Indigo is NOT WORKING! aaarrgghhh!!!

[betty-boo]

How are you all getting this blue-black?

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I'm trying to colour my mum's hair black with indigo. I used henna, let that release and applied it to her hair. After 45 mins, I rinsed it out and added boiling water to the indigo and used it when it cooled - say 10-15 mins? I applied that and rinsed it out 45 mins after and - nothing.

This is the second time I've done it in her hair with no result. She is not going to 'bear with me' any longer if it doesn't work out again.

Is the indigo supposed to release a colour? Because mine doesn't - its still green-after 15 mins. Is that right? Maybe I have a bad batch?

 

[JustKiya]

Ah.

You have to MIX the henna and indigo together, and apply all at once. The henna 'carries' the indigo dyes into the hair.
You mix the henna first, allow the color to release. Once that is done, mix the indigo into it's water/paste, add that to the henna, and then apply the whole mess.

Sareca is the indigo goddess, so she would be able to give you finer points - but yeah, indigo on it's own does *snapsfingers* a whole lotta not so much.

 

[WomanlyCharm]

Mixing henna and indigo together will give you a very dark brown/soft black, not deep black.

To get my blue-black, I henna first for at least an hour, make sure the henna color is covering everything it should (all the grey!) then apply the indigo and let it sit for about 45 minutes.

Don't wait 10 -15 minutes, put the indigo on immediately! The color release is very fast, after a short amount of time, it won't color anything anymore.

If it doesn't work after that, then I'd say you either got hold of a bad batch, or don't have real indigo. That may be the case, especially if it remains green.

 

[betty-boo]

Thanks nappywomyn and womanlycharm. Yes, I really would like a blue-black colour and not a dark brown.

So womanlycharm, do I apply the indigo on top of the henna? I don't rinse the henna out?

And yes, the indigo doesn't change colour at all - it never turns black but remains green.

Do you think this may not therefore be indigo?

 

[betty-boo]

bumping for answers

 

[WomanlyCharm]

Thanks nappywomyn and womanlycharm. Yes, I really would like a blue-black colour and not a dark brown.

So womanlycharm, do I apply the indigo on top of the henna? I don't rinse the henna out?

And yes, the indigo doesn't change colour at all - it never turns black but remains green.

Do you think this may not therefore be indigo?

Rinse the henna out first, then put the indigo in.

Where did you get this indigo from? Because it sounds like it may not be indigo at all. Mine always turns a dark bluish-purple color. You may have cassia (which I've never used) or something else.

ETA: This is what it's supposed to look like when mixed with water:
http://www.hennaforhair.com/indigo/index.html

 

[destiny616]

the boiling water killed the indigo. use luke warm or room temp water to mix with the indigo. don't let the mixture sit. apply it right away.

 

[destiny616]

Rinse the henna out first, then put the indigo in.

Where did you get this indigo from? Because it sounds like it may not be indigo at all. Mine always turns a dark bluish-purple color. You may have cassia (which I've never used) or something else.

ETA: This is what it's supposed to look like when mixed with water:
http://www.hennaforhair.com/indigo/index.html

it was probaly indigo. the mixture turned black because the boiling hot water cause the dye molecules to oxidize

 

[betty-boo]

Oh I see!! I will try it again with room temperature water. Thanks Destiny for the heads up! If it still doesn't change colour to the blue-black that womanlycharm posted (thanks womanlycharm!!), then I'll have to send it back. I may have been sent the wrong thing.

Thanks everyone!!!

Love you all!

 

[betty-boo]

Well I just tried a little 'indigo' with warm water and nothing has happened - its still as green as grass and showing no signs of changing. So I'm definitely sending it back. I'll have to get indigo from somewhere else.

Thanks again!
xxxx

 

[Lotus]

Dog'on it. I just mixed mine w/boiling water too. Shoot shoot shoot!!!!!

Man, if it doesnt release.. I'll just use and do another henna this weekend.

ETA: Follow up. Well, I can say whether there's a total release. But what I noticed is that the indigo on the top released for sure. Then when I stirred and took a bit out to strand test... it was green then turned blue. Maybe the release has something to do w/oxygen. Next time I'll 'release' it in a shallow dish and see if that makes a difference.

 

[betty-boo]

Well! I just did my mum's hair last night again!
I sent back the 'indigo' that was sent to me from some people in the UK called:
www.henna-boy.co.uk
and they sent me out some proper indigo.

After doing the henna treatment, and rinsing that out of her hair, I put warm water in the indigo and mixed it (I add EVOO to this and to the henna) and then applied it immediately without waiting for it to release. I left it on her hair for about 1 1/2 hours. When I took her palstic cap off, the paste had turned black. I then rinsed it out.



Its so beautiful and black! And shiny! She loves it! And is willing to give me another chance to do it again. lol!

Thanks you guys! You're the best!

 

[JustKiya]

SO glad it worked out for you!!

 

[Evalina1]

Have anyone every used Surya Henna Brasil Hair Rinse (Black), My hair is so so so black and feel very strong....

 

[JFemme]

Have anyone every used Surya Henna Brasil Hair Rinse (Black), My hair is so so so black and feel very strong....

I purchased it a few back, but opted to use bigen (again) this time round..

I was afraid it would not effectively cover my grays, and that it may run (bleed) after my workouts( I sweat up a storm)..

The reviews of this product have been great...

*sorry for the slight hi-jack*

 

[Evalina1]

thanks for the info on Surya...I really love it but I do not work out (I do not sweat when I work out) But thank You

 

[betty-boo]

Thanks nappywomyn!!!!!
And everyone!!!!!

 

[WomanlyCharm]

I just read how it all turned out...glad I could help Betty-boo!

Tell your mum I hope she's enjoying her jet black hair!