Do ya'll henna?

[~*Tigget*~]

Good luck...looking forward to hearing about your results

OMG!!!! I finally finished reading this thread....it took me 3 days but it was well worth it, there is a wealth of information in here. I'm planning on doing jet black tomorrow, using the 2 step method. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[girlcherokee]

Yep..& no it doesn't over do at all. I've done it twice this way, no problems

i think i will try this. i def feel the difference in my hair since i have been using cassia and the other herbs, but starting out my hair was so weak, it needs all the help it can get. any thing about your mix that you think may help with this? how do you keep it from messing up your pillows and stuff.

 

[WomanlyCharm]

I hennaed my hair again last night, then did indigo...it came out sooo black and thick, it's lovely. I couldn't be happier.

I did do one thing that made my hair feel like butter, instead of dried out and crispy like it usually does after henna:

After rinsing out the indigo, I used ORS replenishing conditioner and chloresteral (sp?) then sat under my steamer for 20 minutes. I swear, my comb glided through my wet hair like it was air. And once it dried, it was so soft and smooth...it was amazing!

I've decided to do this at least once a month, I've been slacking.

 

[Khadija.D.Carryl]

I hope for all those newbies trying out the henna and herbs that it all works out well!!

Every henna powder has a different amount of time needed for dye release.

Here are a few tid bits to help you choose your henna powder that would be right for you.

How to Choose the Right henna powder

How to dye your hair with henna and indigo

 

[baddison]

I hope for all those newbies trying out the henna and herbs that it all works out well!!

Every henna powder has a different amount of time needed for dye release.

Here are a few tid bits to help you choose your henna powder that would be right for you.

How to Choose the Right henna powder

How to dye your hair with henna and indigo

THanks for this, HennaSooq. I think I know where I want wrong in my process, and am eager to try the one-step henna/indigo agian.

 

[flowinlocks]

OMG!!!! I finally finished reading this thread....it took me 3 days but it was well worth it, there is a wealth of information in here. I'm planning on doing jet black tomorrow, using the 2 step method. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ok so this is how the Henna/Indigo experience went: I mixed up 100g of henna with just water, I let the color release over night then this morning I added a small amount of cheapie suave cond. & CD Hair Elixir oil. It smelled kinda funky, but I got use to it. I made my mixture the consistency of relaxer & applied as I would a virgin relaxer from roots to ends. double baggied & let it marinate for a little over 2 hours. I rinsed my hair VERY easily, then I cowashed with more suave to remove the rest of the henna. I then proceeded to mix up my Indigo with water & a little salt. OMG!!! This mess stunk sooo bad I was bout to puke!!! It started off smelling like doo doo & spinach, then ended up smelling like marijuana!!! At this point was the only time I questioned why the heck am I doing this. Anyway I applied the same as the Henna & let it sit for an hour, rinsed & dc with ORS Replenishing pack & Aphogee Balancing moisture. The end result was VERY soft strong hair. I did however experience a little shedding , but not enough to be alarmed. The Henna came out coppery brown on my ng & barely showed on the ends due to black color that was already there. The Indigo came out Black, but not as dark as I would have hoped. I understand this is a gradual process so I will try again for Blacker hair. Over all it wasn't too bad except for the smell & the waiting. I will post a pic. in a few.

 

[flowinlocks]

Here it is.
Oh yeah , after looking at this pic. I couldn't take it anymore & gave myself a trim, it's been forever since I had one because I wanted to keep enough hair to make a bun. Let me tell you it feels soooo much better & healthier.

 

[Zawaj]

Ok so this is how the Henna/Indigo experience went: I mixed up 100g of henna with just water, I let the color release over night then this morning I added a small amount of cheapie suave cond. & CD Hair Elixir oil. It smelled kinda funky, but I got use to it. I made my mixture the consistency of relaxer & applied as I would a virgin relaxer from roots to ends. double baggied & let it marinate for a little over 2 hours. I rinsed my hair VERY easily, then I cowashed with more suave to remove the rest of the henna. I then proceeded to mix up my Indigo with water & a little salt. OMG!!! This mess stunk sooo bad I was bout to puke!!! It started off smelling like doo doo & spinach, then ended up smelling like marijuana!!! At this point was the only time I questioned why the heck am I doing this. Anyway I applied the same as the Henna & let it sit for an hour, rinsed & dc with ORS Replenishing pack & Aphogee Balancing moisture. The end result was VERY soft strong hair. I did however experience a little shedding , but not enough to be alarmed. The Henna came out coppery brown on my ng & barely showed on the ends due to black color that was already there. The Indigo came out Black, but not as dark as I would have hoped. I understand this is a gradual process so I will try again for Blacker hair. Over all it wasn't too bad except for the smell & the waiting. I will post a pic. in a few.

