Thread: save me from dyeing my hair

i bought some of that really good henna from the henna source we were all sharing, i have to admit it stirred up really nice and smooth, nice scent, went on easy and rinsed out well compared to other brands i've tried

and while i do like the color its just not as oompf as i'd like..plus i know with frequent washing it will be gone in about two weeks.

the process of henna-ing is, with a baby around, something i have to schedule. being lazy i'd much prefer the option of going to a salon and sitting under one of those lamps and kicking back than standing naked in a shower applying this sloppy mess.

aside from troubleshooting about what i may have done wrong to not get a full color, and assuming it's safe to color over henna hair,

tell me about hair dyeing and its ups and downs. i know it's a chemical. i know lots of dyeing over time can be harmful to hair. but i've always played it safe, hardly ever use any type of hair product, hardly blow dry, hardly curl..my hair is spoiled and i'd just love a wild mix of dark red and burgundy.

so ..do dyes wash out as well? how often do you have to reapply and is it just as easy to home dye than to go in and have it done?

and here's the side experiment: those hair extensions i bought a couple months ago, i know they were dyed because when i wash them some color runs out. so i took one of the wefts today and henna'd it same time frame recipe etc as my own hair. then i'm going to get one of those store bought dyes from the store and dye it and see what happens. the henna came with a guide that did say this henna is safe to dye over or before a chemical dye. so i'll try it on the extension hair first and if the experiment goes well, i'll snip a piece of my own and try it out too.

i finally got around to sewing in the little comb clips into the hair wefts, they work really well. i hate sewing though.

You could call around to the beauty shops and find out who, if anyone, does color with henna. Chances are you could mix the the recipe at home a day before and take it in with you so some one can put it in your hair. I don't know if you've seen this website but it has pictures of people's hair before and after henna and their recipes and how/what they did.
Henna for Hair: Dye hair with henna, indigo, cassia .... safely, beautifully!

I used the glossy stuff once and I liked the way it made my hair stronger but it smelled like hay.

yup that's the site! maybe i just wash my hair and condition too often for the color to stay put
also i'd love to keep the fiery red tones but tone out the orange ones and do something darker..

Sad to say but red hair dyes stay the least amount of time on your hair, it kinda doesn't stick very well or something like that. I prefer it myself, though, because I have a lot of red undertones in my hair anyway I get semipermanent color. So, it actually fades into my hair without leaving roots. I also go to a color specialist that's willing to trade for massages. (lucky me) She does have a gloss she uses that she says is actually good for your hair. It seals the ends and gives you shine. But just so you know, if you go for a funky color you may need to be prepared to go back often to keep from having funky (in a bad way) roots.The good hairdressers will do a consultation with you anyway. Color specialists are expensive but they should be good. So maybe you should talk to one, ask her credentials, ask to see her portfolio, and if you like her work ask her advice.

Did you use clarifying shampoo before the Henna and how long did you leave it on? Mine never fades out, only my roots grow out and I have to redo them.

I just had to point out that the irony here is that this is coming from probably The Master of dye!

Myself, if I were in your shoes and did not need to cover grey, I'd use semi-permanent reds every few weeks. Yes they're not "natural", but all they do is deposit colour and coat the hair shaft, and they wash out.

Another option is using a colour-depositing henna shampoo - I think they still make them. That will keep your red redder. Many years ago, when I was hairdressing, my coworker decided to turn her bleached platinum hair deep magenta red. She kept the colour in by using a henna shampoo. It worked really well. Unfortunately, when she got tired of being red and decided she wanted to go back to blonde, the henna would not budge even with shampoo bleaching, and her hair started disintegrating! While remaining red. Fortunately, these were the days of The Eurythmics, so she chopped off the mangled hair and rocked a bright orange crew cut for a while.

I don't get it. If you're using pure henna it shouldn't wash out. Henna oxidises after a few days, in that it loses the bright orange and darkens, but your hair should still be red.

