Re: My Testimony about Henna

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Posted by Alison on February 6, 2004 at 23:04:14:

In reply to: My Testimony about Henna posted by Vid on February 6, 2004 at 22:15:36:

: I am a 25-year old male, and recently my hair has been shedding
: greatly and evenly over my scalp, possibly due to dryness. So an
: Indian friend recommended I try henna to stimulate growth and
: condition my scalp.
:
: I have put on 3 different hennas.
:
: First of all, I highly recommend henna for its conditioning
: properties in human hair. My hair is shedding NOTICEABLY less, and
: there is new growth! NO question about it. My hair is also
stronger
: and thicker. Whatever the hell this plant is producing, THIS STUFF
: works!!
:
: All my life, I have used shampoos but never conditioners. Late
last
: year, I started to use commercial conditioners (American Crew,
: PearsPlus, Alberto) and they all left my hair wonderfully silky,
: soft, and shiny, but also VERY DRY and there was a lot of shedding
: and some itching, especially in warm, humid weather. My hair is
: naturally silky and soft (albeit curly), and conditioners left it
: feeling like silk.
: In all honesty, henna doesn't leave my hair AS shiny and soft as
: commercial conditioners, but the health elements to using henna
MORE
: THAN COMPENSATE. There is SOME SHINE and LUSTER after hennaing
hair,
: but because your hair is stronger and thicker, it's not AS thin and
: soft and silky as after commercial conditioning. It's not like
silk,
: but more like mink fur, like the "softness" you experience when you
: run the side of your palm down a mink coat.
:
: I HIGHLY recommend henna to stimulate hair growth and to
: condition/treat dry/damaged hair.
:
: NOW, about this color issue:
:
: My hair is very smooth, and very black. I was looking forward to
the
: famed and much-celebrated mahogany shade that henna is reputed to
: turn black hair into.
:
: The first pack of Henna I used was called "Black Wasma Henna",
: produced in Pakistan. I just used it without knowing what the hell
: it was.
: "Wasma" means indigo in Urdu, the language of Pakistan. i.e. it
: leaves your hair JET JET JET bluish-black!!! (I was actually
looking
: forward to the mahogany-brown shade!!!)
:
: So, then I tried Masri Henné Rouge (made in France). Package said
it
: will leave your hair "fiery red".
: First shot I mixed it with tea, and it left only a slight shade of
: auburn in my hair, so again disappointing!
:
: Yesterday, I used Masri Henné Rouge again--mixed with pure fresh
lime
: juice, and nothing else added. This henna mix also contains sodium
: picramate. Again, VERY SLIGHT auburn tint ONLY!!! If I stand
under
: a bright light, you can see that my hair has a brownish-
: tint...otherwise, it's still black!
:
: How the hell do I get this shit to turn my hair auburn/brown? I
know
: it's possible with black hair, because I have seen Indian people
walk
: around with their hair hennaed, and it is a gorgeous shade of dark
: brown!
: Is it because of something peculiar with my hair? Is it because
the
: stupid indigo will not wash off?!??!? What am I doing so
wrong?!??!
:
: Any advice apppreciated.

The indigo is permanent. You're stuck until that part grows out and
is cut off. Also, the hennas you are using aren't the good stuf,
they're...well, crap. The henna is likely to be old, and with other
things mixed in, you're not dealing with all natural stuff. Like
Tracey reccomended, get pure, body-art quality henna and use that.
Also, you have to take into account that not all people of
Indian/Pakistani origion have pure black hair to begin with, and you
may be witnessing henna over brown hair, not black. Henna is a
translucent molecule, it will only add a dimension of colour to your
natural colour. I'm afraid that the red-under-lights effect is all
you will be able to achieve, even with the most high quality henna
out there, because it cannot lighten your hair.

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: : I am a 25-year old male, and recently my hair has been shedding : : greatly and evenly over my scalp, possibly due to dryness. So an : : Indian friend recommended I try henna to stimulate growth and : : condition my scalp. : : : : I have put on 3 different hennas. : : : : First of all, I highly recommend henna for its conditioning : : properties in human hair. My hair is shedding NOTICEABLY less, and : : there is new growth! NO question about it. My hair is also : stronger : : and thicker. Whatever the hell this plant is producing, THIS STUFF : : works!! : : : : All my life, I have used shampoos but never conditioners. Late : last : : year, I started to use commercial conditioners (American Crew, : : PearsPlus, Alberto) and they all left my hair wonderfully silky, : : soft, and shiny, but also VERY DRY and there was a lot of shedding : : and some itching, especially in warm, humid weather. My hair is : : naturally silky and soft (albeit curly), and conditioners left it : : feeling like silk. : : In all honesty, henna doesn't leave my hair AS shiny and soft as : : commercial conditioners, but the health elements to using henna : MORE : : THAN COMPENSATE. There is SOME SHINE and LUSTER after hennaing : hair, : : but because your hair is stronger and thicker, it's not AS thin and : : soft and silky as after commercial conditioning. It's not like : silk, : : but more like mink fur, like the "softness" you experience when you : : run the side of your palm down a mink coat. : : : : I HIGHLY recommend henna to stimulate hair growth and to : : condition/treat dry/damaged hair. : : : : NOW, about this color issue: : : : : My hair is very smooth, and very black. I was looking forward to : the : : famed and much-celebrated mahogany shade that henna is reputed to : : turn black hair into. : : : : The first pack of Henna I used was called "Black Wasma Henna", : : produced in Pakistan. I just used it without knowing what the hell : : it was. : : "Wasma" means indigo in Urdu, the language of Pakistan. i.e. it : : leaves your hair JET JET JET bluish-black!!! (I was actually : looking : : forward to the mahogany-brown shade!!!) : : : : So, then I tried Masri Henné Rouge (made in France). Package said : it : : will leave your hair "fiery red". : : First shot I mixed it with tea, and it left only a slight shade of : : auburn in my hair, so again disappointing! : : : : Yesterday, I used Masri Henné Rouge again--mixed with pure fresh : lime : : juice, and nothing else added. This henna mix also contains sodium : : picramate. Again, VERY SLIGHT auburn tint ONLY!!! If I stand : under : : a bright light, you can see that my hair has a brownish- : : tint...otherwise, it's still black! : : : : How the hell do I get this shit to turn my hair auburn/brown? I : know : : it's possible with black hair, because I have seen Indian people : walk : : around with their hair hennaed, and it is a gorgeous shade of dark : : brown! : : Is it because of something peculiar with my hair? Is it because : the : : stupid indigo will not wash off?!??!? What am I doing so : wrong?!??! : : : : Any advice apppreciated. : : The indigo is permanent. You're stuck until that part grows out and : is cut off. Also, the hennas you are using aren't the good stuf, : they're...well, crap. The henna is likely to be old, and with other : things mixed in, you're not dealing with all natural stuff. Like : Tracey reccomended, get pure, body-art quality henna and use that. : Also, you have to take into account that not all people of : Indian/Pakistani origion have pure black hair to begin with, and you : may be witnessing henna over brown hair, not black. Henna is a : translucent molecule, it will only add a dimension of colour to your : natural colour. I'm afraid that the red-under-lights effect is all : you will be able to achieve, even with the most high quality henna : out there, because it cannot lighten your hair.
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