The Pro's and Con's of Ayurveda....

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So I've really been wanting to dive in head first into the world of Ayurvedics, but I don't won't to do so without knowing the Pro's and Con's first.

This is where this thread comes in.

*What are your personal Pro's and Con's when it comes to Ayurvedic treatments?

*Which are your favorite?

*Have you seen a drastic change in your hair?

Thanks In Advance

 

[Blairx0]

I adore cassia. I would say I he seen a difference in the thickness of ky fine strands, the moisture retention of my lo po hair . It is a bit messy and an extra step, but it is worth it to me

 

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@blairxo

Did it cause a drastic change in texture? This is one of the reasons I hesistant to start doing henna/cassia treatments.

 

[EagleEyes85]

Ok I will start with my con and theres only one. It is very time consuming, so if you decide to do it, make sure you set aside enough time to do it. My pros are that my hair is shiny and soft after Ayurveda treatments. My hair noticed a difference when I don't do it. I have noticed growth as well.

My favorite treatment is tea rinses and oil massages . I mix shikakai , Amla, fenugreek, and sometimes brahmi to my tea rinses. It really stimulates my scalp and I can feel my scalp tingling in a good way. I've yet to do henna but with anything you do, just commit to it and set aside time . The prices aren't too bad at a local Indian grocery.

 

[Blairx0]

I had no texture change at all. I have been using cassia in my DC for well over 9 months and have notice no texture change.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I'm the Queen of Lazy, so for that reason, I'll buy a Pre-Mix/Pre-Made.

Sure I'll use: Afroveda, Hairveda, KeraVada, LACE Naturals and everything else that is Pre-made based on Ayurvedic principles and practices.

I do Henna/Indigo though.

But far as Powders and Oils from the Indian Store here are my CONS:

1) Time Consuming to mix and remove Powders
2) Most Indian Oils contain Mineral Oil, Petroleum etc...
3) Smell

The PRO:
Most of the Oils and Powders are really Cheap

 

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sharmeans

How do you mix in the powders?

Do you literally take the powder and mix it into you already prepared tea? or do you steep it along with the rest of you herbs?

 

[Extremus]

*What are your personal Pro's and Con's when it comes to Ayurvedic treatments?

Pros:
Darkens hair
Thickens hair
Increases the growth rate
Strengthens hair
Inexpensive
Some powders are good for the skin as well (neem)
A mix of a couple powders can act as shampoo, protein, growth aide, and dye in one step


Cons:
Hair can become dry and stiff if you don't follow up with an ultra moisturizing conditioner (powders/rinses)
Can be time consuming

*Which are your favorite?

Kalpi Tone powder

*Have you seen a drastic change in your hair?

My hair grows a lot faster and thicker. I love that my hair stays dark for awhile, even if I only use it periodically.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

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Nice Thread

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

*What are your personal Pro's and Con's when it comes to Ayurvedic treatments?
Pros
Thickens hair
strengthens hair
darkens hair
makes hair shinier

Cons
messy
smells funny
straightens some hair types

*Which are your favorite?
Godrej Nupur Mehendi Powder 9 Herbs Blend
vatika oil
indigo
Chagrin valley's ayurvedic herb shampoo bar.


*Have you seen a drastic change in your hair?

 

[Smiley79]

I agree...it is time consuming...I basically zero out a half a day when I know when I know I'm gonna do my Cassia, so that's one drawback. But I combat it by multitasking other around the house duties or just curl up to a book or movie.

Next con, DRYNESS! You gotta Karate chop and Tae-Kwan-Do kick that dryness by beating it to the punch with moisture, moisture, moisture. Don't skimp on the deep conditioning afterwards and keep up with daily moisturizing.

Other than that I see no major drawbacks for the most part. I have yet to try Henna because I'm nervous about the color change that I will experience...the suspense is killing me, lol, but I also ordered Indigo to keep on hand incase the color is not to my liking.

Also, I really liked Kalpi Tone and I love Amla powder, I always add it to my Cassia and will continue with Henna as well.

I did a ton of research before venturing into Cassia. Mostly from Curly Nikki and MopTop Maven and they're articles link you to a ton of other helpful links. That all helped me to start with venturing into Ayurveda and thus selecting Cassia.

I am very interested in Tea rinses...I never ever looked twice at them but I read so many great things about them.

Links that Helped me

http://www.curlynikki.com/2009/03/faq_07.html (cassia)

http://moptopmaven.blogspot.com/2010/08/regimen-building-go-ayurvedic-part-1.html

http://moptopmaven.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-haircare-challenge-simple.html

http://www.curlynikki.com/2013/09/my-abbreviated-henna-routine-2013.html

 

[Smiley79]

*What are your personal Pro's and Con's when it comes to Ayurvedic treatments?
Pros
Thickens hair
strengthens hair
darkens hair
makes hair shinier

Cons
messy
smells funny
straightens some hair types

*Which are your favorite?
Godrej Nupur Mehendi Powder 9 Herbs Blend
vatika oil
indigo
Chagrin valley's ayurvedic herb shampoo bar.


