Giving up on henna

[wannabestylist]

sooo after my fourth henna treatment ....I give up. I just don't get the results everyone else does and this time it turned my hair dark. My hair feels soooo dry even after I deep condition with kerastase for hours afterwards. And this time my henna mix was soooo creamy! I am so dissapointed ...anyone else have the same issues?

 

[alexstin]

What do you put in your henna mix? Keeping it simple is best for me. I just add water oil and a moisturizing conditioner for the best results.

 

[wannabestylist]

I mixed moisture conditioner...a few drops of lemon...water..mixed. Let it sit in the sun for about four hours then I mixed oils...tea tree..coconut...drop of peppermint. That's it. Let it sit overnight.....

 

[BrownBetty]

I mixed moisture conditioner...a few drops of lemon...water..mixed. Let it sit in the sun for about four hours then I mixed oils...tea tree..coconut...drop of peppermint. That's it. Let it sit overnight.....

I think the lemon is the culprit.

 

[sareca]

Sorry it didn't work out for you. Henna's not for everyone.

 

[alexstin]

I'd said the lemon is the issue as well.

 

[KittenLongPaw]

Tea tree oil is very drying too. It might be that henna really doesn't work for you, but I just wanted to add that

 

[RoseGolden]

probably could do without the lemon, tea tree and peppermint oils...

 

[Mystic]

Try it one more time; no lemon juice or tea oil. Just use some olive oil and mix it with some hot water. You will feel the difference.

 

[BrooklynSouth]

So sorry you are not experiencing the benefits of henna. I use Afshan mendhi or light mountain bulk powder with indigo {the indigo does not come through !!} mixed with coconut or avocado oils with a bit of amla powder. My hair is glossy and feels stronger. Suggested already by others that you may have too many acids added. Maybe try once more?

 

[simcha]

What kind of henna are you using? I tried Avigal once and it made my hair dry and caused breakage for weeks after. I will only use LUSH.

 

[LovelyLionessa]

ITA with the other ladies, lose the lemon juice, that can be drying.

 

[Keen]

try it again and drop the lemon juice like the other ladies are suggesting. Lemon is very drying to the hair. Just keep it simple.

 

[CynamonKis]

Don't give up yet! I would suggest using some oils that are more moisturizing, 1 tbsp. of oil per 50g henna, and followup with a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment (I use Tropical Avocado, a cheap dominican product that really moisturizes). My hair is very shiny and strong after henna.

I would let the henna sit for at least 12 hrs, and then wait until AFTER the dye release to add a little oil to the henna. My experience has been that tea tree oil is very drying. In fact, it is so acidic that some people use it as a "terp", much like lemon juice and acv, to accelerate the dye release. I use avocado oil, which is very moisturizing for me. I sent you a pm, I hope it helps!

I mixed moisture conditioner...a few drops of lemon...water..mixed. Let it sit in the sun for about four hours then I mixed oils...tea tree..coconut...drop of peppermint. That's it. Let it sit overnight.....

 

[wannabestylist]

okay ladies...I am going to try 1 more time...loose the lemon and the tea tree and peppermint oils ...NOTHING acidic at all. Thanks for all the advice

 

[january noir]

okay ladies...I am going to try 1 more time...loose the lemon and the tea tree and peppermint oils ...NOTHING acidic at all. Thanks for all the advice

ITA EXCEPT...you do need some acid to release the color in henna unless you don't want color. I used orange juice and it was great! You only need a little bit of acid in your liquid so most of your liquid should just be water; no coffee, essential oils, yogurt, etc., it's not needed. Avoid becoming a "mixologist" when mixing henna. Keeping it simple is the best advice.

What helps to reduce/eliminate the dry feel is to rinse your treatment out with a cheapie conditioner, poo with a moisturizing shampoo and then do a DC with a moisturizing conditioner under a heat cap or dryer for at least 30 minutes. Detangle under running water.

 

[JLove74]

ITA EXCEPT...you do need some acid to release the color in henna unless you don't want color. I used orange juice and it was great! You only need a little bit of acid in your liquid so most of your liquid should just be water; no coffee, essential oils, yogurt, etc., it's not needed. Avoid becoming a "mixologist" when mixing henna. Keeping it simple is the best advice.

