Curly Proverbs Henna Gloss

I did this henna gloss (original recipe, not Belle Bar) last night, and after having deep conditioned overnight and styled my hair, I’m sorely disappointed.

Nothing horrible happened, but I basically feel like my hair went in better than it came out. My hair was very soft, dark, with a healthy sheen.

What I expected:

Increased shine
Smoother strands
Added strength
Easier detangling
Slight red tint (I actually wasn’t expecting this, but I knew it was a possibility. My hair is dark and the gloss contains a lot of oil)

What I did NOT get:

Increased shine
Smoother strands
Added strength
Easier detangling
Slight red tint

What I DID get:

Dusty brown tinted hair (lightened)
Decreased shine due to dusty brown tint
Decreased softness even after overnight DCing
Wiry feeling hair
Straight-ish pieces of hair here and there (not a lot, but they weren’t there before)

*******

I tried to convince myself that my hair is not brown/lighter, but then I walked past DH and he was like “why is your hair brown?”.

I’m trying to:



But this has me down. I have to spend the rest of the week deep conditioning now to HOPEFULLY get my hair back to where it was. I may wash my hair tonight, since I read it takes 48 hours for henna dye to set. This wasn’t supposed to be a whole ordeal.

Sorry this happened to you!
This is one of the reasons I don't use henna because of the variability in what the color deposit will be. It also loosened my curl pattern in a past application that I didn't like. I have had great success with her Cassia recipe, all the strengthening, shine, softening and detangling benefits of henna without the stuff I don't like. You may want to give cassia a try.

Daina said:

Sorry this happened to you!
This is one of the reasons I don't use henna because of the variability in what the color deposit will be. It also loosened my curl pattern in a past application that I didn't like. I have had great success with her Cassia recipe, all the strengthening, shine, softening and detangling benefits of henna without the stuff I don't like. You may want to give cassia a try.

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Thank you. Something was telling me to just do the cassia, but I had already bought allllllllll of this henna. I was like I’ll just try it in a gloss. I’m actually not feeling as bad about it today. My hair is softening back up and I do think I see a little extra shine and smoothness. My hair will likely darken back up in the coming days (allegedly, from what I’ve read). I may continue with cassia. Do you find it initially as drying as henna?

Glad your hair is doing better! When I make my glosses I add ingredients that will help with moisture like honey, olive oil, shikaki and rose powder. I'm usually left with soft but strengthened hair. Maybe try adding some moisturizing ingredients in your next gloss. How often are you doing your henna gloss?

Daina said:

Glad your hair is doing better! When I make my glosses I add ingredients that will help with moisture like honey, olive oil, shikaki and rose powder. I'm usually left with soft but strengthened hair. Maybe try adding some moisturizing ingredients in your next gloss. How often are you doing your henna gloss?

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@Daina This was my first gloss. I used CP’s original recipe, which contained honey, shea butter, coconut oil, slippery elm powder, and aloe vera powder. I added hibiscus and mixed it with a moisturizing conditioner (no protein in it). I thought that was going to be moisturizing as heck. My hair wasn’t necessarily dry or hard, but my strands had a wiry feeling initially that I wasn’t expecting. Idk, maybe that was the “strengthened” feeling? I’ve DC’d twice and bagged overnight with Shea butter, so it’s mostly back to normal. Idk, I may have panicked. I’m on my fourth BC. I thought I was going to have to shave my head again. I still wish I had just gone with the cassia.

Another question for you and other henna users. I didn’t notice this initially, but after smoothing my hair back into a puff, I noticed that my strands are a bit less kinky, especially in my 3c areas. Same curl patterns, but smoother strands. This will wear off eventually, right? I know the color lasts forever, but the other “benefits” do not? I’m asking because, I’m hoping there won’t be a noticeable difference or demarcation between my smoother henna’d hair and my new kinkier growth, and I can not henna ever again and have no problems.

@YvetteWithJoy Did you delete your post in here or am I going crazy?? I was going to ask you a question about it.

Theresamonet said:

@YvetteWithJoy Did you delete your post in here or am I going crazy?? I was going to ask you a question about it.

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Lol. You're not crazy, sis. I deleted it. I didn't want to interfere with your thread . . .

