Henna & My HAIR

Today is my usual wash day but I realised late last week that I am well overdue a henna treatment.  I use henna to strengthen my hair, but I also love the subtle colour it gives to my hair.

Personally, I have been trying to incorporate the henna treatment into my regimen on a regular basis but as yet, have been unable to plan it in on a 6 week basis.  I'll get there as I have the motivation that this is always makes my hair feel great - it's just difficult to fit in a process where the product needs to be made the day beforehand and then needs to sit on my hair for 2-3hrs minimum.  It's a long slog doing this process, but well worth it.  I will be trying way harder to do this.  I love how this makes every strand feel reinforced.

I did my first henna gloss on 29th October 2010, my next was done on 25th November and I think I completely missed both December and January, I really need to step it up on this one and set a reminder or something.

My HAIR Today:

I blow dried and flat ironed on my last wash day so I have been wearing various styles this week, prodominently pin curl sets worn as protective styles, culminating in two loose French braids today.  I have not combed my hair since Thursday.

Pre-Poo Routine:

I sectioned my hair into 4 and I applied a warmed coconut oil and EVOO mix thoroughly to each section.   I then left this on my hair for 30mins.

Henna Gloss Treatment:

I mixed almost a full 100g box of Ayuuri mehandi henna powder (which I purchase from Tesco for £1.29) with warm water in a plastic bowl and mix it until it resembles a smooth consistency similar to cake batter.  I then cover and leave overnight for the colour to release.  The next day I add the following to the henna to make up the henna gloss:

2 x tbsp of Ayuuri amla powder

2 x tbsp of Ayuuri henna power

I then mix this paste which should be pretty dry consistency.  I add more henna as I like my paste to be really thick as I can't stand 'the drippies' for 3hrs, on my neck, clothes, in my ears ewwwww!!!

After mixing the powder into the henna mixture I add the following:

2 x tbsp HEHH conditioner

2 x tsp EV coconut oil

2 x tsp EVOO

The finished product:  My Henna Gloss mix

I mix this throughly and then apply to my hair in sections, then cover with cling film and let it sit on my hair for 3 hours.

Henna Gloss applied to my hair in 4 x sections

After the time has passed, I cowash the henna out of my hair being really careful not to aggitate the hair too much as it can be quite compacted in some areas and dry.  I cowash this out like forever  and then do one wash with shampoo whilst my hair is still in sections, depending on how well cowashing the product out is going.

Next I deep conditioned with a mixture of the following:

Aubrey Organics White Camelia Smoothing Conditioner

Elasta QP DPR 11+

2 x tbsp Hemp Oil

1 x tsp Roux Porosity Control Conditioner

I then let this sit on my hair for 30mins with heat then rinsed out throughly with my hair still in sections to reduce the possibility of tangles.  I then did a final rinse of fridge temperature aloe vera juice brrrrrrrr!!!!

Next I applied my leave ins as I have for previous wash days then air dried lightly before putting my hair in 6 x bantu knots as I will be rocking a bantu knot out this week as I don't want to overdo the heat.  It was tempting to blow dry my hair today, especially as I brought I brand new ceramic blow-drying brush today.  Never mind, there's always next week - right?!  Nite nite xx


Ciao 4 Now!!!