Thursday, November 29, 2007

Henna - results!

Because graduate students have nothing better to do than change hair colors, and because I had a bag of henna I'd been given and never used, two nights ago I dyed my hair for the first time. It started out dark brown, so I didn't worry too much that it would turn out carroty:

(before: the back of my head, weird angle)

I basically followed the instructions on this website, except it turns out I didn't quite have enough henna to glop it on as thickly as you're supposed to. Even so, it felt like I was giving myself a delicious mudbath. Scratch that, I did give myself a delicious mudbath. Deliciously stinky - kind of a combination of clay with lemon, producing a smell not unlike dried fruit. I proceeded to wrap my head in Saran Wrap and walk around the apartment with a Saran beehive for three hours. (No photo of that, unfortunately! But it kind of looks like this.) I felt very Jetsons-take-on-50's-housewife. And now I have auburn highlights!

(photo goes poof)
(after, looking more washed out yet sultry than normal)

This might become a monthly tradition, although I think it would benefit from being a multi-person activity -- it was hard to get to the back, and it's just plain fun to glop mud on someone else's head.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks fabulous!

Back in the day--before I went over to the Dark Side of chemical dyes--my friend T. used to glop my henna on for me. It really is a pretty fun multi-person activity. :)

Sisyphus said...

Look, hennasational! (oog.)

I do the environmentally-unfriendly stuff. But when I went through my phases of manic panic colors, I needed a roommate to help bleach the back. Fun a whole family can enjoy!

Jane Dark said...

Oh, I like that very much! Looks excellent!

SK said...

Oh I like it!!! The little picture on the post is way sultrier than when you click it and blow it up and discover giant demon eyes. But the hair looks very cool. :)

kermitthefrog said...

Thanks! The demon eyes are a side effect of the henna, but hopefully they'll fade in a few weeks. :)

Hilaire said...

Nice glossy hair!

Henna has such a distinct smell...I haven't thought about it for years, but reading your post brings it back...I associate it with my mother. Memories of Barnyard...

Belle said...

Oh, you've reminded me of the lovely results of henna-ing! I'm going to have to find some. I love what it did to my hair - not only highlights but a long term conditioning! Thanks!!

kermitthefrog said...

Belle & Hilaire -- Glad to bring back the memories! And I don't know what kind of store sells henna (mine was a gift), but if you follow the link in the post, you'll get to a site that sells it by mail.