Henna color keeps fading/darkening, a LOT. (Pic Heavy)

[Mairéad]

So, to make a long story short. I used to have strawberry blonde hair when I was a kid and now it's just medium blonde, still a pretty color. But not my strawberry!

NOTE: I purposely chose photos with similar lighting as I know henna looks extremely different in different lighting.

So, I hennaed in March. This was the result. This bright no where near my natural red hair color but still awesome colored red. (Ignore my DBF's creeper face).

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/Random_Goldfish/110312-150546.jpg

Then it faded/ darkened to something like this

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/Random_Goldfish/IMG_7350.jpg

I know henna often fades on virgin hair so I thought it would be fine after my second henna, which was 1/3 henna and 2/3 cassia. And, this was my result.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/Random_Goldfish/IMG_7640.jpg

Well three months after that. It's way darker and very faded. I know henna fades some but this much? It now looks very similar to what it did before the second henna application.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/Random_Goldfish/IMG_8347.jpg

Now, my hair is light enough that it looks very greasy and strangely "bald" when growing in. I've been thinking if this continues that maybe I should just let nature take its course and be medium blonde. After all, that's what color my eyebrows want to be now, too.

I was going to touch up my roots next week but if it's going to be juxtaposed to--the rest of it--I think it may look off. Very. I'm not sure what to do now so I think the safest thing is just let it grow since it's not too drastic a color difference.

Any thoughts?

[Amber_Maiden]

This was one of the reasons why I stopped hennaing- the colour kept coming out different no matter if I repeated the same formula every time... :(

[Mairéad]

And I so much want the same color. If I were to redo my roots with the same mixture (exact same since I have so much left over) if will NOT match the length at ALL that had the same mixture put on it.

My hair will not hold onto the color no matter how many times I repeat the application and it darkens too. (As weird as that sounds).

I think I just need to grow it out. Maybe stick to cassia because I love the henna effect. The color just keeps screwing me over. If it stayed to close to the color I had gotten I'd continue but the stuff is too unpredictable.

At least I'm chin and figuring this out and not waist.

[cmg]

I could also write a song about this problem. I was not a strawberry blonde, more of a darker redhead. Today my virgin hair is white, but the problem stays the same, unless you wish to go darker. After I cut out all cones and proteins in shampoos/washes this problem dissapeared and I can pretty much control the colour coming out.

[Mairéad]

I've already been cone free, protein free, and shampoo free (except to clarify) for over a year now. So, that doesn't appear to be my problem. I don't want darker hair. I've seen it on me and it's not my best look, haha.

[katsrevenge]

I'm not 100% but doesn't the cassia make henna more likely to fade?

I use 100% henna mixes.. but I love the rich red I get.

To make sure my roots are the same as my hair I do the roots only, let it soak in a good hour and a half and then work some henna muck into the rest of my hair. My tips are a bit lighter but it looks more natural I think. Would something like that work for you?

I know there are a few people here who use henna for light reds.. I think GRU is one. Maybe she's posted how she does it somewhere..

[cmg]

My hair is kept pretty much the same color as GRUs siggi picture. I think it matters alot which color you start from. I think Mairéad is already to dark to have a stable light henna-color like this. Compensating with cassia to get a lighter dye is a way to go to keep up an already light color. But you have to start with something also. I think you have to rethink either the nuance or the level of darkness and find something that works for your starting color. My hair also darkened during adulthood. Accept or bleach before dyeing. :cool:

[Mairéad]

Full henna applications also fade on me. Before I cut my hair I did repeated henna applications and it still faded. I'm pretty sure I'm not too dark. GRU told me I should be able to get the light color I wanted and I did. But, dark and light colors have all faded from my hair.

[squiggyflop]

um it doesnt look like its fading as such.. it looks like its oxidizing..

henna never fades on my virgin hair.. perhaps its the henna brand? i use dulhan deluxe powder.. it only takes 30 minutes..

now the hair *under* my henna fades which makes my ends look a lighter red than the roots because of sun bleaching..

if the bright pics are your first-second-third day pics, then they look brighter because they havent oxidized yet.. my roots look like bozo the clown the first day.. then they oxidize to the color in my siggy..

by the way, multiple applications just makes the hair darker and darker.. i learned that the hard way.. i ended up with maroon hair and ended up having to chop it off little by little..