If you prefer that orangey colour, you should try cutting your henna with cassia.

How long are you letting the henna sit on your hair for? Do you wait for dye release before you apply?

Originally Posted by khalima

I just had to point out that the irony here is that this is coming from probably The Master of dye!

someone once asked me if i would dye a silk veil in henna..i said well do you want it to look like someone crapped on it?

left the henna on for two hours, no i didnt use a clarifying shampoo, i'm honestly confused by all the recipes available..the color is fine and what is to be expected of henna was just hoping for 'even more' from an expensive henna

its gray and cloudy here so maybe when the sun comes out i'll feel different

oh i should shave and do the annie look lol

like the idea of wash out reds..

if you do decide to dye your hair - there are plenty of salons that use "safer" hair dyes than the ammonia based ones.

My favorite place - that has closed in this area (boohoo) - is Farouk Systems. I loved their hair color! It was the only salon I have ever used that my hair felt conditioned! I never had that "straw" feeling that has happened to me in the past.
Farouk 4.0 - Consumer Site

I have also heard great things about salons that use Aveda coloring.

Since Farouk is gone - Alex was the highlighting king - I think I am gonna try an Aveda salon for highlights...

Sorry, Jesennia, I didn't mean to make light of your frustration. I know there's not a lot of room for trial and error when you only have one head of hair. I've tried dying silk veils, and in comparison, your work is just mind boggling, so I do believe you'll figure out a way to turn out something stunning. Hope it turns out just the way you want it to.

Hi Jessenia
I decided to "go henna" this summer and I've been loving it. My hair is down to my rear, and is glossy, shiny and dark reddish-orange with lighter streaks(my normal shade is plain brown with a little blonde and a few greys!).

A few tips I have:
you *really* have to leave the henna on for about *4 hours* to get good results. Use good quality henna (body-art quality is best).
Mix the henna the night before with lemon juice and then let it sit overnight (at least 8 hours) before you put it on your head. Mix it the consistency of thick yogurt. (you can thin it with water, but the lemon juice is what releases the dye!)
Cut a plastic trash bag and wrap it around your shoulders and clip or tape it in place. Put a little vaseline around your hairline and the tips of your ears so you don't dye them orange.
Wear latex or vinyl gloves when you apply the henna. Have a washcloth or paper towels handy for drips.

For ease of application: Put the henna paste in a plastic zip bag or frosting cone, seal it, and snip off a corner, then squirt the stuff on your roots and smear it in with your fingers. Keep parting sections and repeating, paying special attention to the hairline.

After the first henna job, where you have to get every little bit covered, you can use less henna, concentrate on roots, and smear it down the hair. Not necessary to cover every bit, as it blends and does not fade.

Pile the henna-pasted hair on your head and wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap. If you like, wrap a piece of fabric over it like a turban, so you can go about your business.

After 4 hours, go into the shower with your gloves on. I like to rinse head-down for a couple of minutes, loosening the henna with my gloved hands. Then I add a big dollop of cheap conditioner to work out the dry henna bits, smoosh it around, and rinse more. Flip over and rinse more. Total rinse time is about 5 minutes for long hair.

Remember when the henna first comes off, the hair will be more orange-y than it will after being exposed to air for a day or two--the color oxidizes.
Voila! Beautiful shiny red tresses. I've had random people stop me on the street to tell me I have beautiful hair.
Good luck!

~Sabine

Originally Posted by khalima

Sorry, Jesennia, I didn't mean to make light of your frustration. I know there's not a lot of room for trial and error when you only have one head of hair. I've tried dying silk veils, and in comparison, your work is just mind boggling, so I do believe you'll figure out a way to turn out something stunning. Hope it turns out just the way you want it to.

