I found a copy of the article in livejournal (Thank you to whoever made that copy).

http://journals.fotki.com/dreamy1/

This article is abridged. For the complete article you can view the original wiki (http://bath-n-beauty.laurieashton.com/wiki/index.php?title=Using_Indian_Herbs_for_Hair_Care).

As soon as we have an articles section up and running I'll republish the complete article.

Thanks mira-chan for starting this thread!

I see the article is up now.

I was a little disappointed when I opened the thread. I thought it was our on-going discussion of Indian herb washing ;)

Well Icydove we'd best get posting here then ;)

I'm just trying to convert a friend of mine to herb washing who has dreads but never uses products cos regular products really irritate his skin. I gave him some shikakai, amla and brahmi mixed up to use, and a tub of coconut oil with rosemary and lavender EO's in to see how he gets on with it.

I have a question. How long do the herbs stay before the conditioning effects are seen. Is it as simple as pour in rinse out right away???
My hair has dried up since i've started herbs. It is really very confusing to me!!!
I firstly put a teaspoon in a plastic cup and fill it with recently boiled water (from a thermus) hot enough to melt the cup a bit!!! haha
Then i leave it 15 minutes and hop in the shower, pour through, leave it for about 30 seconds - 2 minutes then rinse. My hair feels slippery while rinseing, then if i rinse too much it is dry. Should i stop while it is still slippery? I strain the herbs also, unless it is really fine stuff, like neem. I normally use neem (for the germ killing after work)
Any pointers on what i should do to add moisture? I use a henna wax mask too and occasionally add some honey, i've started conditioning after and i do use coconut oil a lot. I ACV rinse also.

I have a question. How long do the herbs stay before the conditioning effects are seen. Is it as simple as pour in rinse out right away???
My hair has dried up since i've started herbs. It is really very confusing to me!!!
I firstly put a teaspoon in a plastic cup and fill it with recently boiled water (from a thermus) hot enough to melt the cup a bit!!! haha
Then i leave it 15 minutes and hop in the shower, pour through, leave it for about 30 seconds - 2 minutes then rinse. My hair feels slippery while rinseing, then if i rinse too much it is dry. Should i stop while it is still slippery? I strain the herbs also, unless it is really fine stuff, like neem. I normally use neem (for the germ killing after work)
Any pointers on what i should do to add moisture? I use a henna wax mask too and occasionally add some honey, i've started conditioning after and i do use coconut oil a lot. I ACV rinse also.

Try using flower herbs instead of green herbs. They tend to be more moisturizing. For me how long I leave a herbs on depends on the herb and what form I'm using it in. Neem I have as a powder so I use it in mud form in a mix with other things and will leave it on about 30 minutes. Tea form, some I actually pour in and leave in, others I do the 2 minute wait then rinse out thing you do. Depending on my mood and hair condition.

I have a question. How long do the herbs stay before the conditioning effects are seen. Is it as simple as pour in rinse out right away???
My hair has dried up since i've started herbs. It is really very confusing to me!!!
I firstly put a teaspoon in a plastic cup and fill it with recently boiled water (from a thermus) hot enough to melt the cup a bit!!! haha
Then i leave it 15 minutes and hop in the shower, pour through, leave it for about 30 seconds - 2 minutes then rinse. My hair feels slippery while rinseing, then if i rinse too much it is dry. Should i stop while it is still slippery? I strain the herbs also, unless it is really fine stuff, like neem. I normally use neem (for the germ killing after work)
Any pointers on what i should do to add moisture? I use a henna wax mask too and occasionally add some honey, i've started conditioning after and i do use coconut oil a lot. I ACV rinse also.

Do you pre-wash oil? That's recommended it you use shikakai or amla. Coconut oil is traditional, but you can try any oil that your hair likes.

Yep i always coconut oil (hair loves it!) after a shower, very heavily, so it gets socked in for the few days, then there is still enough left on. I use it a little if my hair is tangly- that is its way of saying it needs more oil.
I know hibiscus is a flower herb, and chamomile. But i want to use neem to kill the germs after the pet shop.

