People who approach henna and herbal dyes for the first time inevitably come across this term "you have to do the double pass" and consequently a lot of doubts ensue: "what is the double pass of henna and dyeing herbs , when and how and why it is done, what to use in the first and what in the second step , shutter speed and so on..
Well, if you have asked yourself at least one of these questions read on because I will answer every single question later.
What is the double passage of henna and herbal dyes?
The double passage of henna and herbal dyes consists, as the name suggests, in 2 applications:
- the first application, the first step of henna usually consists of applying only the lawsonia - 100% pure and is used to cover white hair and to uniform the color between any regrowth and the lengths. Processing time: about 1h with a heat source
Following this first step, your hair or your regrowth (white, light or brown) takes on an orange / coppery colour. Obviously, if the natural color of the hair or of the regrowth is a dark brown, only reflections will be noticed.
For example, Beautilicious Delights lawsonia (red henna) comes from the Indian state of Rajasthan and has a hue that is somewhere between a copper red and a cooler red.
- the second application or the second step can consist in applying only the katam or indigo or a mix of dyeing herbs based on the shade you want to obtain.
This second step of dyeing herbs is the actual color that you will obtain on your hair, therefore it is important to choose with awareness whether to use pure katam/indigo, if you wish to obtain a black colour , or a mix of dyeing herbs to obtain a brown that can be more or less dark based on the percentages of the various dyeing herbs present in the mix.
Can the second pass be done on the same day as the first pass?
Certain. Indeed, I recommend it! Otherwise you'd have to walk around with carrot-colored white regrowth :)
Does the second step apply after rinsing off the batter from the first step?
Yes, the second step applies after rinsing off the mix from the first step.
If necessary, you can also use diluted shampoo but DO NOT use the conditioner which has the role of closing the scales of the cuticles. We want them open to better incorporate the vegetable pigment of the 2nd dye mix.
Should the lawsonia also be used in the second step?
It is not mandatory to use it. It depends on the shade you want to get. If you don't love the warm reflections of lawsonia, you can choose to use a mix of dyeing herbs that excludes it.
The whites have already been covered with the first pass so he played his role very well.
It's up to you to choose whether or not to include it in the second step of henna and herbal dyeing.
Can I do the second step even after 3-4-5 days?
Certain! There are no contraindications and the second step will color anyway.
When double-passing:
- if it is the first time you use herbal dyes and you want to standardize the color and remedy the gap that could be noticed between chemically dyed lengths and the natural color of your regrowth
- if you have thick hair that is not very porous and resistant to color and therefore, unfortunately, with a single pass of henna and dyeing herbs it does not color satisfactorily.
- if you have a high percentage of white hair and want perfect coverage. If it is the first time you use herbal dyes, I suggest you start with a double pass and only later, once the color is uniform throughout the hair and an initial coverage of gray hair is obtained, evaluate and try a single pass with a mix customized.
READ ALSO: Why does henna NOT cover white hair? Here's what you're doing wrong!
- if you want to get an intense black color on the white regrowth. You can find the steps to follow in this detailed guide: Blue Black, Raven Black or Purple Black Hair using Katam or Indigo? . As you will discover in this specific case there are no shortcuts: the double pass is a MUST to be able to obtain a black colour.
I remind you that both katam and indigo have a lumpy consistency so to facilitate application, the ideal would be to replace the water in your mixture with flaxseed gel.
Below you can see how to prepare it quickly at home:
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- if you want to tone down the lawsonia red and have difficulty doing it with a single application to get a medium or dark brown on the white regrowth
- if you start from a bleached base and need to re-pigment the stem to avoid ending up with greenish reflections or hair
The experience and the continuous comparison with you in recent years has taught me that those with thick hair and moreover also curly have more difficulty in obtaining an excellent coverage of white hair and in dampening the red reflections of the lawsonia . with a single step of henna and dyeing herbs . So the double step is a must.
To obtain medium dark brown, you will therefore first have to make an initial application of only lawsonia to cover gray hair and then the mix of henna and dyeing herbs that will define your color.
When is the double passage of henna and herbal dyes not recommended?
I don't recommend double-passing if you want to keep your color on a light shade like blonde or medium-light brown with minimal red highlights.
As I hope you already know, only katam and indigo can dampen the red reflections of the lawsonia but if you want to stay on a medium - light brown having to use them in your henna mix in a minimum percentage, even the red reflections will be less dampened.
In a nutshell, if you have white hair and want to stay on a light brown I suggest you try to get good coverage with one pass.
READ ALSO: Preparation and Application of Henna and Dyeing Herbs: the Complete Guide!
I should have been able to answer all the doubts you may have about the double step of henna and herbal dyes, but if not, feel free to leave your question below, in the comments area and I'll be happy to answer you!
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Rozalia & the Beautilicious Delights Team.