Caca Marron Mama

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

This product has left me quite indecisive...It had an amazing effect on my very thick brown hair. I am half Asian so I was very worried about the amount of red. It was the most beautiful color I've ever had! It's a deep brown with dark reddish undertones, those of which aren't brassy or purple! Dream color my friends! However, yes there is a however, it smells so bad! I hardly ever have anything bad to say about my dear Lush, but this was bad. At first it smells just wierd, sort of like old tea, but after a few hours it starts to become irritating. The worst part is that even four or five days after the initial dying it still smells pretty bad, especially when it's wet, straight out of the shower. So, therefore, I cannot make up my mind!

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I'm a bit of an old hand both when it comes to Lush's Cacas (tried every color!) and henna/indigo in general. When I lived in the U.S. my local natural salon would apply my henna/indigo combo for me.

Fast forward to me living in Japan, so this Maron was purchased there, where 3 squares is a block, and it retails for about US $17 for those three squares (so, more expensive than the U.S.) No gloves included here. (I am feeling too lazy to write this in Japanese, so hopefully its okay to post in the U.S. e-store.)

Fortunately for me, I have a pixie cut, and 1 square is more than enough for each application. This time, I mixed in loose chai tea, coffee, and EVOO. I hadn't done any kind of henna or dye in a year because I've been pinching pennies, and my hair has turned 1/2 grey despite my being only 34.

(I tried rocking the grey for a while. But it really seems to age my face, make me look less "kempt" somehow.)

Having done henna a bunch before I wanted to see how lazy I could be, so I didn't break up the block, but simply poured boiling water gradually over it, and stirred/mooshed. Then I carted the mix to the bathroom, where I'd covered every surface to protect it, and began gooping caca on my head. I was trying to use plastic bags on my hands rather than gloves, and won't do that again.

Clingrapped and shower capped the head-caca...
All of the above took me maybe 30 minutes. Maybe because of my short hair?

Thought I'd wrapped my head tightly but after 3 hours stuff was dripping down my forehead and down my neck. Vowing to make it at least 5 hours, I draped an old towel on my neck and tried to distract myself.

My greys have turned gold, and my otherwise dark brown hair has gotten even darker. I'd say the overall effect is very brown and not so red, so I'll be experimenting with paprika in the future.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I've used this henna three times now, after being unimpressed with Caca Noir, which didn't deepen my already dark hair. Caca Marron really changed my mind!

It gets easier after a few times if you learn how to control it--I put a tea kettle on, and while I'm waiting for it, grate the henna with a cheese grater. I let it sit for five before pouring it over the henna. I also add cinnamon and sometimes paprika. I mix until yogurt-y, plop it all on, wrap my head in saran wrap, throw on a shower cap, and chill out for six to eight hours. I do leave it on longer than they say because my hair is DARK and doesn't take color well.

I rinse out with a massive bottle of cheap conditioner because you need too much to waste the good stuff on it, IMO.

The color I get out of it is subtle indoors but shines a really lovely deep dark red-brown in the sun. A few random greys turn coppery. Hair is soft and conditioned. Overall, I will keep buying and using this product.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

i decided to try the Caca Marron after doing a lot of research into using henna. i am an AA woman with shoulder length hair that is naturally a dark brownish-black color with some grays throughout and more noticeably around my temples. My hair texture is wavy/fine, and I wear it in a straight style. I have been getting my hair dyed a light-brownish color with highlights for about 10 years by a stylist. i wanted to experiment a little bit and go darker, and when my stylist put it in all heck broke loose. i had an allergic reaction to the darker dye, which caused my scalp to break out. The next day, my hair started to fall out and as an added bonus it began to break off. I worked with my stylist, and got the situation somewhat under control. I was looking for some good products to use on my own to help get my scalp and hair healthy again, and my search led me to Lush.

i knew i wasn't going to ever use a traditional dye product again, but i wanted to cover up the grays in my head. i had considered using henna before, and after a lot of reading and research i decided to use the Caca Marron mixed with a little of the Caca Rouge. I read through a lot of reviews, tips, and FAQ's, and watched a lot of videos before i tried applying this myself. I've never done the do-it-yourself color before, so I had to work up my courage. i wanted to read the good, bad, and the ugly so that i would have realistic expectations of the process and try to prepare myself for whatever I might encounter.