Ok so i gather there are different methods, but which is better for conditioning. The longer i leave it in??
I won't wash my hair till tommorow. I think i will oil it heavily tonight, wear it in a braided bun and then come home and wash it- it will still be full of oil- i think i will do neem, chamomile, amla and hibiscus. Maybe some fenugreek. I will make a honey and ACV rinse and hopefully all will go well! Then the next day when i have to wash after i will use a aloe and honey mask. I'm trying to pump in more moisture!!

Yep i always coconut oil (hair loves it!) after a shower, very heavily, so it gets socked in for the few days, then there is still enough left on. I use it a little if my hair is tangly- that is its way of saying it needs more oil.
I know hibiscus is a flower herb, and chamomile. But i want to use neem to kill the germs after the pet shop.

Ok so i gather there are different methods, but which is better for conditioning. The longer i leave it in??
I won't wash my hair till tommorow. I think i will oil it heavily tonight, wear it in a braided bun and then come home and wash it- it will still be full of oil- i think i will do neem, chamomile, amla and hibiscus. Maybe some fenugreek. I will make a honey and ACV rinse and hopefully all will go well! Then the next day when i have to wash after i will use a aloe and honey mask. I'm trying to pump in more moisture!!

Be careful about putting in too much at once. In my experience adding both hibiscus and fenugreek in a mix together produces instant overconditioning (icky limp gunked up hair) response. Separately they work just fine. I've tried only fenugreek, and only hibiscus, no problem. But even in the most concentrated (drying) shikakai and aritha mix if I put bot of them together I get the above problem.

Oh my gosh! I never knew some of you had compiled an article on Indian herb washing and had submitted it to wiki.
You all are so awesome :hollie:

I wish we still had the indian haircare thread, that was a serious mine of information.....i did actually save it to my PC sometime in October so it was really long, but my PC died so i don't have it :(

mira-chan, so you are saying by me mixing multiple herbs that dont get along may be the problem of my hair being all dry and unsoft?

hrm.. I use hibiscus/elderflower as a rinse and leave in.. its just a VERY strongly brewed tea- I put a handful of each type of leaves in a 3 qt pot and fill with water, then bring to a boil, lower and simmer for 10-20 minutes, leave to cool, and strain..

Amie

mira-chan, so you are saying by me mixing multiple herbs that dont get along may be the problem of my hair being all dry and unsoft?

It depends on the hair and the herbs. The dryness is more likely to be a reaction of too few conditioning herbs/ too much drying ones or not enough oil, pre-oiling. Its the overconditioning/ gunky hair that is likely to be an incompatibility between the herbs in the mix and/ or incompatibility of a certain herb your hair.

thank you mirachan. i made a wonder-mask, but i , lol, didnt shampoo it out. Somehow its left me with oily roots and dry ends (which i applied the mask on the bottom half. Weird huh?! That may be "my" oil, i was greasy and i did a neem rinse. And it made my roots all springy!!! :) It was a nice feeling. That is only where the neem poder hit my scalp (the top) I think tommorow i may do a neem paste (as in shampoo consistancy) I need some starch. Is rice or corn or any starch preferred?

I wouldn't recommend rice or potato starch. There is a reason they are used as glue in museums to mount painting.

Corn starch works fine. If you can find arrowroot powder/ starch that is great too and is conditioning. Plus it woun't break down with more heat (if you boil it a bit) unlike corn starch.

Ill try fins some corn/arrorow root starch, something tells me that corn will be easier!
Thank you so much mira-chan, you are so knowlegable!!!! THANK YOU!

cornstarch and arrowroot are great, I also have used acacia powder/gum arabic in my henna mix in an emergency.. works the same way...

I have a question- I use a cassia based poo bar. I also have some straight cassia, I have been wondering if I might get a good cleansing from the cassia itself in some mix.. anyone have suggestions/experience? I am not quite ready (with DH on med leave and no answer yet on his disability claim) to spend money on shakakai/amla, etc if I'm not sure if they'll work.. if i had a local source for small amounts to test that would be different.

