Indigo Thread

[C_Bookworm]

Thank you kindly! I am relishing it.

My first question for the folks of the dark side: how does one make a nice henna gloss? How often do you use it? How do you incorporate it in your routine?

Yes, welcome!

No henna glosses for me. I do monthly henndigo, and since the indigo needs a good henna base to stick to, I do full-on hennas for my first step. I *try* to do a hair mask once a month, but it’s very hit-and-miss. For those I prefer the conditioner tubes that come with standard hair color kits. Those things are magic!

I think henna glosses are a great way to help hair stay strong and conditioned! I just happen to be a little particular about my roots so full henna applications are all I manage.

[wickedannabella]

No henna glosses for me. I do monthly henndigo, and since the indigo needs a good henna base to stick to, I do full-on hennas for my first step. I *try* to do a hair mask once a month, but it’s very hit-and-miss. For those I prefer the conditioner tubes that come with standard hair color kits. Those things are magic!

I think henna glosses are a great way to help hair stay strong and conditioned! I just happen to be a little particular about my roots so full henna applications are all I manage.

Is there such a thing as an indigo gloss?
Or—dare I say it—a henndigo gloss???

I hope to keep up with the monthly full head.

[C_Bookworm]

Is there such a thing as an indigo gloss?
Or—dare I say it—a henndigo gloss???

I hope to keep up with the monthly full head.

They all could be a thing! The question is what a person is trying to accomplish with a gloss?

Full henna:
-full conditioning
-full color
-permanent color

Henna gloss:
-partial color
-partial conditioning
-accounts vary as to how permanent the color is or isn’t. A person would need to experiment to find out how it works for them personally.

Full henndigo (1 step):
-full color (brown/red spectrum)
-full conditioning
-accounts vary as to how permanent the color is or isn’t. Many find that the henna color is permanent, but the indigo fades with time. For others, 100% is permanent.

Full henndigo (2 step):
-full color (black)
-full conditioning
-accounts vary as to how permanent it is or isn’t. Many find that the henna color is permanent, but the indigo fades with time. For others, 100% is permanent.
My personal experience: the first few times, indigo fades after a month-ish. After that, there are enough layers of henndigo that the full black color locks in permanently. So now when I get fading, it’s only the top few inches of roots, everything else stays 100% black.

Henndigo gloss:
-partial color (brown/red spectrum)
-partial conditioning
-accounts vary as to how permanent the color is or isn’t. A person would need to experiment to find out how it works for them personally.
This color boost will be more in line with what a 1-step henndigoer is looking for.

Indigo gloss:
-minor color (indigo sticks better to fresh henna than old henna/henndigo + the indigo is diluted in conditioner)
-conditioning properties from your conditioner alone, not indigo
The smell + texture of indigo are both things I don’t like, so while I’m always chasing the perfect blue-black, I’m more inclined to experiment with brands of henna/indigo, or deposit-only color glosses(manic panic, arctic fox, Pravana, etc).

[Bat]

When my hair grows back I'm thinking of doing henndigo but not sure it will be black enough are deposit only dyes safe to use over it to boost blackness?

[TatsuOni]

When my hair grows back I'm thinking of doing henndigo but not sure it will be black enough are deposit only dyes safe to use over it to boost blackness?

The two step method may be enough. Of it's not, you can indeed use deposit dye over it, as long as you've used real henna and indigo.

[Bri-Chan]

Bat keep in mind it's very hard to bleach henna and indigo, if you think that you will be likely to do it in the future.

[C_Bookworm]

When my hair grows back I'm thinking of doing henndigo but not sure it will be black enough are deposit only dyes safe to use over it to boost blackness?

Yes! I’ve done that in the past. My hair dyes a cool blue-black I love, but towards the end of a month fades to a warm black. I played with deposit only to extend the cool phase. It worked well and did not damage my hair at all (actually was like a conditioning treatment) but I eventually gave it up because it was more effort than I was willing to put in.

[Bat]

I was wanting to do this to stop me being able to bleach, and maintaince doesn't bother me at least with this it won't damage my hair I'm going to give it a long think though I want to try to attempt seeing my natural color

[paulownia]

Checking into the thread
I will be trying two step henndigo in a few days.
I was using henna and one step henndigo in the past so I'm familiar with the procedure. I aim at dark brown
Logistics look ok. Henna on Friday afternoon, probably 3-4 hours, we will see how long I can endure.
Second step , one part henna three parts indigo on Sunday.
I can live as a redhead for a day

[ReiHino]

I bought a new mix that should give me a brown colour, I thought I would be using it on dirty hair like I always did but reading this thread clean hair is in order. Maybe even some clarifying.
Last time I used indigo (plus cassia) the colour faded after some washes, I will write down here how it goes. I´m not doing henna before so I will be applying it on virgin hair.