Keep the henna or grow out blonde? what shades? advice wanted :)

[Aerya]

The red looks great on you! I fully agree with Spidermom - don't quit the henna because you are worried about it not suiting you, because it does Your eyes are such a striking color, they balance out the saturation of the red, so it's not overpowering IMO.

But of course, if you are tired of the upkeep or just want your natural color back, then that's something else. It's all up to you. If you are unsure, you could always grow natural for a couple of months and see how you feel? You can always henna later, if you decide to keep up with the dye.

[lapushka]

But of course, if you are tired of the upkeep or just want your natural color back, then that's something else. It's all up to you. If you are unsure, you could always grow natural for a couple of months and see how you feel? You can always henna later, if you decide to keep up with the dye.

Yeah in that case *nobody* can tell you what to do. But growing out dye is no easy feat, just warning you. You have to be pretty damn determined. But if that is what you want, then don't let nobody tell you what to do. I am partial to the red, but there is *nothing* wrong with your natural color. And may I tell you? My God. I dyed my hair pretty much up into my 30s, there is nothing like accepting your own God-given color and saying no to constant worry and upkeep. Phew. Load off of my shoulders, I can tell you. And I was so glad I got to see and experience my own color before turning gray.

[Bri-Chan]

Color analysis is designed to create a certain aesthetic and overall extremely natural look. The thing is that the common perception and general people opinions sometimes crash with color analysis, because something can look good generally speaking, while color analysis aims for the most natural color complexion.
However, the most important thing is how you feel about it. Do you like the red? Would you feel 'you' without the red? Which color do you genuinely prefer? I think our opinions and tastes are more important than the perfect color analyzed person's look.

[Of the Fae]

Okay guys I've decided to keep up my henna anyway. One of my thoughts was indeed about being able to experience my own color..but last time I grew it out and had bangs in my natural shade I really found I preferred the red, and it has come to feel like very much my own. I'm glad to hear you all don't think the shade overtakes my face, because that was my main concern. @Bri-chan, I think you are right! It's a matter of perception maybe. I've seen people dressing according to their color type where I actually preferred the "wrong" color on them, so there does seem to be some subjectivity there. Maybe the henna doesn't look the most natural on me, but it seems to be flattering nonetheless.
As for upkeep, it's a hassle, but I also enjoy it very much, so even though I've been annoyed about it last time, now that I've gone without for over a month I really long for the nice smelling mud on my head

I perused the henna hair photos thread on here and all I could think was "That looks amazing, I'd love to have that again and grow my hair as long as I can with this color." Thanks so much for all your replies. I think the cost to benefit ratio of growing out blonde is too much, as I will probably go back to red within a year like I always do.
I lightened my hendigo with Sun In and will post pics when I have done the henna in the henna pic thread

[aeryss]

You've already made your decision (sadly I can't see the pictures but maybe I'll have a peek later when I've aquired the rights to look into the forum deeper) but I wanted to comment, because I've been through this process. It's so interesting looking back.

At some point I agonised a bit, but decided to grow out my henna & I did (kind of, I made a big chop at 3 years).... but I ended up going back to henna red/natural ginger not super long after. I just absolutely missed it.
I didn't hate the process of growing it out, wasn't a problem or else I would have caved earlier I think & I really wanted to know what I would look like with my natural color. I even liked it, but it just wasn't red.

Interestingly initially everybody was like "woah your haircolor is so stunning don't grow it out!" but later on, when I had my natural color this reversed into "you look way better now, so fitting for your complexion etc." and I still don't know what to make of that.

[Of the Fae]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Maybe your skin tone is also quite cool and thus red is contrasting like with me?
I've done this once before and also don't hate my natural color. It's kind of pretty, silvery blonde and of course your own color always suits you. But I like the iridescent henna red better, exactly how you're putting it. Even if it might not be as harmonious as my own color.
People compliment me a lot about my red, but at times some have said it looks a bit unnatural (I don't necessarily take that to be that it doesn't look nice though, I mean, purple hair is unnatural and that also suits me somehow when I did manic panic rinses over it for fun &#128522. Others have expressed surprise that I was in fact not a natural red head, and thought either this was my natural color (especially at times when I have rocked a more coppery shade), or that I would have some type of strawberry blonde or red underneath. You can't please everyone haha and of course you shouldn't.
I'm curious what your natural color is and what shade of henna you have/what mix you create?

