Lush Henna - thoughts please

[Chocolatebourbons]

Has anyone here used Lush Henna before?

Was it easy to use? Were you happy with the results?

Thinking of using as I can't use salon dyes anymore.

Following. I used it once years ago, the result was very red and the process was a total mess, but I was very inexperienced with hair at the time.

It is very messy but great for hair. What colour is your hair at the moment?

I use it a lot, it's great but it helps to have somebody to do it for you. I do it for my daughter and she does it for me.

I did it for DD in the summer and it was a lovely colour but a bloody faff to use (she has thick, bra strap length hair though)

I'm interested though - I can't use hair dye due to massive allergies - is henna safe?

I do it with a friend once every 6-8 weeks. It's messy and a total faff but I love the way it makes my hair look and feel.

*nowtygaffer

It is very messy but great for hair. What colour is your hair at the moment?*

About 2 inches of natural mid brown roots and an faded 4 month old permanent reddish chestnut brown colour - would like a natural looking mid/chocolate brown all over.

It is messy but I do much prefer it to conventional hair dyes.

I like how it makes my hair feel afterwards and it just seems more ethical

You apply a lot more than usual hair dye and it is quite like a warm cowpat when made up correctly (sorry, possibly not selling it well here).

It is best left on for quite a while if I remember correctly (again probably more time than an alternative dye).

It will make grey hairs stand out quite brightly, a bit flamey- so this would contrast with other non-greys but can be quite attractive if you are prepared for that.

You could volunteer as a guinea pig in a Lush shop if you don't mind sitting there and being watched (although I can appreciate that this would be some people's worst nightmare).

I'm allergic to salon dyes now so use henna. Some people are allergic to henna or to cheap, contaminated henna so do a patch test first.

My hair is in much better condition using lush henna's but it can make hair look greasy much more quickly after washing for a few weeks after colouring.

If you want black hair and have grey hairs then you need to use the caca rouge first to cover the greys then use the caca noir (there's less henna in the noir - it's more indigo so less coverage for greys).

It is messy, use as little water as possible to mix the henna. Use it within a year of buying - it goes gritty and is much more messy to use the older it gets. The colour isn't as strong when the henna is old but it still conditions really well.

It takes longer, but I find it much nicer to use than other hair dyes, I grate the bars which makes it melt easier. It smells OK. It doesn't sting like other dyes on the scalp and hair feels softer and smoother, less dry.

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies! I think I'll pop into a store and get an assistant's advice first rather than order online...just need to brace myself for the pushy sales tactics I always experience in their stores!!

They gave me a free sample and gloves to try in store..

I seem to remember the Lush henna faded more than plain henna powder but bear in mind that henna is pretty much as permanent as it gets, especially the more times you use it.

I've hennaed for about 10 years so am a big fan, but now I want a change I can only go with a very dark brown chemical dye to cover. The ginge is always lurking underneath and nothing short of scissors will get rid of it 😅 I'm fancying blonde now, but think I have at least 18 months to go before I can cut off the henna

I love it. If you talk to the shop assistants they will give you instructions and gloves. Apparently some stores will even apply it for you (though you'll then be in public with henna in so not sure how that works) it is a bit of a FAFF to make up and apply, but my hair loves it and the colour is gorgeous.

I put it on and for the last bit get in the bath

Any one used henna on blonde hair?

My colour is currently a medium ashy blonde (via bleaching). I'm sick of the condition of my hair and have been gradually trying to return to my natural mousy dark blonde but feel that's it's just too dull.

I'd love to be a light auburn colour but suspect with the previous bleaching if my hair it might just go bright red, I'm not sure I'm ready for that!

I used the rouge about 3 months ago on my shoulder length hair.

I used 2/3 of the bar and grated it finely - this bit took the longest. This is to make mixing and melting easier.

Use gloves and cover everything!

It is very messy to apply but as I did it over the bath I was relieved at how easy it cleaned. (I did it straight away)

After coating and smothering my hair in the earthy smelling mixture I clingfilmed and scarfed my hair and left in on all day.

Washing it out was easy enough, again in the bath, took a while though.

My hair felt amazing and turned from a dark brown into a lovely red with some streaks of flame orange where I have natural blond bits.

The colour has held well and is just fading now, the one thing I didn't like was the earthy smell I got every time I washed my hair for a while, but apparently that's pretty normal with Henna.

I prefer to the usual chemical dyes, and it isn't hard to use, just messy and time-consuming.

I have mid back length light auburn hair and used to do my hair bright bright ginger with this.

I used about two squares grated and disolved in boiling water to the consistency of custard. Cool to hand-hot and leave on for 4 hours with clingfilm.

Felt disgusting but I had amazing hair!

I regret using henna.

I have a tiny amount of grey around my Earline and wanted to use henna instead of dye. The henna initially worked and then it stopped covering the grey.

When I then stated going to the hairdressers, the dye wouldn't take because of the henna. You cant dye over henna, so it is a long term commitment.

You can dye over it if you go darker, but there might always be a glow, and you're obviously limited in colour choice