Amie

I've used applications of henna or cassia as a wash. Actually I don't think I've ever done either one on freshly cleaned hair. They clear things up quite well. To note, my hair is naturally dry but I've cleared oiling with the above.

mira chan- when you used cassia to clean your hair, have you just mixed it with water/tea and then applied, worked through and rinsed, or did you leave it on? I'd like to find something that didn't need to be left in, but am going to try Tues night I think.. cleaning crew comes Weds, so this way they can be responsible for cleaning the tub out after.

mira chan- when you used cassia to clean your hair, have you just mixed it with water/tea and then applied, worked through and rinsed, or did you leave it on? I'd like to find something that didn't need to be left in, but am going to try Tues night I think.. cleaning crew comes Weds, so this way they can be responsible for cleaning the tub out after.

I left it in for a while, just like a regular cassia or henna treatment.

i am really following this thread, and for me as a herb-junky (dont you dare admitting something funny now ;):D:p) i really couldnt resist on convincing my boyfriend (british) to getme some of the mentioned herbs in a indian-herb shop in London- what a darlingboy, allthough he hates the smell of cassia in my hair :D (not to mention that it is a pain in the bummy to get the herbs in Germany or to afford them, my bf just paid less then half of the price i would had to pay *yay*)
Anyway...so i am counting down the days to when i can use my first herb-wash.
One question is left: In Germany we have a so called "neutral henna". Honestly i would say it is Cassia, cause my books about herbs say that henna will always add redishness to your hair, doesnt matter when it was harvested (just the amount...how much redishness it adds...will change and depend on the harvestingtime). But internet says differently...in spring henna might not have colour ressources said. Or that the leaves of an old plant wont dye aswell...oh my soooo confusing...

i am really following this thread, and for me as a herb-junky (dont you dare admitting something funny now ;):D:p) i really couldnt resist on convincing my boyfriend (british) to getme some of the mentioned herbs in a indian-herb shop in London- what a darlingboy, allthough he hates the smell of cassia in my hair :D (not to mention that it is a pain in the bummy to get the herbs in Germany or to afford them, my bf just paid less then half of the price i would had to pay *yay*)
Anyway...so i am counting down the days to when i can use my first herb-wash.
One question is left: In Germany we have a so called "neutral henna". Honestly i would say it is Cassia, cause my books about herbs say that henna will always add redishness to your hair, doesnt matter when it was harvested (just the amount...how much redishness it adds...will change and depend on the harvestingtime). But internet says differently...in spring henna might not have colour ressources said. Or that the leaves of an old plant wont dye aswell...oh my soooo confusing...

We probably have the same Neurtal Henna in Russian markets, usually Iranian. It's cassia. It doesn't smell like henna, doesn't have any red dye but has a yellowish tint on white things or pale hair.

Arrowroot is usually available in the herb and spices section of the grocery store.

I haven't been able to find either...
is corn flour ok, or does it have to be the starch? i found corn flour (haven't bought it though i'm going to look in exotic food stores next)

I haven't been able to find either...
is corn flour ok, or does it have to be the starch? i found corn flour (haven't bought it though i'm going to look in exotic food stores next)

If i remember right, Brunette uses cornflour.....she brews up the herbs then strains them and adds cornflour to thicken. Says it works just fine.

the only thing I'd be worried about with cornflour is it can be used to make a form of glue.. so make sure you rinse well.. corn starch, potato starch, and arrowroot powder are all thickening agents without that concern..

thank you for letting me know. I'll do another hunt and pick out the best one i find i suppose!

i found arrow root flour and corn starch and they were cheap so i bought them both!
I'll see which works better!

I used it, hehe, i put loaddds in! How much do you need, sheesh!

I also did this....try it out....when yo put loads of corn starch with water or the herb tea so that it is really thick, play with it! its fun. If you hit it with force it acts like a solid, if you treat it softly it acts like a liquid....
for example i jabbed it hard with a spoon and the sppo bounced off, if you place the spoon on top it sinks in. If you wobble it it moves like a liquid, if you use the spoon under it and lift fast it clumps up like a lump of sugar then it slowly just drips off!!! its cool. Youtube it! there was these 2 guys who filled a giant pool up with it and ran on water!!! then they sat still and they sunk in! it was funny!

