Henna/cassia + hibiscus

**stardust lady** · November 9th, 2021, 01:21 AM

So after a recent experiment with temporary color depositing conditioner, I realized that I wanted to add a bit of cool red tones to my current hair color. I'm using close to a 50/50 blend of henna and cassia currently.

I don't have a whole lot of shed hair, so I'm going to have to wait to test this on my own hair, but for now I have mixed up two batches (using a very sensitive scale) of mud: one with 50/50 henna & cassia, and another with 50/25/25 henna/cassia/hibiscus. I mixed in plain, hot distilled water (boiled it and left it out for 15-20 mins to cool down) - I measured out an equal amount of water for each. Then I let it sit in my 74 degree apartment for 4 hours. Then I put each in their own ziplock and placed in the freezer. While doing so, I put a dab of each on the back of my hand and let it sit for a few minutes to see if I noticed and differences (didn't expect to): http://imgur.com/a/pkQEnhv. I felt like I didn't put enough of the hibiscus mix on my hand the first time, so I added another dab. The top and left dabs were with hibiscus, and right without. The glop of just henna and cassia was very generous, but for some reason it didn't stain nearly as well as the ones with hibiscus. In certain lighting, it also appears more yellow. Could be in my head, but that's promising.

Posting this because I'd like to hear from anyone who has used a significant amount of hibiscus with their henna, especially if they dilute with cassia.

I'll report back after I've collected enough shed hair to experiment with, but it's not going to amount to a whole lot, since all my hair is already hennaed. If I decide to add hibiscus, I'll basically just be doing it to my roots, since I'm growing out darker henna. I think if I soak the test strands long enough, hopefully I'll notice some kind of difference.

**Jane99** · November 9th, 2021, 08:26 PM

Hi Stardust lady! It sounds like you have some good experimentation going on!! I hope you find a mix that gives you the effect you desire.

Right now I’m doing 1:1:1 henna:cassia:hibiscus mix using powder.

What I think I notice from the hibiscus is kindof like a rosy sheen that appears in some lights. It’s hard to *really* tell if it’s a sheen that is from the hibiscus or if it’s from multiple layers of henna adding up but it is like a rosy sheen, almost a pinkish tone. It’s subtle but there. I haven’t strand tested with hibiscus to see if there’s a difference but I think there is. Could also be placebo effect

I use hibiscus powder mixed in but also some dried hibiscus in the tea to make the mud. I put a lot of herbs in the tea not just the hibiscus and not more hibiscus than anything else. I’ve read that hibiscus tea is what enhances the red tones so I just do both. Why not.

I hope this helps and good luck!! I’d be curious to see your results

**stardust lady** · November 12th, 2021, 10:16 PM

Thank you for the reply Jane99! I am currently strand testing the two mixes I made after collecting enough shed hair. I'll take some pics to share once it's done.

I also asked Henna Sooq customer service about this and they said that they didn't recommend I cut henna with hibiscus in place of cassia since the hibiscus could result in a darker shade. I had told them my intention was to boost red tones without darkening. It seems to me like this may not be possible without bleach, which I'm not interested in. After reading through the henna + hibiscus thread, I realize that most people who did 50/50 henna and hibiscus were going for cherry cola or burgundy. The fact that the henna was cut by 50% and many of them were achieving really dark results is telling.

**shelomit** · November 13th, 2021, 09:34 AM

North Africans sometimes use hibiscus (we call it "karkadeeh") as a conditioner. My hair and my grandmother's is too dark for it to affect our color, but does stain my mother's slightly. I find that it makes my hair split up into strands a bit more than it naturally does ("breaking the locks") and has a slightly softening effect, though not as much as fenugreek or catnip. It doesn't make enough of a positive difference for me to use it except when I'm at my grandmother's house, where it's always around. The color effects definitely do not last on the hair as long as henna does.

Although the fresh hibiscus tea looks very red, when it dries it gets a lot cooler, almost a blueish light purple. If you have ever poured leftover hibiscus tea down a white sink, you will unfortunately already know this : P Scrub, scrub, scrub. . .

**stardust lady** · November 14th, 2021, 12:56 AM

I think I might enjoy a hibiscus mask - how long do the de-clumping effects tend to last for you?

Also the color results between the henna/cassia mix and the henna/cassia/hibiscus mix were basically indistinguishable. Here they are with natural light filtering through each. Control is in front, which is my already hennaed hair: http://imgur.com/a/JOt6LfD

I'm fairly close to pulling the trigger on a more saturated henna mix again. Considering adding some high antioxidant acids to prevent darkening. I think that might get me where I want. Red raj just had a too high lawsone %.

**shelomit** · November 14th, 2021, 09:39 AM

Not long--maybe ten or fourteen days. I've never used it as a proper mask that's kept on for some time and then rinsed off; the way my grandmother does it is simply to dip the hair into the hibiscus water, squeeze out the excess, and let it dry. That at least has the advantage of being quick and easy to do at the end of a shower, particularly if you are a hibiscus tea drinker and already have it around the house.