LUSH • Henna - Caca Noir • Treatments

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r00ski on 6/20/2013 12:39:00 AM more reviews by r00ski

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

So so so good. So nourishing.

I always aim for the darkest possible black-like shade I can get with the caca noir and I've been really successful at getting black out of it so I'll share how.

I tried all the variants.. coffee.. etc etc.. below is what works for me.

I grind up the block with a grater. I have fine medium length hair so I get 3 goes out of a whole block. I grind it all up in one go so I have easy access to repeat the process if I feel like it. You can grate it by hand but I have a food processor with the grating attachment so I just use that. :)

I boil up some water, mix it in with the desired amount of grated caca noir 'til I get a yogurt like consistency, cut a lemon in half and juice it whole with my hands, and maybe a pinch of salt, mix it all around with a fork for a few minutes.. sometimes after mixing I put it in the fridge for a half an hour to cool it down (some say that brings out the cooler black tones) and then I put it on my hair and leave it in for 4 hours minimum.

after 4-6 hours I'll rinse it out, and usually put it on again overnight. Then maybe again do it in the morning. Compounding it both makes the color darker AND makes it last much longer so if I have 2-3 free days I don't mind.

When I rinse the henna out I usually have a bath and after I'm done soaking in the water I just submerge myself and work out all the henna/clumps/whatever out of my hair. I don't clarify it with conditioner or shampoo as I've heard that washes out a lot of the henna/indigo and the color continues to develop over the next few days so I leave it be. It doesn't make any visual difference just had a bit of that earthy smell especially if it gets wet. I usually keep rinsing until the water doesn't look green anymore. Or if I do the bath method I'll come out and have a 2 minutes rinse in the shower to make sure I got it out. Maybe I'm just used to the process but I don't understand when people complain about how much work it is I find the caca noir's to be easy as pie.. just time consuming but w/e.

When I first got into the henna it took me 6-9 goes to get down to that dark cool black I'm after. Don't get me wrong it's a natural black not jet black like you'd get out of box dyes. After I got the desired color I touch it up once every 4-6 weeks.

My hair's always been weak and fragile and super thin but since I've been using the noir the breakage went away. Though it should be noted I've combined the caca noir treatments with all sorts of lovely kerastase products and generally been showing my hair a lot of love so meanwhile all the credit isn't due solely to the caca noir, I don't think I would have the same fantastic results without it.

Hope this helps, happy hennaing!

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tniadna on 3/17/2013 8:53:00 AM more reviews by tniadna

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

This is an amazing product.

I've got naturally very dark brown hair that started to go grey in college, so I've been dousing my head in chemical dyes for 17 years. Now that my grey hair is up to about 15% (and very obvious against my dark hair), I found myself re-dying every three weeks, which has made me extremely concerned about the chemical dyes and their long-term, cancer causing potential - plus, my hair had started falling out when I washed the dye out...eek.

After a bunch of research, I found the Lush Cacas and where have they been all my life? Finally got up the courage to do it last night, and so happy right now. Here's what I did:

1) Mixed two bars of Noir with one bar of Brun (wasn't trying for jet black, just to mimic my natural dark brown color and cover greys)
2) I grated the first bar of Brun, then got lazy so just put the two Noirs into a freezer bag and whacked it with a hammer. This worked fine, though I think that grating would be better if you've got the patience since I ended up with some small lumps
3) Dumped it in a glass bowl and poured hot water from the tea kettle on top to make a brownie batter consistency - I had no problems with dripping since I splashed in a little water at a time and left it fairly thick - I whisked it all together with a wire whisk.
4) Covered the area with newspaper, put on gloves, and slapped onto my head. I had sectioned my hair previously and so I worked from back to front. I also tried putting it on with a small brush, by it was much too thick for that and I think best approach is just to smoosh it into your hair with your hands
5) When done, I twisted each section into a muddy little bun and just smushed them onto my head, where they stayed pretty well
6) Let it air dry for an hour or so, then wrapped up in saran wrap with a shower cap on top and went to bed.
7) Left it on for about 10 hours total
8) Washed off this morning - could not wait - used conditioner and definitely missed some. Still some gritty patches, must be more vigilant next time.
9) Dried my hair - and perfect! Color is exactly what I wanted, white hairs have a slightly more coppery cast but blend in perfectly. Hair feels a little lank and greasy - I have fine hair so I think all the cocoa butter is a lot for me, but that will wash out.
10) I've also read that the Caca works best when it's fresh, so I stored my leftovers in a tupperware type container to help them stay fresh.

