Honey thread - from TBB and bits from old LHC

[ktani]

Myrddin

Thank you for the compliment.

I enjoy helping out.

This is actually the 5th Honey thread counting the Article, which, for all intents and purposes is here, in this thread, in pieces.

I have read every post and reread them (I saved a lot of information) and have learned from all of you - even though I cannot use honey on my hair - I don't want lightening and although I can use honey on my skin in small amounts, my scalp is sensitive to it.

But I did research honey thoroughly and I understand how it works - I find it fascinating.

[ktani]

I updated this post to include the Honey Article credits and references.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...4&postcount=31

[Myrddin]

Wow, Ktani,

good job. Actually, I really like that you are mentioning your resources. You have a quite scientific approach.

[ktani]

Myrddin

Thank you - as a non scientist I appreciate the compliment.

Others contributed to the Honey threads discussions too - and their viewpoints were invaluable.

Everyone who posts results contributes information that is valuable, IMO.

There is a lot of well documented, well referenced material on honey research and the peroxide levels of different plants and oils - just not on honey and hair.

I always try to find clinical research on anything I do research.

I have posted this before - it was sent to me by an LHC member.

Honey Wound Dressings and cough remedy
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22398921

[ktani]

There is a honey lightening recipe by Henna Sooq, that she reports worked on her hennaed hair to tone it down a bit.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...1&postcount=86

Discussion
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...1&postcount=88

[Myrddin]

Hi everybody!

After the honey treatment you could see the lightening effect even on greasy hair. I washed my hair yesterday evening and had the impression that my hair is really lighter. A friend of mine confirmed it. Cool, huh?

[ktani]

Myrddin

Great news!

Thank you for posting that - it is always helpful IMO, to have other opinions too - your mom's and now your friend's.

I know that with my own hair, I have had difficulty occasionally, determining what colour it looks like in certain lighting, with regard to the catnip I use to stain my grey/white.

[ktani]

This information is very interesting, IMO.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ead.php?t=2125

As it turns out, cinnamon has a peroxide value - a pretty good one too.

POV - Peroxide value of cinnamon and other spices - Scroll down the page for more information on cassia and true cinnamon.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=KZa8aPxR_-wC&pg=PA322&lpg=PA322&dq=cinnamon+pov&source=web&o ts=pjIeAfr5-Z&sig=OMZG-eBpqhAP5xevko2Ot2tkeW4&hl=en

The cinnamon you buy can be cassia but it is not cassia senna (cassia obovata).
The “other" cassia - the one sold as cinnamon - below.

"Most of the spice sold as cinnamon in the United States and Canada ......is actually cassia." See "Production and uses".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassia

So, it looks like cassia "cinnamon" might be another peroxide booster to add to a honey lightening recipe - extra peroxide with honey's conditioning benefits!

Note: cardamom and black pepper have even higher peroxide values than cinnamon, according to that list above - I am not sure black pepper is such a good idea for a hair recipe.

Cardamom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom

http://www.naturalstandard.com/index...t-cardamom.asp

[DolphinPrincess]

Hmmm... The cinnamon thing is interesting... It makes me want to experiment with my coconut cream treatment. (I'm just about to go mix it up and apply it to my hair) But I don't want to have too many things going on in it. I think what I find most interesting is that on the POV table, the Tumeric, Cardamom, Black Pepper and Nutmeg are all even higher than Cinnamon (at least in ground spice form) I think I may have to start experimenting, just not today.

[ktani]

DolphinPrincess

It is fascinating, isn't it?

Turmeric is not supposed to be eaten in great quantity, either is cinnamon - so I would no add a lot to a recipe - I doubt, according to that thread that it would be necessary.

I have also seen cinnamon listed as a skin irritant in places on the net (both cassia and cinnamon oils are mentioned as skin senitising in the book (linked below) - so I recommend patch testing first - eating a small amount of a spice is one thing - wearing it for a few hours is another matter entirely.

Scroll down to "Cassia - in industry" re the oils
http://books.google.ca/books?id=KZa8...Ot2tkeW4&hl=en