Does Henna loosen the curl a little

Does it make detangling the hair easier?

When I used it, i noticed that my coils were more defined and easier to detangle. I used the new henna gloss recipe I found at http://naturallyleslie.blogspot.com/2010/05/henna-take-two.html. There's also a recipe here that Curly nikki has. I was less apprehensive to use the henna gloss than the other hundred recipes I saw for henna. It also works as a great conditioner. As far as I can tell, from my personal experience, it does work but you have to do it at least once a month every month.

Yes, it loosens the curl. How much the curl loosens depends on 1) if you have fine or thick strands, 2) how many henna treatments you do.

I have fine strands. I went from 4a to 3c after 5 henna treatments. I still have a little 4a at my roots. I did my 5 treatments over 6 or 7 weeks.

If you want curl loosening, make sure to:

1)Clarify your hair with shampoo (not soap) and let it air dry until it's mostly dry. All the way dry is best, but that can take a long time.
2)Use an acidic liquid. Orange juice works best for me.
3)Wait for dye release (8-10 hrs depending on what type of henna you buy)
4)Choose a henna with high dye content (so that you get more for your $$) Henna from Yemen and Rajastani Henna are both good. Look for henna that is advertised as "strong enough to cover grays".
5) This is important: Wrap your hair around your head after you apply the henna...just like you would wrap straight hair. Then put a plastic cap on and tie everything down with a scarf.
6)Leave on for at least 4 hours or overnight if you prefer.
7)Deep condition after the henna is thoroughly rinsed and washed out. This would be a good time to use a conditioner with silicone in it.


Let me know if you try it!

LittleOne i have thick strands. I get my Alma Henna Bundle this week. So it be my first Henna treatment. I should have some leftover for a 2nd treatment.

I just want it to loosen my cur texture and strengthin my strands.

I purchased it from Butters-n-Bars. i aslo got the Hibiscious Flowers w? the bundle.

The bundle comes with a heat cap and gloves.

You say i should tie it down with a scarf. Really why. Shouldn't the plastic cap be good enough

I'm curious as to why wrapping it is best also. I did a henna 2 nights ago and didn't wrap and I got good coverage/color and results. It did loosen my curl but not too much. Like little one said it depends on how often you do it. Both times I've henna'd the curl pattern has come back within 2-3 washes. I'm about 3b-3c I think.

Detangling does seem easier though and I have less shedding after I do it. I would say wrap with a scarf if you are sleeping in it because the cap will most likely fall off. I saran wrapped mine and then a scarf over it to make it stay on all night.

BAMNcurls it comes with a heating pad. I do have a scarf, but see this going to be done in the morning like I'm going put in next Sunday morning at let it sit for 4 1/2 hours before I rinse. and after that I'm going to condition my hair. Then oil my scalp and do twist.


I heard from the Makeupvirgin on YouTube that coconut oil is good for the dye release to bring out the color.

If you are using a heating cap, it is unneccessary to tie down with the scarf. I use a scarf to increase the warmth under my plastic cap.

I have found that wrapping my hair around my head, results in more curl loosening than not wrapping the hair around my head.

Any color or curl loosening results from henna should be permanent. It is not something that washes out after a few shampoos. If you feel like your curl pattern "reverted", it may be that you got the deep conditioning benefits of henna, but low overall dye uptake.

Also, I have read that putting oils in the henna mix can decrease dye uptake. I avoid oils in my mix, and just use acidic liquid. Here are the instructions that I follow... www.mehandi.com/shop/hairinstructions2.pdf. Although I now order my henna from Butters-N-Bars, I learned a ton about henna from the mehandi website.

Litttle one do you have relaxed hair? I order the Alma Bundle with Hibsicious Flowers. It says the alma bundle is good for strengthing the hair and conditions the hair. Should i follow it up with a conditoner after i rinse the henna out.

I think i have 4 a hair texture. i don't know for sure. Like kinky coil texture. i want to get to a 3 c texture.

Hey LittleOne,

Did u know notice better growth since you started henna? Like do you oil your scalp with essential or indian oils?

Hi Brainiac!

I am all natural. My relaxer grew out while I had a sew-in and then I decided to not go back to that whole cycle.

Always follow any henna or other herb treatment with conditioner. These dyes deposit on the outside of the hair shaft and can make hair brittle. Deep conditioning afterwards makes the hair softer and able to bend easier after it's been coated by the dye.