The Prep
I decided to use 2 blocks of the marron to a half block of the rouge. I didn't have the patience nor the inclination to sit and try to grate this stuff. i decided to break it up as much as I could. i put the blocks in a plastic zip loc and then into a plastic shopping bag, because i didn't know how much of a mess i would make. i then wrapped the bag in a dish towel and took a meat tenderizer and used that to break it up. i didn't want to use a hammer or anything harder, because i didn't want to break through the bag. i just wanted to get as close to a powdery consistency as possible.

i used the double-boiler method, adding water to the henna a little at a time until I got the yogurt consistency. i added some instant coffee to the mixture to try and enhance the brown. I used a chopstick to mix, because i didn't want to mess up my wooden spoons and i just threw it away when i was done. The chopstick came in handy for chopping up any lumps i had.

I wore an old t-shirt and pants i didn't care about getting messed up. i put petroleum jelly around my hairline, ears, neck, etc. i even put some on my hands and forearms since I thought i might drip some on my arms. i was a little paranoid about getting the goop on my sink, so I even put a thin film of the petroleum jelly on and around. i figured that if I did drop some, the petroleum jelly would keep it from penetrating before i could wipe it up. i used a garbage bag to cover the floor and plastic shopping bags to cover the sink and counter.

The Application
i kept my container in a bowl of hot water. i had some clips to keep my hair up and out of the way, and i used a small paint brush to apply. i started in the back of my head, parting small sections and spreading the henna on. i only had a few plops when i got careless. i had paper towels nearby to wipe them up quickly. One lesson learned for me was to have some additional hot water nearby to thin the henna out as i go along. It seemed to thicken up after while. It didn't get really thick, just a little less easier to spread. After I got through applying to the roots of my hair. I took the excess and worked it through the ends. This would have been easier if i had made sure that I combed through my hair before i started. i just grabbed my hair and piled it on my head, and my hair tangled in the process. When i was done, i put a plastic cap on my head.

Although it was a little messy, i didn't end up with henna everywhere. The whole application and clean up took about 40 minutes. i did have some liquid soap nearby to help clean my brush, clips, etc.

Waiting and Washing
i kept the henna in for about 6.5 hours. i ended up wrapping cling wrap over my plastic cap, because i had to leave the house and needed to put a hat on. Also, after a while I could see that I didn't put enough henna around my hairline and temples, so I went back and put some of the leftover henna on those areas.

i know nearly everyone complains about the smell, and it did give me a headache. But, even when i have gotten my hair dyed in the salon, sitting in there for a couple of hours smelling various products gives me a headache.

The most helpful hint i found for getting the henna out was to rinse my hair in the shower, apply a deep conditioner, and cover with a cap. I let the conditioner sit in my hair for an hour, and then rinsed again in the shower. I shampooed my hair twice, applied conditioner, rinsed. I would say that this helped me remove 99% of the coffee grounds, etc.

The Final Product and Thoughts

The color that I achieved was a really pretty, rich brown with reddish-brown highlights on my grays and previously highlighted areas. My hair feels and looks wonderful. The texture is soft, and as my husband put it, my hair looks 'Alive'.

I will not go back to having my hair colored in the salon. Consider me one of the converted. For me the effort was definitely worth it. As I thought about the process, I would spend at least 3 hours in a salon getting my hair colored, as well as a good amount of money, 4 or 5 times what I spent for this. The way i see it, i just took control over those 2 factors. i spent the money and the time that i wanted to spend to get the result that i wanted to get. I still have my hair, and it looks dang good. Thank you very much.

Before this i was about to make an appointment to have my hair cut off, so that I could 'start over'. Now I'm so happy I didn't.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

How I first came across this product was through a friend. She actually used Caca Noir, and hating haircuts, her hair was absolutely flawless after using this so I thought I'd give it a try. Although, obviously, I went for the Caca Marron.

