Henna

[AnneLovesGilbert]

Haven't coloured my hair for over a decade but fancy a change. Hair is long and reddy brown and I want something without too many chemicals if possible so henna seems a good option.

Any advice on how to choose one? Is there much variety in colours? How difficult is it to do and how long will it last?

I bought Lush henna for a while. All you have to do is chop/grate it, melt it and apply to your hair. It's really thick and messy, so I used to do it in the bath and then wrap my head in cling film for a few hours.

I wanted to use the henna to cover my grey hair - only have a small amount near my hairline and wanted to put off expensive treatments for as long as possible.

The henna didn't really cover the grey, despite me using it for a year. When I went to the hairdressers, the colour didn't lift properly because of the henna, so be warned.

I used henna for years and was very committed - I used pure body grade henna and experimented with different additions [it was the reddest you could get]. It was lovely, left hair well conditioned and because I was graying gave some colour variation.
But being more than 30% gray now I wouldn't return. It was VERY messy! I have a lot of thick shoulder length hair and henna would take me all day to process, apply, leave on then wash off. Very time-consuming.
I need to colour my hair every 4-6 weeks to keep up with my roots and I got to a colour specialist that can get me the red I want and do it for me - it still takes a couple of hours but I'm not doing it myself!

Oh and it will last really until it grows out/cut out, which is another reason why it's a commitment as hairdressers are reluctant to colour over henna imho.

Thanks for the tips. I don't need to cover any grey and I like the idea of how long it lasts once on, but then the downside is what I don't love it.

I've been using henna for almost a year and love it. I've got dark brown hair with a small smattering of grey and it looks lovely. I use body art quality powdered henna and mix it with lemon juice and tea. I'll post a pic when i get home as i'm currently at work.

There's a huuuuuge long Lush Henna thread on here , I'll try and find it.

I used Lush henna after cropping out box-dye (I had maybe 1/2 an inch on the ends) started with the brun and added quantities of noir over a period of months. My hair was the colour of a red setter at one point and that was without the rouge henna .
Lush have 'rouge' 'marron' 'brun' 'noir'

It is messy
It is time consuming.

Worst bit is washing it out , I got in the shower, used neat conditioner then shampooed then cleaned the shower. My hair id never longer than 2" now so I'm not talking loads of henna.
I never got the mirror like shine but the condition was good and it smells like Turkish Delight (unlike BodyShop which I used in my 20s and smells like fag-ash)

Mine is long gone, I'm going grey but I'm pondering more hair colour adventure ..................

AnneLoves

I've bumped the Lush Henna Thread.

My own locks make a guest appearance on 28/03/16

I haven't used any henna since Oct 2016 but just skim reading the thread, I was doing a re-application every 2-3 weeks where my roots came through (grey)

You'll need a non metal bowl, non metal spoon to stir, clinfilm, turnan towel to wrap (warmth increases red but its too messy IME to walk about uncovered)

I melted a square or two in a bain-marie and cooked it for 15-20 minutes. Needs to be a single cream thickness.

Read through before you commit . Once its in, it has to fade (slow) or cut out (quicker but drastic).
And yes, any hairdressers I've been to have thrown their hands in horror but I did't use dye after the henna or perms etc.
It is unpredictable so strand test and be aware it oxidises and changes after 24-48 hours

I mix 75% casia to 25% red henna to get strawberry blonde. Amla powder added to the mix makes it browner or indigo. Also adding coffee works.

Lush isn't that great quality.

My hennaed hair.

So so helpful, thank you all. I'll have a proper read of the lush thread, very grateful.

I'm pretty low maintenance so good to have an idea of how it actually is to do it.

I can't remember anything about dyeing it at home in the past, was so long ago, and it was a shop box dye, not henna which sounds more processy.

Also, my hair is nipple length so quite long. Sounds like it could be extremely messy.

Its not that much more messy than a box dye. Lush is ok to experiment to begin with but real henna is far better. Lush is like a rinse. Henna and Indigo is a good proper dye. I absolutely love henna. I get it from hennacat. I use a mix of both to get a dark brown red with firey red streaks where my grey is. I love it and very often get complimented. You can keep it on at night and wake in the morning to hennaed hair. The washing out is fine. Real henna is absolutely fine to get out and no grit [ well the stuff i use anyway]. The lush henna is very gritty.

..my hair is not as long as yours but almost reaching my bra at the back.

Inbetween dyes i use loreal magic spray root colour in a reddish colour. It means i have to do it less often.

Interested that you use it on grey as that is when I stopped using henna and went to box dye. Your henna sounds much better than what I used over 15 years ago. Tempted to go back to it if the grey goes fiery red.

My hair is really grey underneath the henna. I use a mix of henna and indigo. I never do it exactly but i have a beautiful streak in my hair of pure firey red!!! The rest of it is a lovely deep auburn colour. Its needing re-done atm. I need to reorder indigo as i only have henna left. I wouldnt bother with Lush. Its absolutely no use on grey hair. It dyed it orange. You do need to use indigo with it. Its the only reason that i stop myself going grey is that i love the colour of the henndigo mix.

Sounds lovely. Would I need to grow out all the box dye first or would it coat over it?

Fairly new to henna with only a bad experiment (from Lush-bright bright orange!) a decade ago.
I'm a natural redhead but it's getting a bit blondy-ginger around the temples and crown. I'd like to get it back to its original mahogany colour from teen years. Can anyone recommend anything?

PlymouthMaid1 I didn't but you do need to do a strand test first to gauge the colour and the time you want to leave it in for. If you have just dyed your hair, i would leave it a few weeks. If it hasn't been dyed for 4wks do a strand test first mixing a small amount of indigo and henna. On the other thread there should be links of how to apply henna and how to mix both. You can also freeze the henna and mix it with indigo as and when you need it. The whole process is fairly straightforward.

Loveache I think henna would revive your colour.

Lush henna here too.

It is not 'true' henna in that is does v gradually fade, so you do not have the full commitment you'd have with proper henna that never washes out.

I stopped using henna last year (just got bored) and cut my hair from v long to v short, so am now my normal brown with some grey bits and am enjoying the wash'n'go simplicity of it all (have also chucked the GHDs and am going all curly), but did like what Lush henna did for my hair, condition and looks-wise.

Thank you Never. Will finish off my current boxes, two left I think then maybe go for it in the winter so I can wear hats if its a disaster. I used henna from the age of 16 to about 40 so would love to go back to it.

It wont be a disaster honestly. If you want to have it darker rather than red, just add more indigo. The only thing i worry about is when i bite the bullet and go grey. I have no idea how i will grow it out as there is no way i want to cut my hair!

No that will be a big step but who says you have to go grey, henna it until you are too old to care. My Mum still colours her hair at 76 as she cant face the grey.