Hi! Just wondered if anyone else uses Soapwort as their shampoo? I'd love to trade some different recipes!

Mellie

I don't yet but i do want to try it.....the problem is i don't buy things online and the nearest place i know of that sells it is ages away.

I had a load of recipes though on my now deceased old PC, but i'll look out for some to put in this thread soon.

I use soapwart in a slightly modified Dianyla's hair gravy recipe.

1 part (1 to 2 tbsp depending on how strong I want it) soapwart
1 part White willow bark
1 part Marshmallow
Boil in 2 cups of water until there is one cup left. Strain. Put in a light heat and add starch to thicken. Dianyla's original used corn starch. I use Arrowroot starch instead because it's more conditioning and gets thicker with more heat (not too much at once though). Corn starch will start to break down when boiled.

Interesting! I usually use:

2 T soapwort
handful of dried herbs (depending on my mood, hair needs, etc. - lately I've been using Rosemary, Parsley, and Lavender)
2 c. water

I pour boiled water over the soapwort & herbs and let it steep.

I've never thought of using thickeners! Does it rinse out well?
Mellie

Interesting! I usually use:

2 T soapwort
handful of dried herbs (depending on my mood, hair needs, etc. - lately I've been using Rosemary, Parsley, and Lavender)
2 c. water

I pour boiled water over the soapwort & herbs and let it steep.

I've never thought of using thickeners! Does it rinse out well?
Mellie

It rinses out fine. Thikening makes it easier to apply as it doesn't drip. The gravy got it's name for the consistency.

White willow is an astringent as it contains salicylic acid.
Marshmallow is conditioning.

Very cool! I'll try it! :-)

I'm planning to plant some soapwort this summer so that I can try it out. The recipe I've got is similar to yours, Mellie. I was going to try some chamomile in the mix, too though.

Awesome! I've been wanting to plant some too! It looks like a pretty flower!

I have used Chamomile in it before and that worked really nicely for shine. :-)

Have any of you who have actually used soapwort also used Indian herbs? If so, how do they compare? Do you find soapwort or Indian herbs "better" and, if so, why?

Have any of you who have actually used soapwort also used Indian herbs? If so, how do they compare? Do you find soapwort or Indian herbs "better" and, if so, why?
I tried using indian herbs (amla, shikakai) and they are darkening. If you have darker brown hair, that's not a problem. I have lighter brown hair with some blonde streaks that got temporarily dulled/darkened by the Indian herbs.

Soapwort has not shown to be darkening at all.

I tried using indian herbs (amla, shikakai) and they are darkening. If you have darker brown hair, that's not a problem. I have lighter brown hair with some blonde streaks that got temporarily dulled/darkened by the Indian herbs.

Soapwort has not shown to be darkening at all.Thank you, Dianyla.

Do you find soapwort to be as cleansing as Indian herbs?

I suppose this is as good a place to ask as any (hope the OP doesn't mind!), but: Anyone been successful using soapwort with (really) hard water?

I've been wanting to try herbs for washing (for, literally, a couple of years!), but worry they won't cut through the hard water residue...particularly on top of a rather oily scalp. :oops:

I believe our water here is rather hard, and I have an oily scalp as well. The soapwort still works well, although every so often I do use a commercial shampoo too.

Sorry I have never tried Indian herb shampooing so I cannot compare...

Do you find soapwort to be as cleansing as Indian herbs?
Well, due to the darkening effect I only used the Indian herbs twice. So I never had a chance to fully compare the two.

However, I have used soapwort for long stretches of time and it is an effective mild cleanser. It won't get your scalp squeaky clean, but then again that's the whole idea. :)

Well, due to the darkening effect I only used the Indian herbs twice. So I never had a chance to fully compare the two.

However, I have used soapwort for long stretches of time and it is an effective mild cleanser. It won't get your scalp squeaky clean, but then again that's the whole idea. Thank you, Dianyla.

I made at least one batch of soapwort gravy, probably a couple of years ago. (It's so hard to remember things without my hair journal...) I believe that it worked beautifully the first time, but I wasn't happy with the results subsequent times. Of course, I find that even with my favorite shampoo method, shampoo bars, I sometimes feel the need to alternate with a mild health food brand shampoo.

Perhaps I'll give soapwort another try.