This is a great product that does exactly what it says it does. I was very worried about the smell after all the comments, but it really didn't bother me - certainly not after years of using toxic chemicals. I can still smell it a bit now that it's washed out, but no biggie.

Mixing and applying is slightly more involved/messier than conventional hair dyes, but not difficult and with the thicker consistency, I didn't think it made much more of a mess than box dyes. This stuff was also easy to clean up - I just put coconut oil around my hairlines and it didn't stain my skin at all. It also wiped up easily from the shower, just blasted it with water. The only thing that is a major PITA is waiting sooooo much longer for it to develop. Sleeping in it was do-able, but not the greatest - I think I prefer that to hiding in my apartment for the better part of a day, though.

AND...my hair feels super soft and it's super shiny. Seems thicker as well, which is awesome since my hair is very fine.

Will see how this holds up, but right now am planning to never return to chemical dyes and seems like I can touch up every two weeks or so (hopefully for just a couple of hours) and then maybe do the full sleeping process every four weeks. Well worth it for healthy hair with no greys and no carcinogens.

Here are two before pics:

http://img.makeupalley.com/9/5/5/5/2404521.JPEG
http://img.makeupalley.com/9/5/5/5/2404522.JPEG

And here are two after pics:

http://img.makeupalley.com/9/5/5/5/2404523.JPEG
http://img.makeupalley.com/9/5/5/5/2404524.JPEG

UPDATE: The second time I did this, I used the leftover Noir and some new Brun. I think it dries out, because this time it did not smash well at all and it melted with huge clumps all over, didn't integrate well, and didn't cover my greys because application was very imprecise. So it definitely needs to be grated, especially if you have product that wasn't just purchased. Other than that, super happy with it. Color stays put and hair is shiny with amazing texture.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

wolfteeth on 2/18/2013 8:48:00 PM more reviews by wolfteeth

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Blue    

Well I had really high hopes for this product. I was looking forward to twirling in the fields and only ever using natural products to color my hair for the rest of my life. Bummer.
So I used this product according to a few reviews mixed with the directions on the label. I left it in for around 4 hours. My natural hair color is pretty light blonde (with a few grays, at 28...kill me) and my hair has been colored medium brown. My roots were showing through a bit and this did NOTHING to them. Not a single thing. I know I applied the product correctly and even if I didn't leave it on long enough it should have done SOMETHING to my roots. The rest of my hair is a deep brown (that's actually kind of nice, albeit slightly boring (but it says it darkens with time). I would have given this product a much better review if it colored my roots, but alas, it appears only chemicals can cover this Scandinavian blonde hair.
I had no problems with it otherwise. The smell was nice, it wasn't that messy, it was easy to apply, I had no trouble washing it out and it didn't even stain my tub. I just really wish I could love this, but those blonde roots are killing me. Also, it didn't really make my hair feel any better or look any shinier than when I use conventional hair color. Guess it's back to Natural Instincts.

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gumbohaircom on 1/21/2013 9:08:00 AM more reviews by gumbohaircom

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

ttp://img.makeupalley.com/1/9/8/5/2376367.JPG
http://img.makeupalley.com/1/9/8/5/2376366.JPG

I have been toying with using henna to dye my hair for many moons now. So after much prayer and fasting(LOL), I finally worked up enough nerve to try LUSH Caca Noir Mama. The Caca Noir makes the hair black because Indigo as well as other ingredients like coco butter are mixed in this thick henna bar. I wanted my hair super duper black. so after doing a lot of research I decided to put in Indigo immediately after applying my Lush Henna Caca Noir Mama bar. This step ensures that I would get the blackest color possible.


BOTTOM LINE: The process is messy as all get out and a definite pain. But...my hair came out a shiny black stallion black. Since I went natural I have only used "natural" dye on my hair a few times. I never liked the black color that I achieve plus I was always suspicious of the "natural" ingredients.
My color came out similar to when I used to put black gloss color on my hair many years ago.
My hair feels healthier and stronger, looks silkier and appears light-reflecting radiant!