I took a while to buy this - but I was definitely dying to try this. My hair is dark, but not black, more of a deep brown. I really wanted a red tint but was too afraid to buy the rouge - so I had grabbed the marron instead.

To start off, this stuff is really and truly, THE MESSIEST AND MOST TIME CONSUMING THING IN THE WHOLE WORLD. Looking at it at first, I thought it wouldn't be so bad but when you truly get into it, it's a real pain. The melting, strand testing, waiting, washing, more applying, more melting, more drying, etc depending on how you go about the process yourself. And once you get into it, you really have to commit to this stuff. But other than that, I was satified with this product. I had done my strand test for 30 minutes, and the rest of my head for about 5-6 hours. I'm super impatient but I tried my best to wait it out. My hair length is also medium-long around my chest and fairly thick. At first, I used only 3 blocks, but later had to use the rest of the bar as I thought it just wasn't enough for me. I'll admit, at first I thought I didn't see a change and was a little disappointed, but as my hair dried and a couple more hours past - I really got the color and way I wanted my hair to be. I DO have the red chestnut brown tint it's suppose to give and I love it. So many people have said it won't show much, but to me, it shows much, and personally I love it. I'm glad my hair was able to prove wrong being a dark brown. I also used a cling wrap after applying for that more red tint. I really love it, and being all natural just makes it more a win. Sadly though, I do have a couple greys around my head that did not get covered. This could be my fault, as the stuff was so messy and I wasn't careful enough to apply it exactly on the white spots on my head, but it's fine. I plan to buy more, do it again - this time cover the white- and build the color more on top. Just maybe not anytime soon as to how messy, time consuming and smelly it is. Also, expect the smell to stay a couple days more on your head. It doesn't get anymore pleasant, but the hair is definitely more smooth and soft as well after.

As to help others, I made a list of things to consider before buying:
-If you have the time and patience
-Don't mind messy
-Don't mind smell of true caca and dirt (for a couple of days on head)
-Don't mind cleaning up or potentially ruining your bathroom and its' floor

I had to go from one bathroom to another since I honestly didn't think it would be too messy until I got into it. Dropping everywhere, and although I had newspaper everywhere, the stuff eneviably goes on the walls and corners of the floor from just dropping off your head - so do consider your bathroom. Honestly, I think it should be done outside because of how messy it is, but isn't very ideal for applying hair products. HAHA.

Anyways, I really love my hair right now. But it really depends on the person and their hair to get the type of results you want. Keeping it on for longer and while the mix is still hot will do better for the color - but if you use only some of the block, I believe it won't do much. It all depends on preference, but overall, I still would recomend this product. I wouldn't do it so often, but I would do it again.

After 6 hours, smelling like caca, and being covered in the messiest stuff ever, my hair ended up really soft and smooth and gave me the red chestnut tint I wanted. So I am very happy and satified.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I tried the Caca Marron for the very first time and I think I'm going to have to do another treatment. I'm the type of person who gets a little agitated when I don't see results immediately BUT after using it my hair was SO SHINY AND SMOOTH!! I did see a little change in color on pieces of my hair that were already lightened from a previous chemical treatment, but my hair is very dark. So, I think that with time and more treatments I might see a little more color. The auburn didn't do much for me so I think I'll try the rouge next go-round. I the only thing I really really REALLY didn't like was washing it out. The henna has lots of herbs and other natural products that cause the solution to be very grainy and it took A LOT of work to get them out. But overall I'm satisfied and I surprisingly really liked the smell of it! :)

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I've been using for 2yrs now and I LOVE IT! I am a natural red head and it's getting blonder as I get older and now some silvers/whites showing up (I'm 46) I have shoulder length hair and use one square of Maron and 1/2 a square rouge. I also add olive oil, red pepper powder a little cinnamon, apple cider vinegar and sometimes some eggs or mayo since I leave on for 4 hours I figure give myself a heck of a conditioning treatment. The color is beautiful every time. (btw the apple cider brings out more red tones) It is a bit time consuming and the marron has coffee grinds so hard to get out but patience, conditioner and a wide tooth comb do the job. My hair is incredibly shiny and the color lasts me at least two months and I wash my hair at least 5 days a week. I will never use anything else until I'm too old to deal with it!

