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chotee
March 8th, 2008, 03:44 AM
Hi all, Indian oils are very effective and there are many different Ayurvedic ones which help in lush growth to curing severe dandruff. I had written about Castor oil before for thick dark hair. But, now i emphasise on using other oils from India which i have used and found pretty good.

1. Neelibringadi Oil ( with extracts of indigofera tinctoria, eclipta alba, cardiosprmum, amla, abrus)
2. Kesavardhini Oil (even though ingredients are not given, its an age old formula and the factory still exists)
3. Castor Oil +Almond Oil+ Coconut Oil
4. Fenugreek seeds, Curry leaves, Hibiscus infused Coconut oil.
5. 1/2 cup Olive oil with 1 table spoon of Henna powder soaked for a few days and massaged into hair and left for a night is an excellent conditioner...

If any more receipes feel free to post...:-)

chotee

ChloeDharma
March 8th, 2008, 05:10 AM
The other oil often used in India that i found fantastic is Sesame (often called Til or Gingelly oil in Indian grocers). I found it extreemely softening when i used it. Not a recipe i know but still.

Oh and of course we can't have an Indian oils thread without mentioning Dabur Vatika Coconut oil.....Coconut with henna, lemon, amla, neem, milk and a few other herbs added. Dabur boasts that it has been proven to reduce hair fall in tests......i don't know how reliable that is but it's still a lovely oil and the smell is gorgious.
One thing i'll repeat though is if you don't want to use mineral oil then be very thorough about checking ingredients. The Vatika Coconut is the only Dabur oil i have found that doesn't have it in. Also companies like Hesh mostly contain mineral oil, the 3 that i have found that i can think of off the top of my head that do not have mineral oil are their Bhringraj oil (which also has a long list of other herbs in it and is lovely just before bed to help sleep) Heenara oil which i havn't used but the ingredients look good, and their perfumed coconut oil, which surprise surprise has coconut fragrance added. I personally don't mind that but if synthetic fragrances bother you that's one to be aware of.

jamisonlcloud
March 8th, 2008, 01:35 PM
There are plenty of folks on here that rave about amla oil, that is if you can handle the strong smell. I like it a lot, that and coconut oil.

mira-chan
March 8th, 2008, 02:34 PM
I have Amla oil in sesame base (from FNWL) and it doesn't smell. They add something to the mineral oil containing variety to make it smell quite like that.

longinthehair
March 8th, 2008, 05:54 PM
I love my Indian hair oils which I have been using I guess for about a month and a half maybe. I first started out with the Ancient Formulae Jasmine herbal hair oil made by Hesh Herbal (has mineral oil); then soon after I purchased the Almond herbal hair oil (no mineral oil) with amla, coconut oil, castor oil and a whole slew of other ingredients - "enriched with natural herbs". I really love it.
Have had much less hair shedding, (not sure now if it's the oil or the fact of switching to 20-vol developer - a bit of both no doubt), but I love this oil! Now also use the shikakai soap too. But I love my almond herbal oil - can't seem to get enough of it. Of course always did get along well w. straight almond oil, & coconut oil, etc.

chotee
March 8th, 2008, 07:57 PM
I am just a little curious as to know, if in India essential oils are used at all. I use lavender and rosemary but have never heard my grandmother or mother use it. Even though they use the basic oils like coconut, sesame, peanut, almond or olive. They infuse it with herbs and seeds but never with e.o. I am drying a bunch of hibiscus, curry leaves, rosemary, sage leaves and neem leaves. I am planning to crush them in a mortar and add it to my bottle of self-made oil which is castor with almond and coconut in equal proportions. Might add a little kesavardhini and a few drops of lavender. I am doing this for only one reason. On days after my wash, my hair feels really really dry. I like to oil it but hate to use one of the commercial brands like neeli or kesavardhini on its own as they smell strong. Would like a neutral smell or something nicer like lavender. I am trying out my own mix thinking it will help. Do any of u try out something on your own? especially for a nicer smell? But i defenitely use the neeli or kesavardhini oil for a heavy oil treatment on days before my wash or henna.

chotee

lovingmyhair
March 8th, 2008, 10:29 PM
Ever since I've started using Indian oils, I've experienced thicker and fuller hair at the root. I love doing scalp massages and overnight treatments with them. Some of my favorites are vatika, bhringraj, brahmi and alma oils. I have some of the neelibringadi oil, but I haven't got around to using it. I sometimes make my own oils by infusing the herbs in coconut oil.

