and the blondes won't help much

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Posted by Alison on October 15, 2004 at 23:06:19:

In reply to: I'm afraid that henna is red, red or red posted by Elettaria on October 15, 2004 at 20:25:06:

: So no luck there. (If you see something in a shop called "blonde
: henna", they're lying.) A few people have been experimenting with
: other plants, although I don't think anyone's had fantastic results
: for blonde yet.
:
: If it's any consolation, I believe that blonde hair dyes are not
that
: likely to have PPD in them, since PPD is used for darker colours.
You
: may not be able to find a completely plant-based dye, but you might
be
: able to find something pretty good.

The allergic reaction is probably a reaction to the bleach used to
lighten the hair--no ppd involved, but still harsh on the skin (it
makes MY head itch, too!).

As far as I know, it is not possible to strip large ammounts of
colour from the hair without chemicals involved somewhere in the
process. Lemon juice (or chlorinated water, as kids who spend a lot
of time at the pool outdoors find out) can lighten the hair in
combination with sunlight, but the process is slow and not
gaurenteed. Depending on each person's natural hair colour, they
might get blonde tones or red tones--I know I always turned more
strawberry in the summer as a kid. So, it's going to be pretty much
impossible to maintain blonde with non-chemical dyes if you're coming
from medium-to-dark-brown hair--and the damage from the ammount of
lemon juice and sunlight you'd need to go blonde would be as bad as
or worse than the chemical damage from commercial dye.

Blonde is out, then. Some plants have yellow tones to them (rhubarb
and cassia obovata spring to mind) but either don't show up on dark
hair (cassia) or are very strong and hard to measure so can give
unruly and unattractively bright tones (rhubarb).

If you don't want red, I'd consider going back to your natural hair
colour and just work on covering the grey so it blends in. With
enough test strands you should be able to work out a balance of henna
and indigo to come close to the shade you need, and you can add some
tumeric or a little tiny bit of rhubarb to bring the colour to a more
golden brown than red brown, I think. You'd have to test it to be
sure. Also remember that grey hair doesn't always take colour as
easily as normal hair, and it might not take as well on your head the
first time as you hope.

Follow Ups

a bit confused Maria 02:25:55 10/16/2004 (2)
- Re: a bit confused Helen 23:12:29 10/16/2004 (0)
- Re: a bit confused Alison 12:38:48 10/16/2004 (0)

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: : So no luck there. (If you see something in a shop called "blonde : : henna", they're lying.) A few people have been experimenting with : : other plants, although I don't think anyone's had fantastic results : : for blonde yet. : : : : If it's any consolation, I believe that blonde hair dyes are not : that : : likely to have PPD in them, since PPD is used for darker colours. : You : : may not be able to find a completely plant-based dye, but you might : be : : able to find something pretty good. : : The allergic reaction is probably a reaction to the bleach used to : lighten the hair--no ppd involved, but still harsh on the skin (it : makes MY head itch, too!). : : As far as I know, it is not possible to strip large ammounts of : colour from the hair without chemicals involved somewhere in the : process. Lemon juice (or chlorinated water, as kids who spend a lot : of time at the pool outdoors find out) can lighten the hair in : combination with sunlight, but the process is slow and not : gaurenteed. Depending on each person's natural hair colour, they : might get blonde tones or red tones--I know I always turned more : strawberry in the summer as a kid. So, it's going to be pretty much : impossible to maintain blonde with non-chemical dyes if you're coming : from medium-to-dark-brown hair--and the damage from the ammount of : lemon juice and sunlight you'd need to go blonde would be as bad as : or worse than the chemical damage from commercial dye. : : Blonde is out, then. Some plants have yellow tones to them (rhubarb : and cassia obovata spring to mind) but either don't show up on dark : hair (cassia) or are very strong and hard to measure so can give : unruly and unattractively bright tones (rhubarb). : : If you don't want red, I'd consider going back to your natural hair : colour and just work on covering the grey so it blends in. With : enough test strands you should be able to work out a balance of henna : and indigo to come close to the shade you need, and you can add some : tumeric or a little tiny bit of rhubarb to bring the colour to a more : golden brown than red brown, I think. You'd have to test it to be : sure. Also remember that grey hair doesn't always take colour as : easily as normal hair, and it might not take as well on your head the : first time as you hope.
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