How to Deal with Henna in Your Clients Hair
As more and more consumers look for healthier alternatives to traditional hair coloring services many salon professionals are faced with an increasing number of clients that have used henna on their hair, are unhappy with the results, have discovered Organic Color Systems, and now want to come back to the salon for professional hair color. For some of us, this is a “back to the future” situation that we can fondly reminisce about. For others, newer to our profession, this is a first time, “what do I do about this” situation that can be an unwelcome complication to a fully booked day. Regardless of your perspective, all of us need to know how to prepare hair that has been treated with Henna to ensure predictable results.
First a note of caution, henna can contain metallic salts which can react with oxidative dyes to create heat. This can be a disconcerting experience for both stylist and client. None of us want to have a client ask us, “Is this supposed to be this hot?”, and then rush the client to the bowl, praying that when we rinse the color that we are not rinsing her hair down the drain as well. Many clients are not aware that Henna can contain metallic salts and they may not know if the Henna that they used contained this ingredient. My suggestion is when in doubt, do a strand test so that you can be confident of predictable results and avoid costly and time consuming “re-do’s”. Don’t be afraid to “be the expert” and let the client know the steps that need to be taken to ensure the best possible results.
Use the following formula to remove the buildup from Henna treatments:
shampoo the hair twice using a cleansing shampoo such as Un Do Goo by malibu. Using a sponge, work vodka (yes, you read it right) through the hair and leave on for 15 minutes, rinse and shampoo twice with Organic Care Systems Aqua Boost Shampoo, leaving the second lather on for 5 minutes. Rinse and apply Power Build Reconstructor, leave on for 15 minutes, rinse and apply Aqua Boost conditioner for 5 minutes and then rinse. If you are following this service with a chemical service do not use the conditioner.
As more and more clients “go green” you may find this tip increasingly useful. There is no doubt the the green movement is here to stay and there has never been a better time in our industry to be identified as a leader in offering healthier, less toxic chemical services.
Remember, a member of our technical staff is always happy to assist you with any questions that you might have. We can be reached at 888-213-4744.
i really like to color my hair and i would love to try different hair colors specially auburn *`~
I had a client come in with henna on her hair. I did a strand test with 30 vol and blue powder. Where the henna was (mostly on ends) it turned green. Are you saying a vodka treatment, before a lightening service, will prevent the hair from turning green? Because since then I have turned away any client wanting to lighten their hair after it has been colored with henna.
That’s exactly what we are saying, Shanae. We know it sounds strange, but the vodka henna removal treatment is the only thing we’ve seen work to effectively remove henna on the hair. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions regarding this matter.
I’ve worked with henna for a number of years, and would like to offer some extra insights.
The henna isn’t what goes green from a lightening process. What goes green is actually indigo, which is often added to the darker shades of henna dyes that are available. Indigo is a blue dye that goes green during a lightening treatment.
Pure henna always leads to a hue of deep reddish orange (though saturation may vary). Any other color is no pure henna, though it may still be 100% natural.
If they used an all natural product, the added ingredient will most likely be indigo or buxus. Buxus shouldn’t have any adverse effects from lightening, but as said, indigo will definitely cause issues. So depending on what is in your client’s hair, you may need to adjust the stripping process.
It may be hard to find out as many people who ‘go green’ don’t pay enough attention to what they’re buying. There’s, sadly, not enough regulation on these products.
Henna itself will go brighter and lighter orange the more you lighten it. As far as I know, completely stripping henna is impossible, though you should be able to lighten it enough to redye it.
Hope this helps someone.
Ashley has it right. Alot of the henna products are not pure henna. I believe she is correct when she says you cannot remove all the henna. But it is good to know you can strip it down so it can be redied. I have used pure tatoo quality henna for many years. I love it but I think I am becoming allergic to it. I am considering removing it. I am very allergic to ammonia based hair color. So it is good to see there are some professionals taking this issue seriously.