Re: Questions-what am I doing wrong.

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Posted by Alison on June 26, 2004 at 00:03:10:

In reply to: Questions-what am I doing wrong. posted by MJ on June 25, 2004 at 20:25:08:

: Okay, I've been hennaing once a month for a few months now. My hair
: feels strong and silky. Most of my hair (middle of my back) takes
up
: the red color really well. Its the perfect mahogany shade. The hair
: on the top of my head has red highlights, but isn't the same color.
: Its pretty close to the same boring dark brown it always was.
:
: What am I doing wrong?
: I make my mix, cover, and let the 'mix bucket' sit in warm water
for
: 5 hours to let the dye release. I add red zinger tea (and lemon
juice
: duh) to get the color I want, and I leave the henna on my hair
: overnight. The henna I'm using is from a small persian market. I
know
: its not really fresh or well sifted- but until recently, its all
I've
: had access to. Its very cheap- $4.50 for 500g.
:
: Is there any way to get more color out of the henna I'm using? Or
is
: it just that my roots don't take it in well enough and I should buy
: something better quailty?

You might be "overcooking" it. 5 hours in warm water seems a little
excessive to me--perhaps you're going past the optimal dye release
stage and into the demise end of it. The best way to tell if they're
dye release is to cover the henna with plastic wrap, and mush that
plastic wrap down so it touches the surface of the henna. Put a
white paper towel, napkin, or kleenex on top and weight that down
with something small. When the paper turns orange-ish, you're ready
to go.

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: : Okay, I've been hennaing once a month for a few months now. My hair : : feels strong and silky. Most of my hair (middle of my back) takes : up : : the red color really well. Its the perfect mahogany shade. The hair : : on the top of my head has red highlights, but isn't the same color. : : Its pretty close to the same boring dark brown it always was. : : : : What am I doing wrong? : : I make my mix, cover, and let the 'mix bucket' sit in warm water : for : : 5 hours to let the dye release. I add red zinger tea (and lemon : juice : : duh) to get the color I want, and I leave the henna on my hair : : overnight. The henna I'm using is from a small persian market. I : know : : its not really fresh or well sifted- but until recently, its all : I've : : had access to. Its very cheap- $4.50 for 500g. : : : : Is there any way to get more color out of the henna I'm using? Or : is : : it just that my roots don't take it in well enough and I should buy : : something better quailty? : : You might be "overcooking" it. 5 hours in warm water seems a little : excessive to me--perhaps you're going past the optimal dye release : stage and into the demise end of it. The best way to tell if they're : dye release is to cover the henna with plastic wrap, and mush that : plastic wrap down so it touches the surface of the henna. Put a : white paper towel, napkin, or kleenex on top and weight that down : with something small. When the paper turns orange-ish, you're ready : to go.
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