Henna Hell...

[Flossiebell]

Hi All

I have a bit of a problem with my henna. I have used Lush henna for 2yrs and fell out with it as it didn't cover my greys at all - I mean it didn't even try! So after a 6 - 8month break I thought I'd try again as those pesky silvers were waving at me. I looked around on the net and bought some yemeni henna (due to high dye content) from Henna Boy, mixed with lemon juice (which dried my hair out big time), and had to put some tea tree oil in too because the smell made me feel sick (my other half said it smelt like pigs blood.....YUCK! (he used to work in a butchers) and he basically said i had to choose between him and the henna..YUCK! After all that hoo hah however, this did turn my silvers light orange for about a week or so and now they have reverted back to silver.

I use Dove shampoo/cond and natural dead sea mineral shampoo/cond once a week. I never use heated appliances - always air dry.

Am I doing something wrong? I have followed the instructions to the letter. Is it possible that henna just doesn't work on some people? I am now in a pickle. Do I give up and let the silvers win and go au natrel (with orange/brown lengths)? Do I try more henna and put amla over it to turn it brown if that will help, or do I go to a professional colourist and get them to chemicalise my head?:confused:

Help please....?

[malwes]

Flossiebel,
Could you write something more about your henna routine?
- how do you prepare your henna?
- how long does it wait for dye release and in what temperature
- how do you check it is ready for use
- how long do you have it on your hair
- how do you remove it from your hair and when is the first shampooing after?

In my case, the most efficient way was to mix henna with amla. I do not know why, but this mix was absorbed by my greys much better.

[Alvrodul]

First, the smell: I would recommend that you mix in powdered ginger to cut the smell - I tried that the first couple of times I used henna, and it definitely works. You can use EOs as well, alone or in combination with the ginger.
As for the dryness - henna is quite drying in itself, and can also work like a protein treatment. and mixing the henna with lemon juice certainly wouldn't help! And you actually don't _need_ to use anything beside water! I would suggest that the next time you try henna, that you only use demineralized water to mix it up, and add powdered ginger to the mix.
And then, after you have hennaed, you follow up with a SMT (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128)to remoisturize your hair - and add some EO to that as well, to cover up the remaining henna-smell.

[Scarlet_Heart]

I agree with Avrodul and have a few things to add.

1st, yes, do not use lemon juice. It isn't even necessary to make the dye take. If it makes you feel better to use something acidic, use a little herbal tea. I use chamomile. But I used lemon for my first henna (because I thought I had to), and I'll never use it again.

Next, you can try pre-treating with a protein filler. This is easier if you wash or wet the hair, and while wet, rub the protein filler into your scalp, then apply henna. Wet/dry, clean/unclean, doesn't effect the dye uptake. I've tried it every which way. I applied my henna to dry hair the first two times and hated it. It's much easier on wet, but it's a matter of personal preference.

Here's (http://www.amazon.com/Colorful-Neutral-Protein-Filler-oz/dp/B00155FY78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332273782&sr=8-1) the filler I use. It helps my color take and helps me maintain it.

Last, maybe you didn't leave the henna on long enough? I use and love Yemeni (although I buy from Henna Sooq). And I leave it on for 6-7 hours.

Henna is such a beautiful thing and I'm so thankful to have gotten turned onto it, but it's a natural plant product and not a chemically processed item that comes with a box and directions. It works differently for different people but I think if you can find a way that works for you, it's the best.

My henna mix (in case you're curious):
-100g henna (usually Yemeni)
-chamomile tea (sometimes chamomile/lavender :cloud9:)
-small amount of coconut oil
-splash of aloe vera juice

I mix it to a yogurty consistency which makes it easy to apply. Wet hair makes it even easier. I got crazy dye uptake on my roots last time I did it this way.

Good luck!

[katsrevenge]

You've gotten some good advice already.. but I will try and add if I can. I use Jamila brand BAQ henna.
I mix mine with warm chamomile tea, a splash of ACV, ginger and paprika (smell+red).. not much of each. Say, less then a teaspoon. I add tea till it's like a cake batter thickness and well mixed. I cover my bowl with saran wrap and stick it in an oven that is set to 'warm' or around 100F. I then hop in the shower, clarify my hair NO CONDITIONERS, towel dry and check my mix.

When there is red 'juice' between the saren wrap and brown henna glop it is ready. You can test it on your skin too...if a dab left on for 30 seconds stains your hand orange.. you are ready to apply. This all takes around 20 minutes, by the way. It sometimes is a mite hot... but it feels good.

Then I apply to damp hair, starting with the greyest spots, wrap hair in plastic, wrap that in a towel and go read a book for 4 hours. Conditioner wash out with cool water. The henna is lighter on the grey.. but it does stick!

Mehendi Henna website also has some really good guides too.

[lapushka]

Look at the free hennaforhair book they've got. It has a section on henna and gray hair that you might find interesting (look at chapter 7):
http://www.hennaforhair.com/freebooks/

Gray hair always colors lighter than the rest of the hair; it will take less well.

[Flossiebell]

how do you prepare your henna?
- how long does it wait for dye release and in what temperature.
I mix it up and leave at room temp for 12hrs then add more liquid to get right consistency then leave at room temp for a further 12hrs.
- how do you check it is ready for use
No idea - just followed the instructions from supplier.
- how long do you have it on your hair
6 hours.
- how do you remove it from your hair and when is the first shampooing after?
Rinse and shampoo to get all the grit out.

