Coming out of the darkness or the story of my hair: from a henna bob to long natural hair

Starting a hair transformation journey can have transformative and personal effects. Many people’s hair stories involve more than just style changes—they also involve personal growth and self-discovery. This transformation from a daring henna bob to long, healthy hair is proof of the value of perseverance and introspection.

We explore the story of this amazing hair makeover in this article. Along with the physical changes, there is also the emotional and personal development that comes with such a big change. This story illustrates a deeper theme of accepting change and gaining confidence, from the colorful and daring henna bob to the gradual embrace of natural beauty.

Come along as we examine this journey of metamorphosis and show you how each phase enhanced our sense of self and style. This journey is sure to inspire and resonate, whether you’re thinking about making a similar change or you’re just interested in hair stories.

Childhood

Initially My long, fairly nice hair was frayed at the ends from living through adolescence.

Shampoo was the only hair product available.

2025: the beginning of the henna period

I loved the gothic look as a teenager and only wore black clothing. My mother gave me henna for my 15th birthday with the intention of "diluting my dark image with bright color." I dyed my hair with Iranian henna from Artcolor for the following five years. The color red went really well with my casual look at the time.

Unfortunately, even after coloring, all I ever used was shampoo and sometimes store-bought conditioner. Because I didn’t take proper care of my hair after using herbs, it dried out quickly. I used henna to color my hair for about every six months over its whole length.

However, I didn’t give my hair’s quality any thought and didn’t give a damn. Prolonged? Prolonged. Brilliant? Brilliant. What more could you want for happiness?

Possibly with the exception of blonde.

2025–2025: experiments

Lightening with "white henna"

Naturally, I am aware that white henna does not exist. However, when I was sixteen, I fell in love with this name and purchased it in the hopes that its use wouldn’t cause any harm. I was generally ignorant of the differences between henna dyeing and bleaching.

The smell of burnt material hit me halfway through applying this incredible stuff to my hair. It smelled like that when I used depilatory cream on my hands. So, after the white henna, my hair was also chopped off.

Patches of the color appeared, and it wasn’t exactly platinum blonde—rather, it was a pale orange. I was pleased with the outcome. Admittedly, I still think the photo captures it well.

I quickly used henna to dye the length once more, resulting in an orange hue. At that point, my hair was hanging on by a thread and looked passably decent.

My happiness was short-lived as my hair began to fall out almost completely. They simply broke apart and split. What kind of maintenance did I really give my bleached hair? Yes, nothing has changed.

Coloring with Tonika

After a year, I decided I wanted red hair, so I got Tonika in "Indian Summer," shade 6.65.

The final result was fairly similar to the image; initially, the color was exquisite and deep. Here is a picture I took of my hair shortly after coloring it:

Tonika gradually disappeared, leaving the hair at the ends to resemble cotton wool. A whole bunch of broken hairs would stay in my hand if I pulled them by the ends.

It faded unevenly, blending red hues with henna shades. However, I enjoyed the iridescence of it.

2025: bob

I kept cutting my hair shorter and shorter because it kept breaking off so frequently. I had to use conditioner on a regular basis to be able to comb my hair, but it felt like a dead man’s poultice.

Split ends or white dots were present on nearly all of the ends. Although the image quality is poor, these white dots are generally visible:

Ultimately, I made the decision to trim off the remaining bleached portion prior to starting university because I was getting really tired of the breaking ends. In addition, I had been wanting to try a bob on my own for a while.

The bob only looked good with styling, and I didn’t even own a hairdryer, much less have the money to buy one, so I wasn’t happy with the results. I decided to grow it back immediately.

But soon after, for no apparent reason, they began breaking once more, which really bothered me since it was clear that something other than the white henna was the source of the breakage. Hairdressers kept asking me what I’d done so badly to them and if I was using a straightening iron. However, I hadn’t used any heat sources, hadn’t altered their color with anything other than henna, and hadn’t done anything similar to them.

Then I started to have suspicions. No, it wasn’t that I didn’t take good care of my hair; rather, the regular henna I had been using to dye it for a few years had destroyed it. I made the decision to stop dying henna going forward because of this.

I’ll talk about my own hair transformation journey in this post, from a daring henna-dyed bob to loving my long, natural hair. I’ll talk about the difficulties and successes of this transition, as well as how it has affected my confidence and sense of style. Come along as I discuss how going natural rather than wearing bright colors has been a journey of self-discovery and rejuvenation rather than merely changing my look.

2025: opening the Hairmaniac website and growing out a natural color

In early 2021, while looking for information on henna hair maintenance, I stumbled upon Hairmaniac. I was astonished to see a post of a girl (I believe it was a markiza) with henna hair; I had no idea hair could look so beautiful.

