The henna/cassia thread

**Nightshade** · July 13th, 2009, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Cherry_Sprinkle

Hey Nightshade, how long should I leave my next application on since I went for the full 6 hours this time and the next will have slightly more henna? I don't want to darken the color

Uhm... I'd say about 2.5-3, tops. Go more towards 3 if you're making it runnier and more towards 2 if you're blending it thicker.

**Elettaria** · July 14th, 2009, 02:48 AM

Oh, another thing: if I do the roots and the whole head several days apart, possibly even a week, is that more likely to cause colour build-up, and will it affect how well it deals with the seborrhoeic eczema? I'm still trying to work out how much I need there. All I know is that someone on this board got rid of her SE by putting on henna for four hours. It's looking like I'll be doing henna/cassia for 5 hours over two applications, and I'll probably make the proportions 35/45 for the roots and 35/65 for the whole head. I still don't know how much the cassia might help, and whether the henna will work just as well when diluted down with cassia (and I'm fairly generous with the amount I put on).

Annoyingly, I thought I was going to be doing 2/3 henna when I placed my order, so I now have 600g henna (which I won't use up even in years at this rate) and 200g cassia (not enough for the whole head at the new proportions). Obviously I'll have to make more henna converts locally!

I'm also thinking of start the root application (which I'm tempted to do tonight!) from the front of my head and the whole head application from the back. I don't want the colour to build up too much on one side, and I assume it would be harder to do the whole head starting from the back. Not that I'm particularly looking forward to doing the 4" roots starting from the front either. I think I'll have to part my hair and have the henna lying from the centre to the side, if that makes sense.

Have you personally tried aloe vera in henna/cassia? What was it like? I was thinking of adding a smidgen of coconut oil to help any dryness, do you reckon that's a good idea?

**Nightshade** · July 14th, 2009, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by Elettaria

Oh, another thing: if I do the roots and the whole head several days apart, possibly even a week, is that more likely to cause colour build-up, and will it affect how well it deals with the seborrhoeic eczema?

Well, redoing the same hair with any amount of henna will probably cause a bit of buildup. In my experience, though, my cassia/henna blend fades on the first application and is colorfast after the second, so you may be fine

I don't see how spacing out treatments would hurt you treating your seborrhoeic eczema.

I'm still trying to work out how much I need there. All I know is that someone on this board got rid of her SE by putting on henna for four hours. It's looking like I'll be doing henna/cassia for 5 hours over two applications, and I'll probably make the proportions 35/45 for the roots and 35/65 for the whole head. I still don't know how much the cassia might help, and whether the henna will work just as well when diluted down with cassia (and I'm fairly generous with the amount I put on).

Both cassia and henna are very soothing on the scalp, so I think it's worth a go

I'm not experienced with SE, but I'll be watching your progress with interest!

Annoyingly, I thought I was going to be doing 2/3 henna when I placed my order, so I now have 600g henna (which I won't use up even in years at this rate) and 200g cassia (not enough for the whole head at the new proportions). Obviously I'll have to make more henna converts locally!

I know how that goes

I had ordered a kilo of henna at one point, but thankfully I had used a good part of it up before switching to cassia/henna. Too bad my hair was too dark as a result!

I'm also thinking of start the root application (which I'm tempted to do tonight!) from the front of my head and the whole head application from the back. I don't want the colour to build up too much on one side, and I assume it would be harder to do the whole head starting from the back. Not that I'm particularly looking forward to doing the 4" roots starting from the front either. I think I'll have to part my hair and have the henna lying from the centre to the side, if that makes sense.

That does make sense, but don't worry about it too much. The color is pretty forgiving, and I know the first few times I hennaed it took a good long while, so some spots had soaked much longer than others (nearly an hour!), but there was no noticeable color difference

Have you personally tried aloe vera in henna/cassia? What was it like? I was thinking of adding a smidgen of coconut oil to help any dryness, do you reckon that's a good idea?

I have used aloe and while it didn't do anything noteworthy for me, it didn't hurt either.

You'd be fine using oil if you wanted

Check out Lexy's experiment on using oil in henna here. You want her 6th experiment.

**Elettaria** · July 14th, 2009, 07:59 AM

Ooh, how about a bit of fenugreek in there?

For coconut oil, I'm thinking of 1/2 tsp in the 80g mix, and 1 tbsp in the 400g mix.

I'm trying to work out how to start from the front with roots that length, as I've just remembered that when I hennaed my friend J from the front, we piled all the hair on top as it was a full-head application, and that's not going to work in the same way with roots. The front, particularly in the middle, is the worst area for eczema, so I'm still trying to work out a way to do this. Maybe do the top section, putting the hair to each side, and then start right at the bottom for the lower half? Or just shove a glob in the front centre in such a way that it doesn't get in the way much, and then start properly from the back?

