Ouidad says henna is dirt

There is a way to catch my attention and an email with this title is certainly one way! I received a link to this page where Ouidad in answering a question on whether Henna can be used to brighten up red hair said,




'Henna is a natural color derived from plant roots--and dirt! Henna and
curly hair don't make a good combination because the cuticle fills with
dirt and builds up until the hair shaft feels like cement. Overuse of
henna will clog the hair shaft and make the hair feel hard and
unpliable. Henna also spoils the natural curl pattern and volume. The
moral of the story? Everything natural is not necessarily good!'



I was somewhat shocked by what I read. I did not feel this was a measured response.



The corrections

1. Henna is derived from leaves not plant roots (the green 'powdered' henna is basically dried and crushed leaves )

2. Henna is technically not dirt , it is a chemical extract - lawsone (though what is wrong with  dirt - ever had a warm mud wrap - lovely!) 



The facts

1. People with a looser curl  - type 2 and type 3 can indeed experience very drastic changes in their natural curl pattern. There are not many type 4s who report this.  So yes henna can change natural curl pattern and volume - some people do like this change, others do not.

2. Henna should be considered as a permanent hair dye and it is true that it will build up on the hair cuticle. Many people do document dry hair immediately after using henna but find that using a conditioner (deep condition or rinse out) usually fixes the issue.



What has been your experience with henna? Did it make your hair feel like cement? Did it change your curl pattern?