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Continued from Part 1

Recipes for Nearly Colorless Conditioning

Cassia Obovata- An herbal strengthening treatment. Though cassia has a very pale yellow dye, it is invisible on all but the lightest shades of blonde. Gives conditioning benefits similar to henna, but should be applied more often as its effects are not permanent.

Enough Cassia to cover hair
2-3 bags chamomile tea

Take 2c of water and heat in a coffee cup. Add tea bags and cover, let steep and cool until you can put your fingers in it. Warm, but not scalding. Put cassia powder into a bowl and add enough tea to make a mix that’s seems somewhat runny, like thin pancake batter. Apply it to damp hair. After you make your mix, take any leftover chamomile tea and use that to dampen your hair. Applying to dry hair tends to suck the water out of the mix and make it thicker and harder to work with on your head. Pile your hair on top of your head and wrap in saran wrap then put a warm towel or turbie on top of it. Let it sit for an hour or two. Henna for Hair says 30 mins, but I say an hour minimum. See the rinsing instructions for mud treatments at the first part of this article. Afterwards, your hair might feel a little dry at first. Totally normal. The “grit” in the cassia stripped the oil off your hair. Lightly oil your damp hair and bun it. It may still take 2 days or so for your hair to normalize.

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Recipes for Enhancing White Hair & Silver Tones

Hollyhock Yellow Remover- A gentle rinse to remove the yellow cast from white hair.

¼ c hollyhock flowers or betony
2 c water

Simmer flowers in water for 30 minutes and allow to cool. Strain. Pour through hair, catching the rinse in a bowl and pouring back through hair at least 15 times. Produces effects over time and should be used daily until the desired color is achieved, and then weekly thereafter.

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Recipes for Natural Highlights

Dilute Honey Lightener– Gradually lightens hair with a natural hydrogen peroxide solution.

1 part honey
2 Parts conditioner (V05 SKR reportedly works well)

Mix the honey and conditioner and apply to hair. Wrap head with saran wrap and a warm hat. Let sit for 8 hours and rinse. (Thanks to SimplyLonghair for the recipe! See her post here) The science: The major antibacterial activity in honey has been found to be due to hydrogen peroxide produced enzymically in the honey. The glucose oxidase enzyme is secreted from the hypopharyngeal gland of the bee into the nectar to assist in the formation of honey from the nectar. The hydrogen peroxide and acidity produced by the reaction: glucose + H2O+ O2 –> gluconic acid + H2O2 serve to preserve the honey. The hydrogen peroxide produced would be of effect as a sterilizing agent only during the ripening of honey. Full-strength honey has a negligible level of hydrogen peroxide because this substance is short-lived in the presence of the transition metal ions and ascorbic acid in honey which catalyses its decomposition to oxygen and water. The enzyme has been found to be practically inactive in full-strength honey, it giving rise to hydrogen peroxide only when the honey is diluted. This is because the acidity produced in the action of the enzyme drops the pH to a point which is too low for the enzyme to work any more. On dilution of honey the activity increases by a factor of 2,500 – 50,000, thus giving a “slow-release” antiseptic at a level which is antibacterial but not tissue-damaging. Source

Before Honey After Honey

WARNING: Although honey contains less hydrogen peroxide than commercial bleaching solutions, it IS hydrogen peroxide and if overdone it will damage your hair. This method, when done as described above, will help to lighten your hair a little and bring out natural highlights without damage. You cannot do any drastic lightening with this method, or any other, and not expect some damage. All things in moderation.

Lemon Rinse– Lemon is also a time-honored hair lightener. Will lighten hair, but may be very drying as the lightening agent is an acid.

2 lemons
1 quart boiling water

Lemon is also a time-honored hair lightener. The juice of two of the citrus fruits, strained into a quart of water, makes an excellent rinse that can be used in the same way as the chamomile preparation. Try to dry your hair in the sun after using a lemon rinse, in order to get the most from the treatment’s lightening effect. The science: Roger Clemens, professor of molecular pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Southern California, said the acid in lemons, combined with oxygen and the sun’s UV rays, causes acid oxidation, which highlights or lightens hair. “It’s not an old wives’ tale or myth. It’s scientific fact,” he said. Of course, going out in the sun without lemon juice can lighten your hair, too. But the acid in the lemon juice serves as an accelerant, he said. The active ingredient is the limonene in lemons, which is most concentrated in the rind, said Dr. Francesca J. Fusco of Mount Sinai Medical Center. “It acts as a weak bleaching agent when exposed to sunlight,” the dermatologist said. – New York Times Source