Henna + Straightening = Brown?! Is it true?

[pink.sara]

This will be my 3rd post this week about Henna so I apologise for boring anyone but I've just read something awful!

Apparently if you have Hennaed your hair and then Straighten/iron it the heat will turn the lovely red colour to dark brown? Has anyone had this? Does anyone iron without this happening? Please give me hope!!!

I'm pretty gutted as I have finally decided to remove my old dye after many years of fun and keep my natural auburn as I grow. To cover the few greys I have I decided to henna as it keeps the colour very close but adds shine. And I <3 my GHDs. Muchly.
And really don't want brown hair. :(

Henna gurus, this fact, more so than the permanence which is always talked about, is what would have put me off henna!
People need to know this!!!!
Gah!

[twilight_faerie]

That sounds pretty bogus to me. I used to henna my hair regularly and flat iron occasionally and I never had any oh-my-god-what-the-hell-happened moments. I'm fairly certain there is no reason whatsoever why applying heat to your hair would turn henna dark brown.

Where did you read this, if I may ask?

[pink.sara]

That sounds pretty bogus to me. I used to henna my hair regularly and flat iron occasionally and I never had any oh-my-god-what-the-hell-happened moments. I'm fairly certain there is no reason whatsoever why applying heat to your hair would turn henna dark brown.

Where did you read this, if I may ask?

Just read it today, On the "shoulder to APL thread" It was suggested by one member then another member I've got a lot of respect for (she speaks good hair) said it had happened to her and she ended up cutting her hair after it darkened so much she disliked it. :(
I'm mildly terrified this may happen to me and my only option will be yet more years of chemical black dye, or another drastic cut. Which will actually make me cry after 2 years of waiting and babying to get past shoulder :(

Can I ask how dark your hair was when you Hennaed? And how often you straightened? Did it really not darken?!

[twilight_faerie]

Hmmm, that seems really strange to me. I hennaed over medium brown hair, so my hair after hennaing was pretty dark to begin with. I straightened once every few months. I'm positive it didn't darken--I *definitely* would've noticed that, and been quite upset. Maybe the darkening only happens with light-colored hennaed hair?

I'm gonna be ordering some new henna when Henna Sooq gets their shipment of Yemeni in. After I henna again I'm gonna try flat ironing a small pieced of my newly hennaed hair and see what happens. I'm curious about this darkening henna thing.

ETA: See, this is what my hair looked like after hennaing. Pretty dark, but light enough that I certainly would've noticed if it'd turned dark brown.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=1729&pictureid=23105

[caribou55313]

If you have light hair and henna it to a coppery color, then use a direct heat appliance like a curling iron/straightener, it can accelerate the normal oxidation process for sure, and in some cases it seems to darken the color beyond what normal oxidation would do, but I would not say it darkens it to brown, exactly.

Mine darkened to dark auburn with a single use of a curling iron, but weeks later the rest of my hair "caught up" to that color anyway. Here is a photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39335752@N04/4223195728/in/set-72157623088472780

I believe Chris Dee (a forum member here) had more dramatic darkening that I did, but still her hair was in the range of auburn, not dark brown.

[Dolly]

This is not the only board where I have heard this.

It is not so much that it turns it brown, but DOES darken it. Can push it all the way to burgundy from what I hear. This would include any excessively hot hair utensils.....flat irons, curling irons, and/or blow-friers.....this is a big problem for some who have henna colors more in the copper range.....mine is in the dark auburn range anyway, and I don't use heat, so I don't have to worry about it!

[Avital88]

I did read somewhere that heat darkens the henna, like sun and heattools, but if that means intensify the color or turn brown i dont know..

[pink.sara]

Hmmm, that seems really strange to me. I hennaed over medium brown hair, so my hair after hennaing was pretty dark to begin with. I straightened once every few months. I'm positive it didn't darken--I *definitely* would've noticed that, and been quite upset. Maybe the darkening only happens with light-colored hennaed hair?

I'm gonna be ordering some new henna when Henna Sooq gets their shipment of Yemeni in. After I henna again I'm gonna try flat ironing a small pieced of my newly hennaed hair and see what happens. I'm curious about this darkening henna thing.

ETA: See, this is what my hair looked like after hennaing. Pretty dark, but light enough that I certainly would've noticed if it'd turned dark brown.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=1729&pictureid=23105

Ah bugger. Your hair is a gorgeous colour!
However it is what I would class as the brown I don't want and as too dark for me! mine is about 2 shades lighter and has bright copper highlights I don't want to lose. I have skin that does not suit brown as it makes me look like I'm constantly embarrassed in summer and a bit jaundiced in winter!

