Henna For Hair FAIL

Published on Sunday, March 4, 2012 by Katherine

Henna for hair. All natural. Healthy for your hair. Makes your hair glossy and strong. Beautiful red highlights. Turn my previously red hair back to its beautiful color. Yup, it all sounded so good on paper.

I researched Henna. I talked to someone who uses it and has a beautiful red head of hair. I was ready for a change. And so I did it.

Henna is a green powder you mix with lemon juice, distilled water, tea or coffee. It is a plant that will naturally condition your hair and give you a beautiful red color. You mix up the green swampy muck, let it sit, then plaster it on your head and allow it to remain there overnight.

In the morning, you hold your breath, count to three and rinse.

Now, I knew that Henna would turn your hair pretty darn orange for the first day or two. As someone explained it to me, “you will look like a London redhead for a little while.” Henna takes five full days to oxidize, slowly toning down and turning in to a luxurious golden red.

But what do you get when you put henna on MY hair? I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU GET! YOU WILL GET A LUCY-GREAT-PUMPKIN-PURPLE-HAIR NIGHTMARE!

Henna Day One:

On the first day, I found my daughter didn’t get all the spots underneath the top layer. This created a multi-color effect of Orange, Red, Brown and <gray>. I had to put more in. OH NO.

Henna Day 2:

I am orange. I am purple. I am red. I am mortified. Please everyone, wear your sunglasses.

What you just can’t get from this picture is the deep purple tones in the red of my bangs. It screams, “I have a bad dye job.’ Either that, or, “Beware. Goth ahead.”

Henna Day 3:

The picture looks pretty. Trust me, it is NOT.

Henna Day 7:

By day seven, I cry Uncle.

Just before I decided to use Henna, I was heard saying, “If it doesn’t turn out, I’ll just dye it.” It wasn’t until after my fail that I discovered you cannot dye over henna. Not unless you want a fail worse than you already have.