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csjune on 11/1/2012 6:03:00 PM more reviews by csjune

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

**Edit: I uploaded the before after picture with short wavy hair, outside**

I stopped dying my hair over two years ago once I realized it was falling out! I still had the occasional urge to darken my hair, though, as I think chocolate brown suits me better.... but I refrained from doing so because of the horrible image I had of clumps of hair falling out in the shower. *ahh!* It was then I decided to stop putting those horrible chemicals in my hair once and for all.

I began looking up alternative methods that were natural and safe for dying your hair. I found out about henna, but really wasn't up to buying my own mixes and experimenting with something so permanent. Do I use more indigo than henna or visa versa? Do i cover my head or not? How long? How often, etc etc.

So fast forward to about two months ago I found out about LUSH's Caca colors. (Lol @ silly name) Holy crap this stuff is perfect for those out there looking to change up your color in a chemical free manner! Beware though: patience and getting your hands dirty (or wear gloves) is required.

I give this product a 4 because it's exactly what I was looking for: a prepackaged henna/indigo hair dying product. However, it is expensive (but then again, with my short hair it'll last me a solid 3 dyes, so I basically pay 8$ per dye) and because I don't understand why they dont just package it already grated. The packaging itself is eco-friendly and minimal. I uploaded a before and after picture for everyone. (I have the short, wavy hair).

Here's my process for getting a dark chocolate brown hair with neutral undertones:

Prepping:
1. First, wear gloves!!! and if you are messy, cover the counters with paper/foil/whatever. Actually, even if you're not messy... cover everything anyway.
2. Using large hair clips, split hair into a few sections.
3. Apply Vaseline around forehead/ears/back of neck to stop Caca from staining your skin.
4. Brew 1-2 cups of BOLD, black coffee.
5. Grate 2 blocks (1/3 of the bar) of Caca NOIR & 1 Block (1/6th) of Caca BRUN with a cheese grater into a large glass bowl.
6. Mix the fresh cup of coffe into the finely grated Caca, stir until a pasty, yogurt consistency is met.

Application:
1. Wearing gloves I dip my fingers into the Caca yogurt (which smell very herbal, looks like poo) and apply to the lower/bottom part of my hair first. Make sure you massage the goop into all of your hair (working from the bottom, up). Don't be conservative here. Keep adding the Caca until your whole head is covered.
3. I then wrap in saran wrap and wrap in tin foil on top of that (to keep my head warm) and leave on for 4 HOURS.

Rinsing:
Honestly, this is the most tedious part, if you have a removable shower head be prepared to use that for a solid 10 minutes of just RINSING. Then add conditioner, rinse, conditioner, rinse, shampoo, rinse, shampoo rinse. If you don't, I think someone recommended using a hose outside- that's probably a good idea.

My hair felt thicker after I was done, but I cant comment on the softness... my hair is already soft, plus the amount of conditioner I used during the rinsing process probably had something to do with it.

Anyway, good luck! I think if you dont mind the time, and you want a natural, safe alternative to harsh chemical hair dyes, this is the stuff for you!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

noonoomac on 9/24/2012 4:14:00 AM more reviews by noonoomac

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Black    

This is a great product. I arrived at this product as I was looking for a dark brown/black colour without the chemicals associated with allergies as I am prone to skin related allergies.

The colour itself is a lovely dark, rich black with some blue undertones but without that inky fake look that black hair dyes normally give. It looks totally natural on me. Leave it uncovered to develop the dark tones, cover with film to develop the warmer red tones.

On the negative side, the rich dark colour fades quickly on my fine, wavy hair. I'd say it lasts about 8 weeks at most. My natural colour is a rich, very dark brown but has red undertones in the light which I want to cancel out. I only have a few greys so I can't really say how well it covers. I'm still giving a 5 because there isn't another product on the UK market that can rival this, at least, as far as I'm aware.

Follow the directions on the website exactly, there is no need to grate the product, it just needs boiling water and to be left to stand before you mix it. Set aside an evening, and, yes, it's messy.

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nataliecloud9 on 6/5/2012 10:57:00 PM more reviews by nataliecloud9

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Other    

I LOVED this product. Especially because I *assumed* I was using a healthy alternative to drugstore hair dye.


That was until I discovered these 2 websites:

www.goodguide.com

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/


It turns out LUSH Caca Hennas are rated pretty much just as BAD for your health as most of the drugstore hair dyes!!

(See for yourself! Just search and compare on the websites.)