And thanks for the reply caribou, it was Crisdee who said she cut as it turned her hair brown that started me panicking.
That and the fact I Hennaed Saturday. I'll see what happens I guess :(

[twilight_faerie]

Ah bugger. Your hair is a gorgeous colour!
However it is what I would class as the brown I don't want and as too dark for me! mine is about 2 shades lighter and has bright copper highlights I don't want to lose. I have skin that does not suit brown as it makes me look like I'm constantly embarrassed in summer and a bit jaundiced in winter!

Thanks :)

Hmm, I wonder if the darkening only occurs if you iron in the few days after hennaing when the dye is still oxidizing, or if it occurs no matter how long after hennaing you iron?

[GRU]

I'm not a heat-styler (have you SEEN my hair? what would be the point of even TRYING to heat-style it? :lol:), but I've heard from several different members here about either regular heat or one-time excessive heat use darkening their henna.

I've never heard anyone say it turned BROWN though -- I've always heard about burgundy colors from heat.

[x0h_bother]

I'm not a heat-styler (have you SEEN my hair? what would be the point of even TRYING to heat-style it? :lol:), but I've heard from several different members here about either regular heat or one-time excessive heat use darkening their henna.

I've never heard anyone say it turned BROWN though -- I've always heard about burgundy colors from heat.
LOL @ GRU.
And although it may terrify the OP, this may be a solution for brownies like me who may want to tone down red henna ;).

[Dolly]

I'm not a heat-styler (have you SEEN my hair? what would be the point of even TRYING to heat-style it? :lol:)



GRU, you made me almost spit my ice-water all over my laptop.....:rollin: :misskim:

[GRU]

GRU, you made me almost spit my ice-water all over my laptop.....:rollin: :misskim:

Sorry 'bout that..... just speaking (well, typing ;)) the truth!

My hair defies ALL attempts at "styling". The only thing that works for me is some kind of hard-core restraint system (elastics, spin-pins, hairsticks) or else just letting it roam free, aka free range hair.

[Kaelee]

This is talked about a lot over on the hennaforhair forum. Some have even done strand tests to confirm it. Seems that it happens more often than not.

It definitely darkens it, and may make it turn brownER but not flat out brown.

I don't ever heat style my hair so it's never happened to me. However considering the amount of henna on my head I wouldn't risk it. My hair is pretty dark already though.

[Athena's Owl]

Apparently if you have Hennaed your hair and then Straighten/iron it the heat will turn the lovely red colour to dark brown? Has anyone had this? Does anyone iron without this happening? Please give me hope!!!
Gah!

Completely untrue. your haircolour is safe. And if you're flat ironing, I would suggest you henna/cassia your hair often, as it will help your hair's health.

[MonaMayfair]

It's absolutely true, it happened to me!

A couple of years ago, I had bangs cut into my hair. I straightened them every time I washed (every 3 or 4 days) and they became noticeably darker than the rest of my hair (2 other people commented on it also, so it WAS very obvious)
I wouldn't say it was BROWNER as such, but most certainly darker red.

I had no idea why it had happened (I thought maybe I'd overlapped henna on that part too much, as I henna every 2 or 3 weeks - blonde roots)

THEN I read on the Henna for Hair forum that this is a pretty common situation.
It seems to be extreme heat such as straighteners that does it, not just a quick blast with a blow dryer type of heat.

I've since lightened up the front of my hair (now grown out) with Sun In.

[diverbel]

That sounds pretty bogus to me. I used to henna my hair regularly and flat iron occasionally and I never had any oh-my-god-what-the-hell-happened moments. I'm fairly certain there is no reason whatsoever why applying heat to your hair would turn henna dark brown.

Where did you read this, if I may ask?

I henna/indigo'd about three weeks ago. Now most of the indigo did wash out when I rinsed and after one wash with a shampoo bar. And this was my very first time to use henna/indigo. So my roots turned out flaming bright BRIGHT, did I say almost flourscent orange?? After 8 days of oxidation my roots had not darkened that much. I went to the stylist right at the three week mark of using henna/indigo. Roots still BRIGHT orange! After she got done with the trimming and blow dry, she broke the flatiron out. As she would do sections of my hair, and got to the front where the roots were, as she passed the Chi over a section, I could see it visibly darken!! Only by a shade or two, but it definetly DARKENED!!! I am a happy camper with this too!! But the rest of my head didn't darken at all. Just the bright orange roots that were virgin and stark raving white just three short weeks ago! So yes, in my opinion, with the little knowledge I have of henna and other herbs, a flatiron on high will darken bright orange henna'd hair that has only had one application and was white to start with!:)