OMGoodness that is exactly how it smelled!

 

[flowinlocks]

OMGoodness that is exactly how it smelled!

LOL, I thought I was gonna get a contact from my head!!!

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

OMGoodness that is exactly how it smelled!

I didn't notice it, but my husband mentioned the exact same thing!!! He was like, if i didn't know you better, I would swear you were doing something that you shouldn't...I do know that I woke up with a massive migraine headache the next morning, throwing up and everything...I was so surprised...usually i can feel them coming on, but this was out of the blue...

Also, the indigo i bought was sooo hard to wash out, if you leave particles in, could it cause breakage, shedding? My hair is doing both and that is very unusual. I am really thinking this is why, i cowashed like 5 times and rinsed and rinsed and I still had particles in my hair...this was NOT good.

 

[Zawaj]

I didn't notice it, but my husband mentioned the exact same thing!!! He was like, if i didn't know you better, I would swear you were doing something that you shouldn't...I do know that I woke up with a massive migraine headache the next morning, throwing up and everything...I was so surprised...usually i can feel them coming on, but this was out of the blue...

Also, the indigo i bought was sooo hard to wash out, if you leave particles in, could it cause breakage, shedding? My hair is doing both and that is very unusual. I am really thinking this is why, i cowashed like 5 times and rinsed and rinsed and I still had particles in my hair...this was NOT good.

@ the bolded! My step daughter was like 'That stuff stunk up the whole bathroom'

Oh I thought I rinsed all of mmine out but I didn't. I haven't noticed any breakage though. I got my indigo from Henna Sooq and it was relatively easy to rinse out I was just rushing.

 

[Aggie]

I didn't notice it, but my husband mentioned the exact same thing!!! He was like, if i didn't know you better, I would swear you were doing something that you shouldn't...I do know that I woke up with a massive migraine headache the next morning, throwing up and everything...I was so surprised...usually i can feel them coming on, but this was out of the blue...

Also, the indigo i bought was sooo hard to wash out, if you leave particles in, could it cause breakage, shedding? My hair is doing both and that is very unusual. I am really thinking this is why, i cowashed like 5 times and rinsed and rinsed and I still had particles in my hair...this was NOT good.

Hey BBB, i typically wash about 8 or 9 times with cheapie conditioner, then I would follow up with some DC for an 1.5 - 2 hours afterwards, then do some more washing. Some ladies actually sleepwith some moisturizing DC in their hair overnight to reduce the drying effects of the henna/indigo treatment.

I would recommend a few nights of baggying your hair to get the suppleness back in your hair as well. I usually also DC about 3 times the week following my henna and indigo treatments and moisturize daily for sure. I don't get the drying affects I used to get when I first started to henna my hair.

 

[flowinlocks]

My Indigo isn't lasting very long at all , or else I'm just use to commercial dyes & rinses. I did the 2 step method for jet black hair. I even put a little salt in the Indigo mixture as directed, and it came out black on the ends & very dark brown at the roots. I realize the is a gradual process so I waited a week & reapplied the Indigo only. I added water & salt only this time. Last time I used cond. also, so I figured this stopped it from adhering some. I focused mainly on the roots first, like I was touching up a relaxer, the end result was almost the same except it looked bluer, however after a few days it did look blacker, but after 1 cowash & 1 regular shampoo it's almost gone again. Do I have to use this stuff once a week to make it stick? I HOPE NOT.

 

[flowinlocks]

bumping.........

 

[Aggie]

My Indigo isn't lasting very long at all , or else I'm just use to commercial dyes & rinses. I did the 2 step method for jet black hair. I even put a little salt in the Indigo mixture as directed, and it came out black on the ends & very dark brown at the roots. I realize the is a gradual process so I waited a week & reapplied the Indigo only. I added water & salt only this time. Last time I used cond. also, so I figured this stopped it from adhering some. I focused mainly on the roots first, like I was touching up a relaxer, the end result was almost the same except it looked bluer, however after a few days it did look blacker, but after 1 cowash & 1 regular shampoo it's almost gone again. Do I have to use this stuff once a week to make it stick? I HOPE NOT.