[stardust lady]

Yeah the red is just perfect. You have the best undertone for it. I grew out henna partially because it didn't agree with my skin tone (especially the darker and redder it got) - not a lot of people can pull it off. I would have guessed you were a redhead or strawberry blond with "enhanced" hair.

[aeryss]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Maybe your skin tone is also quite cool and thus red is contrasting like with me?
I've done this once before and also don't hate my natural color. It's kind of pretty, silvery blonde and of course your own color always suits you. But I like the iridescent henna red better, exactly how you're putting it. Even if it might not be as harmonious as my own color.
People compliment me a lot about my red, but at times some have said it looks a bit unnatural (I don't necessarily take that to be that it doesn't look nice though, I mean, purple hair is unnatural and that also suits me somehow when I did manic panic rinses over it for fun ��). Others have expressed surprise that I was in fact not a natural red head, and thought either this was my natural color (especially at times when I have rocked a more coppery shade), or that I would have some type of strawberry blonde or red underneath. You can't please everyone haha and of course you shouldn't.
I'm curious what your natural color is and what shade of henna you have/what mix you create?

I'm olive skinned but too light to be belived when I say it - Italian grandpa genes peeking through I think, I also do have some (like 5) coarse black hairs. Other than that I'm a golden blonde. The roots look mousy grey whenever I don't dye it back ginger, but when I was growing it out the longer it got the more it looked like I remembered it, golden/bronze blonde.
Had both reactionss too - some people really think I'm a natural redhead, even when I put Manic Panic RocknRoll Red over it. *g* Some others ask what color I use and I'm fine with both. ^^

At the moment I don't really use henna that often. I only went back ginger in 2019 and I maybe used it twice. But back when I started at about 17 I tried everything I could get my hands on, mostly from Turkish supermarkets. Later on I tried Khadi and similar brands, but settled on a mix of Henna and Cassia imported from Yemen by someone local to me, I think 3:1 ratio.
When I used it again after growing out my blonde I was blown away, I just love that rich orange-red color on me I just have to be careful and try to avoid too much yellow, that really doesn't go with my skins undertone.
What I do now is put Adore (like Manic Panic) in my conditoner or straight on my head and call it a day for most of my dying sessions.

At the moment I can't post photos but I'll come back and insert one for reference how Henna turns out on me if you'd like.

[Of the Fae]

Oh yes I'd love to see your hair! I do think shades of red look beautiful with an olive skin tone, very pale olive too. 3:1 creates a stunning vivid copper!

For me I use a smaller ratio of cassia, if I use it. I switch straight up henna with hibiscus with henna cassia hibiscus at a 5 to 10% cassia ratio. At times I have added indigo when I wanted a more deep auburn, recently did a brown but it fades very fast and then I dislike what I'm left with and use Sun In spray to lighten it back up.

My own skin is mostly cool and pinkish but does have some yellow undertones that make it look warmer or neutral in some settings. I also look good in silver as well as gold. Maybe that's what makes it work for me, because I have seen people with cooler skin look odd with copper tones. I aim for a red that is a fiery ruby with copper highlights because an all too yellow/orange look also looks weird on me.

[aeryss]

Both gold and silver work for me too, so maybe I'm not just straight olive - but I never looked into it deeper, only when I was trying to find a mineral foundation shade that would look right.

I tried to achive a cool/pinkish red with henna for a while too but eventually gave up, just didn't happen on my hair. Tried the more popular brands/mixes at the time (like Radico Wine Red - very popular with the German Henna red crowd), but the "only" came out a vibrant copper. So I resortet to using Esthertol Extra Strong which contains sodium pictamate or slapping Vampire Red or similar semi-permanents on. ^^
Maybe I should give newer brands a chance or try some that weren't obtainable back then.