Is HENNA really worth it?

[brownsugarflyygirl]

It has taken me 6-months on LHCF to solidify my products and then simplify my regimen. I am now fully natural and my hair is thriving. I am SUPER hesitant to add anything to my regimen....BUT this Henna thing sounds really good but REALLY complicated...People are mixing up coffee, honey, rosewater, ordering from this place and that...It just seems like too much

So I want to know IS HENNA REALLY WORTH ALL THE HASSLE??

Also, please share info about your Henna regimens....

What brand of Henna do you use? Where do you get it?

How often do you do your treatments?

What if anything do you add to your henna?

What benefits have you seen in your hair?

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments?

What is your hair type?

Do you have any additional henna info that you think is helpful?


Thanks in advance ladies

[FoxyScholar]

Great thread topic. I am curious as well.

[JLove74]

To answer your main question, for me it is worth it. I've noticed a change (in the better) for my hair.
What brand of Henna do you use? Where do you get it? Jamila or Reshma from a local Indian Store

How often do you do your treatments? I henna every week

What if anything do you add to your henna? I add water, coconut or jojoba oil - no coffee, tea, grass or berries . Sometimes, I'll add conditioner

What benefits have you seen in your hair? Shine, Shine, Shine, I like the subtle hightlights, less shedding, body and stronger hair.

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments? I've been hennaing for about 3 months now

What is your hair type? 4a/b, relaxed

It hasn't been a hassle for me. I mix, let it sit for 12 hrs, apply w/applicator brush and smooth (takes about 10-15 min), apply plastic cap, go to sleep or do stuff around the house for 3 hours. Rinse out, wash once w/Aveda Damage Remedy poo, deep condition w/Damage Remedy - style as normal

[Softresses]

To me, henna is an extremely useful addition to my haircare, the results outweigh any trouble you go through to do the treatment.

My haircare routine is extremely simple. It consists of

co washing
put hair up
Texturize every 12 weeks or so


My hair has very fine and extremely soft strands. It will not relax bone straight. I used to try to get it to, but I did damage by leaving the relaxer on too long. The hairdressers I went to also left my relaxers on too long, smoothed too much and ended up TOTALLY destroying my hair. I changed relaxers, decided to stop fighting my curly areas, and simply texturize myself to match the texture up.

I kept reading up on henna because I heard that it strenghtened up the hair strands by depositing itself within the strand. So I added it to my routine as a strengthener, I like to do them every few weeks and before and after my texturizer. It makes my hair MEGA STRONG!

My recipe is very simple, you will read about a lot of things people add to henna, most of these things are extra.


What is needed:
Henna
Water
Acid to cause color release (lemon juice, Amla, ACV etc)


Extras I add to do different things are:
Amla, darkens color and provides acid For color release (2 birds 1 stone)
Yogurt, for creaminess and stretches amount for more applications
A few drops of Lavender oil, (for color release and to cut smell of henna)
Gelled pectin, causes mixture to gel, makes easy to apply and clean up
I sometimes leave out yogurt and only use pectin.

I hope this helps


Softresses

ETA; I also do henna gloss sometimes instead of a complete henna, just take henna mix leftovers and add conditioner. Works great!

[shocol]

So I want to know IS HENNA REALLY WORTH ALL THE HASSLE??: Yes, it's part of my routine now.

Also, please share info about your Henna regimens....

What brand of Henna do you use? Where do you get it? I buy my henna from FNWL.

How often do you do your treatments? Weekly

What if anything do you add to your henna? If I'm going for color, ACV. If conditioning only, I add water and coconut or evening primrose oil.

What benefits have you seen in your hair? I love the color, my hair is shiny, strong with minimal breakage. After my next relaxer, I'm thinking about not doing my Aphogee treatment because I think the henna and the protein treatment might be too much for my hair. And henna loosens my newgrowth, helping me with my first ever relaxer stretch.

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments? About 7 weeks.

What is your hair type? Relaxed 4a/b

ETA ... If I don't airdry in a ponytail and let it airdry loose, my hair dries in about 40-45 minutes.

[angellazette]

Also, please share info about your Henna regimens....

What brand of Henna do you use? Where do you get it? Fromnaturewithlove.com

How often do you do your treatments? I do them every week or every two weeks if I get lazy.

What if anything do you add to your henna? I add amla powder, ACV, and water. That's it...like you said, all that other stuff is too complicated for me. I use amla and ACV because ACV itself is also beneficial to the hair as it seals cuticles. I use a very small amount of ACV.

What benefits have you seen in your hair? The color! I love the color, my hair was dull and I had greys...now I have a deep reddish tint (no ketchup hair here) and my greys look cranberry in color...I love it! Plus it's given me shine and softness that I didn't have before.

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments? Since last month sometime.

What is your hair type? 4a natural

Do you have any additional henna info that you think is helpful?


Thanks in advance ladies

.................................................. ...........

[victorious]

Yes I'm relaxed and have seen many benefits for my hair.

What brand of Henna do you use? Where do you get it?
I got Jamila from a local indian grocery store.

