneGezeritt]

My twin sister recently got her Indigo Henna to ..go away sort of. We bleached her hair and of course the Indigoed parts turned green. The rest of her hair was yellow orange so I bought her some Raspberry Demi- Perminant Dye from Sally's. It wasn't Manic panic but another brand..TIGI? It covered up the green. So maybe there is something that can work? We both have super fine straight as hell naturally light brown hair. I tried colorfix on my several times over 2 step Henna Indigo hair and it didn't.do.a.thing. Bummer....now I am tempted to do bleach....if you want to see pics search my ID in facebook. Good luck ladies!

[Anje]

Definitely strand test. Preferably not on your head.

[Brat]

I thought I'd cut out all my henndigo. Went and got highlights, and the hairdresser kept saying "just a few more minutes" and the bleach ended up staying on for about an hour. Roots were almost white blond, ends were mushy green. A lot of the ends broke off, they were a strange jelly-like consistency. The rest of the ends that stayed relatively healthy were green to stay. Ended up going to between shoulder and APL to get rid of the green. Ended up not liking the highlights and dyed it black anyway. Could have kept the green ends, the black would have covered it up. Then I went and did a henna, no more indigo for me. No more highlights either, for that matter. Tried it twice, went green twice. Henna only now!

[jojo]

Ive managed to remove hendigo from my hair with 4 honey treatments, followed by 4 colour B4 treatments. My hair has gone from this
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/sockbun.jpg to thishttp://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/likenatural.jpg
this is my virgin colour http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/crop.jpg
I am really pleased with the results, my hair is now near enough back to its natural colour.

[kjcrutch]

Ive managed to remove hendigo from my hair with 4 honey treatments, followed by 4 colour B4 treatments. My hair has gone from this
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/sockbun.jpg to thishttp://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/likenatural.jpg
this is my virgin colour http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/crop.jpg
I am really pleased with the results, my hair is now near enough back to its natural colour.

jojo, what are honey treatments and color B4 treatments you used to get out the henna/indigo. I really want to do this!!!!

[tbonita]

I've done 2 rounds of hendigo removal with bleach. One was swamp monster green that resulted in a pixie cut I'm trying to grow out desperately; the other lifted with several bleaches to a very light blonde light enough for a pastel pink to go over it. That was VERY UNUSUAL though (sorry for yelling ;)) so strand testing is key! I've since learned the errors of my ways and am quite contentedly carrying on with my henna. Indigo, on the other hand... Lol

[bunnylake]

Has anyone else successfully removed henndigo with colorb4? Or some other type or dye remover?

[leilani]

Seems like indigo is a serious commitment. I'm glad I haven't yet touched it, just in case!