Henna + Iron Tablets(instead of iron vessel)?

[virgo75]

I've read about mixing henna in an iron vessel to make it darker. I'm wondering if you could just use iron tablets/supplements and have the same effect?

I don't own any iron pots or vessels and if it's the iron in it that makes the henna darker, wouldn't iron tablets make it even darker since it's more concentrated?

Has anyone tried it?

Thanks in advance. :flower:

[little_cherry]

This is very interesting...I'll be watching this thread.. :)

I'm not too sure, but would the iron build up on the hair?

[serious]

I tried mixing henna in the iron vessel once, well, the mixture got dark, almost black, but nothing happened on my hair, same old henna color, that's all I got.

I have no idea of how would tablets work, though.

[jackie_brown]

I think the mix becomes darker because the iron releases metallic salts in the henna.
So it would be useless to buy 100% natural henna if then i let the iron oxidize in the mix :shrug:

[virgo75]

Thanks for the responses ladies. :flower:

So the iron just turns the henna darker, but doesn't change the deposit on hair?
That stinks. :(

I may try to collect some shed hair and test on a small batch to see what happens...
It might take a while though cuz my shedding is really low right now. lol

[little_cherry]

I think the mix becomes darker because the iron releases metallic salts in the henna.
So it would be useless to buy 100% natural henna if then i let the iron oxidize in the mix :shrug:

It wouldn't release metallic salts into the mix, just the metal. :)

[serious]

So the iron just turns the henna darker, but doesn't change the deposit on hair?


It's because henna doesn't need mordants to deposit on hair, I guess.

[marisa]

I was pretty convinced that mixing in an iron skillet produced a darker stain.

Although now I wonder if it was just the increasing number of henna applications that made my hair a darker red.

I really wish I would have conducted some strand tests!

I have given up on the cast iron, only because now I mix my henna with electric beaters and my stainless steel mixing bowl works much better for this purpose. Then I just cover with saran wrap for dye release.
Trying to keep it simplified.

If you do some experiments virgo please report back, I am very interested!
You're low on shed hairs?! I am so very jealous!!! Seems all I do is shed.

[VanillaTresses]

This is interesting, because where I am from, a lot of people have excess iron from well water. You can tell which have it because often their hair turns that classic iron-rusty red. Not too far away from a henna red, just a little lighter and not quite as flaming/bright. Additionally, the sidewalk, driveway, and siding of the house/fence will also be stained the same color.

I had heard this about the iron pot before, but just logically had concluded that it would be introducing metallic salts into the mix.

Interesting. :shrug:

[virgo75]

Thank you for the further responses ladies. :flower:

Little Cherry & serious: I thought that the iron released into the mix and would make the stain darker - like when you add indigo it makes it darker.

marisa: I thought this too about the stain, I'm still gonna test with a tablet though jus to see. :p Because when I think about it, indigo is like blue/green, right? The iron tablets I have are basically black but when you get them wet they slough off dark blue/green if I remember correctly(I don't take them like I should and need to dig them out).

As for the shedding - mine used to be ridiculous!!! But I recently started taking Vitamin D in liquid form from The Vitamin Shoppe. It's like 5000 IUs per 5 drops. I've been taking it for a couple of weeks and now I only get 1 or 2 hairs shed here or there. But my Vitamin D levels were catastrophically low - like I've been living in a cave or something. :lol:

VanillaTresses: I'm wondering about water now that you mention it. My tub probably has rusty pipes cuz the tub where the water drips into it has a red stain to it. Could that help? I don't know if it's always been this way and I just now noticed or if it's recent....

Thank you again ladies. :flower: