How long does it take you to apply your henna?

[Scarlet_Heart]

I'm sorry if this has already been asked. I did a search but did not find anything.

I did my second full application today and realized that it took me 2 whole hours from start to finish to apply. I suppose it's because my hair is long and thick and I do it little section by little section.

I was confused because I see a lot of people say they apply to damp hair. This time I got right out of the shower, t-shirt dried it, and started applying and my hair was dry by the time I finished my bangs! :disgust:

So do some folks just kind of slather it on? Do you get even results that way?

[Artsy]

I think it depends on how thick is your mix. My first hennindigo took me about one hour, and indigo didn't really take because of it:D. Now I managed to train myself to apply the paste in under 5 mins. I do it in the same way my grandma was doing it: with my head upside down. It seams to work better this way

[pennyroyal]

Well i have only henna'ed 3 times now & i had my DH do it for me. My hair is really thick so even tho it's still quite short it took about 2 hours. Next time i do it i plan to appy it myself & not be so intricate so it goes much faster.

[rogue_psyche]

Now it takes me like an hour at most. I don't section my hair, I just halve it and work from the roots down. One time I had just slightly less than I needed mixed up and still got even results. I don't use any applicators or anything, I just glop it on with my gloved hands.

[Yosha]

Mine takes an hour. I apply to dry hair, since my hair tangles like crazy when damp or wet and it hardly tangles when dry. I do put some conditioner in the mix to make it easier to distribute.

[Mesmerise]

Oh wow... I had no idea it should take so long to apply henna lol. I didn't time myself when I did it, but it had to have been 15 minutes or under lol. I guess I'm really a rough slopper, cause there's no way I have the patience to apply it for an hour or more!

It's bad enough leaving it there for 5 hours, but at least I can do something else during that time ;) Umm... yeah... I guess being thorough is a good idea? I always start off trying to do it carefully, but then the end, I just slop slop glop it on and hope I got all my roots, then wrap it up and hope for the best!

[RedCat]

Application takes me about 20 min. Waist lengh, thick hair.

[brunetka]

about 30-45 minutes for my fine APL hair if the mix is the right thickness.

[Marianne]

I always start off trying to do it carefully, but then the end, I just slop slop glop it on and hope I got all my roots, then wrap it up and hope for the best!

I start off carefully applying it to my roots, then end up just dunking my head in the henna bowl and smooshing my hair around. :rolleyes:

Application usually takes me roughly 10 minutes on waist length hair of medium thickness. I have dark hair, though, so it wouldn't be particularly noticeable if I missed bits.

[telegraph64]

45 minutes, 1C coarse medium. I use 250 grams on BSL hair.

[RocketDog]

I only section from the crown/ears forward - think the hair that you'd pull up to do a half-up. Everything on the back half of my head doesn't really get seen so I'm not as meticulous back there, I just smoosh handfuls of henna onto my scalp and make sure I can feel it all over. It probably takes me about half an hour to steep my tea, mix the henna, apply it, wrap myself up and wipe down my neck and the counter.

[skydancer7]

Applying the henna takes me about 10-15 minutes.

I set the henna bowl in the bathtub, lean over it withy my head upside-down, and start scooping up handfuls with my gloved hands and smooshing it into the roots. I smoosh and smoosh until I am confident I got all my roots, then I smoosh it into my length.

I kind of separate my hair AS I am going, so that I can get all areas of my roots. I never section my hair before-hand. I have done henna many times, and only twice have I had visible spots that I missed.

I always apply to damp hair. Distributes more easily.

Doing roots-only application is a little different. I do roots-only with my indigo, so the length doesn't get too dark. I use a squeeze bottle with a tip, and use the tip to separate and reach all of my roots. I work quickly so that I can get it all on before the dye demise. Takes me about 15-20 minutes. I am careful with the front half of my hair, but less precise with the back/bottom half, since it is less visible.

If it took me an hour or more to just apply the henna, I would go bonkers and never use it again!

The whole process takes a little longer though. Gathering up the gloves, plastic wrap, towels, pajamas. Setting up my couch area with water, laptop, snacks, phone, tv remote. Wrapping my hair in plastic after application, cleaning up the drips on my skin, cleaning up the bathroom area. That whole process takes about an hour.

[Pierre]

I think the whole process takes me an hour too, though I haven't timed it. I use a root shooter, and I henna my nails as well as my hair.

ETA: It takes me 15 minutes to mix it and 45 to apply it, including fingernails, toenails, beard, and a fungus infection of my skin that I'm trying to get rid of (this is the first time I've hennaed my legs, and hopefully I won't have to do it again).

[fairystar32]

It takes me 20 mins max on my waist length hair. I just slap it all on and have done it many many times in the years i have used it in the past.

[Phexlyn]

Application plus cleaning up for a strong henna gloss takes me around 20-25 minutes. I section my roots and then just glob it onto the length ;)
My hair is a bit past tailbone length and fine.

[Scarlet_Heart]

Hmm, ok. I have only hennaed twice so I wanted to make sure it was even and H4H instructs to do section by section.

As long as I don't have any more fading, I think I'm done hennaing the length anyway. I was just curious.

