Was your indigo permanent?

[Barb]

A couple of years ago I fooled around a bit with henna and indigo. I didn't have much success then, which was due more to my impatience and hasty methods than the ingredients I used.

I don't remember why, but I decided to do a two-step process using the indigo first, rather than the henna. Since my hair is quite gray under my hair dye, the result was some lovely sky-blue roots (lol!)

But here's the weird thing ... the indigo washed right out as soon as I shampooed my hair. (I'd indigoed the day before, then washed my hair the next morning; probably to make sure my hair would be clean for the henna application.) I was thoroughly pissed off and frustrated at the time and decided to just forget the whole thing.

So, has this happened to anyone else? Where did I go wrong?

[lora410]

My indigo still gradually washes out whenever I do heavy oiling or a cleansing shampoo week later. And my roots don't hold well either. Mine hasn't come completely out but I do get much fading of the roots.

[Pifkin]

Mine faded, but it didn't come out the way yours did. I've read that it takes a few times using indigo to get it to "stick."

[HerbalKarma]

Maybe the brand was not good, or it may not have been proper Indigo (indigofera tinctoria). Try a good brand. Normally you would apply the Henna first and then the Indigo. You can apply Indigo alone, but not on grey or light hair. You can also mix and apply together for differing brown shades.

Also Indigo is a bit sensitive in the mixing. You must apply within the 10minutes after mixing,when you can see the dye release (bluish-blk on the top) and greenish underneath, otherwise dye release will not be reliable. Indigo does not store as well as henna or as long, especially when it is opened. hope this helps...
Herbal Karma (UK)

[HerbalKarma]

oh, it does wash out, but shouldn't wash out that quickly. Depending on the type/condition of your hair, it may take on average 6 weeks - 12 weeks to wash out (very depending)

[Evie]

oh, it does wash out, but shouldn't wash out that quickly. Depending on the type/condition of your hair, it may take on average 6 weeks - 12 weeks to wash out (very depending)

Just wanted to say that for some people indigo does NOT wash out at all, it can be very, very permanent.

Please anyone using it, be aware that it can last a long, long time - there are many posts on these boards from people who have still found indigo in the ends of their hair having stopped using it over a year ago.....

Don't get me wrong, I love using indigo but people do need to be aware of how long lasting it can be.

[Isilme]

for me, indigo was permanent from the first application. But, you have to henna the hair first or at least mix in some henna in the mix. Indigo has to have henna to adhere to, otherwise it will often wash out. So, a nice long henna first, and then indigo. Beware that both henna and indigo is likely to be very very permanent.
If you indigo should wash out it will become more permanent with repeated applications.

[Freija]

No, mine wasn't permanent. I tried a two-step process which took me from a vivid henna red (orangey in the sun) to a deep brown (wine-coloured in the sun). It took maybe five months to fade completely - but it isn't there now.

[Brat]

Whether the color fades or not, it's still there. And dont try to bleach it either!

[iris]

Indigo always washed out for me, in about five washes. Whether I mixed it with henna, or applied it right after henna, or used it alone, never made a bit of difference for me. Five washes, gone.

Indigo doesn't bind to hair like henna does, and I think that the variation in how permanent it is has something to do with the natural porosity of the hair - if you have very porous hair, the indigo molecules will just fall out, if you have very non-porous hair, it will not properly get 'into' the hair in the first place. If you have exactly the right type of porosity, it'll get into the hair and stay there (the molecule gets a little bit bigger as it oxidizes so it gets trapped). This is just what I think, it makes sense to me but I don't actually know for a fact