Re: help! - forgot to add this

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Posted by Alison on September 30, 2004 at 23:41:12:

In reply to: help! - forgot to add this posted by wanttobered on September 29, 2004 at 13:07:36:

I think I can answer your questions, so...

: Hi!
: sorry... from my panic I forgot to add more details which may help
: pipoint the problem...
:
: When I washed my hair after 4.5 hours, the water was green, NOT
: red... does that mean anything...?

Yep. It means that the henna was a) not actually henna or b) was
henna but didn't release its dye. Knowing Light Mountain and knowing
that they are crap, I'm going with the first.

:
: and before I put henna in my hair, I didn't wait... I mean I mixed
: the henna and just applied it to my hair... (I read that the some
: people wait after mixing so the "dye is released") Was that a
: mistake?

Again, yes. REAL henna needs to sit for a while so the dye releases
from the leaves. Henna is just ground up leaves from the henna
shrub, and, like most other plants, the leaves are green because of
chlorophyl. However, when mixed with something acidic (I believe Lt
Mtn says to use water, which doesn't work too well), the cell walls
of each cell in the plant break down and another dye molecule can
come out--a tannin, which are also found in tea leaves (think of tea-
staining). The cellulose in the plant cells HAS to be broken down
before the tannins can get out, so real henna has to rest so the
cellulose can dissolve and let the tannins out before using it. A
little heat (using a warm, but NOT hot or boiling liquid when you mix
the henna, or letting it sit in a warm place) can help this process
along a bit (I know Pierre has ready-to-use henna in about two hours
after mixing by adding heat). A lot of heat will just cook the
henna, which is bad, though.

Now, with Lt Mtn, you don't nessicarily have to wait for dye release
because, frankly, any henna that is actually IN the stuff is probably
stale and won't ever release any dye anyway. Lt Mtn henna is not
pure henna, it's henna and other dye-ing herbs, some of which work
well and others not so well. It is SO much better to use body-art
quality henna than any thing in a box from the health food store,
check the suppliers for links.

:
: And after I mixed everything together, the stuff was really grainy
: and hard to apply, it certainly did not look as smooth and goopy as
: the picture on this website under -how to apply henna- Do you
thing
: that could be a problem?

Another yes. Lt Mtn henna, when it's henna at all, is usually very
poorly sifted--meaning when they ground the leaves up, no one did a
good job of getting the gross pulpy bits out. Body art quality henna
will be more finely sifted.

:
: Actually my husband put the paste on my hair... we were out in the
: patio on a plastic chair with towels and we kept gigling because we
: were sure the neighbours might have thought we are weird... I just
: wanted to add that for comic relief...:)
:
: anyway, thank you for your help...
: Didem.

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: I think I can answer your questions, so... : : : Hi! : : sorry... from my panic I forgot to add more details which may help : : pipoint the problem... : : : : When I washed my hair after 4.5 hours, the water was green, NOT : : red... does that mean anything...? : : Yep. It means that the henna was a) not actually henna or b) was : henna but didn't release its dye. Knowing Light Mountain and knowing : that they are crap, I'm going with the first. : : : : : and before I put henna in my hair, I didn't wait... I mean I mixed : : the henna and just applied it to my hair... (I read that the some : : people wait after mixing so the "dye is released") Was that a : : mistake? : : Again, yes. REAL henna needs to sit for a while so the dye releases : from the leaves. Henna is just ground up leaves from the henna : shrub, and, like most other plants, the leaves are green because of : chlorophyl. However, when mixed with something acidic (I believe Lt : Mtn says to use water, which doesn't work too well), the cell walls : of each cell in the plant break down and another dye molecule can : come out--a tannin, which are also found in tea leaves (think of tea- : staining). The cellulose in the plant cells HAS to be broken down : before the tannins can get out, so real henna has to rest so the : cellulose can dissolve and let the tannins out before using it. A : little heat (using a warm, but NOT hot or boiling liquid when you mix : the henna, or letting it sit in a warm place) can help this process : along a bit (I know Pierre has ready-to-use henna in about two hours : after mixing by adding heat). A lot of heat will just cook the : henna, which is bad, though. : : Now, with Lt Mtn, you don't nessicarily have to wait for dye release : because, frankly, any henna that is actually IN the stuff is probably : stale and won't ever release any dye anyway. Lt Mtn henna is not : pure henna, it's henna and other dye-ing herbs, some of which work : well and others not so well. It is SO much better to use body-art : quality henna than any thing in a box from the health food store, : check the suppliers for links. : : : : : And after I mixed everything together, the stuff was really grainy : : and hard to apply, it certainly did not look as smooth and goopy as : : the picture on this website under -how to apply henna- Do you : thing : : that could be a problem? : : Another yes. Lt Mtn henna, when it's henna at all, is usually very : poorly sifted--meaning when they ground the leaves up, no one did a : good job of getting the gross pulpy bits out. Body art quality henna : will be more finely sifted. : : : : : Actually my husband put the paste on my hair... we were out in the : : patio on a plastic chair with towels and we kept gigling because we : : were sure the neighbours might have thought we are weird... I just : : wanted to add that for comic relief...:) : : : : anyway, thank you for your help... : : Didem.
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