[cmg]

Mairéad, thats too bad. But I agree with squiggyflop. This looks very much like oxidizing. Well, all you can do is keep trying. Maybe yours is one of those heads that need severall subsequent treatments to get it the rigt way. And perhaps a BS-treatment or a diluted BS-rinse will remove stuff in your sebum that could interfere.

[Mairéad]

All the photos were taken several, several days after the initial henna. If I understand correctly it can still oxidize past that point but my first day hair was CRAZY orange and that's the color it turned to about a week later.

I used Ancient Sunrise: Yemen light for two hours.
I know that multiple applications darken. I've had burgundy hair before too but that's when I cut it.


um it doesnt look like its fading as such.. it looks like its oxidizing..

henna never fades on my virgin hair.. perhaps its the henna brand? i use dulhan deluxe powder.. it only takes 30 minutes..

now the hair *under* my henna fades which makes my ends look a lighter red than the roots because of sun bleaching..

if the bright pics are your first-second-third day pics, then they look brighter because they havent oxidized yet.. my roots look like bozo the clown the first day.. then they oxidize to the color in my siggy..

by the way, multiple applications just makes the hair darker and darker.. i learned that the hard way.. i ended up with maroon hair and ended up having to chop it off little by little..

[cmg]

Aha OK. So there is a definite difference in how it worked before. Then there are only two explanations possible. Your hair has changed or the dye has changed. Yemeni Light is light, perhaps your application time should be increased. At least the first couple of times. Your hair might have become very "virgin" and dye resistant after using better products. Avoid using lemon then and try a BS wash or rinse (dont forget to condition well afterwards or you'll have a rats nest). Some put a small portion of Epsom salt in the dye also (mostly for Indigo but also with henna).

[Mairéad]

Aha OK. So there is a definite difference in how it worked before. Then there are only two explanations possible. Your hair has changed or the dye has changed. Yemeni Light is light, perhaps your application time should be increased. At least the first couple of times. Your hair might have become very "virgin" and dye resistant after using better products. Avoid using lemon then and try a BS wash or rinse (dont forget to condition well afterwards or you'll have a rats nest). Some put a small portion of Epsom salt in the dye also (mostly for Indigo but also with henna).

I think the cross road I am at, is that the color I got on my virgin hair was my perfect color, my dream color, my childhood color; and to do any more full head applications would result in a different color. :brickwall

My avatar is my hair after about 5 full head applications. So I should have clarified that my "burgundy" was more deep copper. :D

My hair has pretty much always been impervious. Back in the pre-LHC time it could take bleach like a champ (but why subject it to that?).

[katsrevenge]

If it makes you feel any better about the fading.. mine does it too. I think it's sort of normal for some people.

About a month after I henna you can see the line in my hair from the last time I used a chemical dye. It is still red... but now it reflect the light a little different (If you need to see what I mean there is a picture in my hair style album that shows it clearly. It's a side French braid.. and the part that was chemically dyed is a much brighter red then the henna over virgin bit. It only shows in certain lights and camera angles.) I still do the roots and then spread it further down the hair method though.

I also henna my eyebrows, lol. I like how it looks.

Maybe it is just because I have dyed my hair for so long, and don't care for my greying ashy brown at all that getting my childhood color is low on my list. Then again, I was a very blonde child. Doesn't suit me at all now!

Have you tried veggie or non-perm dyes?

Whatever you decide, good luck!

[maskedrose]

Do you want red or do you want strawberry blonde? If you want your childhood color, why don't you try glosses? I'm naturally a golden blonde (although my roots come in more ashy), and I do glosses once a month or so. The color does fade a bit, but at least I don't have to worry about darkening with every application. Even when the color does fade, it becomes a beaten gold color, rather than the more copper color I get for the first two weeks. My siggy is after some fading.

[Mairéad]

My roots do the same thing. They come in a little ashy. And, I want strawberry blonde. Do glosses fade all the way out though?

