Re: question about Light Mountain henna in "auburn"

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Posted by Anna on May 11, 2004 at 14:30:32:

In reply to: question about Light Mountain henna in "auburn" posted by Shirasaya on May 7, 2004 at 06:36:19:

I hennaed my hair three weeks ago for the first time ever, using Light
Mountain Henna in Auburn. I chose it because I wasn't sure if a
straight, unadulturated RED henna color would look right on me (my
hair's naturally dark blonde), and because as a beginner I wanted the
ease of a premade mix. I wanted subtle, and I definitely got it.
After 75 minutes sitting with the stuff on my head, my hair came out a
very subtle "light reddish brown," just as the detailed color chart on
the back of the box promised. I threw out the box, so I can't tell you
what color it promises when applied to red. I CAN tell you that Light
Mountain henna achieves its many different promised shades by mixing
neutral henna (actually a totally unrelated botanical that also coats
and conditions the hair nicely, but without adding color), true henna
(the red stuff), and indigo (which I believe the label refers to as
"black henna") in varying proportions. These are the only
ingredients, and they are listed by their botanical names as well, so
there's no mistaking that this is an all-natural product that doesn't
contain any metal salts or other stuff.

I just checked Light Mountain's website
(http://www.lotuspress.com/ltmtn.htm), and their color charts do not
appear to say what each color formulation should look like on Red -
just on colors ranging from blonde to black. I was sure that the box
I bought listed its effects on red. If I'm wrong, or you can't locate
a box to look at before buying, you may just have to experiment with
mixing their colors. Next time I henna, I plan to mix one part Light
Mountain's Auburn with one part Light Mountain Light Red in hopes I
can get a still subtle, but somewhat more reddish cast. You might
try purchasing the Auburn and doing a strand test (clip a short lock
from your head, or harvest 30 or so hairs from your brush and gather
them together with a piece of duct tape, like I did) to see if you'll
get the color you want. The strand test is a bit labor intensive, as
you have to apply the color to the test lock, leave it on for a few
minutes, then rinse it off and dry it to see what color has developed.
If the color's not what you want, you repeat this process until you
get it, taking careful note of the total number of minutes the lock
has spent stewing in the henna mixture, because this is the amount of
time you'll need to leave it on your hair for the desired effect. I
did it while watching tv, getting up during the ads to rinse and dry.
If the auburn doesn't give you the shade you're looking for, consider
mixing it with one of Light Mountain's other colors. If your sample's
both too reddish and too brownish, consider cutting the mixture with
Light Mountain Neutral. If it's simply too reddish, mix the Auburn
with a shade that tends more toward brown (because the browns contain
more indigo, which adds more darks and neutralizes the reds), or
consider trying a brown shade alone. If it's not red enough, try
Light or Bright Red. If you want a quick fix to take down the
intensity of the red you've got right now, I'd just try a light brown,
or a medium brown if you want darkening as well.

This probably approaches the amount of testing and speculation you'd
hoped to avoid in using a premade mix. I've decided to stick with
Light Mountain because it's readily available in my area, and I feel
relatively confident I'll get something close to the color it
promises. But unfortunately, I suspect that achieving that "just
right" color requires the sort of careful experimenting that one has
to do when mixing paint colors. Except in this case, you're doing it
on your head, and the results take much longer to show up. Best of
luck!

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: I hennaed my hair three weeks ago for the first time ever, using Light : Mountain Henna in Auburn. I chose it because I wasn't sure if a : straight, unadulturated RED henna color would look right on me (my : hair's naturally dark blonde), and because as a beginner I wanted the : ease of a premade mix. I wanted subtle, and I definitely got it. : After 75 minutes sitting with the stuff on my head, my hair came out a : very subtle "light reddish brown," just as the detailed color chart on : the back of the box promised. I threw out the box, so I can't tell you : what color it promises when applied to red. I CAN tell you that Light : Mountain henna achieves its many different promised shades by mixing : neutral henna (actually a totally unrelated botanical that also coats : and conditions the hair nicely, but without adding color), true henna : (the red stuff), and indigo (which I believe the label refers to as : "black henna") in varying proportions. These are the only : ingredients, and they are listed by their botanical names as well, so : there's no mistaking that this is an all-natural product that doesn't : contain any metal salts or other stuff. : : I just checked Light Mountain's website : (http://www.lotuspress.com/ltmtn.htm), and their color charts do not : appear to say what each color formulation should look like on Red - : just on colors ranging from blonde to black. I was sure that the box : I bought listed its effects on red. If I'm wrong, or you can't locate : a box to look at before buying, you may just have to experiment with : mixing their colors. Next time I henna, I plan to mix one part Light : Mountain's Auburn with one part Light Mountain Light Red in hopes I : can get a still subtle, but somewhat more reddish cast. You might : try purchasing the Auburn and doing a strand test (clip a short lock : from your head, or harvest 30 or so hairs from your brush and gather : them together with a piece of duct tape, like I did) to see if you'll : get the color you want. The strand test is a bit labor intensive, as : you have to apply the color to the test lock, leave it on for a few : minutes, then rinse it off and dry it to see what color has developed. : If the color's not what you want, you repeat this process until you : get it, taking careful note of the total number of minutes the lock : has spent stewing in the henna mixture, because this is the amount of : time you'll need to leave it on your hair for the desired effect. I : did it while watching tv, getting up during the ads to rinse and dry. : If the auburn doesn't give you the shade you're looking for, consider : mixing it with one of Light Mountain's other colors. If your sample's : both too reddish and too brownish, consider cutting the mixture with : Light Mountain Neutral. If it's simply too reddish, mix the Auburn : with a shade that tends more toward brown (because the browns contain : more indigo, which adds more darks and neutralizes the reds), or : consider trying a brown shade alone. If it's not red enough, try : Light or Bright Red. If you want a quick fix to take down the : intensity of the red you've got right now, I'd just try a light brown, : or a medium brown if you want darkening as well. : : This probably approaches the amount of testing and speculation you'd : hoped to avoid in using a premade mix. I've decided to stick with : Light Mountain because it's readily available in my area, and I feel : relatively confident I'll get something close to the color it : promises. But unfortunately, I suspect that achieving that "just : right" color requires the sort of careful experimenting that one has : to do when mixing paint colors. Except in this case, you're doing it : on your head, and the results take much longer to show up. Best of : luck!
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