Henndigo fading superfast! What's the problem.

[pullanmuru]

It's been a week and 2 days since I did my roots. I used about 50% henna and 50% indigo, results after 2 days was sort of medium brown which is what I wanted.
Definitely with a red tone.

But now it's faded significantly, it's gone light orangey copper sort of colour. I've washed my hair maybe 3 times. This seems to happen to me every time. It seems as if the indigo is not staying in my hair.

How to prevent this or is this normal? I used to do henna + indigo 2 step process before when I had black hair and back then I never had any problems with indigo fading, quite the opposite actually!

I can't be doing my roots every week and I don't like these orangey roots either... :( I need help!

[wavykisses]

Add some salt to your hendigo mix, do a vinegar rinse after you rinse mud from your hair, don't wash your hair the first 3 days, use fresh indigo.

Check this thread also, it has some wonderful tips
http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77670

[gabee]

I find henndigo sticks best on a hennaed base. So maybe you can try doing a two step, but instead of pure indigo in the second step use your 50% henna 'and 50% indigo mixture.

Also adding salt to your indigo helps quite a bit.

[AMW]

I had the same problem. I tried to increase the amount of indigo, add salt but that did not help. I would get brown hair right after application but soon after my grays would turn orangy. For the time being I'm going to stop hendigo and try some other methods to cover my grays!
The two step with 50/50 henna indigo on the second step seems like it would work ... Good luck!

[GlennaGirl]

I always have to go over the same area two or three times with hendigo (ETA: usually the second time is maybe a week after the first time, and then the next time is actually just overlap when I do my roots). Once I've done that, though, it's very very permanent.

I do always get a little red peeking through, which I don't mind at all.

[cheetahfast]

Mine never stuck!! I have this theory that indigo and henna are evil :demon: and always act the opposite of how one wants them to.

I agree 100% with wavykisses suggestions, however they didn't really work for me :(.

[pullanmuru]

Thanks for all your replys! :)

I added salt when I did the 2 step process before, but I wasn't sure I could use salt with henna + indigo mix. I'll definitely try that, and vinegar rinse.

What about the time, how long should I leave the mix on? 'Cos from what I've read indigo itself is active only for an hour or so after dye release but henna stays active longer and keeps giving out the dye. I wonder if that has anything to do with the end results?

Maybe next time I'll try doing the roots with just henna first and then with the mix. I just hope it won't turn too dark (black)...

[MonaMayfair]

I'm not speaking from personal experience as I've never used indigo myself, only henna and cassia, but I have read a lot of posts about it, both here and on the Henna for Hair site.

From all I've read, this does seem to be normal for a lot of people. Indigo seems to behave differently on different heads of hair, with some people finding it very permanent and others finding it fades really fast.

I remember reading one post ages ago from someone who said when she used henna and indigo (2 step I think) she had dark hair for a couple of weeks then red hair for the next two weeks (then she did her roots again) She liked her hair doing that though so it was OK!

You probably know as much as I do (since you used to have black hair with indigo) but I know you have to be very careful not to go too dark (if you don't want black any more I mean) and I've read the same thing about the dye not being active for long too.

It sounds like it's going to be trial and error, but I'd be careful not to leave it on too long, just in case it decides to become very dark AND permanent next time!

Good luck anyway, I hope you get the result you want next time you try.

[Aveyronnaise]

Hi , I haven't done hendigo ever but used the 2 step several times , I just did it a third time and it seems to be finally sticking - not that great to my little sprouting gray but the longer ones have finally suck . Anyhow , i have also dyed cloth with indigo and you have to dip and expose to oxygen for what seems like 20000000000 times so - my theory for hair is that it needs some times of exposure before it's going to stick , but it's temperamental and I know doesn't stick for some.
Bonne Courage.

[pullanmuru]

Yes I know that some people have trouble with indigo sticking but I never had that problem when I did the 2 step process, in fact the indigo did such a brilliant work at dyeing my hair that it was downright impossible to remove that black after I'd grown bored with it. And it was instant, first time dyeing and it was pitch black.

That's why i'm curious of the reasons I can't get the indigo to stay with the mix but it probably has something to do with the layer of just henna underneath. It somehow makes it stick.

[GlennaGirl]

Yes I know that some people have trouble with indigo sticking but I never had that problem when I did the 2 step process, in fact the indigo did such a brilliant work at dyeing my hair that it was downright impossible to remove that black after I'd grown bored with it. And it was instant, first time dyeing and it was pitch black.

That's why i'm curious of the reasons I can't get the indigo to stay with the mix but it probably has something to do with the layer of just henna underneath. It somehow makes it stick.

