My hair is Black but I want to Henna it Brown- Is this possible?

[Dreamkitty]

My hair looks black but I want a brown chestnut colour, is there brown henna out there? I don't want to make my hair red but want it to be a caramel type colour.:)

[aenflex]

I don't know girl. I don't think so. Everyone seems to say that Henna doesn't lighten hair. Now there might be exceptions to that rule, and there are other herbs and honeys and things that people use to naturally lighten. I asked the same question you are asking here, search for the thread title 'Does Henna work on dark hair?' - there were some good replies in that thread...

add - there's also Ktani and the whole honey lightening movement, which has multiple threads here. Honey lightening would be the best search term to use :)

[spidermom]

Henna can only deposit color on your hair. It cannot pull color out of your hair. So no, you can't go from black to brown with henna.

[little_cherry]

Agreed with the above. You won't get brown if you henna, especially a caramel. With ordinary henna indoors your hair will look the same, while outdoors, you'll have a deep reddish glow. Henna does build up over time, but it never lightens hair. The only way you could lighten hair that much is to bleach it, but I'd go to a professional with that one..don't try that one at home. Sorry. :/

[lundmir]

You have to lighten your hair to achieve that, definitely look into ktani's threads.

[CurlyTresses]

Yes, agreeing with what's already been posted and what I have read. I have very dark brown hair and got caramel highlights earlier this year and again most recently when I started considering henna. I'm hoping the highlighted parts will be more reddish or burgundy mixed with the darker hair. I'm also trying Ktani's honey lightening treatment. Only did one treatment so far, with (as expected) not too much result, but possibly will do another today and this time I'll be adding some cardamom powder.;)

Best of luck in whatever decision you make. :)

[Anje]

Sorry, Dreamkitty.

Henna on black hair might add a red-orange glow that would make it be perceived as more of a dark brown than black, but that's about it. You would have to use something to lighten your hair if you want a caramel color.

FWIW, you might want to look at the threads on lightening hair with honey or with cinnamon. I don't know if you'd get it all the way to caramel that way, but you could pull your hair a bit brighter without damage.

[Dreamkitty]

Some useful advice here, thanks everyone!:)

My hair is the darkest shade of brown that looks black so I say my hair is black. Quite dissapointed that Henna doesn't work with dark hair, I don't want to have a drastic colour change in my hair, I just wanted it to be a lighter shade and look brown rather then black.

:) But there are other natural options which I guess I have to read and research more, doesn't hurt to try and if it doesn't work, I will just have to be happy with the hair colour I got.

I would love to see pics of people with dark hair with henna as a idea of how the reddish tone would look.

[Roscata]

Have you considered honey lightening (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=61)? And then you can follow it up with Henna. This (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=7) is an article that will help you in getting the color you want from henna. Good luck!

[Sookie]

Can someone use a chemical dye to lighten hair and then use different mixes of henna and other herbs to mantain the chemically dyed hair the same colour? I thought this would be less damaging..

[Catia]

Can someone use a chemical dye to lighten hair and then use different mixes of henna and other herbs to mantain the chemically dyed hair the same colour? I thought this would be less damaging..

If natural can't lift color on the length - it won't lift color on the new roots either.

[Sookie]

That is not a problem..you apply on the roots chemical colour and then henna..the same way. Although it is tiring...i guess...

[little_cherry]

That is not a problem..you apply on the roots chemical colour and then henna..the same way. Although it is tiring...i guess...You're looking to match your colour of your roots to what you have on the ends? It all depends-- what is the root colour and what is the length colour?

[starlights]

I've got black hair when I henna'd my hair i got the red tint when the hair is near light or outside in the sun (see my henna pics)
Like someone else said to get to brown you need to lighten that Black hair first.

[Bellatrix]

Honey lightened my very dark brown hair noticeably. Or if you are open to it, I sometimes bleach for a few minutes and then henna over it. THis is damaging, but the henna after the bleach really helps with it.

[McFearless]

Henna on black hair looks dark brown-red indoors. I say go for it. If you have money to spare worst case scenario your hair will be in better condition with no colour change. My hair is jet black naturally and after 3 henna applications there is a slight reddish tone outdoors. My colour looks more vibrant.