do I need to wait for dye release with henna and warm water?

[luthien_belewen]

I don't want to mix my henna with lemon juice anymore, it's too drying. I want to use warm water instead, but do I need to wait for dye release? I want to henna tomorrow, but if it needs a long time to release, then I want to know how long so I can prepare it today! Thanks ^_^

[MonikaHa]

You can mix it with warm water and freeze overnight. Once defrosted it releases dye immediately, and it is very potent. I freeze mine in an ice cube tray.

[AstrayStar]

I use catnip tea instead of lemon juice and it is awesome! :) My hair loves it!

I didn't know that about the dye release when it thaws... good to know! Thanks :)

[halo_tightens]

I also recommend freezing! It gives a better stain than any other method I've tried, and there's no guesswork about timing or anything. Just mix it, freeze it, and thaw it for use. :)

[luthien_belewen]

Sweet! Who knew that freezing the henna would give a stronger dye? I wonder why that is...*goes off to freeze henna*

[annarose]

Uh okay, silly question here...do you have to let it dye release before freezing it?

[lapushka]

I used to mix my henna with boiling water, and applied it as soon as it went lukewarm (which happens pretty fast). When it went cold and almost crusty on my head, I rinsed it out carefully, then used plenty of conditioner to get all the remnants of the henna paste out.

[MonikaHa]

You do not need to wait for dye release before freezing, just mix it up and pop it in the fridge. As water in the plant cells turns into ice it expands and bursts the cellular walls, so when thawed, the dye is available immediately.

It takes about 15 minutes for me to be ready to henna, I am impatient and waiting hours and hours for dye release is not my stye :)

[Quezie]

MonikaHa - That is interesting! Scientific answers are always reassuring. :D

I'm also wondering why you would get a stronger dye after freezing henna paste?

[twilight_faerie]

I've used henna right after mixing it up. The heat from your head accelerates dye release while it's on your head. Granted, I do leave henna on for 6 hours, so it might not work if you leave it on for, say, 3 hours.

[MonikaHa]

I'm also wondering why you would get a stronger dye after freezing henna paste?

No idea. I just know it is very strong, in fact a 45 minute gloss with 2 cubes (about 2 tbs) and lots of conditioner takes care of my roots, and makes my hair nice and orange :eyebrows:

[caribou55313]

Uh okay, silly question here...do you have to let it dye release before freezing it?

If you are only using water you don't have to wait because dye release is virtually immediate. If you use an acidic liquid you should wait until you see dye release, otherwise freezing will not increase the available dye. I tested this and you can see the results on Flickr page (link in my signature line)

[Marjolein]

If you are only using water you don't have to wait because dye release is virtually immediate. If you use an acidic liquid you should wait until you see dye release, otherwise freezing will not increase the available dye. I tested this and you can see the results on Flickr page (link in my signature line)

Ha! Thanks Caribou!! I've tried the 'mix your stuff and put it in the freezer method' and there wasn't any dye release after I thawed the mix. But then again I used cold chamomile tea and a squirt of lemonjuice in my mix, no plain water.

[Pierre]

I've used henna right after mixing it up. The heat from your head accelerates dye release while it's on your head. Granted, I do leave henna on for 6 hours, so it might not work if you leave it on for, say, 3 hours.
I do the same. I mix it up, squirt it into my hair, wrap it, and go to sleep. No waiting for dye release. Works great.

[henna4grey]

I used to mix my henna with boiling water, and applied it as soon as it went lukewarm (which happens pretty fast). When it went cold and almost crusty on my head, I rinsed it out carefully, then used plenty of conditioner to get all the remnants of the henna paste out.

Lapushka, do you mean you didn't cover your hair with a plastic cap or anything else when the henna was on? How soon would you rinse it out, since it shouldn't have taken long to go cold uncovered?

Sorry for the hijack!

[lapushka]

Lapushka, do you mean you didn't cover your hair with a plastic cap or anything else when the henna was on? How soon would you rinse it out, since it shouldn't have taken long to go cold uncovered?

I used some cling film (mostly at the bottom to keep my neck and ears and forehead protected), or a plastic bag. I never covered it so tightly no air could get to it.

