4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to go from here

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Tue, 2014-04-15 11:05
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KristiinCO
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4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to go from here

I hennaed for the first time in January using the "Light Brown" from Mountain Rose Herbs.  My hair naturally was a medium brown with highlights.  Let me also say that I used coffee with this mix (like it recommended) and put it on immediately after mixing and left on for an hour.  So I got the light brown thinking to always go lighter.  I know the MRH supposedly has good quality henna and it is the mixture of henna/indigo/cassia (not sure of the percentages they use) but I was surprised at how much red my hair pulled.  I had hoped my hair would just be light brown and my old highlights would just come through. (I decided to henna after years of damage and hair loss). So I've done my roots a few times until the bottom had faded so much that it didn't match newly hennaed, red roots.  I will say that the main reason I am frustrated is my color is so different in places so I feel like it doesn't look good, despite feeling healthier.  I am grey/white right at the temple area and along hairline.  This color right there is noticeably different from the rest of my hair.  It is more red, even brassy/orange, which I DO NOT want.  I am really trying to be healthier and repair my hair but I am feeling like caving and going back to my salon, which I don't want to do.  Please please please, I need help!  How do I get less red and my white/grey hair from looking different right at my hairline?!?!?! Do I need to change brands, even what recipe I am doing altogether or will it just not work on my stubborn white hairs!???

 

<a href="http://s1209.photobucket.com/user/kjcrutch/media/hair.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc389/kjcrutch/hair.png" border="0" alt="Henna hair photo hair.png"/></a>

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Tue, 2014-04-15 12:22
bangelcb96
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

Always get your Henna, indigo etc. from this Web site the quality is just the best! 

Good henna should not fade but grow deeper In color.

Go to the henna for hair page and select the category gray and select real peoples henna and indigo mixes to cover gray... watch the video. Follow the directions closely.

You have to let your henna sit for at least 12hrs to release the color then the indigo is added afterwards.

All the information you need to have a success at henna is on this site .If all else fails.....

Troubleshoot your gray hair problems: CALL US!  We'll help!  Toll free 1-855-MEHANDI or 330-67-0600.


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Tue, 2014-04-15 12:26
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
I have combed the site a lot and watched on gray coverage and there is not particular picture/case that applies to my natural hair color.  Overall, my hair is just red and I am just surprised HOW red considering naturally, it was just brown and I used light brown.  It's fine, but now I just can't get these grays to match.
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Tue, 2014-04-15 12:31
ACWN
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

I'm not familiar with the brand you used but I can tell you that premixed brands don't give the optimal color. Coffee doesn't do anything for the color (just gives you the jitters when its absorbed through the scalp).

I would recommend switching to mehandi.com's (this forum's host site) plant dyes. They're pure, lab tested (no other company does this, though many claim to) and 100% safe. You have to mix each separately as indigo and henna have different dye release needs. Henna needs acid and time while indigo needs a neutral liquid (IE water) and no time. You don't mix the indigo until the henna is ready.

I would suggest a 50/50 mix of henna and indigo - this is a medium brown mix. If you want something lighter, I would keep equal parts henna/indigo and then add a large portion of cassia (which has the same dye release needs as henna) to dilute the henna and indigo. A mix of 50% cassia to 25% henna and 25% indigo will give a light, slightly golden brown on GREY. Plant dyes cannot lighten. The rest of your hair should become slightly more brown, but not by much.

When you wash your hair to get the dye out, do NOT use shampoo for at least 48 hours to help the indigo stick better - indigo is touchy and can be pulled out. Before application, you WILL want shampoo but no conditioner as it can inhibit dye uptake. Hope I didn't just confuse you! Before: Shampoo, no conditioner. After: Conditioner, no shampoo for 48 hours.

If after 3 - 4 days, your roots are still too orange for you, you can do a brief indigo gloss to add more brown tones. A half tablespoon indigo powder in water based conditioner for about 5 - 10 minutes should be plenty, IF you need it! I know I just said conditioner inhibits dye uptake, but for some reason it still works in a gloss. *shrugs, palms up*

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Tue, 2014-04-15 12:40
(Reply to #4)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

Thanks so much for the help!

 

So what initial amounts do you think I should order to achieve 50% cassia/25% henna/25% indigo? I definitely don't want darker so I will go ahead and try that mixture with the cassia.  What about amla?  I have some at home.

 

IF I need an indigo gloss, what is a "water based conditioner"?

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Tue, 2014-04-15 13:02
(Reply to #5)
ACWN
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

I always recommend a little more than you think you may need, just in case. Your hair looks like its just passed the top of your shoulders and 200g is suppose to cover that. BUT! I know I always ended up mixing mine too thick at first. When you mix it, mix it to a lumpy mashed potato texture first and THEN mix it smooth after dye release, for some reason its easier. When you mix it smooth, add more of your liquid bit by bit until the cassia/henna drizzles off your spoon in a smooth rope. Indigo doesn't mix that smooth, its naturally very grainy. You can add CMC powder or a little instant pudding powder to make it turn creamy.