What helps to reduce/eliminate the dry feel is to rinse your treatment out with a cheapie conditioner, poo with a moisturizing shampoo and then do a DC with a moisturizing conditioner under a heat cap or dryer for at least 30 minutes. Detangle under running water.

You Don't need an acid if you want the color to release. I've been using henna since August and only on my 1st application did I use a lemon juice. It was too drying. Now I just add water, oils and condish. Still get beautiful color and no dryness

 

[sareca]

You Don't need an acid if you want the color to release. I've been using henna since August and only on my 1st application did I use a lemon juice. It was too drying. Now I just add water, oils and condish. Still get beautiful color and no dryness

Co-signing. I haven't used acid in my henna mix since last May/June.

 

[WomanlyCharm]

I don't put any acid in my mix anymore...it's just too drying for my hair.
And I still get fantastic color release.

 

[*Frisky*]

I have never used acid and got a color release but I usually let it sit over night. This last time I mixed it up I did the stove top method to get the color to release sooner. I mixed my henna at noon and applied at 6 and the color had released already. It might have released sooner than that but I didn't check.

 

[january noir]

I have never used acid and got a color release but I usually let it sit over night. This last time I mixed it up I did the stove top method to get the color to release sooner. I mixed my henna at noon and applied at 6 and the color had released already. It might have released sooner than that but I didn't check.

This is true! Henna will release w/o the acid but you have to let it sit up to 12 hours. I used the acid and my henna with color release was ready to use in 1 1/2 hours! I used water mixed with a little bit of orange juice and it was great! I am one of those impatient folks and couldn't wait unti the next day. I was ready and rearin' to go!

 

[Ucha123]

If you want to add an acid you can use Apple cider vinegar?(ACV) since the ACV is gentler on hair

 

[keluric]

You let the henna sit out for a long time so the terps were unnecessary.

 

[CynamonKis]

I disagree that the lemon juice or ACV are particularly drying. I use either ACV OR lemon juice to maximize the dye release in my henna, and I NEVER experience dryness because I also mix avocado oil into my henna after the dye release, prior to applying it to my hair, and I ALWAYS deep condition afterwards with tropical avocado. For me the post-henna moisturizing conditioner coupled with the SMALL AMOUNT of moisturizing oil in the henna paste is the key to combating dryness with henna.

In her pamphlet "Henna for Hair", Catherine (her website is www.hennaforhair.com, she sells henna and is doing her Phd dissertation on the subject) states that using lemon juice to make a henna paste and resting that paste overnight gives the best dye-release results.

http://www.hennaforhair.com/freebooks/hennaforhair.pdf

You let the henna sit out for a long time so the terps were unnecessary.

 

[starfish]

sooo after my fourth henna treatment ....I give up. I just don't get the results everyone else does and this time it turned my hair dark. My hair feels soooo dry even after I deep condition with kerastase for hours afterwards. And this time my henna mix was soooo creamy! I am so dissapointed ...anyone else have the same issues?

Hi,

Henna turned my hair very dark brown too, and my hair was a lighter brown before I started. I got my BAQ henna from castleart or something like that and I think it was old henna. Plus, I was putting binghram (sp?) in my henna mix and I stopped doing that and it's not as dark now. I just ordered some Rasthjani henna from hennasooq.com and I hope it turns it red red red!
I mix my henna with water, let it sit for 14 hours, then add EVOO and emu oil before I put it in on my hair. It only takes 5 minutes to rinse it all out. I deep condition and my hair has never looked better.
IMO, I think the darkness has to do with the freshness of the henna and what you mix with it.

 

[Isis]

This is true! Henna will release w/o the acid but you have to let it sit up to 12 hours. I used the acid and my henna with color release was ready to use in 1 1/2 hours! I used water mixed with a little bit of orange juice and it was great! I am one of those impatient folks and couldn't wait unti the next day. I was ready and rearin' to go!

Just want to add that henna mixed with water will also release quickly without acid, when placed in a very warm area, like in front of a heater. I learned that on Catherine's site and tried it with my second henna. I had it sit only two hours although it could have been ready sooner. I could clearly see the red of the dye release. I didn't use any acid in my henna experience.