Henna? Hair help needed.

[foodmachine]

I have short ultra-bleached blonde hair. So right about now I look awful with my dirty blonde roots and NEED (ok, really, really want) to do something. I don't dare bleach. I'm considering red or black henna. Is there anything dangerous I should know about henna?

TIA

[JessicaTX]

from what I understand, black henna isn't henna at all. Red henna is. It looks like a green powder. When I used henna in my hair I mixed it up, left it on overnight and had orangey hair the next day that went to red in another 2 days, then it faded over the next three weeks, it left my hair soo soft and shiny! It was awesome =)

[jennica]

I've used henna before. I've used the mahogany color and the auburn color. Neither made my hair super red, but definitely made it redish. Henna gives a really nice rich color to your hair, and it dyes each individual strand of hair based on it's original color, so your hair doesn't look dyed all one color, it looks really natural. It makes it softer and healthier too. I'm not sure what it would do to bleached hair though, I would be a little worried about that. If you went with a brown or black it might be okay, but the red in any of the other colors will probably come out really strong in bleached hair. Also, it is a huge hassle to put in and makes a massive mess everywhere (unless you can get a friend to do it for you). I had to switch to real dye because the henna doesn't color the gray so well (makes it bright red).

[is it puppies?]

I've used henna on my dyed blonde hair and the porous areas turned green. VERY green. The rest turned orange. And this was a much lighter reddish-blonde shade of henna, it totally doesn't work like dye.

[kallyn]

I use henna from here: http://www.hennaforhair.com/ It's the only one I'll use. The stuff you can get at the store has a bunch of crud in it that can definitely turn your hair green, like a PP mentioned. The henna from the website I linked to is just powdered henn with nothing else in it. They also have lots of helpful pictures to show you what it will look like on all kinds of hair, including bleached, so you can see if you think it will work for you. I think the website also has a henna in pregnancy FAQ so you can see if you're comfortable with it. AFAIK henna is the only dye that is actually ok to use while pregnant.

[jess_paez]

Originally Posted by kallyn

I use henna from here: http://www.hennaforhair.com/ It's the only one I'll use. The stuff you can get at the store has a bunch of crud in it that can definitely turn your hair green, like a PP mentioned. The henna from the website I linked to is just powdered henn with nothing else in it. They also have lots of helpful pictures to show you what it will look like on all kinds of hair, including bleached, so you can see if you think it will work for you. I think the website also has a henna in pregnancy FAQ so you can see if you're comfortable with it. AFAIK henna is the only dye that is actually ok to use while pregnant.

i do that henna as well, i use cassia obovata, which isn't henna, but it does leave your hair a natural looking color if you're already a blonde and it conditions really well. i love it.

[Katielady]

Originally Posted by kallyn

I use henna from here: http://www.hennaforhair.com/ It's the only one I'll use. The stuff you can get at the store has a bunch of crud in it that can definitely turn your hair green, like a PP mentioned. The henna from the website I linked to is just powdered henn with nothing else in it. They also have lots of helpful pictures to show you what it will look like on all kinds of hair, including bleached, so you can see if you think it will work for you. I think the website also has a henna in pregnancy FAQ so you can see if you're comfortable with it. AFAIK henna is the only dye that is actually ok to use while pregnant.

I've been wanting to try this, so was psyched when I saw this thread in new posts. I find the site you linked a little overwhelming though. I looked at the page showing how it looks on different hair, and would like to go for something like this: http://www.hennaforhair.com/mixes/alisong/

But how does that translate to products to buy from the site? Can anyone explain a bit?

[kallyn]

Originally Posted by Katielady

I've been wanting to try this, so was psyched when I saw this thread in new posts. I find the site you linked a little overwhelming though. I looked at the page showing how it looks on different hair, and would like to go for something like this: http://www.hennaforhair.com/mixes/alisong/

But how does that translate to products to buy from the site? Can anyone explain a bit?

Here is the page where you can actually order the henna itself:
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/hairhenna.html

So you pick whichever of those you like the sound of. I use Ancient Sunrise for my dirty dark blonde/light brown hair. That's the only thing you need to order from the site. The only other thing you would need is lemon juice, which you can just get at the grocery store. Oh and latex gloves, unless you want your hands dyed for 2 weeks!

When the henna comes it will be in a packet that is just powdered henna leaf, so you need to mix it with the acidic liquid to release the dye. For the mix you liked, you'd mix it up with lemon juice and water and let it sit for 12 hours, then dye your hair. She said she let it sit for 1 hour in her hair, but I do 4 hours for mine. You work it in real good at the roots then coat the rest of your hair thick like mud. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then cover it with an old towel. The plastic wrap holds in heat and it helps the dye penetrate your hair. Then just wash it out! Conditioner helps get it out better than shampoo does.

Two things I would recommend though. Get the reconstituted lemon juice that comes in a little plastic lemon or whatever, and don't bother squeezing your own! You'll just have to pick all the pulp out of your hair afterwards otherwise. The other thing is that henna smells very VERY grassy and it can get to be a little much, but you can make it smell better by mixing a few drops of essential oil into the henna mix before you apply it.

Hope that was helpful!