Ohhh hahahahaaa..l;, i wasn't about to pull my hair out or anything. But yes I'd much rather dye a veil than try to do the hair:)

Sabine thank you for the detailed instructions. You're right, my hair is more red today. I did not condition it yesterday, I just washed out the henna with a slight amount of shampoo (not a clarifying, it was a for color treated hair shampoo)

maybe it's that i've been doing henna for 13 years and am ready for something new..still love reds but am aching for burgundy

to compensate i went outside and dyed a bunch of silk in burgundy and henna/rust and reds today..it helped :) still wanna do the hair tho..my swatch is dry so it's ready to experiment

I added henna baq3 for yemen( is this what you used? Supposed to be higher dye content) and 1/4 indigo and I got a more burgundy color, if you want to try it.
I got it from Mehandi.com and prewashed with clarifying shampoo and then left on 4 hours. I don't wash out with shampoo, just conditioner.
I'm sure it would turn out good if you dyed it also. Whichever you decide you want to do. Good Luck!

IMHO, I would recommend a salon visit since your hair is hennaed, but perhaps someone with henna andother color experience is the best authority. I have never used henna but have had both at-home and in-salon coloring. I honestly can't remember the last time my hair was its natural color! ..l;, I second that red is the most difficult color to keep without regular maintenance- my salon (and most others, maybe even drugstores) have shampoos, conditioners and mousses (moussi? lol) that deposit a bit of red on the hair, helping maintain the vibrancy of the color and allowing the hair to go longer periods between salon visits. I definitely recommend the salon too, since you seem inclined to streaks ~ besides, I think you may relish the opportunity to sit in a chair and be pampered. Personally, I find fewer experiences more relaxing than having someone else 'do' my hair. ,r:;

been intrigued by indigo.. is it easy to go too dark with it and end up with black hair?

ohhhh yes salons..do you want to hear a real bummer? a good friend gave me a 100dollar spa certificate and i CANT FIND it. with wisdom teeth removal and biopsy coming up i need a massage:)

Indigo doesn't stick with the same permanency of henna, so if you do go a bit too dark it's not likely to be permanent.

With repeated applications of henna you can certainly achieve a deep red/burgundy, if you're leaving it on long enough and using good quality stuff - that's where my colour is heading with henna alone.

Also, I don't recommend using lemon juice in your mix. Yes, it's recommended by some websites, but others have found that the acidity can "kill" or inhibit the dye. YMMV.

What is indigo (the product as opposed to the color)?

Originally Posted by maranajla

What is indigo (the product as opposed to the color)?

Indigo dye can be created from a number of sources - for hair colour you should only use indigo made from powdered plant leaves (I think the exact species is Indigofera tinctoria, I'm not certain).

I have very dark hair - like espresso. I just put in some dark auburn and while it has some kind of slight auburn glow, it just didn't take. The only time I've had success with changing my hair color is when I had it stripped and then foiled. Dark hair below the red line is very difficult to change. People with lighter hair above the red line have a lot more success. I've tried hennas too and all they do is sit there. So I feel your frustration because I don't want to spend the money or the time either.

Bonnie i picked up some dark burgundy Faria this evening and i'm going to dye the extensions to see what happens, they are so close in color to my hair so i can get an idea of the color change, then i'll do a small test on my own hair. i'll be the guinea pig!!

anyone have tips on having different colors of dark ..you know how blond girls can have streaks and highlights, what about brunettes?

I think for different colors of dark, if your hair is dark naturally, will require a trip to the salon unless you're not afraid of bleaching your own hair. Streaks are achieved by a cap (ouch) or foils. The color will need to be removed for other color to be deposited, though it is very possible the colorist will be able to remove the color in such a way no additional color will need to be added. The color-remover is rinsed in stages so different shades remain. My hair has been streaked this way a few times with excellent results.

PS: I hope it doesn't seem like I'm harping to hit the salon~ I've just done so many things myself to my own hair and had to be rescued a few times by a pro that reading your posts have brough back some of my own experiments and I don't want you to cry like I did. You may be more gifted though.....l;,