Anyway..my hair felt sooooo soft!!! :)

I used it, hehe, i put loaddds in! How much do you need, sheesh!

I also did this....try it out....when yo put loads of corn starch with water or the herb tea so that it is really thick, play with it! its fun. If you hit it with force it acts like a solid, if you treat it softly it acts like a liquid....
for example i jabbed it hard with a spoon and the sppo bounced off, if you place the spoon on top it sinks in. If you wobble it it moves like a liquid, if you use the spoon under it and lift fast it clumps up like a lump of sugar then it slowly just drips off!!! its cool. Youtube it! there was these 2 guys who filled a giant pool up with it and ran on water!!! then they sat still and they sunk in! it was funny!

Anyway..my hair felt sooooo soft!!! :)

The pool thing was probably from Mythbusters series.

I put in about 2 to 3 very full spoons of arrowroot starch in the amount I make. (2 cups boiled down to the mount of 1 then the starch added.)

it was in spanish, so i don't think it was mythbusters, unless it was the spanish mythbusters version????
OH! Well i put loads in- it made my hair really soft...i may try to put in less see if my hair is still soft. It really absorbs conditioner afterward though, and it does stick my hair all together!

Hi,

I'm following this thread for sometime. I tried shikakai (2 tbsp) and amla(1tbsp) made as a gravy during my last wash.Then used hibiscus with 1 drop of honey as conditioner rinse.
My hair was soft & shiny.
My question is could anyone elaborate about thickening with cornstarch. I bought it today & I'm eager to try it. TIA

Well i actually put a heap in, about equal portion that i had liquid. I think you only need a spoon, just a small amount... OPS! hehe

Thank you TinyTeesha.:)
I don't want to waste the sludge portion of the shikakai & amla. So can I add 1tbsp of cornstarch to the conditioning rinse(hibiscus) for thickening it. Will it provide softness?? My hair type is 2b/2c on the medium to coarse side. I'm looking for smooth,shiny tangle free hair.
TIA

Well mirachan uses "2 to 3 very full spoons of arrowroot starch in the amount I make. (2 cups boiled down to the mount of 1 then the starch added)"
where as i use about half a cup for my total mix and about half a cup of the arrowroot starch and corn starch combined ( i use both). So i got really smooth results but i'm got to try it out with less powder next time to see if it makes a difference so that i am not waisting.
Well my hair afterwards is very soft, but i'm just starting out on all this herbal stuff. Try a pre coconut oiling and even a drop afterward too. That will make your hair tangle free.
goodluck, tell us how it comes along. I found it didn't actually thicken up the mixture even with the amount of powder i added thats why i kept adding more. So it won't be the consistency of shampoo. Thats what i found anyway.

Thank you Teesha.
Sure.....I will inform the results. :)

I'm really intrigued by the idea of herbal washing. I've experimented with a few different cleansing methods from LHC - WO, CO, C-COW-C, baking soda wash, CV bars... The one I've had most success with is CO. I really struggled with WO, baking soda and CV.

I'm going to be brave and give the herbal thing a go :) I was considering starting with Icydove's method (as detailed in the Wiki article), because a) it uses the least number of ingredients, and b) it's a strained "tea" formula rather than a "mud". So what could go wrong?! How astringent is the shikakai? I have quite dry hair, naturally wurly thus prone to frizz, so I'm wondering if I should try using a little less shikaki first time round. Any thoughts on this please?

I've got some non-indian herbs on the way which I propose to use in the conditioning rinse. I'll let you y'all know how it goes.

Love this thread. Love LHC! This place has really opened my eyes to all sorts of ways I can really care for and nourish my hair. Yay LHC!:cheer::happydance:

Hi pariate :waving:

For best results, you will probably want to lightly oil your hair before you wash it. I use both a conditioning rinse and a leave-in after washing as well.

I find the shikakai and amla tea a lot less drying than shampoo, but my hair still needs lots of conditioning goodies ;)

Thank you Icydove :)

I love your hair in your avatar. It's always looked soooooooooo shiny when you post photos!

