to brown a red henna ?

[Alhanna]

Hi everybody !

Here is my problem : I did henna on my hair for a few years now, but at the end, my hair color was getting too dark, and I wanted to have my natural shade back !
I try some methods of the forum, like color B4 (my hair re-darkened), or honey lightening.
I used so far 2 pots of honey, without an amazing effect... In fact, it made another issue : my dark red henna (auburn) went very red, but not a great bright red, kind of "worn" color, with orange strays.... I don't like it at all !!! And it don't goes well with my skin complexion.

I don't want to return on chemical products, I've abused of it by the past, my hair all finally regrowth, I don't want to mistreat it again.

I wanted to know if there is a natural, herbal solution for getting this red to brown (by covering it) without darkening too much ? I read indigo was very tricky to use, and was more indicated for a real black color than a brown, is it true ?

Thank you all in advance for your advice.
Have a good day !

[Alienor]

If you use indigo only once and do not let it a long time (for example 10 minutes) on your hennaed hair it will slightly darken with removing the red-orange shade of your henna.
It also depends on what indigo you use, the indigo is not necessary giving black hair.
The best thing to do I think is to try on a little part of your hair before.

[meeta]

"The best thing to do I think is to try on a little part of your hair before."

Yes, but use a part hidden from view!

[emelnd]

Or on hair collected from a brush.

On my first henna, I wanted to go for jet black with a two step process. Because the indigo was so drippy and driving me crazy, I ended up washing it off after 15 minutes. That took away the red but did not make my hair black or anything. So, yes, you could try an indigo gloss for 10 minutes. I would mix in a tiny bit of henna with the indigo just to give it some fresh henna to hold on to.

Edit: Maybe the henna is not necessary.

[Alienor]

Or on hair collected from a brush.

Yes, it would be even better:thumbsup::)

[Alhanna]

oooh thanks for the answers !

I repeat for being sure I understand well, I can just try to mix indigo and water, put it on my head for 15 minutes or so, and I should obtain a brown ? Sounds great !

Now the question of a n00b who heard all and the contrary on indigo :

- won't it be too liquid without another ingredient, like henna (but my Yemeni henna won't do I think, it's a very good product, very red ! But not the thing I want anymore...) or cassia ?
- how much water for how much indigo ? Hot or cold water ?
- You think I can find it on biologic shops, like henna ? (If I'm right, indigo is quite cheap ?)

I did a test an my last hairball, so I won't do it right now anyway.

Thank you SO MUCH for your answers !

[emelnd]

You could try mixing your indigo with conditioner, you don't want it to deposit too much color anyway. You can do it again if it is still red.

[Rosetta]

- You think I can find it on biologic shops, like henna ? (If I'm right, indigo is quite cheap ?)
I'm not sure what kind of shops you can find it in France, but here's at least one online shop which sells it: :)
http://www.aroma-zone.com/aroma/extraits_plantes2.asp (scroll down to where they say "Henné noir d'Iran (indigo) en poudre")

(Please note that often what is called "black henna" is not pure indigo, but some kind of stuff with chemicals like PPD, etc, but this seems like the pure stuff.)

[Alhanna]

Hey !
So I did a barter with a friend, she gave me "black henna", composed of 95% indigo and 5% henna, I gave her some of my Yemeni henna.
But how many indigo shoul I use ? a tablespoon ? a teaspoon ?

And Rosetta you were right for Aroma zone, but since I only need indigo (and my budget is low !), I wouldn't have been reasonable to order it (more expedition fee than real buy).

I think I'll wait tomorrow for testing, when there is no sunlight my bathroom is too dark to see real colors !

Thank you VERY VERY much everybody for your advices anyway !!

[Anje]

Something a little weird to try. Get another hairball from your brush, and a curling iron or flat iron. Some people find that their henna goes darker and browner with heat, and stays that way. Test it on your hairball first, but if it works you might be able to get your hair to go brown with a single flat-ironing.

[emelnd]

Wow, Anje I didn't know that. I wonder if that would work with gray hair. I will try it after I obtain my next hairball with a gray strand in it lol.

On second thoughts, since I can't iron my roots that is probably out for me.

[Anje]

It's something that took a few henna users by surprise and got reported here. I can't say it'll work for every person every time, but it seems to shift the color for at least some people.

No promises, but I wonder if blowdrying the roots hot would have the same effect? You'd only have to do it once if it worked (strand test and all...), so damage isn't much of a concern.

ETA: It seems it was CrisDee who particularly experienced the effect. Link (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1204487)
A few more who reported it:Thread 1 (note Caribou55313's picture) (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=73043) Thread 2 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=58866) Thread 3 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=47230)
Seems like blowdrying might not be enough to do it....

[piratejenny]

I recently ordered some stuff from this site http://www.henna-und-mehr.de/franz/boutiq.html It's German but they have their entire site in French as well.

