The no sh*t hair dye! (Lush Hair Hennas)

Member Name: salem_witch

Product:	Lush Hair Hennas
Date:	06/10/06 (9185 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A natural way to colour your hair. Shiny hair .

Disadvantages: Doesn't come out really bright. Very messy !

I usually colour my hair with a bright colour of red. This is usually a bright one from the Live range. Ages ago I read all about Lush's Les Cacas Rouge and was intrigued. I'd never used henna before and wondered if I'd get the result of bright red hair that I love so much. At the time I'd never been into a Lush store and ordered it online (with various other things!) When it did turn up I wasn't all that impressed. I comes in a huge block which looks like a rather chunky bar of chocolate. For ages I never used it, as I was a bit of a chicken really. After reading a review saying how bright it left your hair I dug it out and thought I'd give it a try.

It comes wrapped in greaseproof paper so all good for the environment. When I opened it up and smelt it I thought it smelt of other henna's I'd smelt before. It is hard to describe but it is a nice smell although it isn't something you'll think smells so nice you want to sniff it again and again! The Les Cacas itself is in blocks so you can break off the exact amount you want each time. There are four different colours, Caca Marron (gives shiny chestnut hair), Caca Rouge (gives bright shiny red hair), Caca Noir (gives shine and depth to black or brown hair) and Caca Brun (gives shiny brown hair). So there is a good range and picking one you fancy shouldn't be a problem.

Henna is a natural product and comes from a plant. It has been used for thousands of years to brighten hair and henna is also used for temporary body art. Allergic reactions to henna are extremely rare and using it instead of the conventional hair colours is much better as you are less likely to suffer any irritation. It is supposed to give your hair a shine so even if it doesn't colour it that much I figured that at least my hair would be in better condition for using it. Caca Rouge only contains 6 ingredients so you can see how natural it is. Red Henna is the main ingredient but it also contains cocoa, fresh lemon juice, powdered rosemary, clove bud oil and perfume.

Lush does say that is best that you carry out a strand test first before using it. I never did this but then I've never experienced any problem with using chemical colorants so thought it was unnecessary. Luckily it all came out ok and my hair never turned green! They do say that because it is a natural product that everyone's hair will react to it differently. So for those who worry about that type of thing then it would be best to do the strand test to be on the safe side. They also emphasise that with bleached, coloured, sun lightened and chemically processed hair the strand test is extra important. Again I ignored this as my hair is bleached in places and coloured. For those with grey hair then be warned as they will take to the henna more and be brighter. Of course this could look really nice and be what you want. The same applies to bleached hair as well.

Colouring your hair yourself can be messy and Les Cacas is no exception! In fact I'd say it is far messier than usual hair colorants so you've been warned! You don't get provided with plastic gloves so you'll need to get some from Boots or somewhere similar first. I bought loads a while back in case the ones they usually provide you with split. They do say to use rubber gloves but I just can't imagine using a pair of marigolds! It is also advisable to wear clothes that you don't mind getting messy.

Once you've done all that then you need to get a bowl and crumble some of the block into it. They don't suggest how much to use so this is trial and error really. It all depends on how much hair you have and how effective you want it to be. The first time I only used two blocks. Now I tend to use four, as my hair is long and the brighter the better! I've actually grated it into a bowl before but I found this took me ages and it wasn't easy. The block is really hard but it has grooves so I now just get a knife and saw away. I've found this much quicker and easier. Admittedly when you're mixing it all together it is easier if it has been grated but my preferred method is now to hack it up into little pieces. Obviously which ever you find easier then stick with. Once you have got your desired about of henna in a bowl then you need to pour boiling water over it. Again there is no exact amount stated but you need to whip it into an unwhipped double cream consistency.

If you haven't grated it and like me have fairly big chunks then it is best to leave it to soften for a few minutes. I get rather impatient and try whisking it straight away but this takes ages. So it would be best to boil the kettle, soak the henna and then go and do something else for a few moments! It does soften and you need to whisk it so there are no lumps. On one occasion I didn't whisk it enough and when I applied it there were several lumps which just ended up falling out of my hair. So it is best to take time making sure the consistency is right or it'll just get wasted.

