Henna Thread, take two

[Flowerness]

When I originally used henna on my hair, first I rinsed it, then I did a mermaid soak (the water turned greenish brown!), then I took a shower. I used conditioner on my hair, scalp to ends three full times and tried to rinse really well. Three days later, I washed it with a shampoo bar (no sulfates here, either for a while- I used to use Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo once a month before I went sulfate free) twice, then used a conditioner bar. I tried to rinse my hair really well, but I noticed the water had a slight brown tone. I even noticed it on my towel? I did mix coffee with the henna, because the internet said that would deepen the brown tones. Yep, it turned out Auburn, so perhaps that's hooey? Maybe its just the coffee rinsing out slowly?

I just wanted to make sure that if I used a sulfate shampoo it wouldn't strip the the color from my hair. The package says it will fade in apx 4-6 weeks. Other people say its permanent, so I wanted to check first. Can you use clarifying shampoo on hair that has been henna'd without it changing your color or making it fade? Do some folks with henna on their hair use sulfates or clarifying shampoo?

Thank you!

[shterntikhl]

Henna itself should not fade with shampoo- if it says on the package "4-6 weeks" perhaps it is not just henna?

[C_Bookworm]

I use both sulfates and clarifying shampoo, although I try to limit my clarifying to right before I henna (so I’ve got a nice clean slate to work with). I don’t think the sulfates budge the henna itself, but it does work on the other stuff - I use indigo, and that definitely lightens during the course of a month. My henna is a Nupur 9 herbs, so it’s possible the sulfates work on the other herbs in the mix, too...but that’s impossible to gauge with indigo over the top.

[Flowerness]

Thank you so much for the clarification! I went ahead and tried it this morning. I used a bunch (I really do like that clarifying shampoo- i tried a sulfate free one and it just isn't the same) and my hair no longer smells like grass! Yay! I also noticed that the towel didn't change color and the water coming from my hair looked pretty clear to me. I was afraid using a strong sulfate shampoo would ruin or alter the color somehow. I'll try to remember to use it a bunch if or when i decide to change henna companies!

[C_Bookworm]

Awesome! Glad it worked well for you!

[Flowerness]

Since its been about a month, I've been thinking about doing my hair again. I was going to switch to another company, but then I realized it literally cost 4x as much so if I wanted to experiment I should just keep on using the same company, Rainbow Henna. It has seemed pretty easy to use, and it doesn't require sitting for a long time before applying, etc. So I wanted to go a bit darker. Last time i got Medium brown, so this time I got Medium Brown and Dark Brown. I plan on mixing the two together- I'd really like to get my hair as close to my natural color as possible. Only, before I do go and color my hair again, I have some questions. Since I'm changing the color, I should cover all of my hair, just like if I'd gone darker with a box dye? Also, last time I ended up with a bunch of spots along my scalp where it looked like I missed spots. This is where my hair is virgin, so did I not apply enough of the Rainbow Henna there, or did I just not leave it on long enough? The hair that had previously been dyed with box dye took the color completely- no problem. But I did have a problem with my virgin hair along my scalp having patches where it didn't color. I do have thick hair though, if that counts. When I colored my hair with the Rainbow Henna I was pretty eager to see how it turned out, so I washed it out after about 2.5 hours. I realize that the first time you use Henna/Indigo it doesn't work as well as the second time. So, before I do the Rainbow Henna on my hair again, I wanted to make sure that I do it correctly this time. If I'm applying the Henna mix all over (using a brush! I just got one just for this!) I will try to take smaller sections, and leave it on for a longer period of time. (Also, perhaps it was too thick?) I'll wrap with saran wrap, and cover with a shower cap and towel and let it sit for a lot longer. I'll also wash my hair really well with Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo beforehand. Anything else?

Thank you so much!

[Flowerness]

I went ahead and used the Rainbow Henna on my hair again. I realized that the last time I hadn't used enough liquid- it was thick, like mashed potatoes. This time, I used more liquid, and I applied with a brush. It was a lot drippier this time, and I didn't have the same problem with missing spots along my scalp. By mixing the medium brown and dark brown, I actually achieved a color pretty close to my natural hair color! Yay! I no longer glow orange/red in the sun, but look like me again. Two thumbs way up!

[Dixie Derelict]

Good for you! That's exactly how it's done: do your research thoroughly, decide on a plan for getting the color/ benefits you want, then tweak a little till it's perfect for you. Then share what you learned.
You're gonna fit right in. Welcome!

[Shorty89]

How long does everyone wait for dye release? I'm usually a pour hot water on it and use immediately kind of person but I've found that I get a smoother mud when I leave it overnight. I live in a basement so it usually takes about 12 hours/overnight for dye release. However, I left it out overnight last night and the dye released too fast. I didn't take the hot weather into account! So, for those who live in warmer places, how long do you wait for dye release?

[Liz_H]

How much will oil affect dye release? I recently saw a recommendation to mix your henna powder with water, and then add 1/4 cup oil for each cup of mud. Safflower oil was the particular recommendation due to its high ceramide content.

If you're curious, this is the site with the oil recommendation. https://farbotanicals.com/best-practices-for-using-henna-and-avoiding-dry-hair/