I would suggest buying 200g cassia and 100g each of henna (recommend Raj. Twilight) and indigo. Mix 150g of cassia and 50g each of henna and indigo. That will give you 250g, which should cover you just fine. Mix the cassia and henna at the same time (but separately) with an acidic liquid. When the henna is ready (you get an orange peel orange stain on the palm of your hand after a few minutes), the cassia is also ready.

At that point, you will then mix your indigo with the water (Recommend distilled) and combine all three. Apply to freshly washed, towel dried hair, wrap your hair in plastic, then something light to keep it warm (recommend a turbie twist from Walgreens) and leave on for at LEAST 4 hours. No less.

Keep in mind that different liquids will have different dye release times and the suggestion of "12 hours" by another poster only apply to either all lemon juice or amla based mixes. Less acidic mixes will be ready much sooner and if you leave them sit for 12 hours, the dye could potentially demise on you. If you dilute lemon juice, it will have a less time the more you dilute it.

Yes, you can use amla, if you like. It cools the tones of henna. In a straight 50/50 hennigo mix.. the color comes out as a milk chocolate color (warmer). If you add amla, the same mix becomes more of a dark chocolate color (cooler). You add amla powder to the henna powder. 25g per 100g henna (so 12g for 50g henna). Your liquid would be distilled water.

 

Conditioner- cheapie stuff. Suave, V05, and White Rain are the norms that we recommend.

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Tue, 2014-04-15 13:07
(Reply to #6)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

I am wondering do you think I should double my order for having to do roots again soon?  WIth the current henna, I have been having to do my grey roots every 2 weeks!

Also, even though my natural hair is medium/light brown, with the color it is now, how will that change the results I am trying to achieve since technically now it looks reddish brown?

 

 

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Tue, 2014-04-15 13:10
(Reply to #7)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
Also do you recommend I just use lemon juice for the henna?
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Tue, 2014-04-15 13:45
(Reply to #8)
ACWN
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

You can definitely double or even triple your order! The cassia and henna powder can be frozen and will keep forever that way. Indigo must be kept air tight in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and should only be kept a year at most. Freshness counts!

I'm not really sure how the mix will effect your current color. What you COULD do is cut back the mix I recommended and do that on JUST your roots, and then do a brief indigo gloss on your length right at the end of your application time to brown down your length more while your roots get more of the color you're after. Strand testing the mix on your length will also tell you what you'd get and if its going to effect your color. A strand test of a gloss would also tell you how long to leave it on.

 

And its up to you on what you use. If you want your results to be more warm, then use an acidic liquid (lemon juice, orange, or even apple - all have different dye release times though). If you want a cooler result, then use the amla.

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Tue, 2014-04-15 14:35
(Reply to #9)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
I want a "lighter" result, so which do you think?
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Tue, 2014-04-15 14:39
(Reply to #10)
ACWN
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

What you mix it with (acid wise) wont really effect the outcome as far as how light or dark it goes. That is mostly determined by starting color, dye strength and the time its left on. Acid kinda tends to control how orange or brassy the color ends up.

I would say start with apple juice (dye release time of 6 - 8 hours).

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Tue, 2014-04-15 14:44
(Reply to #11)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
Do you think I should do the rainwash before I try the Mehandi?
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Tue, 2014-04-15 14:49
(Reply to #12)
ACWN
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
You can! It won't hurt anything if there's no build up.
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Wed, 2014-04-23 10:56
(Reply to #13)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

Hi again,

 

I am afraid with the mixture you recommended that it will be too dark.  How do you think it would be with a different recipe for a little lighter?  Right now I have light to medium brown hair.

 

I did get in my Cassia, Indigo and henna (twilight)!

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Wed, 2014-04-23 15:40
(Reply to #14)
ACWN
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

50% cassia to 25% henna and indigo will give you a lighter, golden brown. It will not darken your natural color too much and your grays will go a lighter brown.

Yes, you can start testing dye release at 8 hours, though it could take longer. You do this by applying a little henna to the palm of your hand for a few minutes. When you get an orange peel orange stain on your palm, the henna and cassia will be ready.

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Wed, 2014-04-23 15:50
(Reply to #15)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
Thanks so much!
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Thu, 2014-05-01 21:51
(Reply to #16)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
So if I DON'T want orangey or brassy, do I use apple or lemon juice?
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Wed, 2014-04-23 14:33
(Reply to #17)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
So if I am mixing with lemon juice, should I do the dye release for how long?  Do you just start looking at it at like 8 hours?
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Thu, 2014-05-01 17:39
(Reply to #18)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
IF I did end up doing an indigo gloss, when you say "half tablespoon indog power in water based conditioner" do you in my handful of conditioner or the whole bottle?
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Thu, 2014-05-01 12:31
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...

What amounts do you think I should use if I am just doing roots?  or do you recommend I just do all of it?

 

I am trying to time it where I can do it Friday night but that would mean I have to start mixing in the morning while I am at work??!?

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Sat, 2014-05-03 02:26
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
I am not sure why nobody will respond to e but I did the dye tonight. It doesn't look at that different from y premixed MRH mix so why are my greys around the temple still white?????
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Sat, 2014-05-03 02:27
(Reply to #21)
KristiinCO
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Re: 4 months in with henna & frustrated - not sure where to ...
Feeling at a loss.
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