I know when I indigoed my hair the first time it didn't take as well as I wanted it to because I didn't apply it the way it was supposed to be applied. If you are doing the 2-step henna and indigo treatment, then it's recommended that you wash the henna out, but try not to use any deep conditioner on the hair because the DC keeps the indigo from adhering to the hair.

Here is my procedure I did to give impressive results - copied and pasted from my fotki:

My Indigo Mixture for After-Henna Treatment

I only do a very simple indigo mixture as indigo does not co-operate well with a lot of other powders and conditioners or oils. So here is my simple Indigo recipe:

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
--200 grams, ie, 2 boxes (about 7oz) of indigo
--Distilled water (hot but not boiling water)
--1 teaspoon of sea salt
--plastic wrap
--foil wrap
--newspaper to spread on the floor during application
--Old dark towel for shoulders
--Paper towels to wipe up excess spills/droplets of indigo paste

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS:

-Mix all the ingredients in a plastic bowl to the consistency of a thick yogurt-like paste. I make sure my hair is air dried after the henna treatment and free of any shampoo, conditioner and oils.

-I apply the indigo to my henna-ed hair from roots to tips immediately after mixing. The indigo color does not have to release, it must be applied right away because it will lose it's coloring properties if allowed to sit too long.

-I then wrap my hair air-tight for 1-2 hours with plastic wrap and foil wrap.

-I then wash out the indigo with lots of water and cheapie conditioner for at least 8-10 times.

-I end the whole process with deep conditioning for at least 2 hours - half of the time with heat and half without. Sometimes I will sleep with my DC on my hair overnight depending on whether or not it's on a weekend and I have the time.

UPDATE:
MY HAIR CAME OUT PRETTY BLACK THIS TIME. I LOVED IT!!!


Aggie

 

[flowinlocks]

I know when I indigoed my hair the first time it didn't take as well as I wanted it to because I didn't apply it the way it was supposed to be applied. If you are doing the 2-step henna and indigo treatment, then it's recommended that you wash the henna out, but try not to use any deep conditioner on the hair because the DC keeps the indigo from adhering to the hair.

Here is my procedure I did to give impressive results - copied and pasted from my fotki:

My Indigo Mixture for After-Henna Treatment

I only do a very simple indigo mixture as indigo does not co-operate well with a lot of other powders and conditioners or oils. So here is my simple Indigo recipe:

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
--200 grams, ie, 2 boxes (about 7oz) of indigo
--Distilled water (hot but not boiling water)
--1 teaspoon of sea salt
--plastic wrap
--foil wrap
--newspaper to spread on the floor during application
--Old dark towel for shoulders
--Paper towels to wipe up excess spills/droplets of indigo paste

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS:

-Mix all the ingredients in a plastic bowl to the consistency of a thick yogurt-like paste. I make sure my hair is air dried after the henna treatment and free of any shampoo, conditioner and oils.

-I apply the indigo to my henna-ed hair from roots to tips immediately after mixing. The indigo color does not have to release, it must be applied right away because it will lose it's coloring properties if allowed to sit too long.

-I then wrap my hair air-tight for 1-2 hours with plastic wrap and foil wrap.

-I then wash out the indigo with lots of water and cheapie conditioner for at least 8-10 times.

-I end the whole process with deep conditioning for at least 2 hours - half of the time with heat and half without. Sometimes I will sleep with my DC on my hair overnight depending on whether or not it's on a weekend and I have the time.

UPDATE:
MY HAIR CAME OUT PRETTY BLACK THIS TIME. I LOVED IT!!!


Aggie

Thanks, I'll try it with the foil the next time. I didn't apply conditioner after the Henna, but I did use it in my Henna mixture, along with oil so my hair would be soft & it would rinse easily. Do you think this may have hindered the color from sticking?

 

[Aggie]

Thanks, I'll try it with the foil the next time. I didn't apply conditioner after the Henna, but I did use it in my Henna mixture, along with oil so my hair would be soft & it would rinse easily. Do you think this may have hindered the color from sticking?

No because I put oil and conditioners in my henna as well. I really feel that your hair is a little resistant right now, But use the indigo about every 3 weeks untril it really bonds with your hair. I have less and less color loss via washing the longer I use it.