Diamondbell
March 9th, 2008, 01:28 AM
Herbal hair tonic: Take equal weights of avuri (indigofera tinctoria), henna leaves, karisalai (Wadelia calendulacea), (Eclipta prostrata, Kaadiggara), amla and hibiscus flowers in equal quantity and grind to a paste. Mix the paste with an equal quantity of coconut oil and heat on a medium fire till the moisture evaporates. Cool and filter and store in a bottle. Rub on the scalp and hair daily.
COMMENTS: (I haven't made this one yet)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One oil I have prepared recently at home:
Fenugreek-Sesame Oil
--------------------------------
Take a bunch of methi (fenugreek) leaves and grind smoothly. Make them into small balls and keep in the sun for two days or more (till the moisture evaporates). Heat Sesame oil (gentle heat) and put in the dried fenugreek-leaves balls. Keep on slow fire. Cool the oil. Keep aside. After ten days, strain out the fenugreek-balls and use the oil. This is good for luxuriant hair growth (at least the magazine says so).
COMMENTS: I have used this oil just once but will be soon be using it on a regular basis for oiling the night before hair wash. [The smell of the fenugreek could get strong]

jamisonlcloud
March 9th, 2008, 02:41 PM
If someone could list the benefit properties of each oil, the only one i know for sure in amla, and that's for thicker and darker hair. I can't remember what the others are used for.

Diamondbell
March 11th, 2008, 09:14 PM
If someone could list the benefit properties of each oil, the only one i know for sure in amla, and that's for thicker and darker hair. I can't remember what the others are used for.

Sesame oil has vitamin E and B complex. It is known to alleviate tension and stress – has sun screening properties.

Coconut oil: Also contains vitamin E; moisturizes the scalp; it is antiviral, antifungal; protects against damaging UV rays

Other oils like amla oil, brahmi oil etc are all not oils in themselves (which you probably know) but are herbs mixed with an oil-base like coconut oil or sesame oil… These herbs have very good properties that could help in hair growth.
Brahmi - stimulates hair growth
Bhringaraj - promotes hair growth; nourishing, relieves stress

For other oils please check:
http://beauty.indobase.com/carrier-oils/

Cichelle
March 13th, 2008, 07:29 PM
I love my Bhringaraj oil. It has a sesame oil base and makes my hair very soft.

Melisande
March 14th, 2008, 06:44 AM
I love my dabur vatika (http://www.dabur.com/EN/products/personal_care/Hair_Care/Vatika/HairOil/)oil. It's coconut oil mixed with Indian herbs. It's a solid in the bottle so I either put it on the heating for a minute or take it with me under the shower where the warm water liquidifies it.

I use it in my ends after I wash my hair, and it makes my hair stronger. No crunchy ends. It also keeps braid and bun neat. Pre-wash applications give very good results, too.

I love the smell which is lemony/exotic.

Diamondbell
March 14th, 2008, 06:50 AM
Hibiscus-Coconut Oil:
The petals of the ordinary shoe flower can be soaked in coconut oil and warmed either in sunlight or over a slow fire. Strain and store in a bottle. Use it for the scalp regularly.

Coconut Oil-Pepper-preparation:
Heat one cup of coconut oil with about eight grains of lightly crushed pepper and about 10 to 15 tulsi leaves. Bring to boil and alow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from fire, and store in a bottle. Can be used every day.

Aisha25
March 18th, 2008, 11:00 AM
1/2 cup Olive oil with 1 table spoon of Henna powder soaked for a few days and massaged into hair and left for a night is an excellent conditioner...

I was wondering if this would change hair color or anything with the henna mixed in with the olive oil.
I have black hair so I wouldnt want to turn it orange with the henna mixed in with the olive oil

ChloeDharma
March 18th, 2008, 11:21 AM
1/2 cup Olive oil with 1 table spoon of Henna powder soaked for a few days and massaged into hair and left for a night is an excellent conditioner...

I was wondering if this would change hair color or anything??? I have black hair so I wouldnt want to turn it orange with the henna mixed in with the olive oil.