So LUSH must have some undisclosed, chemicals or ingredients hidden inside :(

It figures... Because no where on the package do they claim Caca is 100% natural.


So be warned... If you are going to use this product strictly to be more health conscience, you are better off buying henna powder and doing it that way because THIS IS NOT CHEMICAL FREE!

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blua on 5/28/2012 2:23:00 PM more reviews by blua

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

Caca Noir has left my hair (naturally black - albeit color treated to take out the browns/reds), feeling soft and healthy. Yes I would buy it again. Strangely enough, even though my hair is straight, it has left my hair looking like i've flatironed it. Weird! The downside is the actually process, wait time and the SMELL. UGH, it's horrible in my opinion. Smelt like rotten weed honestly, with a dash of herbs that made my stomach churn. But I did put up with it. I put it in longer than the 2 hours. I was planning to leave it for 6 hours, but it was already 10pm and I didn't want to wait too long to wash it out. (Which took a while because there were chunks of henna everywhere)



Please note that it is MESSY, and you should all your equipments/tools around you. Also, you should know that once you henna your hair you shouldn't dye it with any chemical hair dyes because it will NOT react well. Take that into consideration if you like having different colors that cannot be achieved by henna (using bleach, etc)



Other than that, I kind of enjoyed the whole process, just wish it was easier.

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LishWilliams on 4/15/2012 12:45:00 PM more reviews by LishWilliams

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I have virgin weave which I love, and wanted to dye it darker to match my leave out. I know how damaging drugstore dyes can be so henna was the only way. I used caca noir. I hennaed my weave when it was taken out so i could leave it on some foil to dry. It took a while for all the henna bits to come out. i would suggest to anyone who is using henna, rinse your hair with plain water a couple of times, then use shampoo so your not wasting shampoo. I also used salt to help
develop the indigo so it would make it darker (a colour 1B)

This henna has cocoa butter in it, which adds moisture to the hair. when my hairdresser can round to do my hair she said 'is that new hair?' and I said no, its the same hair just henned!...she couldnt believe how shinny it was, and believe me it was shinny soft, THICK and beautiful. i have put my weave in again, and didnt henna it....it looks a little dull, and cant wait to henna it again.

if you have remy hair, henna wont work, as the cuticle has been sealed, but any virgin hair will work

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crazzybeautiful on 1/14/2012 4:33:00 PM more reviews by crazzybeautiful

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Us Caca users do realize caca means poop and Lush dose too. They have said before on there website and on there product directions that they did this for comedy. They know it looks like poo when u put it on your head.

2nd. It goes in your hair. (It is a natural henna and coco butter hair dye product) Not on your face like u put in your short review.

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hesperia on 1/14/2012 4:25:00 PM more reviews by hesperia

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

UPDATE: And as I said when you e-mailed me the same thing, crazzybeautiful, I suppose in some people's view, that justifies the juvenile vulgarity of the company. Whatever.


I understand that one must be "open-minded" these days. Problem is some people are so open-minded their brains seem to have fallen out. Of course, they can always replace it with, ah, henna poop. And apparently, they do.


Not meaning to spoil anybody's fun, but does anybody here know what 'caca' means? And you're willing to put that stuff on your face?

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gardenhat on 1/14/2012 4:15:00 PM more reviews by gardenhat

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Green    

I have about 20% gray hair that I have been dying with PPD based chemicals. However when I got involved in photography, I learned that these PPD are the same thing that is used to develop color film. Which freaked me out.

As, I have recently quit smoking I decided to try to eliminate as many toxins from my life as possible so I colored my hair with this.

I used 2 blocks for my thinning medium length hair. I poured some boiling water over the cut up blocks and they melted pretty easily. I added a dash of salt to help the indigo and mixed it to a batter-like consistency.

The smell didn't bother me, but I am a fan of natural scents. I left the henna mix on unwrapped for more blue tones for about 4 and a half hours.

Washing it off, I used a bunch of cheap conditioner to get the color out and shampooed a little bit.

When I dried my hair, it was bouncy, full of volume and a dark chesnut brown color. I can only hope it gets darker. But my grays are mostly colored and the texture of my hair is AMAZING. Like shiny and full.

