henna gloss recipe??

[tulirepo]

Always strand test. Don't just go on recommendations from people either, collect your sheds for a couple of weeks, even up to a month, depending on how much you shed. And then test various recipes on the different hair balls. See how you like that.

Don't use your head as a laboratory! A longtime user (whose name I promptly forgot) used to say that; wise words!

*Shamefully continues to dye without strand testing...*

The most important thing about strand testing is the fact that with henna you can't really know the results without trying the recipe first. Me, being a reckless maniac, refuse to use my time on strand testing because any possible outcome will please me. With henna glosses it's even easier to skip the strand test because it fades and changes a bit on the go. For the past 6 weeks I've had funky orange color and fiery red one, still leading my hair to be fairly brown before the next dye.

But for the recipes: I recommend using dye-released henna (letting the mud sit from 30mins to 6 hours) and mixing it with some cheap conditioner. Anything from 1:1 to 1:4 has worked with me, but if you want a precise outcome, you need to strand test first. I wouldn't bother mixing any food or other things in there, just henna and conditioner, other hair masks can be done perfectly right after rinsing out henna gloss if needed. I prefer doing a hot-oil treatment or SMT right after henna because it dries out my hair a little.

[Jane99]

Strand testing is so tricky!! It ALWAYS looks so different 3 or 5 days later... I want to strand test and then do the application the next day since I have the henna all ready. Needless to say, now that I know henna doesnt turn my hair green or bright orange without coaxing, I did not strand test.
Ended up doing a 2:1 Cassia:Henna strong gloss (6 tablespoons total powder) and let it sit on my head after due release for 3 hours. Used hibiscus tea a teaspoon of cloves (it is amazing how it helps the smell!).
Three hours is the longest I’ve had on my head. Yes perhaps it’s the repeat applications (3rd in 3 weeks) but I think it was the 3 hours on my head that really brought out the red in this application. I finally feel like I have enough red. Still needs to oxidize a couple more days but I am preliminarily happy.
Whoever came up with the idea to use paper towels around the shower cap to catch the drips deserves a gold star and crown. It worked perfectly. Didn’t drive me insane with the water torture dripping for hours.

[Jane99]

So another question... cassia dye is said to last about a month. So, in about a month if theoretically I don’t want redder but I see the goldeny effects of the cassia diminishing, would a straight strong cassia gloss refresh these aspects? What are people’s experiences? Does hennaed hair with a higher cassia ratio get dull in time and is there anything you do to mitigate this?

I’m also curious about senna.... I saw Nighblooming uses a mix of cassia and senna with henna in her beautiful coppery mixes. I would think the stronger yellow dye from Senna would bring out a more intense/brighter copper. Anyone have experiences with using senna rather than cassia in a “maintain the vibrancy” type gloss?

If she ever reads this, Nighblooming, the information that you have shared about henna both on this site and your website is amazing, incredibly helpful, and has helped me make informed decisions about my hair. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience. Some day I will buy from your shop!

[Soj]

The Cassia Thread

Senna IS Cassia.

[Soj]

*Shamefully continues to dye without strand testing...* <snippage>

*joins tulirepo in shame*

I mean really. My hair is uber dark brown, so dark that when I still thought I should go to them, stylists tried to insist it was black. What isn't super duper dark brown is white, and makes my hair look dingy. ANY shade of red in those greys and whatever red highlights shine out of my uber dark brown hair is going to make me happier.

I'm just not that hard to please, LOL! Of course it helps that it is impossible to turn my whole head bright carroty orange. Those with lighter hair, YMMVS (your mileage may vary signficantly)

[Nightshade]

So another question... cassia dye is said to last about a month. So, in about a month if theoretically I don’t want redder but I see the goldeny effects of the cassia diminishing, would a straight strong cassia gloss refresh these aspects? What are people’s experiences? Does hennaed hair with a higher cassia ratio get dull in time and is there anything you do to mitigate this?

I’m also curious about senna.... I saw Nighblooming uses a mix of cassia and senna with henna in her beautiful coppery mixes. I would think the stronger yellow dye from Senna would bring out a more intense/brighter copper. Anyone have experiences with using senna rather than cassia in a “maintain the vibrancy” type gloss?

If she ever reads this, Nighblooming, the information that you have shared about henna both on this site and your website is amazing, incredibly helpful, and has helped me make informed decisions about my hair. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience. Some day I will buy from your shop!

The Cassia Thread

Senna IS Cassia.

Yes It'd be more accurate to say that cassia obovata is an outdated / erroneous name for Senna italica, but there's more than one Senna. I use two types in my hair colors Senna italica (cassia) and Senna alexandrea. While they both contain Chrysophanic acid (the stuff that makes them stain yellow) I found a source of Senna alexandrea that has a LOT more Chrysophanic acid--it lets me boost and more accurately calibrate the amount of gold.



Senna italica (cassia obovata) on the left and Senna alexandrea on the right, tested on white mohair for 2 hours


What I've found is that when you do a henna gloss you get the diluted red-orange result, but it's lacking depth. Adding in the senna blend dumps in a ton of golden tones which makes the resulting copper richer and more vibrant. I talk a bit about the whole gloss vs henna + senna blend in this article.

And you're very welcome! I made some very stupid decisions early on in my tenure with henna and I sincerely love helping people get it right the first time

[Soj]

So how long does a henna gloss typically last? I'm afraid I'm not seeing a huge advantage to a henna-mud-pack if regular applications of a henna gloss or tea, repeated at regular intervals, has largely he same effects ...

[Nightshade]

So how long does a henna gloss typically last? I'm afraid I'm not seeing a huge advantage to a henna-mud-pack if regular applications of a henna gloss or tea, repeated at regular intervals, has largely he same effects ...

Treat all henna as if it's forever. Some people do get fading, but I wouldn't count on it.

[Jane99]

Thank you Nightshade! It’s all so much information. I appreciate the advice and the experience.
Soj, I think a lot of people prefer the full head henna for the conditioning effects rather than the gloss. I have found the gloss *so* much easier to apply and rinse out. But I wonder if the color dulls faster? Not fades but dulls?
On a side note, for the first time, ever in my life, someone in a parking lot earlier this sunny afternoon, came up to me and told me I have beautiful hair. Glowing like a goldeny red. Inside it looks coppery light brownish. So with me since I have light hair I’m nervous about too much color building up too fast to the point of no return. Although it’s taking self control not to just do a full strength cassia henna application to see if it boosts the red another shade or two. And I dont want to protein overload either.

[Nightshade]

To the last point, henna and senna dont have any protein. Henna binds to the hair protein, like added proteins in conditioners do. So although it isn't a protein, if you have henna occupying those spots you often don't need extra protein in conditioners, so adding lots of protein on top of henna is what can get that protein overload effect---you're putting a protein heavy conditioner on hair that no longer needs it.