ORDERED henna!

[Clem_Dela]

I ordered from Mehandi.com some 300g of Yemen Light, 100g of Rajasthani Twilight, and a 3g sample of indigo (for a strand test- i'm curious! c: )

I've posted on here about henna before... but i'm actually doing it this time! now I just need to figure out what to mix it with and how to apply. And i'd be most honored if any seasoned hennaheads would like to hold my hand and walk me through it ;)

but really; recipes? i'm going for a copper to true red color rather than a burgundy- which is why i got mostly yemen light.

So first is mixing and waiting for the dye release. What do you mix with your henna? Here is the list of ingredients that I am considering (besides the henna itself)

-tea
-paprika (how does this effect the color? what other household spices effect color?)
-coconut, olive oil
-juice (whatever's in the fridge)
-a few tbsp of ACV (if i really need acidity)
-sugar

i have a total of 400g of henna, so how much/which of these ingredients do i need?

I have heard that for tattooing, oil is used rather than tea or lemon or anything.
I have also heard that you can mix with only water, no lemon, oil, spices, teas, nothing, and the dye will release wonderfully.
So my question is, should I use oil or water based ingredients?
Also, i have heard that sugar helps the consistency, making it less messy... how much sugar should I use?

once it's mixed... how long should the dye take to release? I live in a warm, wet climate (southeast Texas) so i'm thinking not too long.

What are your application tips? I have two plastic bottles with nozzles that i'm planning on using; i am also thinking of applying it outdoors so as not to stain the bathroom. Can I "mermaid rinse" or shower without staining the bathtub?


I know I have quite a handful of questions here and i sure appreciate any and all tips and info you might have. thank you! <3

[CopperHead]

A lot of questions. ;) All I can do is tell you what I do and I have been using henna for years now.

I mix my henna with very warm herbal berry tea. I think any tea will work. I add some hisbiscus powder, but I like my hair to be more of a magenta red. It seems to do this for me. I don't add oil or anything else. I have had some spectacular headaches from additives. Wine was the worst. :(

I let it sit at least an hour and then test to see if it is dye released enough for me. It will leave a very orange stain when applied to the palm of my hand.

I use the "grab and smoosh" method of application. No fancy tools, just my hands. I grab a small handful of henna and start working it into my roots first. I start in the front and work back. I then do the edges and work towards the middle. This way I don't miss anything. Be sure to wear gloves. I buy the food handler ones from Costco. I get two boxes that last for years. Put some kind of resist around your hairline and on your ears if you don't want orange ears. The Twlight Raj stains through everything, but I still try. :D

I would mix up at least 200 grams and see if that works. You can always freeze any leftovers and they will be even better the next time you use it.

I would just use the plain henna this time and see if you like the results. It will take a few days to oxidize to the final color. The Twilight Raj is a very deep red so you might not want to leave it on for too long. I leave mine on for six hours but I love the purple tinge.

Once you get used to applying the henna, it won't be as messy. I find it much less messy than bottled color. I rinse mine out in the shower. I have a shower with the long hose so I can lean over and rinse away. Then I stand up and apply lots of cheap conditioner and work it through. I wash and condition after that. I can then rinse the sides of the shower and clean up the henna mess. This works great for me. My tub has never been stained from the henna. A more porous surface might.

I use the Rajasthani Twlight henna from menhandi.com and I have never been more thrilled with a henna. I bought two kilos of it when it was on sale. :cheese: Jamila gives a more coppery red for future reference. Dye release is a little longer with Jamila. Any Raj is a quick release henna.

I hope this helps. It can seem overwhelming at first but it is really very easy.

[Clem_Dela]

Thanks copperhead for answering my numerous questions! I have decided to mix it using a tea sample I received in the mail.. It includes hibiscus and rose among other things. I'm going to brew this tea with water and a few tbsps of ACV and possibly some EOs. Also adding sugar after dye release depending on the consistency...

"grab and smoosh" soundsd fun! I have a feeling that is what I may end up doing if the bottles don't work well. Also quite certain I'll be doing this outside, considering this will be my first hennaing... As well as not to risk staining the bathroom. I think I'll initially rinse with a hose outside just in case, and then take a shower after that....

Thanks for all the advice!! Do you have any pictures of your hennaed head? I'd love to see :) again thank you,

And if any one else has more tips I'd love to hear them, even though I have a good idea about how I'll be going about this. Thanks!

[CopperHead]

You are very welcome. It sounds like you have a good plan in place. I will try to have my friend take a pic of my hair sometime soon. :)

[Neya]

hibiscus, paprika, and other things do add/enhance red tones. But, not permanently. If you want to add it, go for it.

[Iolanthe13]

It looks like you have quite dark hair. You know it won't lighten your hair, right?

I've only henna'ed once and know very little compared to some people here, but I found chamomile tea provided ample dye release and wasn't drying. I did throw a little orange juice in when I ran out of tea, though, and some ginger for the smell.

When I applied it, I really wished for more rags, especially when it started to drip about an hour in. I live in a dorm, so the prospect of staining was a big concern. It all came out fine in the shower (with lots of cheap conditioner) and didn't stain at all. As long as you clean up quickly, you'll probably be fine. My mix was 50/50 henna cassia though.

[Maelyssa]

If you check out the articles section of the forums both Nightshade and HennaSooq have some great henna info. Helped me a lot in doing my own first henna experiment.

[Clem_Dela]

Copperhead: thanks! Be sure to write a note on my "wall" when you do

Neya: thanks! I think I will keep it simple this time and stick with the ACV, EO's, tea and sugar for this mix. That way next time I henna I can find out if paprika makes a difference.

Iolanthe: yes. My hair is not nearly as dark as it is in my avatar- that is from a temporary blue black dye I used over Halloween. It's more mid brown in real life as you can see in my albums. And, like I said, I think I'll be doing much applying and rinsing out of doors just in case, let's just hope I can get the drips under control per rinsing... :)

Maelyssa: thank you, I'll definitely be checking those out!

[Clem_Dela]

Just in case anyone's tracking this- my henna just arrived!! Eep! I'll probably be doing the henna this weekend. I'm so excited!!!!!