Does anyone know if adding honey to my henna mixture would be ok?

I don't see why it wouldn't be fine, I doubt it would interfere with its staining power like adding oil would. Many folks who paint skin with henna use sugar in the mix to keep it sticking to the skin longer.

It might even help with the henna rinsing--I always find that honey and molasses rinse out of my hair really easily, no suds needed.

Let us know how it goes!

I'm about to go henna my hair now!:sun:

Is that a moisturizing agent? If it is, it might be beneficial in henna! Kinda balance out the protein.

Are you going to henna?

Heidi, I hope yours turns out good!

Yeah, honey should be fine. Actually, a lot of henna artists (esp. in colder, drier areas) swear by honey in their paste. Personally, I tried it and wasn't impressed, but...I think it could be good in hair henna. It'd help it stick to the hair too!

Thanks to everyone for your reply. ((hugs))

Yeah Valerie, I plan on doing the henna thing either this weekend or next. I didn't know if honey would alter the henna in a negative way and thought I should ask first.

I've been having some pretty good results lately from adding honey to my conditioner and leaving it on my hair for 30 min. or so. It seems to be adding moisture to my velcro ends. So, I figure adding honey to henna might be a good thing.

Last time I used Light Mountain brand and it hasn't lasted as long as the Rainbow Research I had used before. I'm going to try the Light Mountain again and if it comes out as quickly as it did last time I'll go back to the Rainbow. I know some henna often, but I think it's a real pain in the butt and don't want to do any more than I need to.

I'm sitting here with henna on my head. Yup, it is a pain in the butt, because not only does applying the stuff wear me out, but then I have to clean the bathroom! :razz:

I'm a daily shampooer so naturally my henna isn't going to last as long as some folks', but I've noticed that now, in the middle of a no-conditioner experiment, it seems to last a little longer. You might think about skipping conditioner the first few times post-henna and just use a vinegar rinse. The acid in the vinegar may also help any residual henna to continue to color.

I'm going to try this. I usually use conditioner at the end of a treatment to help slip the henna out, but I will try to refrain this time around and just rinse with water. And sleep with a towel over my pillowcase.

Heidi, there is NO way I could go without conditioner. I would have to enlist the help of the dog clippers to get all the tangles out of my hair.

Hope your henna turns out well. What color are you using?

LOL--I know, when I'm rinsing, just an arm's length away from my silicone-laden ABBA conditioner, I may change my mind! But I'll try!

I'm using Light Mountain's dark brown.

Last time I used Light Mountain brand and it hasn't lasted as long as the Rainbow Research I had used before. I'm going to try the Light Mountain again and if it comes out as quickly as it did last time I'll go back to the Rainbow. I know some henna often, but I think it's a real pain in the butt and don't want to do any more than I need to.
I will be interested to know how it turns out. I used Light Mountain too and noticed the black "indigo" I used barely lasted 2 shampoos! (The "chestnut" lasted longer, perhaps 3 months, which was acceptable, but color was too light for me, who is trying to darken her ends.)
I noticed that when I went to a henna "tatoo" event at my public library, they used lemon juice and sugar on top of the henna. I'm not sure of the purpose, perhaps just to make the henna paste stick on the skin longer?

Hi J12 :waving:

Hmmm, two shampoos? That's pretty bad.

I'm using one box Chestnut and one Med. brown. This is the same color combo I used last time. I'm doing the same as you in trying to darken my length to blend with my natural color.

Mine lasted longer than two shampoos, but I could really tell a difference after a month. With Rainbow, I really noticed the henna fading after about two months.

I had been adding AO Island Spice to my henna mixture but may leave that out this time since it contains oils, which I've heard can keep the henna from taking.

J12, lemon juice is a standard mixer for use with henna in skin applications. I often use it in my henna hair concoctions. The acid helps the henna to stain the hair (or skin). The sugar is merely to help the paste stick to the skin as the henna dries and wants to flake off.

Was the color you chose all indigo? Indigo as a dye is not as colorfast as henna, so in the darker formulations that have more indigo than henna, or no henna at all, the color is going to fade faster. Think of jeans, which used to be dyed with indigo, that fade with every wash. Indigo's colorfastness is a little better on animal fiber (like hair) than on plant fiber (like jeans), but not quite as good as henna.


I've been having fun with natural dyes lately!

LOL, yeah, I know what you mean about having fun with them.

I've been adding strong brewed coffee instead of plain water to my henna mixtures. I *believe* this does the same as lemon juice plus I think the coffee helps deepen the color.

I usually leave mine on about 4 hours. There's no way I could bring myself to attempt sleeping with duck poop on my head. :rolleyes:

I have the LM Dark Brown and coffee on my head now...I'm always trying to attain brown rather than red. :gabigrin:

If someone knocked on the door right now, I'd pretend I wasn't home. On top of the duck poop I've got a plastic bag, then wrapped around that is a piece of old silk fabric (lighter weight than a towel) and perched on top of that is a heating pad.

Feeling really pretty :dizzy:

I've slept with mine before, and it is for me, the best way to leave it on for 6 or more hours without really thinking about it. But it's best done with a glass of wine or two. :sleep:

Was the color you chose all indigo? Indigo as a dye is not as colorfast as henna, so in the darker formulations that have more indigo than henna, or no henna at all, the color is going to fade faster. Think of jeans, which used to be dyed with indigo, that fade with every wash. Indigo's colorfastness is a little better on animal fiber (like hair) than on plant fiber (like jeans), but not quite as good as henna.

Yup, pure indigo. Ohhh (bonks head) no wonder! Plus, doing the vinegar rinse afterwards did not set the color, as it does for real henna.
Okay, I looked at the similar thread for indigo and henna and next time I will follow Mariah's instructions to use henna first, then indigo.

Patricia and Heidi, I think I'll try the coffee :coffee: too with the henna next time. :) Oh, and honey or at least rinse with honey. :smooch:

Here's a funny (well, funny now, not so funny at the time) story. Last time I hennaed, it was a Saturday, and the strong smell was still lingering for church on Sunday. No one actually said anything, but people must have wondered! Actually, it's not very funny, just embarrassing! :oops: A cautionary tale to plan ahead!

I noticed that when I went to a henna "tatoo" event at my public library, they used lemon juice and sugar on top of the henna. I'm not sure of the purpose, perhaps just to make the henna paste stick on the skin longer?

Yes--it's good especially for when you're going to be moving around or sleeping with it on; also helps it to stay moist and therefore stain for longer. For some mixes of henna paste it's also good for the staining, but as most artists use "terped" henna pastes (pastes with essential oils containing terpineol that helps it stain darker), a sealant isn't necessary and sometimes it's better not to use it and let the paste "breathe."


I've been adding strong brewed coffee instead of plain water to my henna mixtures. I *believe* this does the same as lemon juice plus I think the coffee helps deepen the color.

It should be close. Acidity is what helps Ms. Henna release her dye, so anything acidic will do the trick. Most use lemon juice, but I've used vinegar before (MISTAKE!! Smelly!) and some even use Coke for part of it. Some people add coffee to their mix, but not for the acidity--they use it with the lemon juice because some people think it'll help the henna stain darker. It doesn't, on skin anyway, but on hair that is probably a different story because I've heard before of using coffee to darken hair. I doubt it enhances the henna, though--probably more like works on its own. Part of the reason, I think, that people don't use coffee for the main acidic ingredient in their paste might be because it uses water--if your water is too basic, it'll counteract the acidic effect. I know when I used to use coffee or tea in my paste, I would make it with lemon juice, not water, to avoid that effect. And, I'm not sure, but I think maybe lemon juice still is more acidic than coffee.