[pixiestar]

Flat ironing or heat styling will speed up the oxidizing process, so will darken. I expect this is what she meant:)

[pink.sara]

Flat ironing or heat styling will speed up the oxidizing process, so will darken. I expect this is what she meant:)

It wasn't the oxidising process, Crisdee and others are very specific that even weeks or months after oxidation using Straighteners darkened henna significantly, and sadly I can confirm it's true :(
My copper has turned to dull brown on the ends. That's after it had oxidised and I had straightened only twice.
I don't straighten the roots as my hair is 1b, I just run it over the last 3-4 inches to stop the layers flicking and make it sleeker, and the ends are now 2 shades darker and not copper in the slightest, in fact a bit more burgundy, but the first 6-8 inches are still coppery.
It's nicely conditioned so maybe I'll just go back to black but with hendigo.

[Marz Hase]

I've never experienced this, but I read about it during all my research before I took the henna plunge. :/ I swore off of heat styling and I'm very adamant about no hair dryers or straighteners come near my head when I go to a salon. I'm sorry you found it to be the case, pink.sara. :/

[pixiestar]

It wasn't the oxidising process, Crisdee and others are very specific that even weeks or months after oxidation using Straighteners darkened henna significantly, and sadly I can confirm it's true :(
My copper has turned to dull brown on the ends. That's after it had oxidised and I had straightened only twice.
I don't straighten the roots as my hair is 1b, I just run it over the last 3-4 inches to stop the layers flicking and make it sleeker, and the ends are now 2 shades darker and not copper in the slightest, in fact a bit more burgundy, but the first 6-8 inches are still coppery.
It's nicely conditioned so maybe I'll just go back to black but with hendigo.

:(
I wonder if you could lighten the ends with honey:confused: I did a acv rinse with 1tsp honey, rosewater, acv and topped up with water. I think its lightened my henna gloss, but its still a good colour:) There is a thread here on the effects of lightening with honey, maybe check it out:D

[pink.sara]

:(

I'm in Bristol too:D

Oooh! A local! You're the first one I've met on here who is! I thought someone else was but she was actually in Bristol Minnesota :shrug:
Hi neighbour! Love your colour :o

[Mesmerise]

I was actually looking for some other information on henna and I found this quote: "If silk is stained with henna, and the cloth is heated by ironing, the stain will become dark brown."

It's from:http://www.hennapage.com/henna/encyclopedia/lawsonia/

[pink.sara]

I was actually looking for some other information on henna and I found this quote: "If silk is stained with henna, and the cloth is heated by ironing, the stain will become dark brown."

It's from:http://www.hennapage.com/henna/encyclopedia/lawsonia/

Eeep! That sounds about right. If only I'd known this a week ago!
Didn't find anything about it, despite Hours of research, just a chance comment on another thread.
Will try honey and cinnamon to lighten today and maybe post some pictures as a guide to what's happened to my ends.

[Mesmerise]

Eeep! That sounds about right. If only I'd known this a week ago!
Didn't find anything about it, despite Hours of research, just a chance comment on another thread.
Will try honey and cinnamon to lighten today and maybe post some pictures as a guide to what's happened to my ends.

Yeah, I have to say... This is one thing that's put me off straightening my hair even more! Although I have stopped straightening this year to preserve the health of my hair (or get some health lol), knowing that it will darken my henna has really frightened me off even doing it as a one off thing! It's not worth making my hair the wrong colour for one day of nice, sleek, straight hair!

[pixiestar]

Eeep! That sounds about right. If only I'd known this a week ago!
Didn't find anything about it, despite Hours of research, just a chance comment on another thread.
Will try honey and cinnamon to lighten today and maybe post some pictures as a guide to what's happened to my ends.

Hi neighbour:D
Good luck with you lightening, hope it goes well, don't forget to post a pic after:D

[pink.sara]

Well the honey lightening didn't work, I tried with a few different types that had a high peroxide count but no luck.
The darkening is very noticeable so I bought some Jamilla 2011 crop and Hennaed it twice last week which made the ends match the roots better.
The thing is I'm not sure I like the brown colour it is indoors, in the sun it has a bright red blaze to it but indoors it's pretty plain. I think I may give up on trying to match my natural roots and admit that black is for me!
Now to either find a really dark intense black recipe with indigo (any suggestions welcome?!) or give in and buy a box dye :(

I'll post some pictures later today to illustrate the colour change.

[Scarlet_Heart]

It sounds like maybe the jury's still out. But that being said, I have not and will not use heat on my hair since I saw the light, and def not since I hennaed.