I would give it a try if I were you.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

klamery on 1/8/2012 5:15:00 PM more reviews by klamery

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

The fresher the henna, the better the effect. As packaging is very poor, use product on day of purchase if you want to achieve the best possible results.
Messy application, leave in and washing off (very messy washing off), yet the best hair conditioner I have come across. It thickens the hair, leaving it with a very distinctive, spicy scent and a shiny lustrous look.
If your hair is wavy, it would affect the waves and make the hair straighter. For grey hair coverage, I could do with a better coverage and not having to dye my hair every 2-3 weeks. On the other hand, the more often you apply it the blackest the result will be. It also tackles another aging-related hair condition such as the progressive thinning. The henna molecules "stick" to the hair closing its pores and adding weight and thickness to the hair. Moreover, if bought from a reputable source -as Lush claims to do- it is a product relatively free of impurities. You can rest assured that this is the less aggressive coloring you can subject your hair to. The rest of the "natural" hair coloring products in the market (ie. Naturtin, Aveda), have sulfates and other components required for the colour to arise that are damaging your hair just as much as other over the counter products.
Brilliant results, yet it requires discipline and patience in order to stick to a fortnightly messy colouring. Will keep on repurchasing and reusing.

The name, by the way, means sh*** in more than 3 languages, it shows a supine ignorance and the dumbest lack of cultural awareness from the brand. Being marketed in a multicultural city such as London it just makes them look plain retarded.

6 out of 9 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ccatwomann on 12/19/2011 6:37:00 AM more reviews by ccatwomann

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I've had dramas with my scalp for over a year now. Probably from using a macadamia hair product, but I digress. So I haven't been able to color my hair due to harsh chemicals in normal hair dyes. After some research, I decided to try Lush's Caca Noir. I would recommend:

1. Grating the product
2. Using disposable shower caps, doubled
3. Leaving the product as long as the neck and the nose can handle it
4. Using a damp dark wash cloth to wipe products off the hairline and exposed skin
5. Kneeling down (on a dark towel) over the shower with newspapers on the shower floor, placing the Caca bowl on the newspaper covered floor (easier workflow, neater), shower cap all in reach. Since I had to start at the back, I tipped my head forwards over the newspaper area, working gradually from the back to the front of my head. Hope this makes sense.

Other than this, I followed Lush's instruction~ boiling water to dissolve the product to unwhipped double cream consistency, three blocks for slightly longer than shoulder length hair.

Heard that others had migraine, which is unfortunate, but I think that's possible from the weight on the head or the strong smell. I personally had to wash off the product after four hours (was aiming for five) as the smell was overpowering and I had issues with migraine so I thought I'd better not risk it.

After four hours, I rinsed the product off with warm water. First, I just let the "cement" melt without scrubbing my hair, once it loosened I washed as normal. My hair felt gluey afterwards so I used Lush's Squeaky Green solid shampoo to help clean my hair better. This shampoo is kind on colored hair and my hair felt cleaner with one wash. No conditioner.

The color was not as strong as I had hoped (Asian thick black hair) ~ no blue tints, but slightly reddish undertones. The ends of my hair were not super moisturized, and the "yellowish" tint from a year old dye hasn't darkened as completely I had hoped. I used a little Morrocan oil to help with conditioning the ends of my hair. I also had to spray a little perfume so as to mask the strong odor, which I didn't quite like.

The rest of my hair seems more relaxed and softer.

I will give it two or three days to see if the color darkens further, then will recolor as necessary. I have a few strands of silver hair, and per other reviews, the result was hit and miss... Some darkened with dark red and *one* silvery one left ~ but thankfully it's not obvious.

Still, am glad I found a natural alternative to harsh boxed products which I won't ever use again.

Summary: Caca noir is good for treatment and dyeing for sensitive scalps.

Day 2 update: hair has darkened from the initial reddish tint yesterday. Also softer. <3

Day 3 update: ends of my hair darkened more so very little "yellow" undertone left. Bluish tint on the crown noticable in white light. Happy!

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welcometothefamily on 11/9/2011 10:22:00 PM more reviews by welcometothefamily

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Tan, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I loved this product. As it's also a conditioning treatment as well as a hair dye, this made my hair incredibly soft and shiny. The first time I used this, it didn't make my hair go as dark as I wanted, so I used it again a week or so later and my hair went a maroon so dark that it was almost black, if that makes sense. My hair was originally a bright red. I was so happy with the results that I recommended to a friend, she used caca brun with great results, her hair looked shinier than it ever had.