Well, I've had exactly the same experience, if it helps. One-step hendigo is forever-forever on me. As in, an Agent Orange dip set on fire wouldn't get it out.

But two-step isn't permanent until I've done it a couple/few times and even then it lightens a smidge from the original color. However, the rest does stay forever.

[PolarCathy]

Well, I've had exactly the same experience, if it helps. One-step hendigo is forever-forever on me. As in, an Agent Orange dip set on fire wouldn't get it out.

But two-step isn't permanent until I've done it a couple/few times and even then it lightens a smidge from the original color. However, the rest does stay forever.

Guys, you are pushing me into giving it another try. I have basically given up on indigo (two-step) because 1) I'm lazy, 2) my hair is very close to black anyway and I don't really need it unless my hair gets sunbleached which it does every summer, 3) I can't get it stick anymore (my supplier has changed... that may factor in, I may be getting different quality stuff now), 4) well I just don't have the time for the two-step which gives me one entire shade of difference and 5) everything I put on me (oils for the most part) seems to strip my indigo, leaving red understines that I hate.

One shade darker, not much, and all that hassle. Painful. But now reading this, I may give it another try, with a proper one-step mix. 1 have a good 8 cm (3"+) of new growth since my last two-step that stuck.

If and when I do it I will let you know if (and how) I can get it stick this time.

[sumidha]

I don't have any suggestions, but I just wanted to comisserate, pretty much exactly the same thing happened to me. I did henndigo two or three weeks ago and it's faded right back to the original color.

My hair apparently loves red and hates black... I might try the two step process next time, with henndigo and straight indigo, but I'm still afraid of the indigo washing out and ending up with henna-red hair... :S

[Majala]

I don't really know what to do as I'm in the same boat as you. When I did indigo only it faded after just a few washes. Then I read one should henna first and then use indigo and I did that, but indigo faded just as fast. I'm going to give it another try this week as I've heard it sticks better and longer the more you use it.

[malwes]

PullanMuru - maybe strange question but can you tell us exactly how did you prepare this 50/50 hendigo mix? Step by step with details? Maybe there is a reason....

[pullanmuru]

^ I used Yemen henna and mixed it with strong black tea and a small amount of lemon juice. Let it sit for about 3-4 hourse. Then mixed the indigo in separate bowl, with hot water. Let it sit for about an hour. Then mixed both together, applied on hair and let it sit for about 3 hours.

At first it was medium brown, no obvious difference with the root and the lenght. But after a week or so the roots started to look lighter and now they're basically dull copper coloured.

I'm quite bored with having lighter roots all the time. When I did just henna alone, my length was purple/red and roots were light orangey. And now it's brown with copper roots. Never one colour!

[malwes]

^ I used Yemen henna and mixed it with strong black tea and a small amount of lemon juice. Let it sit for about 3-4 hourse. Then mixed the indigo in separate bowl, with hot water. Let it sit for about an hour. Then mixed both together, applied on hair and let it sit for about 3 hours.

At first it was medium brown, no obvious difference with the root and the lenght. But after a week or so the roots started to look lighter and now they're basically dull copper coloured.

I'm quite bored with having lighter roots all the time. When I did just henna alone, my length was purple/red and roots were light orangey. And now it's brown with copper roots. Never one colour!

Try not to use hot water for indigo and do not wait more than 15 minutes. In my opinion hot water is adverse for indigo and it also releases dye immediately . After one hour it is to long (it oxidised)

[pullanmuru]

Thanks for your advice! I'll try the 15 minutes next time! I honestly don't know where I got that 1 hour dye release time.. :D

But all the instructions i've read about indigo advice to use warm water. Now I'm confused. Mine was the warmest you could get from a tap, so not boiling hot. Maybe I'll try with lukewarm next time..

[wavykisses]

Indigo stop coloring quickly, I just put water on in mix it with henna and use it.
I don't let it sit for dye release since I cover my hair, the heat from my head will do the job.
I don't have problems with my indigo fading a lot, it just washes out the first week but I'm left with a soft black hair color instead of blue black

[GlennaGirl]

I use very warm tap water for my indigo. I think the issue has been waiting the hour. Slap it on as soon as it's mixed and you may see a difference. :)

[hootski]

I agree, the issue is definitely letting the indigo sit for an hour. By then the dye release has maxed out and essentially "expired". Everything I've read has said that indigo should sit for 10 minutes max, and 5 minutes is ideal, and perhaps even adding it to your henna mix immediately is more than ideal. I myself let it sit for about 2 minutes before adding or using.

I also use very warm water, as per HennaSooq's recommendation. I do a 2-step process because I get the very dark brown I'm seeking, with minimal fading.

I'm sure if you make this change, you'll get the results you're looking for! :cheer: