Henna additions and routine

HtBlack

I've been henna-ing my hair for a while and I was wondering what all of you people add to it. (: do you wait for dye release or apply immediately, and do you apply on wet or dry hair, freshly washed or dirty?
Also, funny question if you apply it to yourself. Do you start from the top of your head, or the bottom?

I used to do it just with water and some coconut oil, then last time I added some hibiscus tea and the result was much less copper-y, I liked it. Last time I also tried starting from the top down and it was okay, but it took me forever to be done. XD like an hour and a half...

I bought some hibiscus powder and cold-red henna (which is supposedly less copper-y and more dark red towards purple) from an Italian seller that I never tried before called Le Erbe di Janas, if any euro-curlies would like to try it. I've been told it's pretty good so I can't wait. But I just hennaed last week so I must wait.

sixelamy

I do a 2:1:1 ratio of henna:indigo:amla. Only other additions I use are warm green tea or chamomile tea (whichever I happen to have on hand, I prefer green tea) and a bit of conditioner for easier spreading. If you use a warm substance, it releases the dye right away. My prep time is a total of like 10 minutes. I use Rajasthani Twlight with a higher Lawson % so I can leave it on my hair for as little as 45 minutes.

I use it on freshly washed hair, towel dried. I do mine from the root down. I touch up my roots every month, and will do a full refresh every 6 months or so when it starts to fade a little.

It does take forever to apply if you are doing it yourself. I always have trouble with the back portion of my head, as I do my front first.

HtBlack

That sounds nice! Green tea is definitely new to me. About rajasthani, everything I've heard about the twilight shade is SO amazing! I can't wait until I'm in the States to get it.

I put some conditioner in too, last time! Definitely helped with the spreading. (: I never tried roots application, it just seems so hard to do on my own. -_- I always do full applications because I want to deepen the colour anyway, at the moment.

I make my husband hold a mirror while I'm in front of the bathroom's to do my back, so I can see it better, haha. Still takes ages...

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claudine191

sixelamy, how would I get a brighter copper? You seem to understand the science of all this better than I do.

TIA

HtBlack

She surely knows better, but from my experience, robbia tinctoria definitely enhances the copper for me. (:

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claudine191

I've never heard of that. Is it a common ingredient in henna? Please bear in mind that I have very limited knowledge of ingredients, since I have to write down what they (the local henna dealer out here in the sticks) tell me to order almost every time, and even then forget. I don't know why I have a mental block about this.

Thank you so much!

HtBlack

Sorry, it would be better to call it rubia tinctorum I guess, I used our italianized word. XD

It is pretty common. It's a plant root, I will try to look for a decent link where they explain everything (and failing that, I will tell you- but links are more easily bookmarked, right )!

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HtBlack

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=92406 it's commonly called madder, I didn't know that...*stupid* In this LHC thread the user mentions madder root and a lot of nice ways to make madder's colour different! There are also other natural dyes that are suggested and work in henna mixes.

For madder (rubia) I use half the quantity of henna. If I use 2 cups of henna, 1 of madder. (: they give good instructions on how to prepare it on the thread, but if you're lazy, you can just mix it with warm distilled water and add to the ready-to-use henna paste.

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claudine191

Thank you very, very much!

HtBlack

(: no problem! If you remember to, I'd love to see a picture of the henna+madder if you do it.

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claudine191

Oh, I'm horribly unphotogenic — no exaggeration. And my hair is naturally red to begin with (I'm very vain and militant about this, as everyone on this site probably knows ((I can't help myself!), so that complicates matters. But if I do try it, I will report my results.

Thank you again, and best wishes in your own experiments.

HtBlack

(: no problem, and thank you too!

(I'd love to see it anyway. RED HAIR OMG SO ENVIOUS)

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claudine191

I've taken a break from all the wrapping and heating aspects of henna. I don't mind globbing it on, but I hate all the Saran Wrap and shower cap and ski hat coverage that goes with it. Thus far, I haven't had any ill results from just letting it dry then rinsing as usual.

Anyone else? I'm open to pro-coverage arguments.

HtBlack

I think that it's the same as bleach, only effective as long as it's liquid, not anymore once it dries up. But I'll look for some more scientific opinion.

I would still be scared of losing pieces of dried henna around, saran wrap makes it feels safer and easier to move around in!

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sixelamy

claudine191 wrote: »

sixelamy, how would I get a brighter copper? You seem to understand the science of all this better than I do.

TIA

What do you mean a brighter copper, exactly? As in intensity?

Different lawsone %s will give you different intensities and colors. Very high lawsone % will give you deeper tones than a lower %. I find the Rajasthani Twilight gives off a very nice bright copper color. I've seen a really high % give off more red than copper. Low %s won't cover very well.

As for additions.. I am not so sure. I've used madder root in homemade soap, and it gave a nice red color. I'd be curious to see it in a henna mixture!

RochelleLY

Hey you can find more information on henna hair dye on this website (caresforhairs.com/hennahairdyes). It also contains a color chart and reviews on henna hair dye products from a variety of brands arranged according to the color of the dye! They also provide tips on how to use the henna! Hope this helps!