The colouring part of henna breaks down after a few days so if you left it a week after straining before using it then you should be safe. Though i'm not sure henna releases dye into oil actually.....we need a henna bod for that, i've wondered myself.

tiny_teesha
March 20th, 2008, 01:13 AM
Ive put some EVOO in the pan and heated, added some herbs like bhrinjrag, brahmi, amla, and all the root strengthening ones, some rosemary, lavendar. etc.
Then i sieved it off in a jar. That is my "root oil"
then i did the same but i looked up things that strengthen and moisturise as lavender and rosemary can be drying. Such as a spoon of henna, some ooo i can't remember now... Something else. Did the same thing, poured it in a different container.
Then that is my "ends oil"
I think it's a really grade idea! Except when i was making it i accidentally put the ends oil with ACV, so now i have an ACV infused rinse, not so bad! I was getting so confused at the time!!! haha.
I do use the root oil on my ends i'll admit. I didn't strain it well but within a day all the herb pieces sit at the bottom anyways so i didn't see a point i only dip my finger on the surface and i'm sure by leaving them in there it is doing no harm.

chotee
March 21st, 2008, 05:08 AM
I am told that ginseng root and vetiver root added to oils are great for hair growth. I have used vetiver e.o and use it every now and then. Have anybody used it often to see any good results.

chotee

Shell
March 25th, 2008, 04:33 PM
If someone could list the benefit properties of each oil, the only one i know for sure in amla, and that's for thicker and darker hair. I can't remember what the others are used for.

Some of the oils and herbs are discussed in the Indian Herbal Hair Care Article linked in my sig.

ChloeDharma
March 29th, 2008, 04:28 AM
Does anybody make their own Amla oil? I've seen vague instructions and gather you dry the fruit then heat it in coconut oil then leave it in for a few days before straining but i've not seen more detailed instructions. Also, i wonder if the dried powder could be used instead? When i finally get around to doing the champissage i'd like to be able to offer Amla oil but don't want to use one with mineral oil in it which is all i can find in indian grocers and i don't buy things online.

sapphire-o
March 29th, 2008, 06:28 AM
I bought a bag of dried amla fruit from Indian grocery store. I imagine it can be used to make amla oil. I haven't made it yet. :) I rather like the smell of plain coconut oil.

ChloeDharma
March 29th, 2008, 08:12 AM
Buying it dried makes sense.....i've seen it fresh, and seen the Hesh boxes.....i've even seen it sold in syrup etc.....but not dried. I need to go back on tuesday anyway so i'll look then.

Henna Sooq
March 29th, 2008, 01:29 PM
Interesting! I would suppose each oil blend could be different according to where and whom you buy it from. I never tried Dabur because I heard of the smell, and the amla oil I have used smells pretty good with it's light fragrance.

Aisha25
March 29th, 2008, 01:39 PM
Henna sooq,was wondering if the olive oil and henna blend would cause any dye release???Would it also give condition to the hair???
Thanks for any info:).

Henna Sooq
March 29th, 2008, 02:30 PM
Aisha25, if you are adding olive oil to your hair mixture then for sure that is fine and along with your liquid like use some warm water as well or a tea brew if you want to, and mix well together, then the dye release will come.

Olive oil and any other hair oil is a great addition to add to henna and it also makes it smooth along with a bit of sugar helps. But most importantly those oils give you the extra benefits to your hair, along with moisturizing!

chotee
March 30th, 2008, 07:14 AM
I am trying hard to make my own coconut oil though. Its supposed to be very easy and since i am in tropical place thought of trying it out. I think the more i make it the more i get a hang of it. Then i am planning to add on like hibiscus etc. This is gonna give me fresh oil with no preservatives. So far its been a messy affair. Adding dry amla's might help extract amla goodness :smile:

chotee

ChloeDharma
March 30th, 2008, 09:36 AM
I am trying hard to make my own coconut oil though. Its supposed to be very easy and since i am in tropical place thought of trying it out. I think the more i make it the more i get a hang of it. Then i am planning to add on like hibiscus etc. This is gonna give me fresh oil with no preservatives. So far its been a messy affair. Adding dry amla's might help extract amla goodness :smile:

chotee

Right, now i'm really jealous of you!! :p

Out of interest, how are you making the coconut oil? And how much oil do you get per coconut?

chotee
March 31st, 2008, 01:01 AM
Right, now i'm really jealous of you!! :p

Out of interest, how are you making the coconut oil? And how much oil do you get per coconut?