How often do you do your treatments?
At least twice a month.

What if anything do you add to your henna?
Teas (black and apple cinnamon) with evoo or coconut oil.

What benefits have you seen in your hair?
More elasticity, stronger strands, shiny hair, pretty color

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments?
Four applications in a month and a half. My next one is this weekend.

What is your hair type?
4 a/b

Do you have any additional henna info that you think is helpful?
Check the FAQ in Sareca's fotki journal. Jamila is the best baq henna.

--------

I'm a henna newbie. The process seemed overwhelming at first while reading so much information. But I decided to try a simple mix, and I get good results.

I might try amla powder or indigo down the road for a deeper brown. I might also try JLove's idea of adding conditioner or Softresses's routine of adding yogurt.

I think it's fun experimenting with henna.

[Mizani_Mrs]

Henna for me is definitely worth it. But i am a verrrry simple girl. You don't have to get into all of the extra stuff if you don't want to. Keep it very simple.

• My mixture involves a few heaping spoonfuls of henna, a few heavy squirts of Vatika(coconut oil) or your fav oil, a few squirts of cheapie conditioner, and a few dabs of water.
• i mix it so that it is the consistency of a relaxer.
• I let it sit for maybe 30mins.
• Then i just glob it on my hair.
• smush it until it covers all the strands.
• Let it sit on your hair for 30mins, then rinse out.
• shampoo & deep cond for 40mins with a moisturizing/detangling conditioner (detangling recommendations: humecto, porosity control, nexxus ensure).

It's simple as that. For me, the benefits of henna is great without adding all of the other stuff. With this, i get strong hair, plus shine which is what my hair is desperately in need of. I do the deep cond afterwards because my hair is difficult to detangle after hennaing. I plan to do this every 3 weeks. If you already feel like your hair is already strong and shiny, then perhaps you don't really need it!

[Browndilocks]

It has taken me 6-months on LHCF to solidify my products and then simplify my regimen. I am now fully natural and my hair is thriving. I am SUPER hesitant to add anything to my regimen....BUT this Henna thing sounds really good but REALLY complicated...People are mixing up coffee, honey, rosewater, ordering from this place and that...It just seems like too much

So I want to know IS HENNA REALLY WORTH ALL THE HASSLE??

Also, please share info about your Henna regimens....

What brand of Henna do you use? Where do you get it?

How often do you do your treatments?

What if anything do you add to your henna?

What benefits have you seen in your hair?

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments?

What is your hair type?

Do you have any additional henna info that you think is helpful?


Thanks in advance ladies

I don't henna myself and I'm not speaking against it BUT...
...if it ain't broke, don't fix it. MHO is that you should stick to your regime and continue to allow your hair to thrive before you try something new. It already takes a ton of effort to solidify a regime that is beneficial and effective. It has only been 6 months. Why mess with it?

[HoneyDew]

I loved how my hair felt after using Henna but it is too much of a hassle for me. But, that is just me. I just don't have time.

Joico K-pak treatments and other products that I use are just as good.

I think it is good for those that want thicker hair though. I don't need much help with that.

[FlawedBeauty]

It has taken me 6-months on LHCF to solidify my products and then simplify my regimen. I am now fully natural and my hair is thriving. I am SUPER hesitant to add anything to my regimen....BUT this Henna thing sounds really good but REALLY complicated...People are mixing up coffee, honey, rosewater, ordering from this place and that...It just seems like too much

So I want to know IS HENNA REALLY WORTH ALL THE HASSLE??

Also, please share info about your Henna regimens....

What brand of Henna do you use?
Cassia (Clear henna, because i don't want color)

Where do you get it?
hennaforhair.com

How often do you do your treatments?
bout once every 2 weeks

What if anything do you add to your henna?
water

What benefits have you seen in your hair?
stronger

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments?
bout 2 months

What is your hair type?
fine/thin/wavy

[melodee]

I am curious as to whether henna stains your shower or sink. Or is that only indigo? I wanna try it, but I am concerned about my bathroom.

[preciousjewel76]

Hmmm, I might look into the colorless henna. I don't really want to change my haircolor, but I'd love to find out of henna can really strengthen my hair. Bonus: there are Indian markets within walking distance, so I don't have to order online!

[Royal Glory]

I have used henna before...the translucent kind. And I loved it. I was reading somewhere recently that it isn't good for relaxed hair. I'm concerned about breakage. Has that been a problem for anyone? Also now that I have some grey here and there, it would be nice to have the option to color with henna. I'm not sure I want to color but in the meantime, the translucent was wonderful.

[AtlantaJJ]

To me, henna is an extremely useful addition to my haircare, the results outweigh any trouble you go through to do the treatment.

My haircare routine is extremely simple. It consists of

co washing
put hair up
Texturize every 12 weeks or so


My hair has very fine and extremely soft strands. It will not relax bone straight. I used to try to get it to, but I did damage by leaving the relaxer on too long. The hairdressers I went to also left my relaxers on too long, smoothed too much and ended up TOTALLY destroying my hair. I changed relaxers, decided to stop fighting my curly areas, and simply texturize myself to match the texture up.