Thank you so much, you're too sweet :) However, don't underestimate the power of the flash ;)

I find the shikakai and amla tea a lot less drying than shampoo, but my hair still needs lots of conditioning goodies ;)


I meant to ask before - have you tried CO, and if so how did that compare in the dryness stakes?

Come to that, can anyone give me any feedback on the comparison please?

After I came to LHC, I CO'd for about 1 year and a half before switching to herbs. I used a non-cone "washing" conditioner and a light cone "conditioning" conditioner. Herbs are better than the CO washing because I get the softness of CO washing without the residue. The residue, or coating, wasn't so noticeable during the CO washing phase, but once switching to herbs, the coating was very noticeable. I cannot really stand to CO wash my hair now because of it. CO washing was much more moisturizing to my hair than shampoo/conditioner, though.

Speaking of dryness, there are differences among dryness, coarseness and damage. Damaged hair will probably feel dry no matter what you do, and coarse hair is always going to have a certain "feel" to it. Coarse hair can be soft, but it isn't ever going to feel like fine hair. Just something to keep in mind ;)

Yeah, I do have some coarse hair; but as you say it can feel uber-soft if I'm really pampering it :D I don't think it's particularly damaged. Sounds like it might be a good idea for me to gently clarify before I try herb washing for the first time. Maybe I'll try VERY diluted BS just to make sure there's no coating on my hair.

Hmmmmmm...

So many things to think about :nod:

BTW, I found a website for a UK indian grocers and they stock many (maybe all, but my knowledge isn't that comprehensive!) of the herbs needed for indian herb washing. The site is www.spicesofindia.co.uk.

I always mention sites like that because the online stockists referred to on LHC are so often US ones. So I try to share the info when I find stockists of lovely things over here in the UK ;)

Pariate, i know that site....it's really good, Brunette said she ordered from them and got good service. Some of the herbs are around the same sort of price that they are in Indian grocers and some are a bit more expensive. The oils though are alot more expensive in general.....but if you aren't near an Indian community then it's probably worth paying the bit extra.

I usually do my Shikakai quite weak, only a teaspoon or so and use it on heavily oiled hair and it gets most of it out and cleans my scalp well so i second Icydoves suggestion of oiling before you use it. I wouldn't call Shikakai a harsh astringent though and i find it much gentler than shampoo, the bonus of course is you can adjust how strong an infusion you make :)
I also found basically the same thing as Icydove comparing Herbs to CO washing, CO was great, and my hair liked it but i had that strange coated feeling which i didn't mind on my hair so much, but my scalp isn't too keen....it seems like i shed less too now i herb wash.

Less shedding would be great Chloe!

Icydove, could you give me a ml equivalent to the cup measurement please? This always throws me...

Thank you!

Yahoo! says:
1 Cups (US) = 236.51854 Milliliters

My fenugreek powder arrived today and BOY, does it smell like curry! LOL. How long does the smell linger in the hair? Did anyone find that EOs eliminate the smell or is it something I just have to put up with?

Thank you all for being so patient with alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll my questions! :flower:

My fenugreek powder arrived today and BOY, does it smell like curry! LOL. How long does the smell linger in the hair? Did anyone find that EOs eliminate the smell or is it something I just have to put up with?

Thank you all for being so patient with alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll my questions! :flower:

I find it doesn't really go away, but i like the smell so i'm happy about that. I don't really know how well EO's would cover the smell to be honest....sorry i'm not more help.

