Cassia Essential oil? Hair lightening?!?

[ministeph]

Hi Everyone, I just have a quick question.. Will diluted cassia essential oil lighten hair??

I have used cinnamon (cassia I guess here in Canada) paste several times and it really does work! The only problem here, is that I hateee the little grains, it is so hard to wash out! I have tried to kinda make a 'tea' out of cinnamon.. but not really had much luck with that.. straining out the grains is quite a process.

Would you suggest I try to find a cassia tea instead? and then spray it on my hair?

My hair is med/dark brown with 15% grey spreadout through it.. I love my grey!.. I just don't like how in the winter my hair gets super dark and blah intermixed with the greys.. In the summer my hair goes red/orange..(dark but definitely noticible if light hits it!).. I've been trying to recreate the same effect in winter!.. without dying the whites.

I am open to ALL SUGGESTIONS! :)

Thank you:disco:

[little_cherry]

Yes, cinnamon will lighten hair...I wouldn't use the EO straight though; it will burn! Lots of people do a mix of Olive oil, honey and cinnamon to lighten their hair. All these have a peroxide value. Someone on here was adding cinnamon powder to their conditioner and over the course of the year, they noticed lots of unintentional lightening!

[ktani]

Hi Everyone, I just have a quick question.. Will diluted cassia essential oil lighten hair??

I have used cinnamon (cassia I guess here in Canada) paste several times and it really does work! The only problem here, is that I hateee the little grains, it is so hard to wash out! I have tried to kinda make a 'tea' out of cinnamon.. but not really had much luck with that.. straining out the grains is quite a process.

Would you suggest I try to find a cassia tea instead? and then spray it on my hair?

My hair is med/dark brown with 15% grey spreadout through it.. I love my grey!.. I just don't like how in the winter my hair gets super dark and blah intermixed with the greys.. In the summer my hair goes red/orange..(dark but definitely noticible if light hits it!).. I've been trying to recreate the same effect in winter!.. without dying the whites.

I am open to ALL SUGGESTIONS! :)

Thank you:disco:

ETA: Welcome to LHC!

I set up the first page of the Honey thread as a guide, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=148, and I will be happy to answer any questions you have in the thread if you wish.

I have looked into the oil and found no evidence that it has a peroxide value or can lighten hair, while the ground spice does have one and can help lighten hair. The oil, even diluted is a powerful irritant and I do not recommend using it.

The peroxide values of the honey lightening spices and oils are not has high as the peroxide values of most honeys.

[ministeph]

Thank you very much! :) and thank you for the welcome!

[ktani]

Thank you very much! :) and thank you for the welcome!

You are most welcome!

[CherrySilver]

Hi Everyone, I just have a quick question.. Will diluted cassia essential oil lighten hair??

I have used cinnamon (cassia I guess here in Canada) paste several times and it really does work! The only problem here, is that I hateee the little grains, it is so hard to wash out! I have tried to kinda make a 'tea' out of cinnamon.. but not really had much luck with that.. straining out the grains is quite a process.

Would you suggest I try to find a cassia tea instead? and then spray it on my hair?

My hair is med/dark brown with 15% grey spreadout through it.. I love my grey!.. I just don't like how in the winter my hair gets super dark and blah intermixed with the greys.. In the summer my hair goes red/orange..(dark but definitely noticible if light hits it!).. I've been trying to recreate the same effect in winter!.. without dying the whites.

I am open to ALL SUGGESTIONS! :)

Thank you:disco:

I know what you mean about the little grains of cinnamon -- it gets to me, too! Instead of an eo, how about using an alcohol-free, glycerine-based extract? I don't know if this would work the same way, but it may be worth a try.

[Anje]

Be really, really careful with cinnamon-cassia EO.

ETA: Ooops, had it backward. Cinnamon leaf oil can be used on the skin if highly, highly diluted. Cinnamon bark EO doesn't belong on the skin at all, ever. Both are sensitizers.

Bark oil is a dermal toxin, irritant and sensitizer; also irritant to the mucous membranes. Should never be used on the skin (one of the most hazardous oils)

ETA2: Another site (From Nature With Love) says that Cinnamon Leaf EO should never be applied to skin. Oh bother. Just don't use either on the skin, unless you know more about these things than I do.

[ktani]

I did this post for the Honey thread on ground cinnamon, cinnamon oil and cinnamon extract, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=160845&postcount=1314.

To avoid the cinnamon grains issue, you could prepare a recipe ahead of time and let it sit to develop its peroxide value (an hour or 2, then filter it before use.

See the Honey thread first post for current honey lightening recipes.

[CherrySilver]

To avoid the cinnamon grains issue, you could prepare a recipe ahead of time and let it sit to develop its peroxide value (an hour or 2, then filter it before use.


Even better yet, go with a cinnamon bark powder 4:1 extract (and not the regular stuff you get in the grocery store). It's water-soluble and may even be more potent. As always, just make sure you don't use it as a facial toner (duh!).

http://purebulk.com/cinnamon-bark-powder-extract

This would be a very nice alternative for those who don't like sitting around for hours with gooey sticky stuff on their hair!

[ktani]

Even better yet, go with a cinnamon bark powder 4:1 extract (and not the regular stuff you get in the grocery store). It's water-soluble and may even be more potent. As always, just make sure you don't use it as a facial toner (duh!).

http://purebulk.com/cinnamon-bark-powder-extract

This would be a very nice alternative for those who don't like sitting around for hours with gooey sticky stuff on their hair!

I would need to see a peroxide value on this to be convinced. I am not sure it would work. However, testing it is the only way to know.
"Our Cinnamon Bark Powdered Extract product is a water-soluble polymeric compound extracted from the Cinnamomum cassia presl plant Owing to the fact that this product is extracted from the water soluble components of cinnamon bark ..."
http://purebulk.com/cinnamon-bark-powder-extract

The link to the text is gone now, which is a shame because it listed the ground spice peroxide values, here in this post, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=42256&postcount=108.

[CherrySilver]

I would need to see a peroxide value on this to be convinced. I am not sure it would work. However, testing it is the only way to know.
"Our Cinnamon Bark Powdered Extract product is a water-soluble polymeric compound extracted from the Cinnamomum cassia presl plant Owing to the fact that this product is extracted from the water soluble components of cinnamon bark ..."
http://purebulk.com/cinnamon-bark-powder-extract

The link to the text is gone now, which is a shame because it listed the ground spice peroxide values, here in this post, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=42256&postcount=108.

Are you a scientist, have a scientific background, or maybe just a self-proclaimed expert? Any of us could look up the peroxide values to figure this out. But thanks for all your hard work anyway.

[ktani]

Are you a scientist, have a scientific background, or maybe just a self-proclaimed expert? Any of us could look up the peroxide values to figure this out. But thanks for all your hard work anyway.

I have done a lot of research on the subject, which I have posted for others to also read and form their own opinions, and I understand what I have read, or I would have stated so, and sought clarification. I gave my opinion here. My opinion in this case is based both on what I have read and results. There are enough results in the Honey thread with ground cinnamon added to a honey lighhtening recipe, for me to have an opinion on the subject, that is not simply based on speculation.

Even without all of that, as an LHC member, I am as entitled to an opinion as you are, and any other LHC member, who cares to comment on a topic, within reason and the forum rules, of course. I choose to restrict my opinions to issues and the reason I give them at all is to be helpful and contribute to or start a discussion on issues. I do not make my opinions personal about another member or question another member's qualifications to have an opinion. I believe (again my opinion), that I have answered your questions and more.