Guys and henna

[Ookami]

Do you know guys using henna on their hair?
I've been looking into henna a few times and a bit more since on LHC but I'm a bit shy to take the step, not sure how this would look like and how people (especially at work) would react? :D

Especially that once applied... I'll either like it and leave it to grow or have no other choice than cut from what I understood... My hair is almost virgin from any dye/bleach, only dye was a black with deep blue tones and I have since then shaved my hair to a few mm therefore no actual hair experienced it.

Bit afraid to loose my wurls as well I heard it straightens hair? [2c F at least ii, I can't put a name on my color, light ash brown ? (used to be ash blond younger) (beard is a weird mixture of blond, ash brown and red) with greyish white here and there]

Thanks:D

[akilina]

I am pretty sure there is a man here who hennas his beard? :)
Pierre
Maybe someone else knows more :]

[HintOfMint]

Henna is pretty common for men in Middle Eastern and Indian subcontinent cultures, they (along with women) dye their greys bright henna orange.

If you want the color, go for it. There's a weird idea in the United States that any alteration a man does to his appearance beyond shaving and working out is an affront to his masculinity. But if you're fine with this, then have at it.

If it is the henna itself as opposed to a conventional haircolor from a salon, well, who has to know?

[MissManda]

One of my male friends hennaed his hair after he saw what my hair looked like red. :D My DBF also wanted to try henna, but he finds the smell unpleasant, so he decided not to. Hahahaha.

I say if you want to henna your hair, then go for it!

[jojo]

why not? if you fancy trying it go for a gloss first and see how you like!

[Ookami]

Thanks for your supports girls :D

You mean like applying it very lightly?

Will my color go really bright red like I've seen on some girls (or orangey???):confused:, considering my hair color (see links)?
thanks

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...77971247_n.jpg (http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/303508_195004627293907_1377971247_n.jpg)

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...43459351_n.jpg (http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/486613_195004837293886_243459351_n.jpg)

[Alvrodul]

First, do your research and testing (start saving hair from your hairbrush for this) and be very sure you really want the color. You can NOT be assured you will ever be able to get rid of it - you don't flirt with henna, you marry it! Start your research here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=7)and here (http://www.hennaforhair.com/henna/index.html).
When it comes to results, henna is a translucent color, so the starting color of your hair will have a strong impact on the final color. Your hair is dark enough that I shouldn't be wildly orange, but henna is unpredictable, which is why you need to do your strand testing. The color can still be quite shocking at first, and oxidizing to the final shade can take up to a week.
A henna gloss is a spoonful or so of dye-released henna mud mixed with non-coney conditioner, and left of for a suitable time.
A great tip if you want to do henna glosses is to freeze your henna mud! This also gives an excellent dye release, I have found. :D Freeze appropriate-sized chunks (use an ice cube tray) and just thaw out what you need when you want to henna. :D

[GoblinTart]

Do a strand test to see what color you get. And remember, it takes about 3 days before the color you'll be stuck with shows up.

I have dark hair, so it still looks brown in some light, but reds and oranges blaze out in direct sunlight. It's pretty cool. And it almost has a.purpley glint to it. My blonde streak looks orangey though. Of course, I use hair quality jamila henna. Different henna give different results due to the regions theyre grown in.

As for a.dude using henna? Who has to know? It's become much more acceptable these days for guys to experiment with their looks. So, strand test, and if you like it, go for it!

[Ookami]

Thanks,
Yes that's what I got, henna you marry it, you can't just try and say ''oh no it's not me, I'll let it fade out'' because it's permanent !
Second read first :D (I've gone through some of the pages but late yesterday night, so unreliable memory)

Strandtest should I buy some.
I'll try to make up my mind before my planned holidays so I'll do this straight the first day off, this will leave plenty of time for the color to settle...

I'm wondering if that'll give me an auburn look...

Thanks for the freeze tip!

[Bereft]

If you want more auburny color you could try and get fancy with your mix by adding indigo, alma, or katam. Alma will cool the henna color, while indigo and katam will add brown tones if added to the mix. Be warned though indigo may fade very quickly and once it does stick you can have a heck of a time getting it out, and you cannot bleach it! It will turn green!
And on the notion of men using henna, you should not feel the slightest bit uncomfortable about it! My BF is currently dyeing his hair black with chemicals and is considering switching over to a two step henna and indigo process to get black.
So if you want it, go for it! And I agree with a strand test, you can never be too careful with henna!

[Ookami]

Thanks girls

I took the plunge,
tried first on a few, liked the color and decided last thursday to do the whole lot.

My other half did the whole application. He knows I'm clumsy...

I bought Karishma henna 100 gr in an asian supermarket crop june 2011, mixed 50 grams with camomilla tea + lemon until a smooth liquid paste, left to dye release a few hours in a bowl sitting in a larger one with warm/hot water.
Strand by strand applied lightly some cone free conditioner on the hair then the henna paste/liquid,
Wrapped the whole lot and left for an hour on.
The rinsing off took me 10-15 minutes, no major problem to get it out, probably thanks to the conditioner.

The color came out very orangey first especially around the hairline where I have most of my grey white hair (I got a pic in full sun from day 1/ last friday) and settled meanwhile.

[Pierre]

Welcome to Lawsonia!

[Amber_Maiden]

I saw a guy in my old university once who had obviously used henna on his head and some of his grey hair had went orange.