Just over a year ago, I managed to get my hands on Henna and being the experimental natural that I am (a politer word for product junkie) I tried it on my hair after watching a few videos on You Tube of course. I had heard, read so much about henna and the many benefits it has for the scalp and hair besides dying it. What got me more interested or rather tempted to try henna and indigo was my flacky scalp and my thinning hair. You know, Henna helps with dandruff and also makes hair thicker. Today I’m not about the benefits of henna though because they are many and would rather dedicate a whole post to that.
I knew henna was going to dye my grays orange to red colour but as planned, I was going to do an indigo treatment soon after to make sure my hair dyes jet black. I was not after dying my grays though. The benefits on the scalp and making hair thicker was what I was in for. After completing all the steps recommended for jet black hair, lo and behold my grays were no where close to black. They were rather a light brown after the first treatment which was rather a source of ridicule and embarrassment. My gray hair is very close to my forehead and I did the treatment in August when it’s relatively windy in South Africa. So I got many well meaning people picking my now light brown hair from my head thinking some dry grass or something happened to rest in my hair. I had to quickly object and mention that it was my hennaed hair.
Did some more research in that same week and when I found out that I can do another henna-indigo treatment as soon as I liked, I went on and did another treatment. That made my grays darker but not black. I followed with a few more indigo treatments but I came to realise that my hair could be just one of those types that doesn’t dye easily or I was doing something wrong with the whole process so I gave up. That was in 2014.
Now in 2015, I came across Cassia Obovata. Oh wow. That’s just heaven sent. You see, cassia obovata, commonly known as neutral henna does not stain the hair, clothes or hands but is a great hair conditioner and also helps with a healthy scalp just like henna. You can imagine my relief. Now I could have the best of both worlds. Conditioning my scalp and hair without changing the colour of my hair. Now that’s what I call amazing!
Cassia obovata, source:hennablogspot.com
So, I have been applying cassia to my hair for the past three months now and I love it. My hair felt very soft from the first application. I was hoping it’s a bit easier to rinse out than henna though but eish, it just takes as long. But I’m sold. I love cassia obovata. Do your research though. But as for me and my hair, we are enjoying cassia.
To read more about the benefits of cassia read here.
My natural hair after a cassia treatment. Used flax seed gel to set my twists for the twist out.
I may still try henna though when I get a recipe that is dummy proof and can colour my grays black. I can deal with gray hair but streaks of brown hair on black hair, umm no. I can’t deal. As much as cassia is like henna, the effects are not as lasting as those for henna. Help a sister out. Do you colour your grays black with henna-indigo + whatever else? please let me know in the comments. Do you use cassia for strength and the many other benefits it has, also let me know your thoughts. I will post a proper review on it soon and the steps I follow to treat my hair.
Lot’s of blessings and enjoy your holidays
R