For the longest time i added a tsp of amla and neem in one cup and a tsp of kibbled fenugreek (hard to wash out!) and hibiscus honey and lemon rind in another. I then poured recently boiled water over it and waited 15. In the shower i would pour cup 1 in massage rinse then cup 2 and rince. I had no strainer then so there was lots of rinseing. Then i would condition sometimes and do an ACV rinse. That method left my hair feeling not as good as usual somehow... I needed loads of moisture for my really damaged hair.
I just started a new routine and my hair is LOVEING it, i thought i may share. It saves more herbs too! I've always used coconutoil afterwards but apply more then normal. Never straight before the wash but in the morning before i wash at night I apply heaps to make it look just greasy.
Firstly i mix 1/2 tsp of amla, shikakai, neem. Then pour hot water in the cup. Only about a third the way. Then i steep for 15, seive it 2-3 times. Add corn starch and arrowroot flour, about enough to be almost equal to the amount of water, so about a 1/4 of the cup, and i mix, pour it in an empty ketchup-like nozzle container i bought, and then apply it in the shower. Wait 2-5 minutes. It makes your hair stick together like glue a bit- i'm sure useing less flour would work also. But mroe then 1/2 tsp! Then rinse (it rinses out fairly easily) , Then condition- i find my hair absorbs conditioner better this way- and then ACV/WV rinse.
I have really damaged ends and next to nothing has made them feel this smooth.

It totally removes all oily build up without drying and leaves hair really smooooooth! Keep in mind i used this after only pouring neem on my scalp with little massaging 3 x a week for 2 weeks. So esentially 2 weeks of sebumy hair down to my sholders! And almost al th greasies was gone right away. After the next wash it was all clean! I won't change this routine for a while!

I just had to share my discovery :)

I found amla to be a great addition to the shikakai--in fact I didn't really like shikakai without it. I also always use coconut oil before hand, and just a bit afterward as my hair is drying.

I never could CO. I couldn't get past the adjustment period, my scalp hated it, and oddly, it made my hair dry. Go figure.

The postman's van is parked outside my building. I'm sitting here desperately hoping that the doorbell will ring and that he'll have my indian herbs for me!:pray:

If he hasn't, I'll cry at him :cry: :D

ETA: Deleting this because I re-read the Wiki article and found my answer buried in there. Knew I'd seen it somewhere. Sorry folks... :run:

"Shell's Herbal CO

Use three tablespoons of amla in about two cups of warm water. Let sit for 5-15 minutes. Apply to hair and scalp. Gently massage scalp with a bit of water splashed on. Leave in for 15 minutes or so. Won't remove any but a very light oiling. Nicely conditioning and gently cleansing. Also makes your hair smell nice. "

Flaxen experimented with amla-only, but I think it was as a conditioner and not a cleanser :ponder: mira-chan does hibiscus-only sometimes (you can read her method in the Indian herb article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=3)).

Shikakai gives some amazing slip when washing. I detangle my hair under running water while rinsing the shikakai/amla tea because of that.

Icydove - I agree about the residue conditioner leaves behind!

Mira Chan - When you wash with henna do you leave it to release the dye? And do you notice more shedding with henna and cassia?

Chloe Dharma - I shed more when I use conditioner too.


I'm going back to herbal washing after a hiatus becuase my hair looks and FEELS like icky :( compared to when I did Indian/herbal washing methods!:)

I don't know if I'll try the herb washing again. I'm quite lazy :rolleyes: and it seemed like quite a fiddly process to me. I used the amla and shikakai to wash, followed by the fenugreek and amla to condition, but washing those bits out of my hair was a real pain, and I can't brush my hair when it's dry to get the bits out because with my wurls my hair will turn into an afro! :lol: Ho hum. I ended up using conditioner to rinse the bits out. I found the fragrance of the herbs a little too strong as well. I might revisit it another time, but I'll need to do some more research into alternative herbs, especially for conditioning.

Thank you all for your help in my experiment!

Strain the herbs and you will not be picking out the bits ;) The scent is milder as well.

I strained the herbs I used for the wash. I did the same for the conditioning herbs but when I dipped my fingers in the strained liquid and the gelatinous goop with all the bits in, the liquid didn't feel anywhere near as "slippy" as the goop. My hair felt like velcro when I just used the liquid so I threw the goop on afterwards and it felt slippy and moisturised... but then had to contend with all the bits! :lol: I promise I''m not trying to be difficult :)

I strained the herbs I used for the wash. I did the same for the conditioning herbs but when I dipped my fingers in the strained liquid and the gelatinous goop with all the bits in, the liquid didn't feel anywhere near as "slippy" as the goop. My hair felt like velcro when I just used the liquid so I threw the goop on afterwards and it felt slippy and moisturised... but then had to contend with all the bits! :lol: I promise I''m not trying to be difficult :)

You're not being difficult......it just didn't work out for you.....maybe you might want to try adding something like arrowroot to the strained liquid?