*Have you seen a drastic change in your hair?

That's the Henna brand that I ordered. (Plus i have a bag of Indigo from Butters and bars). I saw that Henna mentioned from this blog (http://www.minimalistbeauty.com/henna-for-hair-101), so I'm gonna see how it goes. I hope I like it as much as so many others have!

 

[MileHighDiva]

Adding henna to my regimen has been a GAME CHANGER for these fine strands of mine, and I'll only be on my third henna treatment on Sunday/Monday.

Henna Cons:
Time consuming

Henna Pros:
Color
Stronger reinforced hair
Increased retention
No color run off during pre-poo, cleansing, or DCing. That was disgusting while using Jazzing Color Rinse.

For those with a sensitive nose Kalpi Tone and Meera Hair Wash smell great. In addition, their easy to incorporate into your reggie.

Next stop:
Experimenting with bhringraj and methi to prevent hair fall.

 

[Smiley79]

MileHighDiva

How drastic was the color for you?

 

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IDareT'sHair

Thanks Girl!

Smiley79

Whats your wash day routine when using Cassia? Do you use it before you wash or after?

 

[Smiley79]

Yes, but I'm actually working on tweaking that portion of my regimen because I am trying to transtition to the curly girl method of No or Low shampoo use, so I may cowash in the future and then apply the Cassia. Not sure yet.

But, short story is, yes, I apply Cassia on clean freshly washed hair. .)

 

[MileHighDiva]

MileHighDiva

How drastic was the color for you?

Smiley79 it covered my grays that keep popping up. Plus, there's no color run off like when I was using Jazzing Color Rinse when I pre-poo, cleanse, or DC. The only color in the bottom of the tub or sink is the product and dirt. No reddish brown mess.

However, I have noticed that when I'm in the sun my hair has orange highlights. One day, I was driving around rockin' a fresh braid out and flossin' like I was fly with the sun roof open. Girl, I looked up in my rear view mirror and was like. to brillo highlights.

So, I'm adding hibiscus to my mix to try to get more of a chocolate cherry look. If that doesn't work, next time I'll add cocoa to the mix. When I get the color mix down, you ladies will not be able to tell me nothing,

Last night, I was bugging mshoneyfly for the henna to hibiscus ratios, because she has beautiful black/chocolate cherry highlights from her henna treatments.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Henna & Indigo is about as far as I get to mixing up stuff.

I had a few Powders in my Stash early on (Amala, Bramhi etc..) and sent them on to someone that wanted to do alladat.

I also had a few of the oils but ended up going the Handmade/Natural route for those too.

Because of all the M.O. etc......

Tea Rinsing with Fenugreek and Red Roobis is about as close to it as I'll probably get (for now).

I'll let someone else do all the mixing & measuring and I'll just hit PayNah.

 

[LovingLady]

The powders that I have tried are Henna and Shikakai, to create a mud wash.

CONS:
* Time consuming
* Messy
* The smell is not the best
* Small gritty particles are difficult to remove (Henna)

PRO:
* Super clean scalp without having dry hair (Shikakai)
* Affordable
* Even though it is messy and time consuming you can make one large batch and save the rest for later

I mix the powders with warm aloe vera juice, honey, and coconut oil.


ETA: I am going to be replacing the Henna with Cassia due to the small gritty pieces. If you are having dandruff issue I would highly recommend using Shikakai. You can also add Alma to the mix as well.

 

[divachyk]

I had no texture change at all. I have been using cassia in my DC for well over 9 months and have notice no texture change.

Dryness scares me as a low porosity chick. You just mix it in your DC and that's it? I'm a little ayervedic challenged. Blairx0

 

[MileHighDiva]

EnExitStageLeft if your worried about henna changing your curl pattern/texture, I highly recommend Nupur. It has 9 extra herbs and spices, . One of them is amla which is suppose to prevent henna from changing your curl pattern. I forgot the scientific reason why.

My texture has not changed.

I've never used cassia, so I can't speak on that, or whether or not adding amla to the cassia mix is beneficial for those type of concerns.

 

[Smiley79]

Smiley79 it covered my grays that keep popping up. Plus, there's no color run off like when I was using Jazzing Color Rinse when I pre-poo, cleanse, or DC. The only color in the bottom of the tub or sink is the product and dirt. No reddish brown mess.

However, I have noticed that when I'm in the sun my hair has orange highlights. One day, I was driving around rockin' a fresh braid out and flossin' like I was fly with the sun roof open. Girl, I looked up in my rear view mirror and was like. to brillo highlights.

So, I'm adding hibiscus to my mix to try to get more of a chocolate cherry look. If that doesn't work, next time I'll add cocoa to the mix. When I get the color mix down, you ladies will not be able to tell me nothing,

Last night, I was bugging mshoneyfly for the henna to hibiscus ratios, because she has beautiful black/chocolate cherry highlights from her henna treatments.