I kept reading up on henna because I heard that it strenghtened up the hair strands by depositing itself within the strand. So I added it to my routine as a strengthener, I like to do them every few weeks and before and after my texturizer. It makes my hair MEGA STRONG!

My recipe is very simple, you will read about a lot of things people add to henna, most of these things are extra.


What is needed:
Henna
Water
Acid to cause color release (lemon juice, Amla, ACV etc)


Extras I add to do different things are:
Amla, darkens color and provides acid For color release (2 birds 1 stone)
Yogurt, for creaminess and stretches amount for more applications
A few drops of Lavender oil, (for color release and to cut smell of henna)
Gelled pectin, causes mixture to gel, makes easy to apply and clean up
I sometimes leave out yogurt and only use pectin.

I hope this helps


Softresses

ETA; I also do henna gloss sometimes instead of a complete henna, just take henna mix leftovers and add conditioner. Works great!

You and JLove are my henna heros. I have a batch mixed up on the stove right now waiting for me to come home and use it tonight.

Softress, you mentioned that you hair is fine and reslsitant to total straightening. I think I'm in the same boat. I have never been bone straight relaxed and it always took some heat of some kind to get that straight silky look. I never considered that fine hair would be resistant to relaxers. Seems like the opposite would happpen. It's a good point for me to remember as I move foward with my hair care. I am self relaxing so I don't have to worry about anyone jackin my hair up anymore.

I added nutmeg to my mixture. I read it helps take down some of the red in the mixture. I added ACV and water is all so far. It's a pretty chocolate brown color and a nice pancake batter consistancy. I can't WAIT to do my henna. I also have a strand test going on right now. When I get home I'll add the oil and lavendar essental oil, and I guess I'll be ready to roll...

[AtlantaJJ]

1) Can mixed henna be stored and if so, how and for what length of time

2) How would indigo be incoporated into the henna process to help deepen color. I read where some women with gray hair did a two step process, first the henna and then the next step the do the indigo. I've also read where it could be added directly to the henna mix.

[Bublnbrnsuga]

Does henna contain protein?

[gymfreak336]

It has taken me 6-months on LHCF to solidify my products and then simplify my regimen. I am now fully natural and my hair is thriving. I am SUPER hesitant to add anything to my regimen....BUT this Henna thing sounds really good but REALLY complicated...People are mixing up coffee, honey, rosewater, ordering from this place and that...It just seems like too much

So I want to know IS HENNA REALLY WORTH ALL THE HASSLE??

Also, please share info about your Henna regimens....

What brand of Henna do you use? Where do you get it?

How often do you do your treatments?

What if anything do you add to your henna?

What benefits have you seen in your hair?

How long have you been doing Henna Treatments?

What is your hair type?

Do you have any additional henna info that you think is helpful?


Thanks in advance ladies

I use Dulhan henna, I get for a buck fifty at the indian store

I currently henna about every three weeks.

My henna mix: one box of henna
1/2 cup of alma oil
a splash of strong tea
1/2 cup of ground cloves-helps give me a coppery red highlights and helps the smell
warm water

I apply it to lighty shampooed hair and plop a showercap over my hair. I sit under the dryer for about an hour and then I rinse. I deep condition for another 30mins to an hour and Voila, soft shiny, reddish brown hair

My hair is alot stronger and smoother. My hair has more shine but I need to do more treatments before I get the Henna Bling.

My hair type is 4b with a tendency to be really dry.

Henna hints- Don't over do the acid, just a little with warm water is enough to get dye release. I let mine sit for 4-6 hours. Add oil, the henna ladies here recommended this one and it works.

I plan on keeping up my henna treatments. I really think they enhance hair texture and strength. It really isn't much trouble at all and the color I get from it is perfect. Everyone tells me how natural it looks. I had been growing out some color before and it was kinda blondish. That color really made my ends look worse than they were and I was contemplating doing another chop to get them out. The henna has changed the color and made them look so much better. I plan on highlighting my hair in may so that I can keep this henna color up.

[gymfreak336]

Hmmm, I might look into the colorless henna. I don't really want to change my haircolor, but I'd love to find out of henna can really strengthen my hair. Bonus: there are Indian markets within walking distance, so I don't have to order online!

If you just mix it and use it you really won't see a color change. If you let it sit and add acid, you will get dye release. Alot of ladies that just want the conditioning properties just mix it and use it with out waiting. I love the color changes so I let mine sit.

[JLove74]

1) Can mixed henna be stored and if so, how and for what length of time

2) How would indigo be incoporated into the henna process to help deepen color. I read where some women with gray hair did a two step process, first the henna and then the next step the do the indigo. I've also read where it could be added directly to the henna mix.

1. it can be stored, in the freezer or fridge - not sure about how long since I mix up enough for 2 applications, 1 for each week.

2. Sareca henna'd first and then indigo'd. Last week, I mixed some indigo w/henna (mixing the indigo w/hot water, letting it sit for 1 min before adding to henna).