Thought if I followed the instructions to the letter it should work ok. D'oh...

[moxamoll]

Look at the free hennaforhair book they've got. It has a section on henna and gray hair that you might find interesting (look at chapter 7):
http://www.hennaforhair.com/freebooks/

Gray hair always colors lighter than the rest of the hair; it will take less well.
I could be wrong, but I don't think that the gray hair absorbs the henna colour less than other hair. I think it's just that it shows the henna colour more purely. This is why blondes get more red and brunettes get more auburn colour - it's base colour + henna = result.

It took me two all over henna treatments to get coverage of my greys, because some of the henna did wash out. And it washed out of all my hair, it was just more noticeable on the greys! Now, the greys are orange and the browns are auburn, but there sure aren't any greys left! (Except my roots of course!)

[Evie]

You have got some good advice, I hope it helps.

I found henna drying sometimes, you can even try adding a little oil (EVOO, coconut oil) to your mix although some people do think that it might limit dye uptake. From what I've read the jury is out on that point though, some people report no lessening of dye uptake, some say it has a bit of an impact. A little honey in your mix (added at the end just before you apply) might also help although it can thin the henna mix and make it a bit runny.

I do hope you find a way of making this work for you. by the way, about the smell - I've used mixed spice (the stuff you add to Christmas cake) to help too and that can smell nice :)

[Flossiebell]

Thanks for all the advice, its given me a lot to think about. I will try these out :)

[Evie]

Oh, by the way, I test to see if it is ready by putting a little drop of the henna on my wrist and leaving it for a few minutes, if it is ready to use when you wash it off you should see a nice orange spot on your skin where you've had the henna blob. If you mix with water instead of lemon juice, you might find dye release happens a bit faster too.

[ratgirldjh]

I had the drying problem when I used ACV and orange flower water! NEVER again! Plus the orange flower water/ACV mixture gave the henna a real 'perfumey' sickening sweet smell!

I love the smell of henna though.

You might try just adding HOT water to your henna. This way you get quick dye release (and usually guaranteed dye release - no maybe lol) and wait for it to cool.

I do mine this way and I have a LOT of silver and only leave it for an hour! At first your silvers will be orange - but they will get darker over a few days and then the more applications the darker they will get. Surprisingly the roots (on my anyway) do not seem more orange or the bottom of my hair darker and I do full head hennas every couple of months or so...

[Viscountess]

Hey, Flossibelle, I suspect a full 24 hour for dye release may be a bit too long and you're henna will have lost its staining ability.

To check for dye release, put a bit of henna on the inside of your elbow or wrist. Wait 2 - 5 minutes and wipe off. If you have a faint orange stain, then you have achieved dye release.

I am bad. I never wait hours, more like.... fifteenish or so minutes. I use warm tea to mix up my BAQ henna, wait a bit, (usually long enough to dampen my hair) then dump the whole pot on my head, wrap in plastic, pop a wool hat on and go.

[lapushka]

Now, the greys are orange and the browns are auburn, but there sure aren't any greys left! (Except my roots of course!)

That's exactly what I'm saying. :) It takes less well, so instead of a pure deep red, the grays will turn up orange.

[katsrevenge]

If you are letting it sit for 24 hours it is way too long.

This page has a very nice chart for how long dye release and demise takes:
http://www.hennapage.com/henna/how/dyerelease.html

ETA I have a big grey rogue stripe in my hair.
This was taken the day after my first henna. You can see it, nice and bright.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=8457&pictureid=110097

It is still lighter and brighter after multiple full heads and roots only hennas.

[Alvrodul]

Another possibility for getting good and controlled dye release is to stick the henna mix into the freezer. I have done so on a number of occasions,, and had excellent results. What I did was mix the henna and water, put the henna mix directly into carrot bags, and put them in the freezer without waiting for dye release. When I thawed out the henna, I put the mix directly onto my head.

Note that this would not work with a henndigo mix, since freezing would ruin the indigo.

[Evie]

Another possibility for getting good and controlled dye release is to stick the henna mix into the freezer. I have done so on a number of occasions,, and had excellent results. What I did was mix the henna and water, put the henna mix directly into carrot bags, and put them in the freezer without waiting for dye release. When I thawed out the henna, I put the mix directly onto my head.

Note that this would not work with a henndigo mix, since freezing would ruin the indigo.

Yep, this is a great idea too, I've done this many times and it certainly saves the hanging around and means that you don't have to plan ahead as much - when you have time to henna you can just whip the bag out of the freezer, thaw it out (I stick mine in a bowl of warm water) and use it :)

[Pierre]

I mix it up and leave at room temp for 12hrs then add more liquid to get right consistency then leave at room temp for a further 12hrs.
That is WAY too long. I mix my henna, then wait a few minutes, not for dye release, but for the inside of the lumps to get wet. Then I squirt it into my hair with a root shooter. Then I wrap it in plastic and go to bed. It releases dye right into my hair as I sleep.

For consistency, I add three times as much water as the total of powders (henna, amla, and cloves). So if I have 30 g of powder, I add 90 g of water.

For scent, try cloves.