Whatever you decide.....the experimenting is part of the fun ;)

Does anyone know anything about using herbs and oils according to Ayurvedic dosha?

I strained the herbs I used for the wash. I did the same for the conditioning herbs but when I dipped my fingers in the strained liquid and the gelatinous goop with all the bits in, the liquid didn't feel anywhere near as "slippy" as the goop. My hair felt like velcro when I just used the liquid so I threw the goop on afterwards and it felt slippy and moisturised... but then had to contend with all the bits! :lol: I promise I''m not trying to be difficult :)

So what was your recipe? Did you apply oil prior to washing?

Wash: 2tbsp shikakai, 3tbsp amla in 4 cups water
Condition: 1tbsp amla, 1tbsp fenugreek in 1.5 cups approx.

I heavily oiled with avocado and jojoba oil (my hair's preference ;) ) before washing.

Does anyone know anything about using herbs and oils according to Ayurvedic dosha?

I'm looking into this at the moment....once i get more info i'll make sure i pass it onto you :)

Thank you, I appreciate it :D.

pariate,

The tea version of washing isn't good at getting out heavy oilings unless they've had time to "soak" in, we are talking days not hours. Do you typically do heavy oilings with those oils on your hair?

Instead of upping the amla to 3 tbsp in the wash mix and keeping the shikakai the same, you may want to decrease the shikakai to 1 tbsp to keep the herb/water ratio the same.

I'm guessing that using you need something more than amla and fenugreek for "conditioning."

Regardless, it takes trial and error to figure out what is going to work for "you." I don't think anyone who regularly uses Indian herbs on LHC uses the same recipe or method. When I first started out, I tried each herb individually to note its effect on my hair.

Flaxen experimented with amla-only, but I think it was as a conditioner and not a cleanser :ponder:
Yes I did, and yes it was (a conditioner only, but not CO, lol). I found that just a tsp. of amla in 1 cup of water made a nice final rinse, like an ACV rinse.

My experience with herbal washing is very different than others'. I think it may be because our water is so soft. I cannot clean with amla, ala CO, and interestingly, shikakai does not clean my hair, either. I am able to wash with aritha alone without drying out my hair.

Icydove - I agree about the residue conditioner leaves behind!

Mira Chan - When you wash with henna do you leave it to release the dye? And do you notice more shedding with henna and cassia?

Chloe Dharma - I shed more when I use conditioner too.


I'm going back to herbal washing after a hiatus becuase my hair looks and FEELS like icky :( compared to when I did Indian/herbal washing methods!:)

Yes I let the Henna dye release. Though my hair doesn't look like it as I apparently have henna dye resistant skin and hair. Haven't henna'd in half a year and no dye line to be seen. Not that I'm complaining. I didn't notice any difference between henna and cassia.

Does anyone know anything about using herbs and oils according to Ayurvedic dosha?

In the article I added in the oil's Ayurvedic properties when I knew them. For example Coconut oil is cooling and good for dryiness and hot months. Sesame is neutral. Mustard oil is warming. You choose the oil according to imbalance.

For example Vata is cool and dry so it needs warmth and moisture to balance it if there is too much.

For the last two weeks I'm doing herb washing:D. My hair is soft & tangle free all along. I'm glad to find a routine.
My routine is 2-3 tbsp shikakai,1 tbsp amla for cleaning my scalp & hair. 1-2 tbsp hibiscus and 1-2 tbsp corn starch for conditioning.

Thank you for your information herb ladies!!!!!:cheer:

I'm glad I found this thread - I just got myself a windfall of Indian washing herbs, and my searches by herb name were not getting good results for finding recipes. But the links at the beginning of the thread gave me just what I needed!

