Apply heat source and allow to marinate (4 hours or more”>

  1. Sit under a hooded dryer or rock your micro heat cap on and off for the next four hours.
  2. OR, you can go to sleep and allow your body heat to warm things up for 8-10 hours.

Rinse and apply DT (1 hour or more”>

  1. Run bath water and kneel over tub, dunking your head. Gently massage your hair and work the henna loose. Allow the water stream from the tub faucet to run through your hair, rinsing it clean. Apply a slippery conditioner, run your head back under the water stream. Repeat until your hair is henna free.
  2. Wring your hair and apply a moisturizing deep treatment in sections.
  3. Don a plastic baggie and apply heat source for 15-30 minutes.
  4. Finally, hop in the shower, rinse thoroughly, and style as usual!

Remember, four hours is the minimum amount of time that henna must be left in for you to reap the color and strengthening benefits. In fact, some argue that any longer than 4 hours is pointless because you’re already saturated at that point. In an ideal world, if you plan to do a quick treatment, you would allow the henna mix to sit and release for a few hours prior to application. But if you’re flying by the seat of your pants like me, just getting the opportunity to henna is better than nothing! That’s why I use the heat… to help it penetrate better.

Although I love the abbreviated version, applying and rinsing in the same day feels like a ridiculous amount of work. So, last night, I followed the above steps, only I started around 8pm, and left the henna dye in overnight. Then I woke up and continued the process. Makes life a little easier, and will probably be my routine from here on out.

Pros of the 4-Hour Treatment:

– Nearly the same results with much less time involved

– Fewer (if any”> drippies since you’re applying to dry hair

Cons of the 4 Hour Treatment :

– Harder to rinse (it’s not as melted and pliable as it would be after sitting on your head for 10 hours”>

– Time consuming–applying and rinsing, deep treating, and styling all in one day!

I plan to do the 4 hour treatment only if I’m short on time, or have weekend plans. My new henna hair color routine is basically identical to the old one (following the steps above”>, only I’ll be applying the henna to dry hair, and skipping the multiple showers.

Later Gators!

Nik

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