Has anyone wrestled with dry straw-like hair after henna?

[shikara]

Still doing some research on henna and henna gloss so I can be prepared if I decide to try it. I've come across statements (not necessarily here) about this treatment causing dry straw-like (crunchy) hard to comb hair. Have you experienced this and how have you dealt with it?

[oktobergoud]

yes, I had it last time! Normally I use some conditioner/yoghurt in my mix though (so it would be more of a gloss) and then it's just fine :) It actually gets very soft that way, I think it's about what you put in the mix :)

[McFearless]

Yes. Henna can temporarily dry your hair out. I do a coupld of deep treatments in advance to combat the dryness and lightly apply coconut oil before the henna. My hair no longer gets dry.

[Alvrodul]

My scalp tends to become very dry after hennaing - it doesn't last long, fortunately, and putting a tiny amount of oil on it tends to relive the slight itch I usually get. It fortunately doesn't dry out the length, but then I only put full-strength henna on the roots and do a henna gloss on the rest. But the drying-out effect can be a problem for some.

[Athena's Owl]

It's important to remember that henna is a protein treatment, NOT a moisturizing treatment.

if your hair is dry, crunchy, hard to comb, etc. this is removal error.

I henna. and when I henna I also buy a full bottle of cheap conditioner, like suave or white rain. I am expecting to use the entire bottle on my head while removing the henna. I rinse my hair as much as i can, and then glop on a ton of conditioner and gently massage it through my hair, rinse that out, and repeat what is essentially my CO wash routine over and over until the bottle's all used up.

the first time I did henna i didn't realize how much it coated and I had the same problems. but adding a bottle of cheap conditioner to the removal process has improved things dramatically.

[virgo75]

I get this. The worst of it is the first few days after I henna because no matter how much I rinse there's always residue for about a week afterwards. The best solution I found was to do an SMT afterwards.

[spidermom]

Yes! Henna made my hair feel TERRIBLE. Plus the color was ugly on me. What did I do about it? Swore off henna and never touched the stuff again. My hair felt better by 2-3 weeks after using it, thank goodness!

[Delila]

I don't henna, but I have been using cassia obovata pretty regularly this year, and I find that I'm happier with the results if: A) I use a cheap-o conditioner in my hair as I rinse out the cassia, because it seems to help remove any residue from my scalp, better than rinsing with water alone and B) I do a moisturizing conditioning treatment immediately after removing the cassia (I just put some heavy moisturizing conditioner in my hair, in a plastic cap and let it sit a while.). These two things seem to prevent any problems.

I use the Cure Care conditioner from Sally's. Cheap, effective, and it doesn't leave a lingering odor in my hair.

[Scarlet_Heart]

Well first things first. Do not use lemon juice. So many people will tell you to put lemon juice in your henna and then complain that their hair is dried out. I use chamomile tea to get that little bit of acidity in my henna, but I have hennaed with water only and had fine results.

For myself, I find that my hair is a little dry right after I henna, but I attribute that to the major clarifying wash I do just prior to the henna more than to the henna itself. But in a way, it works out because you're not supposed to wash your hair for a week after hennaing (to preserve the color), so during the week, your natural sebum get combed onto your hairs and it looks and feels fine. I just hennaed today and after I wash for the first time, I'm going to put some camellia oil on my ends.

I only have good things to say about henna.

[squiggyflop]

i always deep condition after henna.. also i find my hair prefers to have the henna mermaid soaked out in the tub rather than spending 2 hours with the shower-head. really mermaid soaking is the only way to really get all of it out.. actually i mermaid soak then rinse with the showerhead.. then i deep condition with whatever conditioner i have on hand.. then, what i like to do is use some coconut oil as a leave in.

i also mix in a tablespoon of vo5 conditioner in my henna, this allows it to wash out easily and thoroughly

i should also say that i do use vinegar in my henna.. it makes it so my hair is shinier, and it only takes me 30 minutes to henna my hair with it.

[GRU]

Sounds like leftover resin if you ask me.

When I'm ready to remove my henna, I:


mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
SMT or other treatment for 1-2 hours and rinse

Happy hair! :cheese:

For the first year I resisted mermaid soaks because they sounded like a PITA, but once I tried it I'd never go back to just showering and CO-washing off the henna. When folks here say it makes a HUGE difference, they mean it!

[Roscata]

Yeah that happens to me if I use lemon juice to dilute my henna and if I don't use conditioner to wash it out.
But since I've been mixing my henna with warm water and using conditioner to wash it out it hasn't been giving me any trouble. :D

[pixiestar]

I do henna glosses, and have found they make my hair soft and shinny:D see my avatar:D this is sameday henna straight after drying with a hairdryer (before I started airdrying) , no products.

[Fethenwen]

When I first started hennaing I would get incredible results with super shiny soft hair. But nowadays my hair gets dry easily. So I use it sparingly only on the roots. I do an occasional henna gloss a few times a year. I don't find henna glosses at all drying, I just try to avoid getting too much color build-up on the rest of my hair.

[Mesmerise]

Sounds like leftover resin if you ask me.

When I'm ready to remove my henna, I:

mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
mermaid soak and drain the tub
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
CO-wash and rinse
SMT or other treatment for 1-2 hours and rinseHappy hair! :cheese:

For the first year I resisted mermaid soaks because they sounded like a PITA, but once I tried it I'd never go back to just showering and CO-washing off the henna. When folks here say it makes a HUGE difference, they mean it!

I do this... well 1/3 of this lol... One mermaid soak is enough (bath gets filthy lol) and one CO wash. Then again, I probably only have 1/3 of GRU's hair!!

In the past I also used to do a clarifying shampoo afterwards to remove resin...but I'm trying to be CO now!

[GRU]

I do this... well 1/3 of this lol... One mermaid soak is enough (bath gets filthy lol) and one CO wash. Then again, I probably only have 1/3 of GRU's hair!!

In the past I also used to do a clarifying shampoo afterwards to remove resin...but I'm trying to be CO now!

Yeah, my hair tends to be a "special case" in many ways! :lol:

As for shampoo or not, I've found that the multiple CO-washes and the SMT make for no leftover resin -- I can still smell the henna for a few days when my hair gets wet, but I can't feel the resin anymore. :)

[moonlight]

I soak my hair in a bucket of water (upside down) instead of doing a full Mermaid soak. Then one CO and I'm good.

But I only do my roots....practically never do the length. Maybe once a year or so.

[wvgemini]

Yep. It leaves my hair very coated. But I am another who uses up the conditioner in getting it out (I find the chunky bits come out much easier if I use this method anyway). I'm just past SL and use about half a bottle on mine. And usually a few days after I'll do a coconut milk and honey soak for extra moisture.

[lacefrost]

Henna is naturally very drying and a pain in the butt to get out! I have really really dry hair so I add olive oil and cheap slippery conditioner (and yes, I still add lemon juice to my mix for dye release.) After I'm done, I duck my head in a bucket and swish around. Then I get in the shower, rinse and rinse and rinse til the water is clear, shampoo and condition. I wash all of my bits, rinse again (during this rinse I notice even more henna coming out.) Then I deep condition my hair (usually overnight cause I can't be fussed.) When I rinse out, loads more henna comes out until my hair is soft and shiny.

If you hair is dry after henna it means that there's still henna in it or you haven't conditioned properly.