6:20 pm
Yeeeks! The henna didn't leave orange residue on the paper towel! Is this because it didn't release, or because my plastic bag was too thick? Going to have to do a test, and find all the stuff I need. Forgot to tell Kerry to pick up plastic gloves. This isn't starting so well.
OK, test in, didn't go up in smoke. Found a suitable shirt to wear, hereafter to be known as the OOUHSS (official old ugly henna stained shirt) Shirts that open down the front aren't exactly plentiful in my wardrobe. Now for pics...
7:56
Thank goodness for the Loom! Kim and Staticcat (thank you, ladies) both gave me encouragement and that the dye probably had released. My test turned a bit redder even after an hour, so it should work. Next time I'm making sure I have lots of lemon in the house!! Moosie is trying to help, he keeps coming up and snuggling, but he seems really interested in the henna too. If I'm not really careful I'm going to have a serval with red spots! He tends to go nutty and want to lick my hair after I've washed it.
8:28
Can't find ANY of my gloves. Kerry is running to store to get some. I'm having him get more lemon juice just in case. Cloves too. Next time I will be better prepared, didn't realize I wasn't this time. I'm sure I'll laugh about this later. Much MUCH later.
10:10 pm
OK, it's finally on. I look and smell like I plastered spinach souffle on my head, so that's correct. Smells better than the chemicals, that's for sure! 100 g came out exactly right. Kerry kept saying things like "I hate to tell you what this reminds me of." "It's sure grainy. I think your hair is pulling out all the moisture." "This is going to take awhile" Well, from my standpoint, it didn't seem to take that long. I had put it in a plastic bag, we cut the tip and he just smooshed it on, working it in with his fingers. The gloves are bright orange, so no problem with the dye release. In fact, my ears were rather orange before we could wash the henna off! It didn't get all over the bathroom this way either. It's MUCH more comfortable on my head than the chemicals, which always stung and itched. I do need to remember to warm it slightly in the winter, room temp feels very cold at first. It will be great in hot weather though! Going to put a towel over it to keep my body heat in. Now, the countdown.
3:19 am
Went in to rinse it out at around 2:30, just got out. Hmm, this must be the part where it goes all over the bathroom. That's OK, the only cats in here are the calico and the tortie, they aready have orange splotches, no one will ever know.
So, Leia said to dunk my head in a bucket. Since it's Leia, I know this isn't the usual smart aleck remark, but good advice. Bucket is ready...oh. Need bigger bucket. Still, can get most of the length in there. I'm having trouble with this image of a 50 something woman wandering around the cleaning section of the store sticking her head in various buckets. "No thanks, I'm just trying them on for size. This needs to be a bit roomier..." Better go with Kerry so I have someone to vouch for my sanity. He loves me, he'll lie for me, LOL!
So I have most of the grit on my length steeping in the bucket. Oh wonderful it looks like, well, um, sewage. I'm actually saving some of this to try as a conditoner. Into the shower...(fade to black, 20 minutes goes by) then I put a nice big blop of conditioner in. It was Coconut Suave, works pretty good. Not as bad as I feared, although my hair feels like wet straw. Treat my hair like silk, HA! Tattered silk at this rate. But that reminds me, I forgot to bring the ACV with me. (Banging on wall) "Honeeeyyyy, honeeey. Could you please bring me a cup of apple cider vinegar?" Smart man it put it in a glass measuring cup that has room to add water. YIPES! Our cupboards inside are the same temp as the outside air. Note to self, take the vinegar out to warm UP ahead of time. Brrrr. I was afraid I'd run out of cheap conditoner, so I sent Kerry to the store with a list of ingredients NOT to get. Limited selection since the only thing open was the grocery store. He brought back Suave Milk and Honey conditioner. So I gooped some of that on. Smells nice, seems slicker and YES! I may someday again get a comb through my hair (maybe)! Now it smells like a fruit salad in here. Even with green goop sliding off my hair I can see that the ends are even redder. A LOT redder. A WHOLE lot redder. Really, really RED! I would have killed for this color when I was young. Well, only killed a few henna leaves, but never mind. Between the vinegar and 4 more conditionings, the water is running pretty clear. My ends look like they have only about five hairs left. Checking the drain it doesn't look too bad, but then part of that is cat fur.
Now checking in mirror. Well, right off I can see I no longer have grey/white/auburn roots. Looks more like flame red, even wet. No color left on the towel, this is good! Checking under a good light with Kerry...he says "Oh my goodness!" That's my man, non-commital when cornered. He has learned much, grasshopper, in 12 years of marriage. Upon pressure, he admits its very bright and doesn't look natural. He's keeping a leary eye on me in case I go ballistic, I can tell. It's kinda pretty, but more of what I would have wanted 20 years ago.
Checked now it's almost dry. Hmm. This is going to be hard to photograph and get the right color. If you want a good idea what color it is, go to the refridgerator. Take out a large carrot. Now imagine it 10 times brighter. You got it! Looks like I dunked my head in Kool aid. We also missed a couple of hairline spots. But hey, it's henna, I can go back and fix them, whee!
This would be a great color for Christmas ornaments. Well at least it isn't old lady orange or pink. Covers my grey and even the white. Very, ah, intense color.
4:33 am
Well, it's pretty much dry. Hope I don't need to meet any clients in the next few days. I don't think this is going to go auburn! Oh well, step one is finished. My hair isn't trashed, doesn't even smell like vinegar. If anyone asks, I can just say I'm practising to be a Christmas ornament!
That's it for tonight. I'm too brain dead to do the pics and I have an appointment tomorrow.
WildCatDancer
My overnight miracle, thanks TLHL!
WildCatDancers Mane-My journal http://www.network54.com/Forum/293257
My bottle babies-- http://img51.photobucket.com/albums/v157/WildCatDancer/?
My own furkids--
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wizwebgraph/album?.dir=/65bc&.src=ph&.tok=phEsICCBCXif.pyW
Original style very, very short, been growing out for 12 years off and on.
Original color, auburn, now multicolored grey, auburn & white. Dyed auburn
1b to 1c with a curl around hairline underneath. Fii
Length 27" now trimmed to 24.5 April 24th
May 1st 25"!!!!!
I'm 5'6" tall
