the Hemp and Indigo experiment

My scalp has been getting very itchy and irritated for quite some time, at least a year or two and it’s been driving me nuts. I thought it might be due to the fact that my hair has been gradually thinning the whole time. Then, one night, after dying my hair with a henna and indigo mixture it felt exceptionally bad. I washed it out after a few hours and it still burnt. Then I realized I must be having a slight allergic reaction to the plant dyes. That was quite a blow.
I have been dying my hair with henna and indigo for a year or so now. I was trying to use natural dyes instead of the chemicals that lifted the folicles, damaging your hair. I’ve read how when you dye your hair with red henna, then follow it up with indigo, it will get darker and darker each time until you have black results so I was trying to build up to that. I never did the testing on my inner elbow like I’ve seen recommended because I figured how much worse could it be than harsh chemicals sitting on my head. I don’t know what the hell’s wrong with me but it just doesn’t work, my skin doesn’t agree with it.
So after a long brutal conversation with myself, I decided to go back to Black No. 1. I got too antsy about it and dyed it the next day (or was it the same night). Not too bad, it came out almost solid black. But each day it gets a little bit lighter. The chemical couldn’t fully penitrate my hair since it had all the plant nutrients and dye in there so as the indigo comes out so does the black. I expected that though. They say you can’t remove henna completely from your hair, it lightens (or shall I say gets more copper) but you’ve got ultimately cut it out to be done with it. I figure I’ll just go back to my “normal” routine of dying it black every 3 or 4 months and I’m sure a decent amount of the natural dyes will be gone so it will take somewhat better.
I just cannot believe that out of all the natural things I try to do for myself I get screwed out of such things. Can’t win them all. And I thought I had once seen Halle Berry destroyed. I’m dead sure of it but people continue to beg to differ. I’ll teach them.

~ by redredjeremy on June 12, 2008.