Successful henna removal. Yes, you are reading this correctly.

**Ninika** · April 22nd, 2012, 05:51 AM

I thought I'd post my experience here now that I tried Colour B4.

I have applications of henna+cassia, pure henna, henna + indigo on my head, about two (?) of each.
My virgin roots are between chin and shoulder right now, the henndigo made the hair a nice brown without red undertones, the difference between virgin and dyed was hardly noticeable to anyone but me. Now why would I want to change that?

I wanted to go blonde or at least get some highlights, so I figured I needed to get rid of the henndigo first, so it would not turn green from the peroxide.

My DH helped me apply Colour B4 to the dyed parts of my hair only, I left it in for about three or four hours. Rinsed like crazy, with a couple of shampooings inbetween. Went to bed with wet hair. Woke up with virgin roots+moss green hair

The Colour B4 seems to have worked well enough, removing the Henna. The indigo however, did not budge, resulting in that lovely vegetable shade.

It sounds worse than it is. The noticeable green has settled down somewhat with the oxidation process and no one would call my hair green now, especially in sunlight, where a teeny bit of red comes through and neutralizes the green.

My hair was very dry and tangly the next couple of days, but a SMT, aloe vera gel and oiling have returned it to its natural state.

I would not try it again on my henndigo, but I will be switching to chemical dyes for a while now. I'd defintely use Colour B4 again to remove those.

**earthnut** · April 23rd, 2012, 09:37 AM

A quick Google search out of curiosity...

Evidently sulfur dissolves in oil, so those with a stink may want to give their hair a deep oil conditioning.

Acetone and chlorine (go for a swim at the pool) are also supposed to neutralize sulfur, but are potentially damaging to the hair. Condition well after those treatments!

**Bagginslover** · April 23rd, 2012, 10:24 AM

I did notice that the smell in my hair finally went after going to the public pool. I thought it was a coincidence, but it does sound like the smell was killed by the chlorine

**Anywhere** · April 23rd, 2012, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by earthnut

A quick Google search out of curiosity...

Evidently sulfur dissolves in oil, so those with a stink may want to give their hair a deep oil conditioning.

Acetone and chlorine (go for a swim at the pool) are also supposed to neutralize sulfur, but are potentially damaging to the hair. Condition well after those treatments!

Where were you for the month that I smelt like sulfur the first time?

And goodness, acetone?

I'd prefer the sulfur smell to that, personally.

**cheetahfast** · April 23rd, 2012, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Anywhere

Where were you for the month that I smelt like sulfur the first time?

+1

**SilverDoe** · April 23rd, 2012, 07:15 PM

Dry shampoo after Color B4 = a horrible idea.
At least Batiste, a week after my last treatment.
I had the sulfur smell under control, but the dry shampoo brought it back FULL FORCE.

**bulka** · April 25th, 2012, 05:26 PM

Here is article which confirms that henna is not safe as you think, please copy and paste link and read and tell me what u think!

Role of Oxidant Stress in Lawsone-Induced Hemolytic Anemia

Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) is the active ingredient
of henna (Lawsonia alba), the crushed leaves of which are used as
a cosmetic dye. Application of henna can induce a severe hemolytic
anemia, and lawsone is thought to be the causative agent

http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/con...2/647.full.pdf.

Therefore if henna contains lawsone it is still not safe. !!!!

Any comments??

**cheetahfast** · April 25th, 2012, 05:29 PM

A deep oiling got the smell out for me!!

This is wonderful since my hair was smelling pretty funky.

Originally Posted by bulka

Here is article which confirms that henna is not safe as you think, please copy and paste link and read and tell me what u think!

Role of Oxidant Stress in Lawsone-Induced Hemolytic Anemia

Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) is the active ingredient
of henna (Lawsonia alba), the crushed leaves of which are used as
a cosmetic dye. Application of henna can induce a severe hemolytic
anemia, and lawsone is thought to be the causative agent

http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/con...2/647.full.pdf.

Therefore if henna contains lawsone it is still not safe. !!!!

Any comments??

That's kinda strange to post here and way off topic.
I didn't click the link though

.
It just seems better in a different thread.

**Valfreyja** · April 25th, 2012, 05:35 PM

I don't believe there is any such thing as a completely safe cosmetic ingredient!

ETA: But this just looks a little off to me. Not completely sure why, but it just does. :/

ETA2: Also, they are testing this on rats, not humans. Is it always applicable to generalise across species?

ETA3: Sorry I responded to the thread hijack !

**Anywhere** · April 25th, 2012, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Valfreyja

I don't believe there is any such thing as a completely safe cosmetic ingredient!

Agreed.

And I would also agree you make a separate thread for this, bulka.

@Valfreyja, I'm in a foodsci class, and while henna and food are different things, in general things tend to affect mammals in the same ways. The food sci department says you need to use at least 2 species in order to get an answer on if it would affect humans.

And an excerpt, "Since the hallmark of G6PD-deﬁciency is the
inability to maintain adequate GSH levels when challenged
by an oxidative stress, it is likely that human G6PD-deﬁcient
and rat GSH-depleted red cells will react to lawsone in a
similar fashion."

aka, if you aren't G6PD deficient, you're safe. End of conversation until there is new research.

ETA: I used head and shoulders on my scalp today (an experiment, if you will, for the itchies on my scalp) and I think it revived the Oops smell a bit. And then I got some of my ACV toner in my hair, and oh my goodness it smelt like month old eggs.

Going to do a heavy scalp oiling this weekend.