It's been years since I henna'd my hair - but from memory:
- make sure you're not allergic. Henna DOES stain skin, obviously - so you may want to do this by mixing some up and giving yourself some impromptu henna art on a small area, rather than the usual blob-behind-the-ear routine that they recommend with hair dyes. Check out how to do henna tattoos for more info on that - I sem to remember a cocktail stick makes a useful painting implement, and you'll want to cover the dried paste with clinfilm to avoid knocking it on things while the colour develops.
- you can develop allergies to henna even if you've used it before without problems - and once you've got one, it can cause problems with commercial dyes - and using commercial dyes over henna cN be unpredictable (I had a very nervy hairdresser the first time I got my hair dyed in a salon, even though the henna in my hair was years old and v faded!) - so think about that, as well as just the permanent dye aspect of it.
- henna can be astringent, but if you mix the powder up with a little hot water & then to the desired consisncy with your preferred conditioner, it will work just as well as with all water, and deep-condition your hair while it's being dyed - plus it'll be a lot easier to wash out afterwards, because it will reduce tangles.
- putting henna on is rather more messy than commercial dye, becUse of the consistency & because it's in a bowl rather than an applicator bottle. It also cakes/tangles the hair, so make sure you aren't blocking your access to the crown of your head as you go, otherwise you'll end up with uneven colour...no doubt you alreAdy have the knack of this if you home-dye, but just in case, I find the best way is to clip all your hair up and start with narrow horizontal sections from the nape of your neck, combing the dye up & down from the horizontal parting & then through the hanging length, before letting te next segment fall & repeating, you should avoid this (ifyou can bear to work blind)
- make sure you're not allergic. Henna DOES stain skin, obviously - so you may want to do this by mixing some up and giving yourself some impromptu henna art on a small area, rather than the usual blob-behind-the-ear routine that they recommend with hair dyes. Check out how to do henna tattoos for more info on that - I sem to remember a cocktail stick makes a useful painting implement, and you'll want to cover the dried paste with clinfilm to avoid knocking it on things while the colour develops.
- you can develop allergies to henna even if you've used it before without problems - and once you've got one, it can cause problems with commercial dyes - and using commercial dyes over henna cN be unpredictable (I had a very nervy hairdresser the first time I got my hair dyed in a salon, even though the henna in my hair was years old and v faded!) - so think about that, as well as just the permanent dye aspect of it.
- henna can be astringent, but if you mix the powder up with a little hot water & then to the desired consisncy with your preferred conditioner, it will work just as well as with all water, and deep-condition your hair while it's being dyed - plus it'll be a lot easier to wash out afterwards, because it will reduce tangles.
- putting henna on is rather more messy than commercial dye, becUse of the consistency & because it's in a bowl rather than an applicator bottle. It also cakes/tangles the hair, so make sure you aren't blocking your access to the crown of your head as you go, otherwise you'll end up with uneven colour...no doubt you alreAdy have the knack of this if you home-dye, but just in case, I find the best way is to clip all your hair up and start with narrow horizontal sections from the nape of your neck, combing the dye up & down from the horizontal parting & then through the hanging length, before letting te next segment fall & repeating, you should avoid this (ifyou can bear to work blind)
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
damn iPhone hiding bottom of LJ imput windows if you go back up to edit something!
Reply
Leave a comment