I thought this was the CP thread at first, so I had added my post to remind myself that even though I'm not doing dedicated henna treatments, I'm still getting a little henna when I do the Sheaterra mud treatments.

YvetteWithJoy said:

Lol. You're not crazy, sis. I deleted it. I didn't want to interfere with your thread . . .

I thought this was the CP thread at first, so I had added my post to remind myself that even though I'm not doing dedicated henna treatments, I'm still getting a little henna when I do the Sheaterra mud treatments.

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Oh, okay. Do you know how much henna is in that treatment? How high it is on the ingredient list?

Theresamonet said:

Oh, okay. Do you know how much henna is in that treatment? How high it is on the ingredient list?

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Let me go look. BRB.

Here's the link:

https://www.sheaterraorganics.com/Moroccan-MUD-POO-ROSEMARY-CARROT-SEED-_p_716.html

Henna seed oil is 5th, I think. That may be different from plain henna.

I like that it has alma, sedr, etc.

I might add henna nupur next time.

I'm going to purchase the banana one next time.

YvetteWithJoy said:

Here's the link:

https://www.sheaterraorganics.com/Moroccan-MUD-POO-ROSEMARY-CARROT-SEED-_p_716.html

Henna seed oil is 5th, I think. That may be different from plain henna.

I like that it has alma, sedr, etc.

I might add henna nupur next time.

I'm going to purchase the banana one next time.

View attachment 428065

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Thanks. This looks good! I love clay (bentonite & rhassoul). It’s the best thing I’ve ever put on my hair.

Theresamonet said:

@Daina This was my first gloss. I used CP’s original recipe, which contained honey, shea butter, coconut oil, slippery elm powder, and aloe vera powder. I added hibiscus and mixed it with a moisturizing conditioner (no protein in it). I thought that was going to be moisturizing as heck. My hair wasn’t necessarily dry or hard, but my strands had a wiry feeling initially that I wasn’t expecting. Idk, maybe that was the “strengthened” feeling? I’ve DC’d twice and bagged overnight with Shea butter, so it’s mostly back to normal. Idk, I may have panicked. I’m on my fourth BC. I thought I was going to have to shave my head again. I still wish I had just gone with the cassia.

Another question for you and other henna users. I didn’t notice this initially, but after smoothing my hair back into a puff, I noticed that my strands are a bit less kinky, especially in my 3c areas. Same curl patterns, but smoother strands. This will wear off eventually, right? I know the color lasts forever, but the other “benefits” do not? I’m asking because, I’m hoping there won’t be a noticeable difference or demarcation between my smoother henna’d hair and my new kinkier growth, and I can not henna ever again and have no problems.

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Hmmm let me tag some veteran henna users like @Aggie and @IDareT'sHair to see if they are more familiar with what you are experiencing. I used henna once years ago and it loosened my curl pattern so I never used it again.

Theresamonet said:

@Daina This was my first gloss. I used CP’s original recipe, which contained honey, shea butter, coconut oil, slippery elm powder, and aloe vera powder. I added hibiscus and mixed it with a moisturizing conditioner (no protein in it). I thought that was going to be moisturizing as heck. My hair wasn’t necessarily dry or hard, but my strands had a wiry feeling initially that I wasn’t expecting. Idk, maybe that was the “strengthened” feeling? I’ve DC’d twice and bagged overnight with Shea butter, so it’s mostly back to normal. Idk, I may have panicked. I’m on my fourth BC. I thought I was going to have to shave my head again. I still wish I had just gone with the cassia.

Another question for you and other henna users. I didn’t notice this initially, but after smoothing my hair back into a puff, I noticed that my strands are a bit less kinky, especially in my 3c areas. Same curl patterns, but smoother strands. This will wear off eventually, right? I know the color lasts forever, but the other “benefits” do not? I’m asking because, I’m hoping there won’t be a noticeable difference or demarcation between my smoother henna’d hair and my new kinkier growth, and I can not henna ever again and have no problems.

Click to expand...

My first henna gloss loosened my curls. I was like wth! lol. I knew that was a possibility but I didn't think it would happen with the first treatment. Curls definitely rebounded by the next wash day. Subsequent henna treatments I haven't noticed the loosening. I will pay more attention when I henna next weekend.