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I have naturally reddish-brownish hair, and this color is perfect for it. It brings out more of the red in my hair. I like that it's not super-noticeable; maybe half of my friends will actually ask if I've dyed my hair. It also makes it quite soft for the first few days (when I first wash it out, my hair is greasy, but after that it's fine). I think it smells fabulous! It is messy, but also kind of fun to use because of that. It's like playing in mud. I've only ever dyed my hair with this, and I like that it fades so naturally because I don't usually have time to touch it up every few weeks. Warning: it can stain grout if you're not careful. I usually apply it over the bathtub for easy cleanup, and I wrap my head with plastic wrap so it doesn't drip while I'm waiting for it to set in. I also use Vaseline on my hairline and ears to avoid staining my skin. Also, I have shoulder-length, thick curly hair, and I only need to use one of the little square blocks each time.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

This is a great product to get shiny, healthy beautiful hair. The only reason I rated this 4 stars instead of 5 is because I feel it is definitely WAY more red-based than brown. I understand it's supposed to be a mixture, but on me it's very red - unless you mix the henna with coffee instead of straight water. Then I feel it's more of an almost even mix. I've used this color twice so far, however, so obviously I like it!

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

Try not to expect much for dark shades of hair
I'm Asian with thick, medium length hair. During the past year, I have tried to dye my hair to a lighter shade, twice. My current hair color was dark brown with red tints, medium brown under the light.

My friend recommended Lush's henna hair dye for me to try.

The results aren't ask apparent at first but it gradually develops over the course of a few days.

I didn't notice the difference myself, but other people did.

Oh by the way, I love the smell.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I've used caca dyes a few times and I really love the results. It is messy and looks like poo, but if you have pets or kids you've probably seen worse. I don't mind the smell, I'm kinda granola so natural smelling things don't bother me. I color to cover my grays and I like that it gives your hair natural dimensions as opposed to really flat color that's obviously dyed. This WILL NOT add a ton of color to your hair if it naturally very dark, at best you'll get a tint that is visible in the sun, but the results will not be dramatic.

Every time I've used this stuff I've gotten better at the application. I have very thick, curly hair. Before I start the henna process I make sure that my hair is thoroughly detangled and stretched. After I've mixed the henna, I start making small sections at the back of my head and apply the henna in even smaller sections (first section is probably 2" wide and then I separate that into about four pieces). I just use gloves over my hands to apply. Don't glob it in your hands, it'll just fall all over the place and make a bigger mess. If you use one hand to apply and the other hand to cup underneath the section, you'll catch a lot of the henna and you'll be able reuse it, instead of it hitting the floor. After the henna is all over my head I take a plastic cap and put it on and put an old tee shirt on top of it and tuck it like a turban. I leave the henna on for about 6 hours.

Since some people find it difficult to remove, here's a tip that really helped me: After six hours I take the cap off my head and rinse my hair with luke warm water. This is easiest to do if you have an attachment shower head or a hose to actually move around your head. Once the water coming from my hair is pale orange (like the color of curry) I put a good quality deep conditioner on my hair. I put clean plastic cap over it and let it sit for two hours. The steam that your head creates under the plastic cap will loosen any henna that's still in your hair. Water alone will not get this stuff out. Shampooing ten times will only strip your hair. A moisturizing deep conditioner will help this stuff come out. After two hours I take the plastic cap off and comb my hair with a wide-toothed comb. This loosens even more of the henna (and covers the smell of the henna). Then I shampoo and condition my hair like normal. You'll still have a little henna residue in your hair, but it will be minimal.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