In fact, I bought some Katam with my Henna there as I had read that Katam is easier to use than Indigo and would dye not quite as dark. My goal was to dye my mousy medium brown hair to a more intense brown with only a hint of red (and no orange). I have a cool skin tone and didn't want to go to "warm". It worked very nicely. I'm not super experienced but maybe it's another direction to explore...;)

[emelnd]

It's something that took a few henna users by surprise and got reported here. I can't say it'll work for every person every time, but it seems to shift the color for at least some people.

No promises, but I wonder if blowdrying the roots hot would have the same effect? You'd only have to do it once if it worked (strand test and all...), so damage isn't much of a concern.

ETA: It seems it was CrisDee who particularly experienced the effect. Link (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1204487)
A few more who reported it:Thread 1 (note Caribou55313's picture) (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=73043) Thread 2 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=58866) Thread 3 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=47230)
Seems like blowdrying might not be enough to do it....
Thank you! I will try it with a hairball anyway, I am curious!

[Alhanna]

I'll try it, but sometimes I use curling iron, but I never see any difference of color... I'll try it more hot.

While reading the archives of the forum, I find these 2 recipe for an indigo gloss :
- 3 tablespoon indigo
- water
- conditionner

or

- Half indigo
-half conditionner

Which one seems the best to you, for what I want to do ?
You think that the 5% of henna in my indigo will be a problem ?

Thank you all in advance !

[Alienor]

A french website where you can order good quality indigo and not too expensive :
http://www.henneindigoetcompagnie.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=67
But take care because this indigo is known to gives black color quickly as it is very fresh.

Otherwise, I recommends the "black henna" or "brown henna" from shiraz. It's available in shops who sells naturals products. Even the black henna from them doesn't gives black.

[Alhanna]

Ok thanks ;)
I ordered my yemeni from them, but for now I can't afford superfluous spent. Since this indigo is a gift, I'll use it, but I'll order again on this shop for sure !

I insist (sorry :(), but have you an advice for the recipes ?

[Alhanna]

Just coming back of an attempt of indigo gloss.
Well, even if it's painful to say it, indigo won the fight...
HOLY COW, it was dripping everywhere, I stood above my bathtube in a desperate attempt to preserve a part of the room, I began to rince the bathtube, head up side down, and then, panic, the blue stains didn't go away !
In the battle, I didn't start the timer on my phone (I believed I did, thanks to tactile phones !!), so I didn't knew how much time had past...

Taking no more risks, I rince it up, I let my hair dry, and eventually I recur tonight, while my boyfriend is away. If he see the massacre, he won't never let me approach an herbal powder or anything similar again...

[Rosetta]

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience! I just wonder why was it dripping so much, as I've done many henna glosses and I've never had this dripping problem, and henna & indigo are about the same consistency, as powders. Probably the mixture was too liquid..?

And I'm sorry for not being able to give any help with recipes etc, as I don't have any experience with indigo gloss, only henna glosses :)

[emelnd]

Alhanna, that was the exact same experience I had, with me rinsing the bathtub and the stuff dripping down my head through the saran wrap and shower cap.

Did you notice any color change at all? How did you mix it? I would just mix 3 tablespoons indigo with enough conditioner to cover your head... The blue stains will wash out of the tub, don't worry.

Rosetta, indigo somehow is a lot messier than henna, even if you mix it thicker hahaha.

[Alhanna]

I think the sitting time was too short for changing the color, when I had sunlight, I didn't see a change, so... I think it seem darker because of the electric lightening.
I tried indigo + water + conditionner.
For the blue stains, I find a radical solution : WC cleaning gel.

I'll try another gloss in a bath this time (hope I won't came out blue !!), with your recipe, You think 15 minutes will do ?

And YEAH, on my bowl the mix was quite creamy, on my head it was more... slimy !
Thinking of it, the scene of myself panicking in my bathroom swearing while trying to damages control was probably quite funny...

[emelnd]

Yeah, 15 min should be fine...

[Alhanna]

Thanks !
Experiment N°2 running :
- bath : on it's way
- plastic covering in Dexter's style : ok
- unplugging the door ring and phone : ok

Thank you all, very very much !

[emelnd]

LMAO about the Dexter reference. Let us know how it went, I hope it works out for you...

[Alhanna]

Hello everybody !!

I see it clearly yesterday, and today with sunlight, no doubt possible : it worked !!!
Finally, I let it sit nearly 20 minutes, and instead of an ugly reddish thing I have a shiny chocolate / chestnut colour ! I'm very very pleased !

The only one who complains about it is my boyfriend, usually he has absolutely no opinion on my colour experiment (since I don't look like a rainbow !), and for once he said something, that's for saying "But I liked your red color !" (however I wonder if he is no colour-blind, because the reddish colour I had lately was everything but likeable).

Sorry dear, next time try to express yourself !

Thank you all for this nice result !!

[Rosetta]

Good to hear you finally had such a great result, that you're happy with, Alhanna! :) (Even if your boyfriend is not; men...! ;))


Rosetta, indigo somehow is a lot messier than henna, even if you mix it thicker hahaha.
Ok, that's good to know, for any possible future use, thanks ;)

[Alienor]

I'm happy to read the indigo gives you the result you were expecting;).