To henna or not ? !

I used to colour my hair with henna. Because my hair is brown .I thought it suited my hair's colour. Slowly & surely, henna made my  hair go dry.My hair was increasingly turning white .The time needed for re colouring was getting shorter . 

And then, I saw this advertisement for a dye wherein, they showed an Orange aunty whose hair had become orange because of continued  usage of henna. That did it ! I was suspecting that my crowning glory was growing florescent with that bright saffron shade !!! And the commercial of Orange  aunty  (  teased so   by all kids in the commercial  ) confirmed my belief ! 

 I am sure, very soon, one party was going to use my saffron shaded hair to their undue advantage !! I was in two minds if I had done right, by deciding to go colour free  with my hair. Because if I can milk netas & their cronies, I could get even with them ? !

The fact, is that my hair strands had started looking orange as if they were  on fire...somewhat like the party, which is on ignition  ! And my hair strands are  always flying as if there is  a wild fire ! Maybe ,there's something in the air ? !

 That's why, my untamed  hair fire  could be mistaken for the party & vice versa ! And my  well wishers would try to douse the fire on my head with water to cool me off ....Then I could catch a cold .Now, only, if such strategies  worked for politics & yet, some things change for the worse.

My  hair  has many hues now, that it's trying to shed henna.White, whitish grey, grey, greyish white, brown, brownish white, brownish grey, brownish white, saffron white, & so on. In fact, if anyone needs to match colours, there are ample choices on my head ! Or, rather amidst my mop of hair ! On second thoughts, maybe, I  can find employment with any company selling paints .Maybe , even with any showroom selling clothes for ladies .

And yet, going off henna has some plus point.The other day, I was at the airport to bid goodbye to a guest.It was midnight, when I & my husband decided to return home. I asked a security guard if an auto rickshaw can be hired at the departure terminal itself. He reluctantly said, " No, madam. And yet, cannot  say, no to you as you are a senior citizen . "He was staring at my hair which was shining like silver against   the mid night sky . And he himself, hailed an auto & amidst protests by the auto driver, bundled me & hubby into the auto rickshaw.So much for being young & grey !

The journey of my hair....

I had long hair while I was in school.I seldom liked it.I had no options as my granny & others at my home were proud about my hair & used to show it off to others ! Hair cutting was strictly  forbidden .I managed to cut side locks (now you know who started that trend ? ! )  with a pair of scissors .That episode was soon forgotten as one slip .

Later when I joined college,I cut my hair up to shoulder length .I told my aunt, that I was neck deep in studies to make plaits with my long hair.She was unconvinced . I started tying up my hair in a pony.I used to oil my hair regularly after hair wash with shampoos & sometimes shikakai & reetha as well.Later, when I shifted to a Mumbai college,I cut my hair even shorter.Now ,I felt truly emancipated !

My short hair had a host of problems- dandruff was one major concern.I consulted a homoeopath .The treatment though long has benefited me very much.Now a days, whenever I get dandruff ,it is gone after  a few days & it is minuscule compared to my pre- homoeopathic treatment days ! Maybe , also because ,I am quite careful about my diet now- I eat less oil,ghee,etc & eat home food.

I continued using a variety of shampoos & oils throughout my job.I tried Shahnaaz Hussain's shampoos & all were impressed with the shine that it brought to my auburn coloured hair .I felt great, as it was quite expensive & ‘…and that was the end of my hair problems!’

And I was wrong ! As I age ,there are newer problems which confront & irritate me-in fact ,hair fall is caused by worries about hair & scalp.

At my marriage ,I used Henna on my hair for the first time .I loved it -the lovely smell & of course, the beautiful sheen of red ,it gave to my hair.Thereafter ,I used to colour my hair off & on -always with henna.I continued cutting my hair - never letting it grow up to my shoulders.My hubby says that I must rename hair cutting as hair styling.That  way he feels, I am being within the limits set by our orthodox community for females.

My kid joining school led to another problem.Her hair would get infested with lice .In turn,my hair would be taken over by lice.I tried camphor & oil & lice killing shampoos etal.I have been warning my daughter to chop off her hair as it leads to these avoidable problems .Now, that she is a teenager ,she has her own mind .She continues to style her hair just to tease & irritate me & has refused to cut her hair.

I have started applying henna to my hair regularly - on a monthly basis.It adds colour to my hair which is greying ,thanks to all the stress because of my tresses ! The henna also conditions my hair & suits my wheatish complexion.I also call on my beautician for oil massaging on a monthly basis.


I believe in Herbal shampoos as  they are very mild .They  are unable to remove generous amounts of oil from hair & hence sometimes,I opt for other branded shampoos.I have used Dove & loved it ! It is value for money.

I feel that my scalp gets dried up after I have used a shampoo.This is cause for concern.I have no idea about moisturising my scalp unlike our Government which announces sops whenever there is a drought ! I am on the lookout for a cleanser,  which will nourish & not dry my scalp, even as it cleans my hair &  scalp.