I’ve been meaning to try Cassia Obovata hair treatment for a long time — and I’m so glad I finally did. Cassia is a powerful Ayurvedic herb often referred to as “neutral henna,” and it offers deep conditioning benefits without dramatically altering your hair color (though blondes may see a golden tint).

In this post, I’ll walk you through:

• What Cassia is
• Its benefits for hair and scalp health
• How I prepared and applied the treatment
• My honest results and tips for using it

If you’re curious about incorporating Cassia into your holistic haircare routine, keep reading — or scroll to the bottom to watch the full YouTube video.

What Is Cassia Obovata?

Cassia Obovata (also known as Cassia Auriculata) is a finely ground, grass-like herbal powder that’s been used traditionally for its conditioning, volumizing, and scalp-soothing properties. Though it’s sometimes nicknamed “neutral henna,” Cassia is not the same plant as henna and does not deposit red tones.

Instead, it:

• Deeply conditions the hair shaft
• Enhances shine and softness
• Soothes the scalp with antimicrobial and antifungal properties
• Helps reduce dandruff and irritation
• Can add volume and the appearance of thicker hair
• May tint blonde or white hair a soft golden color

Cassia vs. Henna: What’s the Difference?

While both Cassia and Henna are Ayurvedic herbs used for hair care, here’s how they differ:

Cassia	Henna
Often called “neutral henna”	Leaves a red/orange tint
Temporary — washes out over time	Permanent stain
May add golden tone to blonde/grey hair	Red tone on most hair types
Primarily conditioning	Both conditioning and coloring
Lighter feel and easier to rinse	Heavier, longer-lasting dye deposit

Choosing the Right Cassia

When shopping for Cassia, look for:

• 100% pure, organic Cassia Obovata or Cassia Auriculata
• No added ingredients — just the herb
• Fresh crop info if possible (check the harvest year)
• A super fine, green-grassy powder

I ordered mine from Amazon. If you have a favorite Cassia brand, I’d love to hear your recommendations!

Shop all my haircare essentials here

How I Prepared My Cassia Obovata Hair Treatment

The amount of powder you need depends on your hair length and thickness. I used 400g for my thick, waist-length hair, though I think 300g would’ve been enough.

Recommended Cassia Amounts:

• Short hair: 100g
• Shoulder-length: 200g
• Long hair: 300g
• Waist-length hair: 400–500g

Mixing Instructions:

1. Add the Cassia powder to a non-metal mixing bowl.
2. Slowly add warm distilled water, stirring until it forms a pancake batter consistency.
3. Avoid metal utensils or hard water, as they can affect results.
4. The smell? Like freshly cut grass, sweetgrass, or matcha powder!

💡 Optional: You can add other herbs like Amla or steeped tea infusions — but I kept it simple for my first try.

How to Apply Cassia Obovata Hair Treatment

It’s best to apply the Cassia Obovata hair treatment to clean hair (free of oil and conditioner). I shampooed, let my hair air dry, and applied the paste to dry hair.

1. Section your hair and coat it with the Cassia paste from roots to ends.
2. Work the mixture into your scalp as well.
3. Twist your hair up, secure it with a clip, and cover with a shower cap.
4. Let the treatment sit for 1–4 hours (I left it on for a couple hours while watching Youtube Videos 😊).

⚠️ Note: The paste is heavy! It gave me a bit of a neck ache because of my long hair — something to be mindful of if you also have a lot of length.

🧪 Always do a patch test first — I tested on my wrist and a strand of hair to make sure there were no reactions or unexpected color shifts.

How I Rinsed It Out

I was a little worried about how difficult the rinse-out would be, but here’s what helped:

Mermaid Bath Method:

1. Fill your bathtub with warm water.
2. Dunk your hair in and gently swish it around — this loosens the paste naturally.
3. Apply lots of conditioner to help break down and remove any leftover residue.
4. I skipped shampoo but rinsed thoroughly in the shower after conditioning.

Some people find Cassia a bit drying, so conditioning well is key.

My Results (First Time)

Since I just rinsed the Cassia out with water (no shampoo) and conditioned, the next morning my hair felt like it had a residue in it. I could also smell the grassy scent so I decided to put some oil in my hair and let it “rest for a day”. The next day I shampooed and conditioned like I usually do and that’s when I saw the true results!

Although I didn’t see dramatic changes in my hair, my hair felt super soft and it did have a bit more shine! I’m not sure if this was due to the Cassia itself or the copious amount of conditioner I used when rinsing it out of my hair. I also noticed the lighter sections of my hair had more of a golden tone (maybe even a bit brassy in some light).

You can see the before and after photos below (there is also before and after video in my YouTube video which is linked down below). I tried to get the lighting in the photos the same. I even wore the same outfit. It was hard to match everything though haha. In the after photo my hair looks like it was brushed smoother, so try to ignore that. In the photos I honestly don’t see a difference,  however in person I do notice some results.

I found the process to be quite pricey and time consuming since my hair is very long and needed to use a lot of the treatment. If you have short hair it should be quite manageable. I still want to continue using it (maybe once a month or so) to see what cumulative effects it has on my hair. I am hoping that with continued use my hair will be stronger and have less breakage. It was a fun experiment and a cool new addition to my natural hair care routine!

I want to mention again that the results you see from Cassia are not permanent so you will have to continually do these treatments to retain the benefits. I’ve read that it has a cumulative effect, so the more you do it the better your results will be. It is recommended to do it once a month.

⚠️ Warnings & Final Tips

• Results are not permanent — reapply monthly for continued benefits.
• It’s messy! I recommend doing it in the tub to contain drips.
• Stains easily: Towels and fingernails can stain, so wear gloves and dark colors.
• Storage: Keep unused Cassia powder in the freezer or a cool, dark place.

Watch My Cassia Obovata Hair Treatment Video

Want to see how it worked in real time — and my before/after results? Check out the full video!