I tried dried yucca as a shampoo - 2 species - several times a while ago. I could not get fresh yucca root where I am - Toronto, Canada - I ordered it online.
I infused it with boiled water, simmered water, used a hand blender to get it to foam and hand swishing before straining. I also tried it with warm water.
I found that both species left my hair with a residue that left it stringy/gunky after 2 consecutive washes several days apart, although they left my hair clean and soft right after washing. I tried both again after using shampoo to remove the residue - same thing - after 2 more tries in a row - the residue effect.
Yucca may have just needed a vinegar rinse to follow - I never tried that. I followed the yucca shampoo with catnip.
One species was more drying than the other. The more drying one was Yucca shidigera. I did research it - Shidigera has more saponins that the other species I used, which I believe was Yucca filimentosa - it did not get my hair as clean as the shidigera.
I did not keep my research records but I still have yucca in my cupboard, one bag just says yucca root - it is powdered and I think it is shidigera - the other is cut and sifted - it is shidigera - I do know that.
The first yucca I tried was the filimentosa but I threw that one out after buying the shidigera. If nothing else, taken internally, yucca is supposed to be good for arthritis - which thankfully, I do not have.
Cassava - the plant you can buy at the grocery store, that can be referred to as yucca is not a true yucca - that is just a common name for it. Cassava is used as a food and is high in starch.
I think that the fresh yucca root may be different in terms of the results I had with the dried root. I will be reading this thread with interest.
The colour of the liquid I got that I used as shampoo was a light golden yellow - it did not affect my hair colour or stain my grey/white. I did not leave in on my hair for long. It was easy to wash my hair with - it had a slip to it. I tested the liquid - yucca is acidic - I do not remember the approximate pH but is was not below 4.5 or very acidic.
I had no permanent problems or damage from trying dried yucca root as a shampoo. The residue washed out easily enough with conventional shampoo. Neither yucca species irritated my scalp or stung my eyes but I do not remember either getting in my eyes particularly.
I was just disappointed that it did not work out for me.
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