I'm a Henna Head! (pic heavy)

I got henna for Christmas, and put it in my hair that evening...and how I have been trying for three weeks for decent sunlight so I could get the 'after' photo for this post...but I finally got it, so here is the photographic story of putting henna in my hair!

(very soon I'll do the post about why I put henna in my hair, but I didn't want to wait on the pictures!)

Along with my 'before' and 'after' pictures, I'm also showing the process.
Henna comes in a green powder (it's a ground root, after all). Mix it with really warm water until it's well dissolved into a thick paste (about the texture of pudding). Let it sit for around two hours before use.
Get your hair wet. Squeeze or pat (never wring) to get out excess moisture. Then start goomping the henna into your hair.
Yes, it looks like mud, but it has a wonderful fresh, wild, weedy scent.
Once it's all in, gently pile your hair up on top of your head--I just use a claw clip or two to hold it up, but some people recommend wrapping your hair in plastic wrap and then a warm towel...
Let it sit for a while (20-60 min) then take a shower and wash it all out, shampoo as normal, and voila!
Take care to not get henna on your skin, because it will dye your skin as well as your hair... I recommend wearing plastic gloves, or else wash your hands really well as soon as you're done. Henna won't hurt you, but it will turn you orange. Henna WILL stain your clothing too, so put an old towel around your collar, and wear a button-up shirt that you can take off without it touching your hair. As soon as you've got your henna in, take a damp cloth and wipe off any bits that got on your hairline/ears/arms. If you henna your eyebrows (which I did), I recommend a damp q-tip.
I'll have more details about how much to use and how long to let it sit in the other henna post.

Here are the indoor before and after pictures taken that night--you can sortof see that it's redder...the ends are not that different, but the top really is (my last henna treatment was Nov 2007, so I had 5-6inch roots...one of the great things about henna is that it doesn't change your hair color so much as enhance it, so there was never a harsh line between the colored and un-colored hair).

and finally (this is what you waited three weeks for) pictures of henna-head in sunlight.

(yes, I was on the phone with my sister--who has a birthday today. Happy Birthday K!)

And here are before and after pictures in direct morning sunlight (seriously, that is so hard to get here!) In the 'before' shot you can see some hints of the old henna...but obviously a fresh treatment brings a whole new glow!

before (sep 08) / after (jan 09)

Hubby is calling me "Red" again. ☺