Re: Message for Meg
Posted by Meg on August 28, 2004 at 10:36:56:
In reply to: Message for Meg posted by Anna on August 28, 2004 at 02:48:45:
For henna, I mix it with pure concentrated lemon juice from thegreen bottle (Kroger brand) to a paste consistancy. I do this the
night before. I cover it with plastic wrap, then place a paper
towel over that and a small plate to hold the towel in place. This
is to check for a good dye release in the morning. If the paper
towel is a brown/orange, then it worked and is ready to use. When I
am ready to use it, I add a little water to get it to the right
consistancy. I have a large sink in the laundry room which I use.
I comb my hair forward and wash it in this sink with Suave clarifing
shampoo and then condition with Suave clarifying conditioner. Then
with plastic glovers on, I apply the henna being sure to saturate
the gray hair very well. In fact I make sure all of my hair is
throughly coated. I pile it all up on top of my head and place one
of those cheap hotel shower caps on my head. I get those at Sally's
for $3 for 30 caps. I wrap a dark towel (navy) around my neck for
the drips and wait as long as I can stand it. Last time I made it 5
1/2 hours and this was the best henna coverage I have ever achieved,
so length of time does matter. I unfold my hair in the sink and
begin to rinse, rinse, rinse. When enough is rinsed out, I
shampoo. It usually takes two shampoos. I then condition and
conditon until it feels right. When as much of the henna is out as
I can get, I either apply indigo or dry it and wait until the next
day. If you have the time to do the indigo directly after the henna
you would mix the indigo 30 minutes before time to rinse the henna.
I just don't have that big of a block of time, so I wait until the
next day.
I mix the indigo with warm water and wait for dye release. It will
be a blue/black on the surface. I then go through the same routine
of washing my hair and applying the indigo, wraping it up on my head
and applying the towel to catch drips. This next step depends on
two things -- how dark you want your hair and the quality of your
indigo. With Catherine's indigo an hour wait is long enough for
me. With a cheaper indigo, I needed any where from two to three
hours. I only had enough of the good indigo to do my hair once, but
unfortunately, I have a lot of the cheaper, and I hate to waste, so
I am using it right now. My hair comes out black with dark brown
streaks. It looks very natural, healthy and, I might say,
beautiful. My natural color is a black/very dark brown.
Two things I have learned while learning this art. One is buy the
best you can afford and the other is to keep it simple. I have my
simple base and later on I will add this or that to tweek it maybe
for this or that effect, but my basics work and I will always to
back to them.
One other tip, a coconut milk soak will do wonders right after the
indigo. I open a can of coconut milk, pour in into a bowl, dip my
wet hair (right after the indigo rinse) into the coconut milk to
saturate it, pile it up, cover it for twenty to thirty minutes,
rinse and dry as usual. It looks and feels great. I don't do this
every time as some times I don't have the time, but the coconut milk
soak will work any time you need the extra conditioning. I am 50
years old. My hair is waist length, fairly thick, and I have hardly
any split ends. I am going for the classic length and I think this
time I just might make it. Even if I did not have gray hairs, I
would do this if not for anything more than the health and beauty of
it. I also eat a very healthy diet based on the Hebrew scriptures,
though I am not Jewish.
I hope this helps you with your quest for gray coverage, but
remember this is an art, not a science. Good luck and if I can be
of further help, let me know.
Meg
Follow Ups
- I might also add.......
Meg 10:49:40 8/28/2004
(3)
- THANKS, MEG! Anna 04:03:58 8/29/2004 (2)