And by the way, has anyone else had fading after their first henna? I found that disconcerting because it's supposed to be so permanent.

[rogue_psyche]

Hmm, ok. I have only hennaed twice so I wanted to make sure it was even and H4H instructs to do section by section.

As long as I don't have any more fading, I think I'm done hennaing the length anyway. I was just curious.

And by the way, has anyone else had fading after their first henna? I found that disconcerting because it's supposed to be so permanent.

I used to have fading with my henna. I'm growing out peroxided hair and the porosity of my hair was resulting in fading. The oxidation would reverse and then my hair got lighter.

It doesn't fade anymore but I always do whole head applications because I love the shine and the peroxided bits can stand to get a little darker to match the roots.

[CrisDee]

It only takes me about 10 minutes to apply my henna, but I do roots-only. I don't have problems with fading at all - but I have long since cut off any chemically dyed hair, so I don't have anything underneath the henna that might affect the results.

[morecowbell]

I would love to see more posters explain their processes for applying, I'm finding this thread very helpful! :)

I've only done three applications since going back to henna, and because my haircolor is light I have to get it even. Now that I have a base, though, I'll only be doing strong glosses every couple of months to help my damaged hair take more dye.
When I am careful and take my time, it does take me about an hour to apply my henna. I section my damp (freshly washed and very lightly conditioned) hair into four sections (part hair down the middle like pigtails, then halve the two sides into four) and clip three up while I work with one of them. I use a hair color application brush from the beauty supply (they're like $2) and paint my roots first, then carefully do the length on that section.
My hair is dry and thick and damaged so I still have a few lighter streaks and chunks and sections (lol) from the henna not saturating, but a few glosses will even it all out.

I'm due for a root touchup this week, and I'm going to apply my gloss in the 'glopping' fashion, so I'm hoping for even results! :pray:

[Medievalmaniac]

It seems that you are looking for what to expect from the henna process...?

It takes me about four or five hours from the beginning (mixing the henna with water) to the final rinse out. I do henna glosses, which means mixing the henna powder with water to make a paste, letting the dye release, and then mixing that with equal parts conditioner. It takes three hours from dye release to the mixing. Then I put it in a plastic squirt bottle and apply. At present, I'm doing roots-only, and it takes about fifteen minutes or so. I braid the length up and just apply to the top 1/4 or so of my hair. I leave it in for about an hour and then rinse out.

I DID experience some fading with my first henna application, and I agree with others this is likely because I was using box dyes prior to henna and that made my hair more damaged and less able to hold the dye. Now it stays put, and so I'm down to roots-only application so it doesn't get too dark. I apply every three months or so - or whenever the roots depress me. :)

[Saria]

I think it takes hour or hour and half.. depends the mix and the hair type.. i think mine takes something like hour.. but it's got so long if doing whole head it will take hour and half or more. And when i have done it for my lil' sis it takes almost 2 hours for her locks.. just think te locks just kinda eats the henna inside... :D

[CopperHead]

I only do the top of my hair and it takes about 15 minutes. I suscribe to the grab and smoosh method. I just grab some henna and slap it on my head and work it into my roots. ;) The bottom of my hair is darker than the top so I only do the top. It turns out great. Then I leave it on for six hours as that is my magic number for complete root coverage and blending. Gotta love henna!:cheese:

[rach]

20 minutes roughly

[firefly42]

between five and seven minutes on my bsl length medium thickness hair...i'm a grab and smoosh person too.

I kneel in the bathtub and hang my head upside down, then smoosh it through all my roots, then put the remains in my length. then i bun my hair up and tie a plastic bag over my head. i find that even if i missed a couple spots it still gets hennaed when i bun it up on the top of my head. I only leave henna on for about two hours and still get a TON of color.

[scorpio_rising]

"Grab and smoosh" here too: 5 minutes. 10, tops.

[Scarlet_Heart]

Wow, what variation! Ha. Well perhaps next time I will try the grab and smoosh now that I have two apps on here. It won't be SO obvious if I miss a spot at this point. Thanks everyone for putting that into perspective for me!

[madeline_]

I used to have fading with my henna. I'm growing out peroxided hair and the porosity of my hair was resulting in fading. The oxidation would reverse and then my hair got lighter.

It doesn't fade anymore but I always do whole head applications because I love the shine and the peroxided bits can stand to get a little darker to match the roots.

Is that why that is? I've been breaking my head over this, wondering why my henna doesn't seem to stick around for longer than a month. I need to start taking bigger risks, and not dilute my henna with cassia so much.

[morecowbell]

Is that why that is? I've been breaking my head over this, wondering why my henna doesn't seem to stick around for longer than a month. I need to start taking bigger risks, and not dilute my henna with cassia so much.

If you like your color you might have to just do a monthly gloss so it doesn't go too dark, but don't stress too much, henna usually only does good things for damaged hair. :D
The same thing happens with my damaged length, I have to do a full head 6 hour application every time I dye my roots to get my ends to be red and not some weird yellowy-orangey mess. :shrug: Them's the breaks, I guess. (and the benefits of henna far outweigh the mess and hassle) :)