Once it is ready then it is ready to apply it. The henna is now looking like gunge and it isn't as runny as other dyes would be. I found it harder to make sure that all my hair was coated. The consistency was fairly thick and this made it a little harder. Perhaps I should have added more water? At this point I considered it but I already had a huge dollop on my head and I thought by stopping and getting more water I'd make a mess. So I persisted and eventually covered all my hair. As I have bits bleached and my hair tends to be different colours in places I wasn't too bothered if I'd missed a few bits, as it wouldn't really notice with my hair.

As soon as I was finished I wrapped my hair in cling film. They say that this gives it a redder look so I thought it would be best to do so seeing as that is the effect I want! If you would prefer a browner colour then leave it unwrapped. I found that I didn't need to tie my hair up or clip it up as they suggest though. The henna held my hair in place where I put it very well. The cling film of course is also excellent for making sure none of it comes out and stains anything. Lush suggests you leave it on for at least one hour but says that you can leave it on for as long as you like. In Lush Times I remember reading that one person applied it before going to bed and left it on for eight hours over night. I don't think I'd fancy this though, as I'd make a huge mess no doubt! I actually kept this on for eight hours in the end but I did it during the day and I carried on doing things I would normally. The only difference it made was I looked silly and I couldn't go out the house! Plus there was a knock at the door and it meant I couldn't answer it or I'd have given that person a shock!

After I'd finished I quickly went round to make sure I hadn't left any stains anywhere. I'd made a bit of a mess in the bathroom but the henna cleans off easily. I did splat some on some of my PJs though. I wasn't wearing them but they were close by. I never realised until after I'd finished and quickly put them in the wash on a boil wash! The PJs in question are a pail pink and after spraying them with Vanish they still have left a faint mark. They aren't ruined but if you really look you can see a slight discoloration. So make sure you haven't anything that can get ruined close by!

Normally when colouring my hair I use Vaseline around my hairline to stop bleeding on my forehead. I haven't needed to do this with the henna though, as it was easier to control when applying it. I did get a few bits on my forehead but by the time I finished and wiped it off it hadn't stained.

Eight hours later…

I pealed the cling film off and my hair resembled a huge dry cowpat! There is no other way to describe it really. After having it on so long it had dried and my hair was almost solid. So without further ado I jumped in the shower to try and get it all off. I just wet it and massaged it at first to try and free it. This did take a while and I was surprised at the colour that the water was running. It actually looked like mud with a hint of green. It was really gritty and felt like I had loads of salt in my hair. After a good rinsed and trying to get the worst of it out I decided to shampoo it. Lush doesn't state you have to shampoo your hair but I found it easier to get all the henna out. In fact, I used double the amount of shampoo to what I would normally and really rubbed and massaged loads to get it all out. After what seemed ages the water ran clear. I then conditioned my hair and rinsed that out.

Before stepping out the shower I had to quickly clean it as there was grit like henna up the walls and all in the bath. It is funny as well I applied it the henna was nice a smooth. After quickly towel drying my hair and looking in the mirror I could clearly see it had changed the colour of my hair. I was delighted to see that it wasn't green as the cling film had a yellow/green tinge to it. The result was good but I wouldn't say that it was bright red. It came out a lighter shade than I thought it would. Although it wasn't how I expected I still wasn't disappointed. It came out as a light brown with a hint of red. This could be because my hair is bleached in places though.

Once my hair was dry it was the same colour as it was when it was wet. The claim that Les Cacas leaves your hair shiny is true and this I am glad of. It has also left my hair smelling really nice. Another good thing was the fact that my scalp hadn't been coloured as it does usually. Although it hasn't left my hair looking awful I wouldn't really buy it again. After having it on for 8 hours I thought the result would leave me with bright red hair. If you didn't want something as bright then this is for you. So I'd recommend it but only to those who desired a subtle effect and can tolerate the messy process of using the henna and then washing it all out. Each time I have used this the colour has lasted an average amount of time. Reds tend to fade quickly and this is no different.

All Les Cacas are £5.95 for a 325g block. It does sound expensive but really it isn't as you get many applications out of a block. This does depend on how much you use each time but I've managed to get 4 out of one. So really it is much cheaper than conventional hair dyes.

www.lush.co.uk

*The title refers to the meaning of Les Cacas - yes it means what you think it means!

Summary: A natural subtle hair colourant.