Price: I did not consider this to be expensive. It's $31NZD for 325g (six blocks). I only used two blocks (well, four blocks if you count my second time :) on my above shoulderlength hair, and the SA told me it would wash out in 2-3months.
Packaging quality: As always, environmentally friendly. I chose a block and the SA wrapped it in paper for me.

All in all, this was a great product. I loved that I could slap it on, wrap it up and run off and do something else. I went for a bike ride with this in my hair. :)
Would I buy it again? Absolutely.

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vaigai on 10/8/2011 6:45:00 PM more reviews by vaigai

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This was my first Lush henna product. I have used lots of different "cheap" henna concoctions before - mostly made at home stuff with Indian store henna powder, eucalyptus, clove, coffee and cocoa butter. Henna is an amazing conditioner, scalp rejuvenating agent and antifungal which is why I used it, but I was never too big a fan of the red colour.

I have "black" hair (I'm Indian) that tends to skew brownish and reddish already and I never really wanted to go more red or brown cause that's what my hair looks like when its damaged! After perming it a few times in a row and being outside in the sun all summer, my hair was starting to look super gross/lifeless and really faded out brown.

I bought the Lush Caca Noir because I couldn't find indigo in a store and thought I'd try it.

Process: I used 2 bricks for my thick, above the shoulder hair. Heated up water in a kettle, poured some over the bricks and let it sit, broke them down with a fork until brownie batter/yogurt consistency. Didn't add salt or vinegar or anything. Just water.
Didn't use gloves (should have..fingers now blue..) just sectioned my hair and applied it with my hands..tried to work it into my roots. Put my hair up/stuck it to my head and let it air dry for 2 hours. Wrapped it in up in saran and then a Lush knot-wrap for 4 more hours.

Cons: This stuff is MESSY. MESSY MESSY MESSY!! I am a super hippie and also really good at cleaning up after myself and I'm still a bit defeated by the mess. Rinsing took FOREVER and still kept coming up with gritty bits near my scalp - what is that?! Maybe its the coffee in the mix. Left a bluish greasy ring on the tub that came out with some ivory soap and scrubbing with a scrubber.
Also, super hard to mix. Don't follow their instructions - grate it in a cheese grater and add warm-ish, not boiling water. Way easier than breaking it down by hand/with a spoon.

Pros: Just rinsed out then henna and my hair is still wet.. but beautiful! My colour is like never before.. a super deep black that is still glossy and lovely!! No more gross brownish/dull reddish black.. I haven't noticed a blue sheen yet, but definitely a cool black with some dark dark red glints.

Bottom line: I would buy this again - it was sort of pricey, but for $20 I get three uses out of it.. Despite the mess, the results are worth it!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* isavella on 9/12/2011 2:31:00 PM more reviews by isavella

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

LOVE the results. HATE the process. This is a (more) natural, permanent hair dye combining the powers of henna and indigo in one solid, waxy brick. It is separated into six blocks that you have to break off and mix with hot water to create a paste.

I have used Caca Noir three times. I have also dyed my hair twice with cheap, Indian grocery store powdered henna and twice with fancy henna at my salon. I really like the effect of the Caca Noir; compared to the cheap henna, it is vastly more moisturizing and conditioning (by "moisturizing," I mean it doesn't suck my hair dry and turn my hair clown red). The salon treatment was also very nice, but the color never came out as dark as I wanted - they apply the mixture (henna and indigo) and sit you under the heat lamp for a while. The effects were never as intense due to the fact that you can't exactly sit under a lamp at a salon for six hours to get maximum saturation. Also, it costs at least $70 for what is, essentially, a conditioning treatment.

Anyway, I have learned ways to make the process go more smoothly and enhance the end result:

1) Grate the blocks. The first couple of times, I wrapped the blocks in a plastic bag and crushed them with a hammer. It took forever, was loud and annoying, and there were big clumps in the resulting mixture. Those clumps made for a not-fun application, even more not-fun rinse, and they clogged my drain to boot. Sit your butt down and grate those suckers to a fine powder, even if you have to do it a week before while watching True Blood.

2) Use enough. I have bra-strap length hair, of medium thickness and I use half a brick (3 blocks) each time.

