Thread: Lovin' the hennaed hair!

I put henna in my hair for the first time 2 months ago, and I just have to say, I absolutely love it. My hip-length hair was previously dry and splitting from an old perm, and now it feels healthy and smooth, and the shine is incredible. I has mousy brown with some natural blonde streaks, now it's burnished reddish-brown with some auburn. Covered up those couple of greys that were begining to show here and there, too!
I ordered my henna from Catherine Cartwright-Jones' site thehennapage.com, and they were fast and fab.
Hooray for henna. I'm sold!

You know, I've always wondered about henna but I've been using chemical dyes since I was 14 or 15......I'll have to ask my mom about it. How's the fade factor?

I'm gonna have to do henna sooner or later. I don't have enough grey yet to "require" it, but the other benefits are enough to make me want to do it anyway. I have naturally auburn hair - which is one of the best colors to henna over from what I've read on CCJ's site.

How bad was the mess? That's the main thing that is holding me off. I'm hoping it will allow my hair to grow a bit longer too.

I HENNA! I have for a while, if you saw the photoshoot teaser of me a week or so back you can see how healthy it makes my hair, The only thing is once you go henna you can never go back, That is it, the chemicals can and most likely fry it if you chemical after henna and contrary to popular belief it doesnt come out in a few weeks/months. Not too messy putting it in but out is a ***** but I dont mind

Anwynn is 100% right. Henna coats the shaft, while most chemical dyes penetrate the shaft.

My stepmother is a stylist...and I got an earfull when I hadn't mentioned past henna experience prior to my bleach blonde days.Even after 3 strippings, my hair was baby-chick at the roots and Dial-Antibacterial Orange the rest of it. We had to dye it all bright orange...which suited me at teh time but she kept saying "Do NOT tell them who colored your hair, say you did it yourself."

Zorba, I've never done it on my own head but I've applied henna to another person's hair (when I was a hairdresser, long ago) and it's not really all that bad, messwise. Yes, it's messy but it's fun.

How timely - I am planning to henna my hair. I got the Lush henna block sitting there, waiting to be applied. After years of temporary red dyes from the drug store, I am ready ;-)

AFAIK, it is OK to apply both henna and chemical dyes - IF and only IFF the henna does not contain additives. Often, henna for hair has metal-based additives, which do not react as one would like with the chemicals in commercial hair dyes - the famous green hair. But, from all I read, pure henna does not have that behavior - ie. it depends on the kind of henna one uses. That's why a strand test is recommended.

Welcome to the henna club! I love my henna-ed hair; I've been doing it for maybe three years.

About the mess factor -- I made a big mess all the time at first, but now I've gotten it down to a science. I make it easy on myself by getting undressed and sitting in the bathtub to do it, then showering off all the stray splotches of henna that have accumulated all over my body.

Sometimes I use the powdered henna from hennaforhair (I'm also a big fan of them), and sometimes I use the henna that comes in a block from Lush. The powedered is a bit easier to avoid getting all over the place because you prepare it by mixing it with lemon juice to a paste consistency, which is a bit easier to get a grip on than the more liquid texture that you mix up for the Lush product. But the Lush is also fine in terms of color deposit and conditioning the hair.

Way back in the 80s you could buy a henna formulation that was in a bottle, already whooshed up into a nice thick cream, which would make your hair very red without having to get all that mud out of your hair and scalp. It was called Autumn Glo and I used to buy it at Treasury Drug, but then, like all good things, it disappeared from the shelves, anywhere.

It's spoiled me. When I put something on my hair now it's always that "Natural Instincts" stuff. I might go back to the henna, though, just bite the bullet and endure the "process of the paste."

welcome to the henna club! now that i do it every month, i've managed to avoid the 'goose poop' mess with only minor drips and max coverage in less time.....even the stylist who cuts my hair (and HATES henna) admits my hair is really healthy for it's length....love the stuff..........i mix my henna (from castleart.com, they have henna for hair which is mehndi grade, usually yemen or indian, left over from crops that are great for hair) with warmed red wine and ground cloves (tho used nutmeg recently since i couldn't find ground cloves.........still looks rich!) to get a nice coppery auburn on my natural medium ash blond (read: dish-water, khaki bleah) not to mention it smells REALLY nice, not so haylike or spinachy.

my hair is REALLY fine, but the henna gives it SOME body, and alot of conditioning............doing henna for about 15 years......

Ooooh this is a timely thread! I am thinking about henna-ing my hair for the first time and wondered if there were any special tips or tricks to get the deep conditioning and highlights without going full on I Love Lucy red. How do you ladies do it? I want to get this right the *first* time LOL

So what about putting henna on chemically-treated hair. Or is it only a problem if you put chemicals on after henna? Assuming the henna isn't 100% pure.

I recently switched from Natural Instincts to henna. I switched because I got tired of the red fading and, over multiple applications, gradual lightening of my hair. I love it.

Henna is very very permanent. Once you have hennaed, you cannot easily lift the color out as you can with conventional hair dyes.

Two tips: Make sure you get body art quality 100% pure henna. Do a strand test whatever you decide on, using shed hairs from your hairbrush.

This site has good information and lots of pics: Henna for Hair

Originally Posted by dunyah

So what about putting henna on chemically-treated hair. Or is it only a problem if you put chemicals on after henna? Assuming the henna isn't 100% pure.