I'd leave it on about a quarter of an hour to half an hour, and that was more than enough to get the red I wanted. I didn't use BAQ at the time, I don't think (we're talking more than fifteen years ago). The shop that sold the henna had a redder kind and a more orange kind and I mixed the two. It was a particular brand and the powder came in see through plastic bags. The colorful label on the package said to mix it with boiling water and to leave it on for about half an hour. The henna came from India, I think (Shiva on the label), but to this day I don't know what henna it was! Maybe there were things in it to speed up the process, like the boxed kinds these days.

[henna4grey]

Thank you for the detailed reply, Lapushka!

Your username is lovely :)

Sorry for another hijack! Seems I'm in a hijack PMS today:p

[TigerLily1]

Do you ladies thaw the frozen henna naturally, or could one use a microwave?

[luthien_belewen]

I wouldn't use a microwave...thaw it out on the counter, or in hot water.

I henna'ed today after freezing it yesterday. I got great dye release! I read on H4H that using water gives a brassy color--is this true? My color seems fine today. I don't really want to use lemon juice anymore. I like this method better. Next time I'm thinking to mix it with some tea and see how that goes.

[strwbrry dakri]

No idea. I just know it is very strong, in fact a 45 minute gloss with 2 cubes (about 2 tbs) and lots of conditioner takes care of my roots, and makes my hair nice and orange :eyebrows:

Your siggy picture is my goal color - fabulous! What henna do you use - is it a mix with something else?

[annarose]

You do not need to wait for dye release before freezing, just mix it up and pop it in the fridge. As water in the plant cells turns into ice it expands and bursts the cellular walls, so when thawed, the dye is available immediately.

It takes about 15 minutes for me to be ready to henna, I am impatient and waiting hours and hours for dye release is not my stye :)


Thank you so much Monika, that seems sooooo much easier than waiting!

It's the waiting for dye release that causes most of my big grey roots, I keep putting it off for weeks because I don't have the time to wait, then I'm really rooty :p!

[halo_tightens]

Thank you so much Monika, that seems sooooo much easier than waiting!

It's the waiting for dye release that causes most of my big grey roots, I keep putting it off for weeks because I don't have the time to wait, then I'm really rooty :p!

I'm like that too, lol! This method helps a lot. When you have a bag of "henna cubes" in the freezer ready to go, you can just pull a few out whenever you feel like it! :)

[MonikaHa]

Yup, I just did my hair today, the entire process including thawing, applying, waiting, washing off took less than an hour and a half. :eyebrows:

[MonikaHa]

Your siggy picture is my goal color - fabulous! What henna do you use - is it a mix with something else?

I use 1 cube of the good expensive Yemeni henna from hennasooq, and 1 cube of cheap and smelly Jamila from halalco.com, squirt of honey, dash of amla and loads of conditioner. Ah, and before freezing I used chamomile tea.

[Alvrodul]

You can mix it with warm water and freeze overnight. Once defrosted it releases dye immediately, and it is very potent. I freeze mine in an ice cube tray.
Perhaps I should try this the next time I henna - I freeze the leftovers when I do a full henna so I have it ready-made for use on my roots.
I have never had any problem with using lemon juice for mixing henna - but then I never use straight lemon juice anyway - always mix at least half-and-half with water.:stirpot:

[nylatinjazz]

I used to mix my henna with boiling water, and applied it as soon as it went lukewarm (which happens pretty fast). When it went cold and almost crusty on my head, I rinsed it out carefully, then used plenty of conditioner to get all the remnants of the henna paste out.

That's how I apply "Lustrous Henna". I use the soft black and I always finish in about an hour and a half. I don't have to use conditioner to get the henna remnants out, though -just water.

When I do a Henna and Indigo treatment, I either combine both but usually just mix the henna with lemon juice or ACV, evoo and warm water, cover in a small ovenproof casserole dish; then place in oven on absolute lowest temp (170 degress for my oven). I leave it in oven for about an hour. (The dye has always released in that time period but I check to be sure.) Let cool to workable temp. I apply it to hair, go under dryer for an hour. I mix indigo with salt. Then while I wash out the henna, the dye is released. I then apply the indigo with a normal dye bottle to my hair. Go under the dryer for another hour. Rinse. Done with beautiful jet black hair.

I buy pure henna, indigo and Lustrous Henna from www.sababotanical.com (http://www.sababotanical.com) . Their blog: www.LustrousHenna.com (http://www.LustrousHenna.com)