[cmg]

Your "My first happy little half-bun." made me smile :)

I speculate that the fading some people experience, can be explained with alkaline environment in the hair. Alkaline water solutions dissolve the henna, that has been established. I think this has implications when it comes to sticking to the hair as well. If you use certain products it will loosen the bonds formed with the keratine. I never get fading, except when I use baking soda. If I really rub and let it sit, then the rinsing water will contain dye. This never fails. On the other hand, acidic mixtures with cucumber etc will also bleach it away in time, though this is more effective on the natural hair color.

Glosses work the same way as henna, they are just weaker. If you experience fading with henna, then glossing will be no different.

[Ann Marie]

You are using the same mixture as me...

I am looking at your hair and see it is very fine. I have a mix of fine( on top) med/coarse (nape and under layers)

The fine layers do not take the henna as well...I am guessing that there is less keratin ( the natural protein in hair....fine hair has less...)

I have med-dark ashy blonde hair...I used to lighten my hair and I had no problem getting to platinum with a normal box hair color...this is the top...the under layers are a bit darker and thicker...they would turn a med gold color....

When I darkened..with chemicals...it would be all one color and have no problem with the darkening...

Henna is a whole different animal! :monkey:

I live in a hot climate with hard water...

I use Yemmen light also! Jamila turns a dark rust stain on my hair...I only use a 1/4 ratio henna/cassia for 45 mins( for Jamila)

I use 1/3 ration yemmen light/cassia..

For roots I mix henna/cassia 2 tbls Yemen 6 tbls cassia..

I tbls amla...a splash of apple cider vinegar..some essential oil( tea tree or rosemary) this helps the dye release..add water to pudding like consistency..cover....wait about 2 hours....

Most of the time I freeze it...and use the next day...
But if I don't freeze....I usually wait about 4 hours ( hot climate)

I do roots only cover and leave on 1 hour...

If I use Jamila I use a 1/4th ratio and leave 45 mins...

I wash with a sulphate free shampoo...or co-wash..

Condition really well...

My hair oxidizes to a dark strawberry..

If you want darker...I would use I tbls/Yemen and 1 tbls/jamilia..

4 tbls cassia...1 tbls amla

I ran out of Yemen and when I did this it made it a but rustier...darker


Oh I forgot to say...it is important that you use a hard water shampoo or clarify..

I like the hard water shampoo best because it clarifies and gets all the metals out so the color is pure...



So clarify!

use amla and essential oils!

Freeze!

Wash with gentle shampoo..condition well!


If you want a bit of a darker color...mix with Jamila...

(boht have different dye release times....but freezing speeds this up!)
:D



:ponder: I hope it's not too confusing!

[Mairéad]

My hair is definitely medium. It has pretty much no characteristics of fine hair but certainly isn't coarse. Mine despises protein, loves moisture (the more conditioner the better), doesn't tangle, break, or split easily. Single strands are highly visible and I can feel them between my fingers. I hear a loud snap when I pull a shed hair apart. I've tried to handle my sister's and roommate's fine hair and mine felt nothing close to it.

I did use a clarifying shampoo before henna and use it once every three weeks and a chelating one every 6 weeks. The rest of the time I am doing CO as my scalp produces very little oil.

I essentially did everything you mentioned except amla.

[rowie]

What kind of henna do you use? Where do you buy your henna from?

[Mairéad]

What kind of henna do you use? Where do you buy your henna from?

I use Ancient Sunrise: Yemen Light and their cassia too. I get it from Henna For Hair.

[Ann Marie]

Did you try freezing your mix?

This makes it more intense...

Or I would just step up to a 1/2 mix with amla...

I like Yemen light because I have almost no root line...I like the darker color of Jamila better....but there will be that line...

Maybe you should try Jamila...do a strand test..
I got a brownish rust stain from Jamila...it was very powerful...(I don't know the dye content)

I used to use the Jamila and the stain was very dark...I started with glosses....But I wanted the full benefits of the henna without so much color..this is why i use Yemen light...

If you want more color...I would try a Jamila gloss....or a stronger Yemen light mix.