So I did a lot of research before trying out Caca Marron and i just used it today. I have always colored my hair chemically, right before i used the henna my hair was a deep reddish brown and the underneath was black (from a year ago of dying it black, cant be dyed over) I didnt want my hair to be an extreme red because my job doesnt allow it so i went with the less red marron version. I used 4 of the 6 blocks and i have thick, past my shoulder length hair. I think that was the perfect amount, i used up all of it but felt that i hadnt missed any spots. I roughly chopped the blocks, added a teaspoon of paprika and about a tablespoon of lemon juice (acidity helps activate henna) and i used boiling water to break it down then cooked it to a smoother consistency on a diy double broiler. It was pretty gritty and very hard to get all the block melted, i would recomend chopping to pretty small pieces. smell wasnt bad, just very earthy and kind of like stale coffee. I had someone else apply the product, and its very gritty so when it goes on your hair it kind of gets flaky and falls off. I kept feeling pieces fall off down my back and down my shirt. It is messy, because it is so crumbly. not horrible. I wrapped my hair in plastic wrap then put a tea towel around it. I left it in for 5 hours then rinsed it out. Very gritty and the coffee grounds were a little difficult to remove but i put in conditioner to wash it all out then a small amount of shampoo then conditioner again. it got everywhere in the shower but can easily be rinsed down and didnt stain. it didt stain my skin at all either. i then blow dried my hair and straightned it. it was an orange color. didnt change my black (i was hopeful) not a horrible color, just not wht i was expecting, i was going for a dark auburn. it lightened my hair quite a bit. my hair didnt feel like it does after normally chemically dying it, it didnt feel amazing like some reviews claimed. in all it was nice to try, better for my hair then chemicals but kind of a big prodcution to use the henna. i may or may not use it again

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I was introduced to LUSH by my mother and fell in love with what the company had to offer. I have been using this product for years and I love it more and more every time I use it. I find that I don't particularly care for the smell, so I use items that are already in my kitchen to change up the smell. I find that by adding nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and other spices I can change the smell so that my hair smells like a lovely cup of chai! Every time I have used this product the color has been consistent.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

Was so nervous to use caca marron on my medium brown hair with grown out highlites. Grated two squares for my shoulder length hair and followed directions with no additives. Wrapped in Saran Wrap and left on for three hours. My hair feels amazing! My hair looks amazing! It was really not that messy of a process and the roughest part was rinse out but even that wasn't so bad. I will most definitely henna with caca again! Terrific product, Lush!!

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I was so hesitant about trying this product. I have never dyed my hair before, but I was really craving a change in my look. I have darker strawberry blonde hair naturally which looks great in the summer and fall after spending weeks in the sun. However, in the winter my hair begins to lose the great red color and looks more brown. I decided to use Caca Marron in order to bring out my red in the winter time and it worked BEAUTIFULLY. My end result is incredibly natural looking and has a great rich red color for the dull winter months.
After reading other reviews, I saw many complaints about the smell or mess. I think that when trying this product this is something that you should prepare for an expect:
I recommend having a buddy to help apply the product in order to avoid mess in the application process. Also, make sure the henna is more gunky and batter-like instead of soupy during application. It's much easier to clean up chunks of henna than giant drips. When rinsing the henna off, I decided to rinse my hair in my kitchen sink first with the removable nozzle. I then tossed my hair up in a towel to continue rinsing it off it the shower. This worked extremely well and was not horribly messy at all.
The smell is not nearly as bad as people described. Just apply the product in a well ventilated area. I applied the henna near my kitchen sink in case of emergency. Kitchens are typically a much larger area than bathrooms, therefore more ventilation. I applied cocoa butter infused Vaseline in order to prevent staining on my skin. The scent of the cocoa butter actually paired well with the henna and made the scent of the hair dye barely noticeable.
To finish this review off, I have to say that I am completely pleased with this product. I was completely hesitant and indecisive at first. But now, I am thrilled with how my hair looks and perfectly satisfied with my decision to use henna as opposed to chemical dyes.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I was a little apprehensive to use this stuff. I have not dyed my hair in a very long time and have never used henna. I just followed a you tube video on how to use it, and it worked out perfectly. I have a few inches longer than shoulder-length hair, but it is pretty fine. I could get 2 uses out of one purchase of the henna. It made my hair look beautiful and healthy! It added the perfect amount of shine and it lasted for quite awhile. I have naturally medium-dark brown hair, and it added the perfect amount of red, without being overwhelming. I got a lot of compliments about how great my hair looked after using it. I say give it a try! It isn't permanent, and if nothing else, it just makes your hair look and feel healthier.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

