Yet another henna removal post...

[ritterronery]

So, I've dyed my hair with BAQ henna maybe 5 times. They were mostly overnight treatments, but all in all I haven't been doing it for too long, so there isn't too much henna built up in my hair. Prior to using henna, I had dyed my hair every color of the rainbow, but thanks to using high quality dyes, protein treatments and just overall knowledge of what I was doing my hair has always stayed very healthy. My goal is to get back to my natural color (light golden brown) and just be done with this whole "hair color" charade. Lol

A few months ago I dyed my hair a soft black with Revlon Color Silk, the color looked great and my hair was still in great condition. Jump to now, it's probably been about 4 or 5 months since my last henna\chemical dye application and now my hair is a medium reddish brown (my old henna is showing through. lol) due to using coconut oil treatments, shampooing with Johnson's baby wash, and one honey treatment (which lightened A LOT), also the Las Vegas sun is probably lightening and fading it a bit too.

I just purchased Colorfix today and am planning on doing an application sometime soon, but I just have a few questions to get the biggest payoff:

-How long should I leave it on for? The suggested 20 minutes or longer? I don't want to damage my hair too much!

-What type of shampoo should I follow up with? Effasol, Johnson's baby wash, dish\laundry detergent?

Also, I'm planning on doing a white vinegar treatment afterwards...should I leave that in and rinse, or just do a plain old rinse. And will that really help loosen up the lawsone dye molecules?

I know that this method is not going to completely remove the henna that I've put in. I plan on doing several honey treatments after Colorfix and THEN when I'm at the level that I want, go over my hair with a chemical dye replicating my natural color. I know henna is a direct dye and Colorfix is meant for oxidative dyes, but it does partially remove the direct dyes (that's what the box says! lol), so I have my fingers crossed that this will hopefully take a little or more out. I'm also planning on not using the 3rd step in the Colorfix kit, good idea or bad idea?

[Dolly]

Well, from what I have heard, Colorfix won't remove henna. Henna binds with the keratin inside the hair shaft, it is not like a deposit-only dye.....I have heard that one of the only ways to get it out is to bleach it......

Good luck!

[Alvrodul]

The only sure way to get rid of henna is with scissors, I'm afraid. I have heard that some on the boards have managed to bleach it out, but the most likely result of trying to remove the henna color is completely ruined hair - that probably still is orange.

[Dolly]

The only sure way to get rid of henna is with scissors, I'm afraid. I have heard that some on the boards have managed to bleach it out, but the most likely result of trying to remove the henna color is completely ruined hair - that probably still is orange.

Exactly. Many people have found just that. They trash their hair only to end up with remaining pale orange tones.....

[spidermom]

If it were my hair, I'd grow it out and rock the two tones. But best of luck with whatever you decide.

[ritterronery]

Well, I should have titled the post differently...my bad! Lol

What I need to do, I guess, is lighten the henna and take out as much of the red as possible so I can dye over it with my "natural" color. I don't really want a vibrant red to shine through too much.

Indeed, the only way to completely get rid of henna is to either bleach or chop. But those both are not an option for me. I look like a little boy with short hair, two-tone hair will not fly at my job (I'm a concierge, very strict appearance policy) and bleach will destroy my hair.

So, I just washed my hair with a "free and gentle" laundry detergent twice and a little Johnson's baby wash (I love that stuff!). My hair feels really clean, dry and a bit frazzled, but after it air dries I'm gonna go ahead and do the Colorfix, rinse out with more detergent and cone free shampoo and simply hope for the best. After that I might do a white vinegar treatment (leave it in and rinse out).

[pink.sara]

Hiya, as someone who uses henna and colourfix/colourB4 dye remover I've got a little experience here (I change from chemical black to henna or blonde every summer) I don't know how your hair will react but the removers do fade my henna considerably. I leave it on for 30 mins to an hour under cling film for heat, make sure to rinse for at least 20 minutes and shampoo twice and whatever you do don't bother with the 3rd step! It's more important to rinse for ages to wash out any oxidative dye molecules you have left, and also to help fade the red henna stain.
The removers have even been known to strip my vegetable dye purple streak back to White unintentionally, but they don't seem to damage my hair at all.
And the 3rd peroxide developer is just to re-oxidise any remaining dye molecules (and in doing so make you buy another box!) why cause peroxide damage if you don't have to?!
Good luck, I hope it works for you

[ritterronery]

Hiya, as someone who uses henna and colourfix/colourB4 dye remover I've got a little experience here (I change from chemical black to henna or blonde every summer) I don't know how your hair will react but the removers do fade my henna considerably. I leave it on for 30 mins to an hour under cling film for heat, make sure to rinse for at least 20 minutes and shampoo twice and whatever you do don't bother with the 3rd step! It's more important to rinse for ages to wash out any oxidative dye molecules you have left, and also to help fade the red henna stain.
The removers have even been known to strip my vegetable dye purple streak back to White unintentionally, but they don't seem to damage my hair at all.
And the 3rd peroxide developer is just to re-oxidise any remaining dye molecules (and in doing so make you buy another box!) why cause peroxide damage if you don't have to?!
Good luck, I hope it works for you

Well, I did my Colorfix treatment last night! I left it on for 40ish minutes...and voila! The dark chemical hair dye has been removed as well as some of the henna. Since last night my hair has turned a skew darker, but not too bad...I'm impressed. I'm definitely at a light golden/reddish brown right now, just the level I wanted to go over with chemical dye.

I bought some Revlon Colorsilk dye in Light Caramel Brown, but I'm waiting to put it on. I'm doing another Colorfix tonight, following your directions. Thank you so much for the great advice!

[Unofficial_Rose]

At least you didn't use indigo - so you can lighten it with no fear of green.

I always found Colorfix lightened hennaed hair considerably, too.

Actually, if you pretreat with coconut oil (say overnight), bleaching is less damaging.

I had almost black henndigoed hair which I bleached three times, cutting off the green bits as I went. Which is as horrible as it sounds. It is possible to de-green with benzoyl peroxide somewhat but you need the patience of a saint as many applications are needed - I envy you that you've just used henna.

Once I was done bleaching, I used a light brown chem dye, and I currently have light golden brown hair, although the henndigoed parts are still darker than the natural + dye parts. My hair's shorter now though - so if you definitely don't want to bleach or cut you may have to have it a little darker than you'd like.

Unless someone comes up with a fabulous new idea.

NB: Avatar colour was me playing around with Manic Panic Vampire Red, but the light brown is in my albums.

[SC]

I once bleached from henna (after using it for a year maybe), back to platinum blonde. It wasn't good at all. Well I can tell how much I loved seeing my old color again (almost) but my hair was so damaged that I needed to cut it off no matter how I tried to be all right with hair falling out when I was brushing my hair.