Hi - my name is Pippa, a senior stylist and the manager at Escada.
I thought it might be a nice idea to reach out to our loyal customers through a blog on our lovely website. So I decided to write a number of articles about hair related matters that may be of interest to some of you. Most of the subject matter I'm writing about are things that professional stylists come across every day.
Some of my articles will be educational and others will be much lighter in nature.
The first topic relates to Henna (#Henna)
Henna is a permanent hair colour that comes from the henna plant (lawsonia inermis) and is ground down into a paste - almost the consistency of mud and can be used for your hair, skin or nails.
Some people decide to use henna as a natural way to colour their hair as it makes your hair feel soft and look shiny. It also restores the natural hair and scalp PH levels.
Before you decide to use henna in your hair, you should always do your research about it. As once you use it, it may not be compatible with salon colours and bleaching services until you grow the henna out.
Last week a new customer mentioned to me (during her consultation) that she had recently had henna applied to her hair but wanted some highlights put in, using our powder lightener.
This is the type of small detail when mentioned by the customer, can be a pretty big thing and should be a red flag to your stylist.
But why is it of concern?
Firstly, henna will block any colour applied to your hair as your cuticles won’t open to absorb the professional colour.
Secondly and more importantly...
A chemical reaction may occur.
A little known fact about henna is that some henna applications contain metallic salts. These are quite safe until they are mixed with ammonia (found in most hair colours) and the subsequent chemical reaction can cause your hair to start smoking and even catch fire in extreme cases. This will cause serious damage to your head and to your hair. It can happen as quickly as 10 minutes of the professional colour being applied.
"Henna hair dye is a popular option for many people who want to colour their hair but are wary of chemical processes. However, it is a messy process that doesn’t often deliver the results people want. For whatever reason people who have used Henna may wish to return to a chemical process and are wondering if the Henna in their hair will affect the colour or visa versa. The simple answer is, yes, henna and chemical colour will react with each other, and sometimes the results can be disastrous".
Note that not all henna applications have metallic salts in them but you can never guarantee this from the packaging. So play it safe and get a strand test done before proceeding with a new colour. Also leave around three to four weeks after the henna has been applied before contemplating visiting your stylist for a colour.
It just shows how important it is that during your hair consultation you mention all things relevant about your hair and your full hair history to your stylist so that you can receive the best experience possible.
If you’re ever unsure about what products you have used in your hair in the past, make sure you book in with one of our stylists for a test strand before getting your colour done.
I hope you found this article interesting and I will endeavour to publish the next one as soon as possible.
Pippa
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