Coloring Hair

I'm considering coloring my hair, but I want to do the research first.
Here's some quick facts:

1. I've done two henna treatments - Two weeks apart, the most recent one was done last week.
2. My hair color is basically jet black. Most people don't believe its my natural color. (I've had someone rub a cloth on my scalp to see if they could pick up any color lol)
3. I did a rinse about 5 weeks ago that DID NOT pick up.
4. I have 4a type hair

I've spent many hours reading this site as well as a few others about precautions you should take if your are going to color your hair - esp. if you are doing it at home - so I know that moisturizing is very important, and deep conditioning treatments cannot be skipped. My hair is healthy and growing at a good pace but I just want my texture to show more and not look like a big black cloud above me head.

Based on the information I've given does anyone have any advice to offer? My biggest question is how long should I wait after a henna treatment to permanently color my hair?
If anyone has any information to offer i'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance for your help ladies =)

I dont have any advice but I would like to know too. I want to color but I have get to know my hair a little bit better before I do.

I cant make a recommendation for you but I will tell you that because you have hennaed your hair there will be a color discrepancy. So that is another thing to think about.

First question is what type of henna did you use?

Second question is what color are you looking to achieve?


I have colored my hair over henna previously and had great results...I can offer a little advice after i get the answers to those two questions

I used Karishma henna, which didn't give me much color if any and I'm the color I am trying to get would be this color -

http://www.softsheen-carson.com/images/product/packshot/PROD_SSC117_lg.jpg
(this is the actual hair product I bought)

However recently I did a trim and did a color test on the hair I cut and it was still black. Even though I do not intend on getting an extreme color since I am dark skinned should I aim for something lighter because my hair is so dark?

I appreciate your help =)

OMG in my hiatus I neglected to respond...Im sorry hopefully I'm not tooo late....

have you colored your hair already?

I tried a dark brown on my hair once and it turned out VERRRRRRY DARK!!

No I haven't colored yet, but would like to very soon. I did a trim about 3 weeks ago and tried the dye on the ends and didn't notice a color change at all so maybe because my hair is so dark I need to go lighter?

do you have picture of your hair now?

I colored mine last week. And I am not happy with the results. I am caramel complexion and wanted a nice reddish brown that blended nicely with my tone. I bought garnier fructis, light auburn and my edges took and the rest is evident in small areas, but my whole head did not take. I had previously henna'ed and the overall color has the same red undertone in the sun as the henna, so I feel like I wasted money. Maybe I didn't leave it on long enough, I followed instructions, but I am not going to try again for fear of too much chemical and drying. Good luck on yours.

I kinda did my dye job in reverse of how you are going to dye. But if you look at the originally color and then the color after I did the Henna, you can see the impact that the Henna had on the original shade
Dye Pics
My process