**Nightshade** · July 14th, 2009, 08:19 AM

I think fenugreek would be fine

I know for roots some people do a loose braid (or several of them) so there's a few inches between the scalp and where the braid(s) start. then you can just mush henna into each root area.

**sycamoreboutiqu** · July 15th, 2009, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by Elettaria

Ooh, how about a bit of fenugreek in there?

For coconut oil, I'm thinking of 1/2 tsp in the 80g mix, and 1 tbsp in the 400g mix.

I'm trying to work out how to start from the front with roots that length, as I've just remembered that when I hennaed my friend J from the front, we piled all the hair on top as it was a full-head application, and that's not going to work in the same way with roots. The front, particularly in the middle, is the worst area for eczema, so I'm still trying to work out a way to do this. Maybe do the top section, putting the hair to each side, and then start right at the bottom for the lower half? Or just shove a glob in the front centre in such a way that it doesn't get in the way much, and then start properly from the back?

I too find relief from my scalp eczema when I do my henna.

I began my Cassia-Henna journey tonight as the straight henna was starting to get too dark.

I did a 1/3 Cassia and 2/3 henna mix and a root only (well, about 3" of roots) app, but then mooshed it down the length until I ran out.

So far - the wet color looks great - coppery red, especially on my grey root area.

I will take pics in the next few days.

PS - Trying to get to 25 posts as I cannot view anyones pics yet ... darn.

Angela

Originally Posted by sycamoreboutiqu

I too find relief from my scalp eczema when I do my henna.

I began my Cassia-Henna journey tonight as the straight henna was starting to get too dark.

I did a 1/3 Cassia and 2/3 henna mix and a root only (well, about 3" of roots) app, but then mooshed it down the length until I ran out.

So far - the wet color looks great - coppery red, especially on my grey root area.

I will take pics in the next few days.

PS - Trying to get to 25 posts as I cannot view anyones pics yet ... darn.

Angela

PS - The Avatar was from my second henna when the color was still nice and coppery. I was starting to get into the dark red and cherry tones which for my age is just too dark.

**Elettaria** · July 15th, 2009, 04:48 AM

Glad to hear another vote for scalp relief with henna. If you look at the second page of posts in this forum, I put up a post specifically to discuss that issue. How long did you leave the henna on for, and how long did the effects last?

I made up the henna/cassia last night with 44g cassia, 36g henna, strong chamomile tea, and 1/4 tsp coconut oil. Then I took some heavy-duty painkillers because I started to get nasty shoulder pain (please let it not turn into acute calcific tendinitis, I couldn't cope with that again!) and was consequently too stoned on codeine to walk in a straight line, let alone henna. So the mix has gone into the freezer and will be used for some other victim or perhaps a gloss.

I might put some essential oils in the roots mix, which we're hoping to do tonight. What's the current verdict on whether or not they deepen the colour of the henna, and would they still do that with a henna/cassia mix? The ones I do best with for my face are German chamomile and rose geranium. German chamomile contains cuminic (aldehyde) and azuline (sesquiterpene): do sesquiterpenes have the same effects as terpenes where henna is concerned? Patchouli is another option (sesquiterpene but no terpenes), perhaps myrrh (does have terpenes).

**Nightshade** · July 15th, 2009, 07:19 AM

I've never done terps with henna/cassia, but when I was using just henna I never noticed a color difference on hair from them.

At that, you could mix in the EOs just before you apply so they can work with your hair and not so much terp your henna mix.

**Evilynn** · July 15th, 2009, 08:20 AM

This might be an odd question, but how little henna does it take to give you any kind of colour? I'm a medium warm toned blonde by nature, but in the winter (with zero sun exposure) my hair looks sort of dishwater-y grey in the roots are, and I'd like to give it a subtle shift to make it warmer.

I suppose I can experiment with it, but maybe someone else has tried to go a faint strawberry blonde?

**Nightshade** · July 15th, 2009, 08:25 AM

I think Shell started with just 1TB of henna in a cup of conditioner for a gloss. You'd have to ask her, though.

This is what's in the herbal hair article for a blonde booster

Blonde Boost & Condition- Adds deep conditioning and warm hues to blonde hair. Please see the chart at the end of this document for what color this may give on your natural hair color.
1 TB body art quality henna
2 TB cassia obovata
2 TB chamomile powder (open up 1 chamomile tea bag)
Mix powdered ingredients into a paste using water and/or chamomile tea as a liquid. Cover and place somewhere warm until you see dye release. The color of the paste may look darker. Mix the paste with 1C yogurt or conditioner, wrap hair in saran wrap and allow it to sit for 2 hours. Rinse and condition.