I don’t relax my hair and coloring it is the only chemical process I do with my it but now I have to stop that. I’m not sure if it is the coloring or simply aging but the last year my hair has thinned out and it feels so dry, even in the summer. Winter months are always the worse, I live in the Northeast and this year is extremely harsh, so I’m extra conditioning but that is not helping. I’m noticing more and more hair in the comb and when I simply detangle my hair with my fingers.
So, I’m ditching the chemical hair dyes and going back to henna and indigo. Before I started dying my hair, with whatever brand was on sale as long as it was a black violet color , I used to henna and indigo. Both of these are plant derivatives and completely natural but the process is a tiresome. I got lazy and wanted a quick fix so I started dying. I could look at my calendar and count how many times I dyed my hair in 2014 but I’m sure the number will only distress me more.
Seeing my hair NOT growing leaves me very concerned. As I have gotten older I noticed that my hair is not growing as fast as it used to after a cut. In my twenties I remember being so bothered after getting my haircut only to have it grow completely out in two months. I cut my hair in the spring last year and have had very little growth since then. Unlike a lot of natural hair enthusiast I never did the before and after shots of my hair or tracked products but I think I will start just to figure out how much my growth has slowed down or if I’m doing something to hinder its progress…like the chemical over the counter coloring.
It takes two days for me to do both the henna and indigo.I let the henna sit overnight and then let it sit in my hair for about two hours. I go over the henna with indigo because henna leaves the gray hair a brassy red color which I hate. The indigo, like henna is derived from a plant but has blue dye in it which gives the hair a very black color. I naturally have a red undertone to my hair so often you will see flecks of red in my hair but the indigo will keep the gray hair dark and for a longer period of time.
I usually get my henna and indigo from a few of my mothers friends when they go home to Pakistan and it usually last me a year. However, when I can’t get it from them I go to my local Indian store or order from either mehandi.com or amazon. The Indian store is usually the cheaper option.
This weekend I will give more details on how I prepare my hennna and my process.
Properly Improper 
I remember we talked about gray hairs a few months ago. I use a rinse every few months because my hair type needs constant moisture. Because we’re naturals we have to be careful because dyes are very drying and can wreak havoc on our hair. I already have dry scalp and hair, so when this last dye didn’t take 2 weeks ago, I just threw some crochet braids in and I spray it everyday with water and soul glo, lol. I like the blue/black color, also.
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I think i need to practice with more protective styles in the winter. I was udung rinses as well and I know harsh chemicals like ammonia are missing from them but they would only last two weeks on the gray so i thought upping to tge dye would last longer on the gray….yay a whole extra week lol i always rinse with applw cider vinegar for my scalp and use either Vatika oil or coconut oil do it wint itch. I think i want to try crochet braids. They look nice on instagram lol
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Yeah, I was looking at them on Instagram also. I’m using the femi Marley hair and it is soooo pretty and soft, but huge! I have them plaited until tomorrow.
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Did you do them yourself? I was looking at YT videos but my hands go kinda numb when I try fancy stuff with my hair. I can do a bun😂
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I can’t do a bun, ;o;. I’m just now learning to do cornrows, but yeah, I did them myself. My intention was to do sengalese twists, but they did not want to happen, lol. So, I opted for crochet instead.
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Oh my I am seeing the gray hairs, partially due to stress and working too hard I believe, since graying before 50 or so does not run in my family. The strands are sparse but distressing and multiplying. Henna is an option I had NEVER considered, since I know dyes strip your oils. Thank you! More protein and seaweed have been doing wonders for my growth, thickness and no new gray hairs 🙂
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I dont have a lot they seem to stay right at my temple…drives me crazy. seaweed??? I will have to look that up. I eat salmon a few times a week for those Omegas and amping up my smoothies with flaxseed…i am going to track all this to see if its helping.
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Yes my temples as well…right where people can see them! Apparently seaweed produces a melanin-restoring compound so I am chomping down. I did read flaxseed halts it as well, but have been forgetting to put that in stuff. I am pulling it out now for fuller view. Yes, we shall get this under control 🙂
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