You can use pure henna on chemically treated hair. However, some "henna" products contain ingredients that, on chemically treated hair, can cause hair to break off, turn green or other funny colors, or otherwise severely damage your hair.

go to 'reverendbunny.com', a whole website devoted to henna n hair, how to get around treated hair (very funny too, great sense of humor)......if you treat your hair, you WANT to do a strand test first......bad reactions come out black or green, so strand tests are vital......and don't use metal bowls, spoons, anything..........that gets reactions too...........

perms don't work with henna, i found that out yeeeaaars go....

on reverend bunny, there are several formulas for different reds......if you have darker, brownish hair, it's not gonna go 'ilovelucy', it'll just deepen and redden your natural color, but if you want it mellower yet, one trick is, along with whatever acidic liquid you use, vinegar, lemon juice, red wine, etc.....you can mix coffee grounds with it.....or for not so dark, you can use cinnamon, paprika or ground cloves for a coppery color......indigo for much darker/blacker, etc...........great page...........

what i like best about henna, as it grows out, there's a little bit of fade, but it's so gradual, i generally don't even NOTICE roots unless i've got at least 2 inches (when i get lazy :p)......which is why i do mine every 3 months......since it doesn't lighten your hair with time like chemical color does, the roots arent as prominent..........

I henna - things to think about for those considering it:

1. It's PERMANENT. There is no shifting it.

2. Henna can't lighten your hair. Henna builds up, too, and doesn't fade much after the initial oxidation. So, once your hair is a colour you like, it's best just to apply the henna to new growth so the ends of your hair don't get too dark. Full length applications to "refresh" the colour can be achieved through henna glosses (a small amount of henna mixed with conditioner), or full strength henna once or twice a year.

3. If you're buying henna that says it will dye your hair something other than straight red, it's not pure henna.

4. Some henna being sold as pure henna, isn't. Always strand test.

5. If the henna you use isn't completely pure, you can't use conventional hair dyes over it. The results AREN'T GOOD.

6. Henna is messy, but kinda fun. Protect your skin, because it WILL turn orange if you don't.

7. Henna is generally speaking, great for your hair. Some people experience temporary "dry" hair, so it's a good idea to moisturise your hair well for the week or so after you henna. That said, I find that henna in the long run makes my hair *less* dry, more strong, more smooth, and more thick.

For my experience, the mess factor was pretty high, but tolerable and kind of fun. I put newspaper on the floor, put on a plastic bag over my shoulders, and had my hubby goop the henna in while I wiped up face drips with a red washcloth. We both wore gloves. It took 30 minutes to get it in and wrapped. It was pretty heavy to wear for 4 hours, but I just wrapped a turban around it and went ouWhen I washed it out, I just got in the shower and held my head down for a while and worked it out, adding conditioner and rinsing. Looked like the shower scene in psycho, but I took a scrub brush and some baking soda in with me and easily cleaned it off afterward.

When I first washed it out it was almost I-love-Lucy orange, or at least it felt like it--a serious halo effect, but gorgeous. It was mellower the next day, and perfect by day 3.

Weird but cool side effect I hadn't anticipated: the hair is now totally sleek and soft, with no curl or wave at all. I have naturally straight hair, but I'd had an old perm. No curl remains. The hair is amazingly shiny in the sun, too, and the color looks natural because there is variation in shade where I had lighter hair and darker hair.

5 weeks after I first did it, I noticed very little fading, and only a subtle grow-out of roots starting. Since my hair is brown, it blends in pretty well. I re-did the whole head after 6 weeks, and next time plan to do just roots.

I have had 4 random people stop me on the street or in the store, and tell me I have beautiful hair. I've had many many compliments from people I know.

My hubby loves it too!

I've been using henna for about 5 years now. I won't deal with doing it myself, I found a hairdresser who will apply it for me, then I sit under a hairdryer for 45 minutes, then she shampoo's and washes it out. I love it! It turns my greys to a really shiny pretty reddish-orange. I buy mine at the natural grocery store, they carry it at Whole Foods also. I've used to different brands, one is called Rainbow Henna, the other comes in a box, and it has a fox on the front.

is it actually better for hair ..and the condition of hair ? or is it just better for hair in comparison to commercial dyes?

i have no greys and normally do not dye my hair but i am obsessed with making my hair healthier...

so if its really good for hair its something id consider... .. any opinions on this?

It is good for the hair, aasiyah; it seems to have a strengthening effect, it makes hair feel thicker, it often looks shinier, and I find my hair retains moisture and protein better now.

If you're interested in the conditioning effects of henna but don't want to colour your hair, I suggest looking into cassia, which is sometimes mistakenly called neutral henna. Cassia will impart many of the same qualities as henna to your hair without adding red - cassia has a light golden tone, but it will only show up if you have quite light hair/grey hairs.

You might be interested in this article.

ETA: Just to be clear, the linked article is quite an in-depth look at henna, cassia, types of henna, instructions, the benefits and the drawbacks involved.

thank you natalie... looks like im going to try this!

henna rules. i've been using it for about 13 years now..sometimes i long to do something wild like burgundy streaks or something but overall henna is healthier for hair. i'd say natural too but i have no room to talk since i have large saline implants in my chest..g.:

i know a gal who paints her nails with henna and they are like orange rusty ombres..it looks really nice

i just ordered some henna and some indigooo yaaay im exiiiteeeeeed!!!

Good luck aasiyah - remember to strand test and patch test on your skin! Let us know how it goes.

I use henna also! My hair looks healthier than it has ever been and it's actually starting to grow longer now.
I use body art henna from mehandi.com

"go to 'reverendbunny.com',"

I copy/pasted this and it didn't work, is this the right address?

Originally Posted by Shirin.

"go to 'reverendbunny.com',"

I copy/pasted this and it didn't work, is this the right address?

Is this it? index

I need to look into henna for hair. And/or indigo. I go slightly red over time anyway. Stinking sunlight (which I don't actually see that much).

Sigh, hiding the gray with regular semi-perm color right now.