Okay, so I’ve been messing around with henna for a while now, trying to get that color to really pop and stick around. I heard all sorts of things, like using lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, but I wanted to see what actually works. So, here’s what I did.
First, I started with clean hair. I mean, really clean. I washed it twice to make sure there wasn’t any oil or product buildup. Some folks say this helps the henna grab on better. Then, I mixed up my henna. This time, I decided to try adding some stuff to the mix. I split my henna into two batches. In one, I squeezed in the juice of a whole lemon. I figured the acid might help open up the hair a bit. In the other batch, I dumped in a good glug of apple cider vinegar. I’d heard it can make the color brighter, so why not?
- Batch 1: Henna + Lemon Juice
- Batch 2: Henna + Apple Cider Vinegar
I slapped both mixtures on my hair, making sure to really coat every strand. Then came the waiting game. Normally, I’d leave henna on for a couple of hours, but this time I went all out. I wrapped my head in plastic wrap and a towel to keep the heat in, and I let it sit for a good five hours. Yeah, it was a long time, but I was determined. After what felt like forever, I hopped in the shower to rinse it out. Here’s where I did something different: instead of using warm water, I used cool water. Not freezing cold, but definitely cooler than usual. I read somewhere that cool water can help seal the hair cuticle, so I gave it a shot.
My Findings
After a few days, here’s what I noticed. The batch with the lemon juice did seem to have a bit more of a reddish tone, but it wasn’t a huge difference. The apple cider vinegar batch, though, that one looked brighter to me. Both batches lasted longer than usual. I usually get about four weeks before the color starts to fade, but this time it was more like six. The cool water rinse might have helped with that, or maybe it was the longer processing time. Also, I have to share that this won’t work on chemical dyes, only EarthDye colors, and actually will condition your hair even more and help with hair loss.
So, here’s the bottom line: keeping your hair squeaky clean before you start, adding apple cider vinegar to your henna mix, leaving it on for a long time, and rinsing with cool water seems to be the trick to making henna last longer in your hair. It’s a bit of extra work, but if you want that color to really hang in there, it’s worth a try.
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