[Katielady]

kallyn- very helpful, thanks! I'll post back if I decide to go for it. I had red hair as a kid that changed to brown as I got older; after college I started dying it red, but after a while my very fine hair started to become damaged. I painstakingly grew the color out when I was pregnant with DS and have been reluctant to go back to coloring it, but at the same time, I miss being a redhead!

[Terrilein]

Oh, yeah, henna! I'm very grey and used to be a henna head. I used indigo as well to attain the dark brown color my hair used to be. When making up the henna glop I actually did the quicker course and only left it out for an hour before applying to my hair. I then left it in for 6 hours to get as much color as possible. But whatever you do, be sure to do a strand test to find out how your bleached hair will react to the henna. It's also good to see and compare the results from several strand tests to determine how red you're hair will get for X number of hours. Then you can do your whole head accordingly. Good luck and show us pics afterwards!!!

[Kidzaplenty]

Not to hyjack the thread, but if anyone with experience could help me, I have been considering henna for a while but was not sure of any "bad" results it may cause my hair. I am a natural fairly dark brown hair (mid back length). So, for all you experienced henna users, is it likely to do something really funny to my hair? I am guessing, if I understand all that I have read, that it is most likely to make my hair a darker brown/red/auburn. And is it possible to leave it in too long? I was thinking of letting it set (before applying) for a day or two and then leaving it in over night. (I would really like it as dark auburn as possible.) But, could that be too much?

Anyways, thought I would ask.

Oh, and thanks for the links above.

[kallyn]

Originally Posted by Kidzaplenty

Not to hyjack the thread, but if anyone with experience could help me, I have been considering henna for a while but was not sure of any "bad" results it may cause my hair.

From the place in my link above, you can order a $1 henna sample that will be jut enough to dye the hair you pull out of your hairbrush. That way you can see exactly what color it will turn your hair before committing to do your whole head!

[enigo]

I did henna once myself a couple years ago. The color was perfectly fantastic! I have never had such beautiful color or shine. The only problem was the mess. Oh man. I imagine after a few applications one would get better at it. It would be great to have someone help you put it on.

[foodmachine]

Originally Posted by Terrilein

Good luck and show us pics afterwards!!!

Pictures! Now I'm nervous.
Thanks for all helpful insight. I'm very excited to order some and give this a try.
One more question: I have trimmed part of my hair already, so I've got dark blonde on the sides and back and longer bleached on top. Am I doomed?
Maybe it will come out really cool... darker on the dark parts and quite bright on the bleached bits???

I will do some strand tests.

[Terrilein]

That will very likely be your result. My grey hair was very bright orangey red until I did the indigo (I hennaed on day one and did indigo on day two). But your profile says you live in Sweden? I'm in Germany and I still have some henna from mehandi.com left - ok, it's two years old I think and hasn't been frozen, so I don't know if it's any good. If you'd like to try it, let me know per PN and I'll see if I can find it. It might save you a lot of money importing it.

[terrordactyl]

DO NOT USE HENNA with BLEACHED HAIR it will turn green, bleach and henna together make green hair. bad bad idea

[squiggy]

Originally Posted by Shaina

DO NOT USE HENNA with BLEACHED HAIR it will turn green, bleach and henna together make green hair. bad bad idea

As with all hair dyes, do a strand test!

If you use pure, real body-art quality henna from someplace like hennaforhair.com, you are unlikely to have problems dyeing over previously bleached hair. (But to be safe and sure, do a strand test first!)

If you use henna in a box from a store that comes in colors other than red (the henna plant, lawsonia inermis, ONLY comes in red!) it very likely contains other mystery ingredients & salts that can definitely be the source of a green hair result. Use these at your own risk.

Do a strand test (get some hair off of your hairbrush or clip off a little lock) and use real, body art quality henna. The website above has great resources for mixing henna to create different results.

Henna is awesome! Mine never ever fades and I just touch up the roots every six weeks or so.

[JessicaTX]

Well...i've never had my hair turn green. I just used powdered henna and lemon juice, once when I wanted darker I mixed the powdered henna with a strong black tea and lemon juice. I did have bleached bits in my hair from highlights I'd done to myself. the bleached bits were very bright, but it all faded to pretty much nonexistant after 3 weeks.

[foodmachine]

Originally Posted by Terrilein

That will very likely be your result. My grey hair was very bright orangey red until I did the indigo (I hennaed on day one and did indigo on day two). But your profile says you live in Sweden? I'm in Germany and I still have some henna from mehandi.com left - ok, it's two years old I think and hasn't been frozen, so I don't know if it's any good. If you'd like to try it, let me know per PN and I'll see if I can find it. It might save you a lot of money importing it.

Ohhhh! That would be great! I'll PM you now.

[LadyCatherine185]

I would be VERY cautious with Henna. Like a PP said, on bleached hair you can have some very crazy results. Also, once you have Henna on your hair, you cannot color/bleach over it. It stains your hair so nothing else can get in.

My suggestion would be to tone the ends with a semi-permanent (on bleached hair it acts as a permanent color) color that is amonia free, that matches your natural color, or is one shade lighter. It may gradually fade out but it will look very natural.

(disclaimer: I have been a professional hairstylist for 6 years)