Henna Poll

[Neith]

Does henna loosen your texture?

I hate the smell of henna (smells like straight dirt to me), but I never used it full strength or enough times to get the full effect.

Just wondering... maybe it'd be a good alternative to texlaxing.

 

[~CurlyNikki~]

I wouldn't say that it'd be as effective as texlaxing...like if you're 4a, you won't become a 3c with henna treatments. It made my hair looser, but more important, it made it fuller. The heaviness of each strand now makes my hair hang longer and look twice as big. That is the biggest pro for me. The smell is annoying, but I've grown to tolerate it. The problem is, the smell lingers days later. My DH always says, "you smell earthy"!

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

ITA. It won't relax the texture that much. I grew up on a farm (with cows, chickens, and geese) so the "dirt" doesn't bother me .

Henna glosses can cut the aroma some but it depends on what you use.

 

[Neith]

I wouldn't say that it'd be as effective as texlaxing...like if you're 4a, you won't become a 3c with henna treatments. It made my hair looser, but more important, it made it fuller. The heaviness of each strand now makes my hair hang longer and look twice as big. That is the biggest pro for me. The smell is annoying, but I've grown to tolerate it. The problem is, the smell lingers days later. My DH always says, "you smell earthy"!

I don't mind my natural texture, but I texlax because of shrinkage. Naturally I have extreme shrinkage, it shrinks down to 20% of it's actual length.

If henna makes my hair hang down and actually show some length, that'd be fine. You're making me excited here,

ITA. It won't relax the texture that much. I grew up on a farm (with cows, chickens, and geese) so the "dirt" doesn't bother me .

Henna glosses can cut the aroma some but it depends on what you use.

I'm a city girl, I can't hang with the dirt smells

I tried a henna gloss but I could still smell it... but I'm willing to put up with it if it helps with the shrinkage factor!

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

What about that victoria's secret hair perfume? So sexy was the name of it I think.... does it just perfume the hair or does it cover odors? If so, this could help with the dirt.

 

[Chameleonchick]

Aww you guys don't like the smell? I like it. But it does help with making the hair hang somewhat.

 

[~CurlyNikki~]

Neith, it has greatly reduced my shrinkage. My hair use to shrink to my ears!!!! Now, if left to dry on its own, it shrinks to a chin length bob...some of it (the back) brushes my shoulders.

Good luck and let me know how it goes if you decide to do it!

 

[mj11051]

Only when I have it in my once I rinse and co wash it out. My hair goes right back to it's curlness

 

[drasgrl]

No it has not loosened my texture since I've been using it for the past six months.

 

[BostonMaria]

I don't henna enough to get that loose texture

 

[Neith]

I ordered some henna yesterday or the day before. Can't wait to see what it does for me

 

[JustKiya]

I wouldn't say that it'd be as effective as texlaxing...like if you're 4a, you won't become a 3c with henna treatments. It made my hair looser, but more important, it made it fuller. The heaviness of each strand now makes my hair hang longer and look twice as big. That is the biggest pro for me. The smell is annoying, but I've grown to tolerate it. The problem is, the smell lingers days later. My DH always says, "you smell earthy"!

Exactly. I think what henna actually did for me, is that it made my hair heavier. I have fine, fine, if they aren't shrunk up they are actually 'flyaway', super light hair. So, repeated uses of henna (and I'm talking back when I was crazy, doing henna every week for almost 4 months straight) gave my hair enough 'weight' that it loosened the curl. It also made my hair stiff enough that I had breakage, too.
When I was henna'ing every month, it would be 'heavy' for about the first three weeks, and then it would start to lighten/shrink up again - but not as much as it did pre-henna.
I'm henna'ing every 2-3 months now, and the curl loosening effect isn't showing up as much anymore - not sure if that's because my hair is longer, so the additional henna weight isn't as effective anymore , or if it's because of the additional curl loosening that I'm naturally getting from the additional length is all the loosening my hair is going to do naturally, weight or not.

You'll really have to try it, and see how it works over the long term on your hair.

I mix my henna half and half with conditioner (about 1/4 cup henna, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup conditioner, plus any extras I might be feeling froggy about), and I usually can't smell it all that much. If you use a really strong smelling con (V05 makes a couple - their fruity ones) you won't be able to smell anything but fake strawberries. Personally, I prefer the henna smell.

 

[Stiletto_Diva]

it temporarily loosened my texture. when it was first done I had an almost full head of 4a. but after a few cowashes my hair went back to the usual 4b/4a curl pattern

 

[Nightingale]

It temporarily loosens my hair. Within a few days it curls back up.

 

[Makenzie]

Exactly. I think what henna actually did for me, is that it made my hair heavier. I have fine, fine, if they aren't shrunk up they are actually 'flyaway', super light hair. So, repeated uses of henna (and I'm talking back when I was crazy, doing henna every week for almost 4 months straight) gave my hair enough 'weight' that it loosened the curl. It also made my hair stiff enough that I had breakage, too.
When I was henna'ing every month, it would be 'heavy' for about the first three weeks, and then it would start to lighten/shrink up again - but not as much as it did pre-henna.
I'm henna'ing every 2-3 months now, and the curl loosening effect isn't showing up as much anymore - not sure if that's because my hair is longer, so the additional henna weight isn't as effective anymore , or if it's because of the additional curl loosening that I'm naturally getting from the additional length is all the loosening my hair is going to do naturally, weight or not.

You'll really have to try it, and see how it works over the long term on your hair.

I mix my henna half and half with conditioner (about 1/4 cup henna, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup conditioner, plus any extras I might be feeling froggy about), and I usually can't smell it all that much. If you use a really strong smelling con (V05 makes a couple - their fruity ones) you won't be able to smell anything but fake strawberries. Personally, I prefer the henna smell.

Side rant: I detest VO5 Strawberries and cream. The smell makes me gag. I will take the henna smell over that any day.

 

[Lanea87]

I am about to go order me some now.

 

[juju]

I am about to go order me some now.

What is the name of the henna everyone is buying and using ? is it the henna they use to decorate their hands ?

 

[Morenita]

I wouldn't say that it'd be as effective as texlaxing...like if you're 4a, you won't become a 3c with henna treatments. It made my hair looser, but more important, it made it fuller. The heaviness of each strand now makes my hair hang longer and look twice as big. That is the biggest pro for me. The smell is annoying, but I've grown to tolerate it. The problem is, the smell lingers days later. My DH always says, "you smell earthy"!

OT: CurlyNikki, I everytime I see your hair, it's just so

 

[Morenita]

What is the name of the henna everyone is buying and using ? is it the henna they use to decorate their hands ?

Any Body Art Quality Henna will do just fine. The fresher, the better the stain. Also, the finer the sift, the easier it is to rinse out. A lot of people buy henna from Catherine at hennaforhair.com. I've used her Jamila henna, which is extremely high sift, and I just got a box of Henna for African Hair, which is also a high sift henna. Some people also use hennasooq.com. She's a member of LHCF. HTH!

 

[Makenzie]

What is the name of the henna everyone is buying and using ? is it the henna they use to decorate their hands ?

Here you go: www.hennasooq.com

 

[*Muffin*]

When I henna my hair (which I just got done doing ) it makes my NG significantly softer and looser. My texture is naturally looser toward the front and tighter toward the back, and when I henna my ng's in the front look wavy and not curly and my ng's toward the back feel softer and lie flatter. But it's not permanent. Maybe it's more lasting the longer you use henna.