Does anyone know the shelf life of the washing herbs? I got my stash from a friend who has had it a couple of years, after deciding that herbal washes were too much trouble, and she got the stash from another friend, who decided that herbal washes were too much trouble. I'm willing to give it a try (although knowing my lazy nature, it may wind up too much trouble!) but I'd like a clue as to whether it is worth trying these herbs at this point. They're all still in the original plastic bag packaging.

Right now, the marshmallow root is a pale tan or off-white, the amla is the color of cinnamon poweder, the shikakai is the color of cocoa powder, the bhringraj is a dark brown with a green cast to it, and the aritha is the color of coca powder but with a reddish tone to the brown. (In case color changes can give a clue to usablity.)

I haven't tried any herbal washes or treatments in the past, so this is all new to me.

I'm glad I found this thread - I just got myself a windfall of Indian washing herbs, and my searches by herb name were not getting good results for finding recipes. But the links at the beginning of the thread gave me just what I needed!

Does anyone know the shelf life of the washing herbs? I got my stash from a friend who has had it a couple of years, after deciding that herbal washes were too much trouble, and she got the stash from another friend, who decided that herbal washes were too much trouble. I'm willing to give it a try (although knowing my lazy nature, it may wind up too much trouble!) but I'd like a clue as to whether it is worth trying these herbs at this point. They're all still in the original plastic bag packaging.

Right now, the marshmallow root is a pale tan or off-white, the amla is the color of cinnamon poweder, the shikakai is the color of cocoa powder, the bhringraj is a dark brown with a green cast to it, and the aritha is the color of coca powder but with a reddish tone to the brown. (In case color changes can give a clue to usablity.)

I haven't tried any herbal washes or treatments in the past, so this is all new to me.

The colors are as they should be. The aritha powder that I had that got too old tuned paler than what you described. From what I have noticed from my own stashes getting too old is that they are good for at least a year and then slowly deteriorate if they have been opened. They likely last longer when sealed.

I checked my boxes of herbs. My Amla says manufactured on 11/06 and expires on 10/09.
The shikakai and reetha don't have any expiration date.

My guess is that herbs in a sealed package will last a couple years. If your herbs are at least two years old then I would think they might be close to expiring.

Thank you Mira-Chan and Leisa for the advice on the freshness of the herbs. I suspect these are 4-5 years old, but since the color was good,, and they are mildly fragrent when soaked in water, I decided to give them a try.

They seem to do well for washing, despite the age, so I'm playing with techniques. Tea washes seem easier than goop washes, given one try of each. My hair is fussy about rinsing, and goop just stayed.

While some people here have mentioned using conditioner when rinsing the herbs, I'm avoiding that, since it would essentally be my normal CO wash routine after the herbs, and I suspect that would obscure any effects from the herbal washes.

For those who wash with herbal tea mixes, has anyone tried making them in a drip coffee maker? On the one hand, I could see that being a very convenient way of getting a filtered brew, but on the other hand, I'm wondering if the filter would clog and overflow, given that the herbs are ground finer than coffee is, or the water might flow through too quickly to get all the good stuff from the herbs.

Ursula, I haven't tried a drip coffee maker. However, I've tried putting Indian herbs into tea bags, and the result was a very weak tea. A French press has the possibility of working well if the strainer is fine enough and it wouldn't be a major pain to clean. I use a permanent coffee filter to strain my herbs, and it works wonderfully.

I'm seriously considering these Indian herbal washes, as my scalp is more than likely dry and terrible from A: my shampoo, and B: my hard water. Has anyone who has a similar hair type as mine (1a/F/M/i/ii) done any of these washes and had excellent results? I'd like to use henna, as my current shampoo has henna and is an amazing conditioner.

Also, is hard water a problem with these washes? Would I need distilled water, or a water softener, filter, or magnets to make these work for my hair?

I'm 1b/f/i is that close enough? I find the herb washes great and i have hard water too so as far as i know that doesn't interfere with them :)

I'm really into my methi at the moment, but I've run out of it. I do have marshmallow root though. Those who've used both - how do they compare?

I find methi easier to rinse out than marshmallow, but otherwise, they seemed to work similarly. I prefer to use neither, though ;)