 

[flowinlocks]

No because I put oil and conditioners in my henna as well. I really feel that your hair is a little resistant right now, But use the indigo about every 3 weeks untril it really bonds with your hair. I have less and less color loss via washing the longer I use it.

I only did Henna once & I left it on for 2 hours, about how often should I do the 2 step process? between Indigo treatments?

 

[flowinlocks]

Oh yeah is sea salt better than regular salt for this process?

 

[BlueNile]

So funny, I just pulled out a dusty old box of henna from my cabinet like 10 minutes ago gonna do it this weekend!

 

[myronnie]

No because I put oil and conditioners in my henna as well. I really feel that your hair is a little resistant right now, But use the indigo about every 3 weeks untril it really bonds with your hair. I have less and less color loss via washing the longer I use it.

Also, could i suggest to the OP that you should try using non-sulfated shampoos more that sulfated ones. I did a hendigo about 6 weeks ago and the black lasted for about 4 weeks, as I only used non-sulfated shampoo bars

 

[flowinlocks]

Also, could i suggest to the OP that you should try using non-sulfated shampoos more that sulfated ones. I did a hendigo about 6 weeks ago and the black lasted for about 4 weeks, as I only used non-sulfated shampoo bars

last time when I shampooed I used a premixed amla, shikakai, aritha shampoo, yesterday I made a cowash with cheapie conditioner, neem, shikakai, & amla. I think I will use this instead of regular shampoo for a while.

 

[Aggie]

I only did Henna once & I left it on for 2 hours, about how often should I do the 2 step process? between Indigo treatments?

I usually leave my henna on for 3 - 4 hours depending on whether or not I'm using heat to deepen the color and conditioning power of the henna. When I first started henna'ing my hair, I started off doing them every 3-4 weeks and using indigo right afterwards. The indigo works best on properly henna'ed hair for sure. Without the henna on the hair, the indigo does not bond to it.

 

[Aggie]

Oh yeah is sea salt better than regular salt for this process?

The sea salt is best recommended for this treatment. I get mine from a health food store.

 

[flowinlocks]

I usually leave my henna on for 3 - 4 hours depending on whether or not I'm using heat to deepen the color and conditioning power of the henna. When I first started henna'ing my hair, I started off doing them every 3-4 weeks and using indigo right afterwards. The indigo works best on properly henna'ed hair for sure. Without the henna on the hair, the indigo does not bond to it.

Thanks, yeah this is what I was thinking.....I'm gonna wait another week and that will make it 3 wks. since my last 2 step & do the whole thing again. When you rehennaed did it take out all the previous Indigo?

 

[Aggie]

Thanks, yeah this is what I was thinking.....I'm gonna wait another week and that will make it 3 wks. since my last 2 step & do the whole thing again. When you rehennaed did it take out all the previous Indigo?

It doesnt totally remove the indigo but it does turn the untouched root hairs a little copper/reddish and the whole head tends to look a little brownish-red in sunlight. That is why I do the 2 step treatment each time to keep my hair black at all times unless I'm lazy of course.

 

[Khadija.D.Carryl]

amazing to hear! So what do people say when you tell them you use henna/herbs on your hair?

 

[Aggie]

amazing to hear! So what do people say when you tell them you use henna/herbs on your hair?

They usually GAWK at me and I get a huge kick out of seeing the look on their faces. Remember I live in the Bahamas and we do not have henna here. I always have to order it online. But they appreciate that my hair looks healthy but at the same time they're unwilling to try it out themselves. That's my Bahamian people for ya.

 

[flowinlocks]

amazing to hear! So what do people say when you tell them you use henna/herbs on your hair?

LOL, they kinda look confused & ask why are you doing that? when I try to explain the benefits they kinda shrug it off like it's another fad out there or zone out & start talking about something else, because they can"t even fathom doing that much to their hair. This is the reason I don't share it with a lot of people, because they're just not interested, no one even knows about this site except my daughter. I tried to share some of the tips with my sister who's hair is thinning & she ALSO thought it was a gimmick. All I can say is, I can show you better than I can tell you!!!! I will DEFINALITY get the last laugh when I'm able to sit on my hair!!!

 

[sugaplum]

Ahh here's the thread. I finally henned and my hair loves it (pics in fotki). Next time I will add conditioner, honey, EVOO or coconut oil. I always do a good deep conditioning treatment afterwards. I leave my henna on for at least 3 hours.