Manly Guy Medium Brown Henna Hair Dye, Beard, & Mustache Color: 100% Natural & Chemical Free

Note that "chemical free" = non-physical/incorporeal though. If there's physical substance, it's chemical, period. But I understand why Henna King uses that phrase. They may really mean "no inorganic chemicals" or just "no harsh chemicals" as some reviewers have correctly stated, but many people will be much more assured by "chemical free" and those who know better know what they mean. I just hate to see that kind of error unaddressed.Anyway, on with the review of the actual product. (I'll give the advertising 2.5 unofficial stars. Yeah, I know ... whatever.)I waited for a three day weekend to give this stuff a try. The first application (1st day/90 min) didn't do a whole lot but it did add a little bit of color in the middle (like a little pink left in an overdone steak), the second application (2nd day/120 min) looked fairly decent and evened it out a good bit, but the third (3rd day/90min) got it squared away (note, you don't have to stand there and stare at it in the mirror the whole time--it's not going anywhere and it still works if you read or nap or even surf the Interweb). I've found that since then--since I laid down a good base coat--I only need 15-20 minute touch ups about every 4-6 days.My beard is almost entirely white (just got a little funky Deion Sanders '14 Pro Bowl kinda color in my moustache/goatee area), so dudes who've got more color going on may not need three coats to get it there. I keep it somewhere between 1/8"-1/4" long (I use an extended 1/2 trimmer guide comb on it every week), and I expect this stuff lasts longer in longer beards. I'd also guess they probably show less variation. The whiteness of the beard (nod to Herman Melville), it seems to me, would exaggerate that effect. So of course those are factors to consider.It's forgiving so you don't need to be very careful about the time. If you keep in on for five or ten minutes longer than needed it's no big deal--no need to watch and make sure it doesn't get too dark like with JFM or the Clairol brew, and this stuff doesn't try to melt your face off, which is kinda nice. (I found Henna King after I developed an allergy to JFM like many others, but first I tried the Clairol spooge and chemically fried my face a second time ... awesome!)I recommend following D. Clark's tips--the Dark Brown Henna King/Manly Guy review from 29 JUN 13. (Thanks DC!)Note that the stuff needs to be applied so it's a fairly thick and even dark green all over--no lighter patches, and take particular note of the edges. It -does- darken over several hours (significantly but not dramatically), and it doesn't stain the skin ... or at least it hasn't yet. Allegedly it simply doesn't work for some people, but at least some of those probably just did it wrong (and if I'd only given it one application and given up I'd've thought the same thing). Contrary to DC's tips, I prefer to wash it off my face--it gets the color off of the skin and I don't think it has much effect on the beard coloring itself. You get used to the way it smells when it's wet--it's not really a bad smell, just not real pleasant either ... but you do get used to it (and I've got an over-sensitive schnoz).So, yeah, a good way to get decent color without the face meltage.Well, there it is.

This is the worst hair dye. If you don't want to look like bozo the clown, stay away. First of all you have to keep it on the head 2-3 hrs, then the horror come begins. It has been almost a month since I used this hair color. I spent a fortune by making several trips to hair salon trying to fix this hair catastrophe. IT DOES NOT COME OUT BROWN, IT IS RED, LIKE BOZO THE CLOWN. SMELLS AWFUL, MESSY, WORST OUTCOME I HAVE EVER IMAGINE.

Overall, I think this product is good, and works. However, it takes a long time, and it's messy. I usually go 1 hour, and that seems to do the trick, as long as you keep it wet. If you go over 1 hours, I recommend putting vaseline on the outline of your lips, so it doesn't dry them out.I purchased the medium brown, and when you first put it on, it looks more like a dark blonde, but it does go darker, and blends in well. As far as how long it lasts, I find 2 weeks maximum. Keep in mind, I don't go more than an hour. I can't use Just for Men because it literally burns my face off, so this is a good alternative. I think I'll try the darker brown and see how that goes. Lastly, it does seem to make my beard a lot softer, so that's an added bonus.

Unbeknownst to me, I had a acquired a severe allergic reaction to paraphenylenediamine, or PPD which is a chemical substance that is widely used as a permanent hair dye like Just For Men. My allergic reaction was unbelievable and it took me, my Doctor and a Dermatologist's patch test to finally narrow down that it was Just For Men that was causing all of my problems. Wow. I just never made the connection that THAT was the cause of my problems (even had to go to the Emergency Room at one point).Anyway, I still wanted to get rid of the grey in my beard & mustached and stumbled across Manly Guy. And its great! It works perfectly for me and I'm stumped by people who say it has no effect on them. I'm not saying they're lying but how can it now work for them? Perhaps they didn't follow the directions? NOTE: I think its very important to have a clean beard/mustache before you apply Manly Guy otherwise it won't "stick or stay".Yes the rumors are true: It is a strange paste you put on your face and leave on for a significant amount of time. I guess its comes down to how bad do you want to color your hair? Also, with my PPD reaction, I can't go back to Just For Men. I simply apply this paste for 90 minutes and then go surf the web. Shower it off and its done. :)PROS:-It seems to get a bit darker as the days go on so thats wonderful.-Very cost-effective: I'm probably going to get 4-5 "treatments" with 1 package which is much more economical than Just For Men where I would only get 2 (and always have the white tube with leftovers since I didn't mix them equally).-Since it is a paste, it goes on thick and much more evenly. While some whiners & complainers are saying the thick paste is a negative, I look at it as a positive since the coverage is more thorough and complete.-The color seems to last much longer than Just For Men. While JFM would start fading or losing color in patches, Manly Guy seems to hang around longer and more even. Cool.CONS:-Ok the paste is kind of a nuisance and the amount of time you have to leave it on is not as convenient as Just For Men.-Has a strange, "earthy", nature smell about it. Could be worse.I can't think of anything else to add. I'm just glad I found a natural hair color that works, isn't expensive and one that I'm not allergic too. What a nightmare it was for me.