Honestly, some of the reviews had me worried about the messiness but I went into using it knowing that it was going to be a bit messy and I think that helped. My hair color was already brown with some natural very subtle highlights, it changed my color slightly but in the sun it really shows the red in it. I like that it actually dyed my hair one color, and my natural highlights a little different color so it added some depth and made the color not just like it is a flat dye but look natural on my hair. It definitely helps having someone else apply the product and be prepared to smell it for quite a few days later. I personally didn't mind the smell, it was kind of an earthy smell (my husband loved the smell in fact) but if the smell bothers you to begin with just realize your going to be smelling it for a week.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I am a natural medium auburn. I was impressed by how beautiful one of my co-workers hair is, and she told me she used henna. Her hair is a fiery red. She uses a powdered version of henna ordered offline, but I didn't want to wait that long or mix my own color. She specifically said not to use Lush's henna, as it smells and dries too quickly, but I disregarded this comment because I was feeling impatient.

I bought Caca Marron because I wanted a color that is both darker and deeper than traditional auburn. I was afraid that it would turn out too brown, so I mixed the grated (you should grate it!) henna with Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Zinger tea. I used three bricks since I have short hair, but it is thick in the back, thin up front. I used four tea bags, and let it steep for about 30 mins. Brought it back to a boil and poured it in the henna. I also let the bowl of cake-batter like consistency henna sit in another bowl of hot water, to keep it from drying as I applied it to my hair.

I washed and towel dried my hair beforehand, so it was a bit damp during application. I gloved up and just used my hands to put it on like you would shampoo. It is MESSY. I expected that, and layed down a ripped up grocery bag or two. Once it was all on, I saran wrapped the hair, blow dryed it a tad, and put on a conditioning cap. Every hour or so I warmed it up with the blow dryer.

I left it on for four hours, then washed my (just less than shoulder length hair) three times. The coffee grounds are gross. They feel and smell terrible. The natural henna smell is pleasant, but mixed with the coffee grounds it becomes quite nauseating over time. The smell does stay on your hair for a day or so as well.

Overall, I like the way it looks. It is VERY red. This is likely because I started with auburn hair, developed for four hours, and used raspberry zinger tea. Don't be afraid of this making your hair too brown, it won't.

It is messy, nauseating smell (still not as gross as chemical color's smell), and gives you a headache both from the smell and the weight of three bricks of henna on your head.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I am about 90% gray and I have always had super absorbant hair dye hair lol so my color came out a very vivid orange (can't decide if it's carrot or pumpkin) and the 10% that wasn't went a strawberry blonde. Not much chestnut happening for me but I like the results just the same.

Comments about Caca Marron Mama Hair Henna:

I am an AA woman who is transitioning to natural hair. My hair is past my shoulders in length, very coarse, thick, and I have a lot of grays. I read about this product in an issue of Lucky magazine and was intrigued by the use of a natural hair dye.

After researching henna and watching a ton of henna videos on Youtube I decided on a game plan. I used the entire bar on my hair. My mother crushed it using a plastic bag and hammer. I mixed the powder with hot water until the consistency was like brownie batter. I then added a cup of conditioner to the mix. The conditioner made the mix thicker so I added more hot water to get the consistency I wanted.

My mother applied it to my hair with a brush that is used to apply traditional hair dye. She started at the roots and worked down to the ends of my hair. When she was done she wrapped my head in plastic wrap. There was no mess. The smell was like coffee and tea mixed and no one complained about the smell. The hardest part, for me, was sitting with it on for eight hours. The dripping drove me crazy. I rinsed it out after about six hours.

The color is gorgeous. I was suprised that it worked so well as my hair is naturally very dark. My gray hair is much lighter but that should go without saying. My hair was soft, and shiny. I will definitely use this product again.