I am sorry to possibly confuse you, but the Amla bundle may not be the best if you are trying to get curl loosening. Amla is used to counteract the curl loosening effect of henna. Check out this post from CurlyNikki. I'm sure the treatment will still be great, but just know that you would get more curl loosening without the Amla.

http://www.curlynikki.com/2009/08/hair-tip-of-day-henna-edition_19.html

Fyi - I (respectfully) disagree with some of CurlyNikki's advice. For example, I think you have to use an acidic liquid to get maximum benefit from the henna. I provided the link only for the info about amla.

Anyway, I am definitely 3c now, I had a little 4a at my roots until yesterday. I did my 7th henna (i think, losing track) Friday and I'm all 3c now. I have been doing henna on my transitioning friend and she has thick strands like you. She saw noticeable curl loosening after her 2nd treatment.

Brainiac wrote:Hey LittleOne,

Did u know notice better growth since you started henna? Like do you oil your scalp with essential or indian oils?

I definitely noticed better length retention after I started using henna. I can't say anything about the growth rate though. I know my hair seems to be growing fast, but I don't know that it's any faster than the average 1/2 inch per month. I don't measure, because I know I would drive myself crazy.

Also, henna is a great scalp treatment because it is a natural antifungal. I have no scalp issues at this time. The scalp needs to breathe, so I don't regularly put oil on it. If my scalp starts to itch, I massage a little olive oil on just the itchy spots.

I have also read that massaging the scalp with essential oils can promote growth. My hair line receded a little on one side from all of my braiding/weaving days. I have been massaging my temples with this mixture:

1 tbsp olive oil
3 drops of lavender essential oil
3 drops of rosemary essential oil

I would add thyme essential oil, but I'm too cheap to buy it. I read this "recipe" on a medical website. I really don't know if it's working though. It's important to be consistent by massaging for 2 minutes daily....but I'm kind of a slacker.

Alma not good for loosening the curl texture! What? but I spoke to Shakira at butters-n/bars and it seem like it would it work.


The bundle come with:
100 grams of Jamila Henna
100 grams of Alma powder

Part of what makes the whole "natural hair" thing so difficult is the amount of advice and opinions you can get about any subject.

I have never used amla, so my advice only comes from what I've read. Sharika says amla may help, CurlyNikki says amla may hurt. The way to find out the answer is to try it both ways. Sometimes, you have to just experiment for yourself!

yeah I know. Well I already ordered it. So I should get it sometime this week.
Hope it works.

I want to henna my hair and then follow with indigo so i can have black hair. Would I need to repeat the indigo every time i henna my hair or just when i have new growth?

EbonyQueen4ever wrote:I want to henna my hair and then follow with indigo so i can have black hair. Would I need to repeat the indigo every time i henna my hair or just when i have new growth?

Just when you have new growth.

Thanks, freckledmom4!

So let's say I henna-ed my hair and follow with indigo to make my hair black.
Then I henna the following week. Won't that give my hair the reddish tint? Or will my hair be permanently dyed black; no changes whatsoever?

I'm not sure. Some people with really dark hair say that they cannot see any color change. If anything, you will see a reddish copper hue in the sunlight.

Thanks again! I think I will henna and indigo in a few weeks. After that, I would henna every 3 weeks and indigo every 6 weeks.
I'm so excited!!![You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

EbonyQueen wrote:Thanks again! I think I will henna and indigo in a few weeks. After that, I would henna every 3 weeks and indigo every 6 weeks.
I'm so excited!!![You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Have fun! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Another question...Could you put coconut milk in place of the water, or do you follow the directions on the box, and then add personal ingredients?

@ Ebonyqueen, use the coconut milk in place of water and follow the instructions as if the coconut milk was water.

R2D2...you are an angel from Hair Heaven; Thank you!

Does anyone know what you can do to prevent your curls from loosening because one side of my hair is 2a and the other is 3b. I wish i could make the 2a side become curlier permanently like my 3b side but I know that's impossible. So, is there anything that can prevent the curls from loosening?

@Barb-Noel

Doesn't amla/alma powder tighten curls?

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/archive/index.php/t-98991.html

http://www.happycurls.com/v2/smf/index.php?topic=4061.0