Theresamonet said:

@Daina This was my first gloss. I used CP’s original recipe, which contained honey, shea butter, coconut oil, slippery elm powder, and aloe vera powder. I added hibiscus and mixed it with a moisturizing conditioner (no protein in it). I thought that was going to be moisturizing as heck. My hair wasn’t necessarily dry or hard, but my strands had a wiry feeling initially that I wasn’t expecting. Idk, maybe that was the “strengthened” feeling? I’ve DC’d twice and bagged overnight with Shea butter, so it’s mostly back to normal. Idk, I may have panicked. I’m on my fourth BC. I thought I was going to have to shave my head again. I still wish I had just gone with the cassia.

Another question for you and other henna users. I didn’t notice this initially, but after smoothing my hair back into a puff, I noticed that my strands are a bit less kinky, especially in my 3c areas. Same curl patterns, but smoother strands. This will wear off eventually, right? I know the color lasts forever, but the other “benefits” do not? I’m asking because, I’m hoping there won’t be a noticeable difference or demarcation between my smoother henna’d hair and my new kinkier growth, and I can not henna ever again and have no problems.

Click to expand...

Daina said:

Hmmm let me tag some veteran henna users like @Aggie and @IDareT'sHair to see if they are more familiar with what you are experiencing. I used henna once years ago and it loosened my curl pattern so I never used it again.

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Thanks @Daina. Yes henna will loosen your curls a bit but it doesn't last - not for me anyway. I notice that my curls would return to its normal pattern within a week or two. But my hair is pretty kinky so the gentle loosening of my curls, I welcomed since it made it easier for me to manage, even if it was only temporary.

Taleah2009 said:

My first henna gloss loosened my curls. I was like wth! lol. I knew that was a possibility but I didn't think it would happen with the first treatment. Curls definitely rebounded by the next wash day. Subsequent henna treatments I haven't noticed the loosening. I will pay more attention when I henna next weekend.

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Aggie said:

Thanks @Daina. Yes henna will loosen your curls a bit but it doesn't last - not for me anyway. I notice that my curls would return to its normal pattern within a week or two. But my hair is pretty kinky so the gentle loosening of my curls, I welcomed since it made it easier for me to manage, even if it was only temporary.

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Great! It’s good to hear that it’s probably only temporary. My 4a hair feels like it’s still the same. But my 3c parts are hanging looser than normal, and they were already out of line.

Like you, @Taleah2009, I thought since I was doing just a gloss and for the first time, I wouldn’t have a problem. I’d read beforehand that the loosening effect was the from the buildup of henna in the strands from repeated uses. I really just wanted to see what the henna gloss was like. Eh, I guess now I know.

The other day I was swearing off Ayurveda, but now I’ve calmed down and I think I’ll continue my planned Ayurvedic regimen. But I won’t be using henna again. I bought a ton of it too. Lol

@Daina Thank you so much. You’ve been so helpful to me. It’s truly appreciated!

Theresamonet said:

@Daina Thank you so much. You’ve been so helpful to me. It’s truly appreciated!

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No problem sis you are welcome!

I’m sorry that your first try with henna wasn’t what you expected! If you decide to use henna or cassia in the future and you don’t want any accidental lightening of your hair it is best to stay clear of honey. It does not act quickly but it does contain a very small amount of natural peroxide and some people’s hair is more sensitive to it than others.

You can always add more amla powder to counteract the potential hair tinting of henna. I do.

Henna essentially is a protein treatment - I use it VERY rarely, or I only use it infused with oils as a gloss. That eventually turns my hair red.

The way henna works is by depositing on top of your hair strands, which is why it's hard to get the red out of your hair once you've used henna. This is why people experience looser strands - the extra weight. It's not damage, its just additional molecules built up on your hair strand, similar to silicone.

It will take a bit of conditioning to get your hair back to normal. My hair loved henna when it was very damaged, but now that it is not so much it hates it because of all the protein. You may be better off with an infused oil.

Could hibiscus have changed the color?

Perhaps using hibiscus and aloe Vera powder was too much for your hair since they are both acidic. The acidic pH of the mix may have caused the dryness. Just a thought ,