Thats my quest, because I don't care for the orange hair either, lol.

 

[kxlot79]

*PROS
-improves hair manageability (can be cancelled out if you don't increase moisturizers)
-strengthens hair (can be cancelled out if you don't increase moisturizers)
-increases shine
-improves efficacy of other products
-increases length retention (because I'm more attuned to my hair)
-saves $$$ making quality products for less money than buying similar commercial products

*CONS
-can be time consuming mixes (I make big batches and refrigerate, which balances the time suck)
-can be time consuming application (I sleep on a lot of my treatments or do them right before doing chores around the house)
-can have lots of trial and error (potential HGs make it worth the risk)
-can be messy (practice makes perfect and my mess is virtually nonexistent now)
-can encourage PJ-ism (saving $$$ makes it balance in my mind)

*FAVORITES
-HENNA
-VATIKA OIL

ETA:
*CHANGES
-All of the pros were like night and day for my hair
-After almost 2 years of using henna, I haven't noticed any curl loosening or texture changes, just a smoother cuticle and better curl clumping. I have a very, very subtle cherry cola tint to my hair which is mostly noticeable in direct sunlight or to a trained eye. But everyone's hair responds differently to henna. I always test different brands on shed hairs I collect and recommend others do the same.

Sent using LHCF app

 

[havilland]

Ok I will start with my con and theres only one. It is very time consuming, so if you decide to do it, make sure you set aside enough time to do it. My pros are that my hair is shiny and soft after Ayurveda treatments. My hair noticed a difference when I don't do it. I have noticed growth as well.

My favorite treatment is tea rinses and oil massages . I mix shikakai , Amla, fenugreek, and sometimes brahmi to my tea rinses. It really stimulates my scalp and I can feel my scalp tingling in a good way. I've yet to do henna but with anything you do, just commit to it and set aside time . The prices aren't too bad at a local Indian grocery.

^^^

I agree. I used mixes and rinses for awhile with amla and shikkai and bramhi. It was time consuming for me. My hair thrived but no more than when I used other practices.

I will say this though. If u are transitioning and dealing with two textures, I would not use this as the time to experiment with new practices. My two textures would not have been happy with any of those rinses etc. too much room for error and tangles and potential setbacks

 

[MileHighDiva]

kxlot79 do you add hibiscus to your mix for the cherry cola tint?

Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

 

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havilland

Hmmmm.....I'll keep that in mind, thanks .

 

[kxlot79]

Short answer: No.
Long answer: I've experimented with dozens of henna recipes (some including hibiscus powder) and none of them have affected the color. What HAS affected the color is the lawsone content and freshness. hennasooq's red raj henna has given me the best deposit. My hair is naturally a very dark chocolate so that's why I think the color change is so subtle on my hair.

kxlot79 do you add hibiscus to your mix for the cherry cola tint?

Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

Sent using LHCF app

 

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.....BUMP!

 

[mshoneyfly]

*What are your personal Pro's and Con's when it comes to Ayurvedic treatments?
Pro's:
-Relatively cheap
-subtle color change
-makes my grey hairs blend in nicely
-much needed strengthening
-infuses the treatment into the hair shaft
-minimizes my tangles and knots by sealing the cuticle (for this reason, good for high porosity hair)
-helps to stretch my relaxers by temporarily altering (smoothing) my NG
-thicker, darker hair


*Which are your favorite?
Henna is my main squeeze. I have always added a little hibiscus and a few tbsps of DC. This gives a dark cherry reddish tint instead of the more orange-y color. Its not like a demi, semi or permanent color at all. It is very subtle. Without the sunlight or direct indoor light, my hair just appears darker.

One time I added hibiscus AND organic cocoa powder from B-n-B... @MileHighDiva is right; it did come out really nice. I like the idea of color but I really use henna for the conditioning properties.

Have used cassia mixed into my DCs. This is really nice. I mix the powder with warm water first then add DC and whatever else you like.

A few others that provide similar strengthening affects:
Cassia
Zizyphus Spina Christi (Sedr) Powder
Kapur Kachri Powder

*Have you seen a drastic change in your hair?
Yes, my hair is finally retaining length. See APL 2014 challenge for comparison pics. I used to flat iron every week so I have some permanent damage to the cuticle. Henna does not reverse damage but I helps to prevent the frustration from tangles and knots that might cause me to big chop My hair is very fine so the thickness and strength are pretty drastic to me.

ETA: Forgot the CON's: Messy, time consuming, can be drying if you don't keep the protein/moisture balance, some people think they no longer need protein

I used to think that I needed to wait a week or two after henna to use protein but I was wrong. One day after rinsing the henna, I cowashed with VO5 Freesia (I believe it has keratin). My hair was singing the protein praises.

Also, I LUV Vatika Oil

 

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mshoneyfly

I was wondering where you were .

Nix08

We're waiting on you now lol