I then spent probably several hours a day reading the posts on the website with great anticipation. My entire conception of hair care was completely altered; I had never even considered that hair products could be purchased outside of supermarkets. It wasn’t like I was unaware of the existence of hair masks; rather, I simply didn’t give a damn about the beauty industry.

Then I saw posts about Kérastase, and when I looked up the costs on Google, I was astounded. It never occurred to me that goods could be so costly. I then made the decision for myself to purchase goods for no more than 1000 rubles, or even better, no more than 500 (of course, of course).

The untamed beauty is amazing! Look, this is the baby Hairmanak’s first foray into the world of jars.

I purchased my initial masks and oil after observing the hits on this website. Despite being mass-market products, using them improved my hair in a small way. However, there was still insufficient moisture.

After that, everything happened exactly as it was supposed to: I met Kaaral, specifically the fabled Hydra and Restructure ampoules. My initial thoughts when I stuck my nose into a jar of Hydra are still vivid in my mind. I smelled diesel instead of wet dog, like someone drove by in a tank (I never bought Hydra again).

I’ll spare you the names of the jars I’ve purchased over the years and instead show you the evolution of my hair.

I gave up henna even though I knew that the drying effect of herbs can be countered with the right care. I was already sick of this color after all these years, and I also decided that light brown hair would look better on me and that red hair no longer complemented my appearance.

But as I observed my roots spreading, I had my doubts. The bright henna background made them appear faded and mouse-gray.

But we just had to get through this phase. The line separating my henna from my natural hair became almost invisible over time; even I had trouble identifying it, and people in my immediate vicinity had no idea that I had colored half of my hair. I removed a few centimeters of damaged hair at a time until I removed all of the breakdown tips.

My frequent haircuts prevented my hair from growing quickly, but I was still able to achieve excellent quality.

I measured how many centimeters I needed to grow my hair to the desired length almost every day with a ruler because I really wanted it to grow faster. But I couldn’t resist cutting myself because I was irritated by how the breakdown ended and they were no longer able to save them. Growing it out took several years, even though the cut was flawless. I was aiming for perfect quality, so this was insufficient for me.

2025: my hair at the moment

In the start of 2024, my hair appears as follows:

Even though the henna has grown out, it still appears red in the sunlight:

Right now, I’m essentially happy with my hair’s length and quality. But there has been a hair loss issue lately, and I’ve been battling it with mixed results.

I created a collage using images for 2019 and 2024 to help with clarity:

I feel as though I don’t need a new haircut because the ends and cut are still in good shape from my September haircut. I intend to keep growing it until the length starts to bother me. My hair is now so long that it doesn’t bother me; in fact, I would say that it is far more practical than a bob or shoulder-length hair, since you can’t even wear it in a braid or ponytail as is customary.

My current state of care is as follows:

Additionally, independently by product category:

The picture shows that my attempt to limit my purchases to those costing no more than 1000 rubles was not entirely successful. The product increased in price with each new purchase. However, now that I’ve completed my education and secured employment, it doesn’t have as much of an impact on my budget as it did during my college years.

I think I could actually maintain the quality of my hair at this level with less expensive products, but I just like to buy pretty jars with nice smells; a less expensive professional who cares about scent and design is not as concerned. There are, of course, exceptions to this generalization.

In addition, I am a minimalist who waits to purchase a new item until a comparable one in the same category runs out. Even though there are moments when I truly want to, I remind myself that I already own a product that has the same effect and stop myself. Shampoos are an exception, as I have trouble finding a product that works well for my oily scalp. I think I’ve purchased six different shampoos in the last year, but most of them didn’t work for me, so I gave them away. I don’t have any supplies, and I couldn’t purchase the product and hold off on using it because I’m too curious.

Phase	Description
Starting Point	Short henna bob, vibrant red, with frequent touch-ups.
Initial Challenge	Dealing with color fade and maintaining hair health.
Transition	Gradual growing out of henna, focusing on nourishment and reducing damage.
Current Stage	Long, natural hair, restored to its natural color, with a healthy shine.
Lessons Learned	Patience and consistent care were key to achieving healthier, longer hair.

Accepting a hair transformation journey—from a henna bob to long, natural locks—is an amazing story of personal development and self-discovery. Every phase of this journey illustrates a distinct phase in an individual’s development, highlighting the strong link between identity and hair. What began as a daring decision to have henna turned into a patient and caring tale, demonstrating how our hair can reflect changes occurring within.

Growing out hair takes more than just time; it takes dedication and a sincere relationship with oneself. The henna bob was replaced with longer, healthier strands, signifying a deeper, more profound shift in perspective in addition to a physical change. This shift emphasizes how important it is to accept who you really are and to enjoy each step of the journey.

In the end, this tale serves as evidence that hair transformations are about more than just appearance. They are a reflection of our resilience and evolution—a journey of personal growth. By sharing this journey, we encourage others to value their own distinctive experiences and to embrace the lovely process of self-discovery.

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