Henna for Blondes?
Ok, I have always wanted red, RED hair, it started way back with an Anne of Green Gables obsession. I love Lucille Ball's red color, am thinking it may have been henna in her hair?
But I have natural med blonde hair. Can I use henna to get that bright red color? And how would I do that exactly. I know Whole foods sells bulk henna powder, but other than that I don't know. I have tried many boxes of different colors over the years, but the reds always fade to pink in a matter of days, and were never bright enough to begin with.
Also, being blonde means having less than visible brows and lashes, and I'm wondering if I henna, will I need a brow pencil to darken them? I already use a blonde/ brown pencil on my brows, otherwise you can't even tell they are there.
I know there are many here who have great colors in their hair, so I bow to the experts!
Last note: I am a mom by day, but sell very high end fine jewelry by night, and so need to look VERY professional by night. I think I can still do that with red hair, one of the other managers has pink streaks in her black hair!
Yes, you can use henna over your blonde to achieve that look, though it will take some work and mess on your part.
I use henna to protect my ends from sun damage, because if they get trashed my hair will try to form natural dreads.
Don't get henna from the store. It needs to be as fresh as possible and protected from light - who knows how long it has been there. The older it is, the less intense it will be, and the shorter it's staying power.
There are two companies that do nice henna - http://www.lushusa.com/shop/ , and http://www.hennaforhair.com/ . Starting out from medium blonde, I would go with Lush's Caca Rouge ([urlhttp://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/hair/henna-hair-dyes/caca-rouge-mama). It is going to give you the brightest red from your blonde starting base. As a bonus it is full of good butter and oils and it is hard to beat it for conditioning. When I use it, my hair stays soft and silky for weeks. Again, don't buy from Lushes local stores - order online to get the nice fresh stuff. I am assuming that your hair is natually blonde and has not been dyed or streaked. If it has, you are going to need to use body art grade henna like the stuff from Hennaforhair.com, or you are going to end up with lime green streaks as henna does not play well with chemical dyes.
Caca Rouge is vegan too if you were wondering:
To use, it is quite simple - messy but simple:
1. Cut henna up into small pieces and put in a heatproof bowl. I put it in a small saucepan over low heat and use a whisk. Put it on when it is at the hottest temperature you can stand on your head. Time lost is dye intensity lost.
2. Add hot water and let steep. Mix to a yogurt-like consistency. Be careful not to get it too drippy. It is easier to deal with it a little thick and have to work it though your hair, than wipe the drips off your neck for several hours.
3. Put on gloves and apply from back to front, coating hair thoroughly. Best place to do this is leaning over the bathtub. Gloves are a must unless you want red nails to match. Put it on when it is at the hottest temperature you can stand on your head. Time lost is dye intensity lost.
4. Cover in cling wrap for a more vibrant red. Leave on for one to six hours. Wrap your head in a towel you do not care about to make life ten times easier.
5. Rinse, shampoo, and condition hair. You will need ALOT of conditioner. Go get a natural conditioner that is free of chemicals. You will have to dump it on, and condition your hair 3 or 4 times depending on how thick your hair is.
Tips: Always do a strand test first. Use face cream (or Ultra Bland) around your hairline and ears to protect skin. Wrap hair in cling film for a redder color. For darker, richer colors, leave on longer (up to six hours).
Yes, your brows will look different. You will need pencil your brows to match. Be sure to get a pencil meant for redheads.
I have been using henna off and on (mostly on) since I was 15 and I am 46 now! I love that stuff, makes my hair shiny and thicker feeling. My favorite currently is Logona Henna, which is available on-line and at Whole Foods and some other health food stores. It does have wheat protein mixed in with the powder which makes it a little creamier and easier to apply, less drippy. I always use a heat cap and leave it on for 2 hours minimum. It is messy but worth it. I would never use chemical color on my hair.