What I did like was that it was easy to rinse out, unlike Indian herbs, which can leave lots of debris.

Although it didn't suds much during the shampooing process, I do remember being amazed when I ran warm water into the pot in which I had brewed the soapwort. It was filled with tiny, suds!

I've made the gravy with Indian herbs (whole aritha, amla and hibiscus) and it worked just as well as the soapwart gravy.

Can't help with the water hardness but the herbs work fine in relatively soft but chlorinated to oblivion water.

i just found this.

i use soapwort as my shampoo. i started w/ wo and just felt dirty then i went to once a week soapwort washes... but i think i need to up it as im 3 months postpartum and i find once a week just isn't enough. my hair doesnt feel squeeky clean (as dianyla said) but it looks squeeky clean... which i found ideal. I just throw a spoonful of soapwaort in a big mug with a few hibiscus and rose petals.

but its a pain to do if i want to wash more often than once a week. im thinking to do a batch of "gravy" and just keep it in the fridge. im thinking of washing every other day... since back i the day i used to love that with shampoo and never had ruined hair.

oh and i have hard water. vinger rinse helps with that. i sometimes forget and see a difference when i do

Um Enis, hibiscus and rose petals sounds so nice! BTW, I make up a batch of soapwort cleanser and keep it in the fridge, it lasts about a week before going bad - but I put in herbs like parsley and rosemary, rather than the flowers, which may make a difference.

the rose makes it smell great, hibiscus makes in conditioning and colors the grout (temporarily)

i do mine the same as yours (seeping)

as far as plantingit, did you? i might ask on the herbalthread

"Colors the grout" - haha - yes, hibiscus is pretty good at staining bathrooms, fabrics, everything in sight! :-)

No, I haven't planted soapwort yet, I have heard that it grows very easily. I live in a rental house so I might wait until we buy a house (hopefully within a year or so!).

I think that they work about the same, with just a few minor points. Indian herbs, as Dianyla mentioned, can darken, and before Indian herbs like shikakai and aritha, you should lightly oil your hair.

With soapwort I noticed no color change (I think wonderly thought it made her hair redder though), and you don't need to pre-wash oil with Western herbs; at least I never did.

Sorry for bumping this thread up, but:

Is soapwort ever listed under/called by another name? Or is it something I'd absolutely have to get online? I checked a few weeks ago at our health food store hoping to get a smaller bag, but no soapwort (and I'm not sure how well it'll do in our water, so don't really want a ton, but haven't found much online).

Sorry for bumping this thread up, but:

Is soapwort ever listed under/called by another name? Or is it something I'd absolutely have to get online? I checked a few weeks ago at our health food store hoping to get a smaller bag, but no soapwort (and I'm not sure how well it'll do in our water, so don't really want a ton, but haven't found much online).

Since soapwort is poisonous when injested (because of the high concentration of saponins) it is rarely seen in herb stores, especially ones where food is also sold.

Since soapwort is poisonous when injested (because of the high concentration of saponins) it is rarely seen in herb stores, especially ones where food is also sold.
Ah, okay, that would explain that!

Guess I'll have to try hunting online again. My first try a few weeks ago didn't come back with much, and so that was another reason I was curious. :lol:

Ah, okay, that would explain that!

Guess I'll have to try hunting online again. My first try a few weeks ago didn't come back with much, and so that was another reason I was curious. :lol:
I bought mine from Mountain Rose herbs site. I think that is the only place I've seen it sold. It may be on one of the Canadian sites too, I'm not sure about that.

ETA: I stand corrected I found it on these sites too, though not sure how the price compares, haven't checked and I don't remember what I bought mine for.

http://www.daylesfordaromatherapy.com.au/Product/1190615504062-4330/Botanicals
http://www.baldwins.co.uk/Herbs-Roots-Barks-Powders-And-Dried-Flowers/Herbs-Roots-Barks-Powders-And-Dried-Flowers/Herbs-S/Baldwins-Soapwort-Root-Saponaria-Officinalis/9075/413

My local herb store, which carries a ton of stuff, doesn't carry it; they don't even know what it is! They do carry yucca and a bunch of other stuff, but not soapwort. I order mine from Mountain Rose Herbs too.

Yes, I had to order mine online too. I got mine from LeavesandRoots.com.