3) Use tea-hot water. I have never fiddled with coffee, teas, or whatever in the mixture, and I've always had great results. Heat until just about boiling and mix into your beautifully grated powder; stir to creamy, yogurt-y consistency. This will make it easy to spread throughout your hair without drips.

4) Use old things you don't care about. I have about half a heart attack every time because I really like mixing in things like nice Kitchen Aid and Corning vessels. The Caca has always washed off with no issues, but use old stuff to be on the safe side.

5) Wear gloves. Your nails will be wrecked! 100% grody. Gloves make it harder to spread the mixture, but I always regret it when I don't use them.

6) Spread newspapers on the floor, an old towel around your shoulders, etc. If you make a smooth mix like I detailed above, it won't splash around as much. But it will still make SOME kind of mess. Also, don't cry when you see your shower post-op. It sucks, and is the worst part, but you will scrub it and it will come off.

7) AKA THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP: After you apply the henna/indigo (which you should have done as methodically as possible), you will need to wrap your hair. I twist it into a roll, carefully and smoothly so as not to disrupt the hair pattern if that makes sense. I secure into a kind of bun/pony with an old hair tie. Basically, you want to avoid any sort of tangles or complicated wrapping, since the best bet for easy rinsing (an oxymoron) is having your hair unravel with ease. Wipe off your forehead, ears, neck etc. I let dry for an hour or two (air makes the indigo darker). I then wrap with some kind of plastic and sleep on that sucker. You don't have to leave it in that long, but at that point I'm so exhausted by the effort that I can't even think about the rinsing portion and I also hate just sitting around the house for 6 hours. Sleeping, while not the most comfy, kills two birds with one stone and gives me lots of color saturation.


I do all this crap because my hair looks awesome the next day, and even better the day after that - the color fully develops and deepens. The lovely (to me) scent also lingers a few days. I have natural tobacco-brown dark hair and this gives a warm black (slight red tinge) tinge. Gorg. PITA THOUGH. Major PITA. Especially the rinsing and bathroom cleanup. I think those that say it's not that bad probably have shorter hair and an outdoor hose to rinse with. I will for sure repurchase, but WHY does this stuff come not pre-grated????? At the very least?

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

krystalc on 8/23/2011 1:04:00 AM more reviews by krystalc

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Caca noir takes my thick, shoulder length hair from a dark brown to a natural-looking, healthy, glossy black. One block gives me 3 uses (1 1/2 squares each). Those who complain of the smell/mess are wimps; other than the wait, the process is no worse than any other at-home colour kit.

Minus a lippy because of the nature of henna itself. According to my hairdresser, you have to let your henna'd hair entirely grow out before you can bleach it, even if the henna is entirely faded. Black suits me well so I don't plan on dying my hair any time soon, but I'm scared that I might want to eventually!

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lauramvig on 6/25/2011 8:16:00 AM more reviews by lauramvig

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This was hideous.

I couldn't even care less about the end result - nothing is worth the hideous smell, mess and the amount of effort required to do this.

Would not purchase again. I'd rather use chemicals.

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ratmist on 4/20/2011 11:06:00 AM more reviews by ratmist

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I've used Caca Noir twice now. I have hair that has been dyed before, and is around the length of my ears. I needed two squares, but had a little bit left over. First time, I didn't mix enough water in, and it didn't take well but I did notice it turned my grey/white hairs brown, but not black. I didn't use clingfilm/saran wrap the first time. It went absolutely everywhere and I felt like an idiot for not following the instructions.



Second time around, I grated it, mixed with cup-of-tea-temperature boiled water, mixed, and was ready to go in about ten minutes. Worked it into my hair from back to forward, concentrating on my roots and areas where I know there are white hairs. Left it in for just over three hours under clingfilm/saran wrap. I didn't have any problems rinsing it out - I just knelt next to my bathtub, used my shower head, and rinsed until the water ran clear (about 7-10 minutes at most).



My hair is naturally very dark brown, and I've got a lot of white strands that just irritate the hell out of me. I like how well it conditions and how soft my hair is. I don't like the smell, and I'm not happy that it didn't cover the grey as well as I'd hoped. I'll try one more time and see if it covers the grey. Both times, my grey hair was like a medium-brown colour, which is strange to me because I used the Noir blocks. The rest of my hair was deepened to a very glossy black. It lasted for me about two weeks or so.



UPDATE: It seems to be irritating my sensitive scalp. :(

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