Cassia Treatment # 3: Could The Third Time Be a Charm?

Hey Guys,

This past Sunday was my third Cassia treatment, and I'm happy to say that this time I saw a bit more of an improved result. And maybe I can accredit that to my mix. Previously, I mixed the Cassia powder with only warm water like the packet instructed. But this time I got a little more creative and used the following:

• Lipton Green Tea with Honey
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• Half a bag of Cassia powder

I mixed all of the ingredients together until it reached a yogurt consistency. After I washed and conditioned my hair with the usual, I applied the thick green paste to my strands. Plopped on a shower cap. And let the treatment sit for an hour. After I rinsed out, I noticed my hair was a bit shinier -- nothing brilliant -- but there was definitely a sheen. I then followed up with a moisturizing deep conditioner, and I let that go for an additional hour under a plastic cap. I'm telling you these hair days are no joke!  Super time-consuming, especially when Cassia enters the equation (but Henna still tops the time game). I plan on doing another treatment next week just to finish off the mix I have left over. And then one more bag to go!

Instead of following my usual hair routine, I decided to spice it up by revisiting some old products that I had laying around, and doing two-stranded twists for a twist-out (for a change).

I'll show you guys the reveal in a few days! Will it be a win or a fail?

Above: Cassia mixture in hair.

Above: Results after Cassia mixture is rinsed out.

From left to right: Damp twists; Dry twists (major shrinkage).

Hair Update: Why Won't Cassia Light My Fire?

Hey Guys,

Just a little hair update to let you know that I am still a bit ambivalent about Cassia. I was so excited before I first tried it after reading about all of the wonderful benefits, like gaining thick and shiny hair. Even better, it's not supposed to leave any coloring (or at least any color that would show up on dark hair).

I've only used it twice so far (once last month and once this month), so I know that I am probably not giving it enough time to build up on its potential. I also know that Cassia is not as powerful as Henna. Each treatment left my hair, well, the same as it was before, which is not bad. But since it's extra time and conditioning that I'm adding in, I just thought I'd see a little extra love, do you know what I mean? So far, I am noticing no dramatic shine or increased thickness like I had with Henna.

Many of you already know of my love/hate relationship with Henna. I was a fan of the benefits, but after a while the red was just getting to me. My Cassia mixture simply consists of warm water and Cassia powder, mixed until a yogurt consistency. I leave it on for an hour then rinse out. I then follow up with an hour deep conditioning treatment. In any case, I'm going to finish up the bag and a half I have left. And I'll keep telling myself patience is key. We'll see where it takes me. Go team!

Have any of you had a similar experience with Cassia? Or better yet, if any of you have had great success with Cassia, please fill me in (as in the words of Craig David)! Also, I would love to hear of any other hair recipes you guys are digging!

Check out the post on my first Cassia treatment below:

https://static.squarespace.com/static/51a903b8e4b08b27fbbe40f5/51ba4ecfe4b01192d9c8579d/51ba4ee9e4b01192d9c860eb/1303779851000/

First Cassia Treatment

Hey Guys,

I finally did my first Cassia treatment last night! I had to postpone on doing the treatment for a few days because I have been battling with an awful case of flu for the past week. I'm telling you next season I will be getting vaccinated.

In any case, I finally regained my strength and I proceeded to do a very simple treatment. I mixed about a cup of Cassia powder and stirred in some hot water until it reached a yogurt consistency. It was as simple as that.

Before I added the Cassia mixture, I washed and conditioned my hair. Then I applied the Cassia mixture to four sections making sure my hair was completely saturated with the mixture. Once applied, I covered my hair in a plastic cap and left it on for about an hour and a half.

The process and the "feel" are very similar to Henna. The "mud" lies pretty heavy on your head and it takes a couple of rinses for it to be completely washed out. But, again, if you've gone through the Henna process it's nothing new. Cassia is a bit less time consuming than Henna, in my opinion, because you don't have to leave it on overnight for it to reach its maximum potential. The minimum time is 30 minutes to an hour. I then followed up with a deep conditioning treatment.

Afterwards I saturated my hair with leave-in conditioner and braided it into two "Frida" braids (a favorite hairstyle of mine). The next day, when hair is still semi-damp, I added Vatika oil concentrating on the ends.

I noticed lots of shine afterwards and my hair felt normal to soft. I can't say whether or not this treatment is "da bomb"  since I only tried it once. But I think after continual use (or at least until I finish my two packs) the benefits will be more apparent.

Products used:

Cassia powder and water; Vatika Deep Conditioning Hot Oil Treatment; Herbal Essences Hello Hydration as leave-in; Vatika oil.

Don't Henna My Head, Let's Cassia Instead?

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Hey Ladies,

I hope everyone is having a splendid week. I decided to write in today about Cassia because I literally just ordered two boxes of it! The Product Junkie reveals herself. Though, I must say, I've restrained myself the majority of the time.

So to continue on with the post, I've been thinking about doing a Cassia hair treatment for a couple of weeks now. Cassia powder is similar to Henna, but it is derived from a different plant. When treated on hair, Cassia is said to yield very similar results to Henna like promoting shine and thickness, though the effects are reported not to last as long as Henna. Also, Cassia will not give your hair that reddish tint Henna is famous for -- because the molecules released from the dye are gold/ yellow as opposed to red. So on dark brown  hair, I'm pretty sure it won't show.

At first, I didn't mind the red tint from Henna. And to be honest I kind of went a little OD during the first few months of using Henna -- I would do treatments almost every week -- experimenting with different herb combinations and all that.  So, of course, after a while my hair got a little too red. And for the most part, that is why I decided to stop.

Though I had some ups and downs with Henna, I  still credit a huge part of my hair's overall health to Ayurveda treatments such as Henna.  Now, I am looking for a treatment that I can do once a month that is similar to Henna but does not cause a change in color. Looks like Cassia might be an option!

Henna or Cassia, Ladies? What's your preference?

Click here to learn more about Cassia.

Click here to view my past Henna treatments, recipes and results:

www.kiffecoco.com/2009/10/ps-henna-photos-and-results-coming-soon.html

www.kiffecoco.com/2009/11/henna-numero-2.html

www.kiffecoco.com/2009/11/my-henna-rave.html

www.kiffecoco.com/2010/01/i-hendigoed-ladies-and-gentlemen.html

www.kiffecoco.com/2010/02/adieu-adieu-henna.html