The coconuts i get here are quite large. I nicely grind 1 or 2 coconuts and extract the milk from it(i have tried to boil the flesh too but its not worth it). The milk i boil it in a pan for a long time maybe an hour or 45 minutes. I start seeing the oil on the sides of the pan. The gravy can be left in the pan overnight and more oil comes along. The trick is to extract the oil from the top. I always get a bit of coconut too but the smell from fresh oil is very heavenly. I get about 1/2 a cup if i am very lucky. Again, it also depends on the coconut the older it is the more oil you get. I sometimes use the whole lot for a deep conditioning treatment. I never store it as the coconut oil can get rancid very quickly. If you don't have the time to make oil, i think the coconut milk also does the trick but i have found that my hair gets shiny but crunchy using milk. Hence i started using the fresh oil. Keeping the oil on your hair for a night does wonders....

chotee.

ChloeDharma
March 31st, 2008, 04:44 AM
Awwww that sounds lovely Chotee, i suppose in theory i could make oil from the coconuts sold here.....i think it would work out cheaper than buying virgin coconut oil.
Hmmnnn that's one to think about. Thanks for the description :) xxx

Aisha25
March 31st, 2008, 01:02 PM
Chotee I was wondering..How do you cut the coconut open I have never learned how to do that?

getoffmyskittle
March 31st, 2008, 06:21 PM
Hmmm, so what does castor do? I've used it on my skin, but I've always been afraid to put it in my hair because of how tacky it is.

chotee
March 31st, 2008, 11:29 PM
Chotee I was wondering..How do you cut the coconut open I have never learned how to do that?

Aisha, We don't use the young coconuts. The mature one are already opened and available in supermarkets. The young coconuts have more water and less of flesh. We in India also make chutneys out of mature coconuts and they are yummy. :smile:

Hi getoffmyskittie, I use a lot of castor oil and its a bit tricky to use it as it is a viscous oil. But i love the results. Hair always grow thicker and darker with castor oil. I always mix it with coconut and almond oil to make it thinner. If i use it straight, i always use a hair mask like henna with amla to remove it easily the following day.

ChloeDharma
April 1st, 2008, 05:42 AM
Getoffmyskittle, as Chotee said, it's used to thicken hair and also eyelashes.....I mix it with coconut oil or something similar because it's really thick and a bit sticky.....but OMG it's great.......i haven't tried washing it off with herbs yet, but i do find a CO gets it out just fine, whenever i used it it left my hair really shiney and i felt like i'd used one of those high shine cone products. Another good way to use it, is to work some into your braid tassel at night and wash off in the morning....might be a good way to try it first time so you get an idea if you like it.

Henna Sooq
April 1st, 2008, 08:21 AM
hhhmm I could go for a coconut right about now :) yum!!

So when we say mature coconuts we are speaking of brown coconuts right? Here in the US and Canada they are not usually open already, but the only thing I do is take a hammer and smash them. I usually try to open the little holes first to drain out the liquid so that it doesn't end up all over my floor.

Young cocunuts would be considered the green ones?

getoffmyskittle
April 1st, 2008, 08:34 AM
Thanks for the responses, y'all. Since I tend to be a bit of an Indian grocery oil fiend (if it's available at The Patel Brothers, I have it!), I just happen to have coconut, castor, and almond oil... :grin: I'm excited to try this, maybe tonight or tomorrow night. I could use thicker, darker hair. Especially since mine has been doing this annoying thing lately where it thins and lightens... :lol:

Diamondbell
April 1st, 2008, 09:02 AM
hhhmm I could go for a coconut right about now :) yum!!

So when we say mature coconuts we are speaking of brown coconuts right? Here in the US and Canada they are not usually open already, but the only thing I do is take a hammer and smash them. I usually try to open the little holes first to drain out the liquid so that it doesn't end up all over my floor.

Young cocunuts would be considered the green ones?

Yes, the young coconuts have green outer skin, and the white flesh inside is very soft and there is much more coconut water in it than the ripe one.

Breaking the coconut: Instead of banging on the coconut and breaking it at one go, what I do is: I keep tapping on it all around on the mid-section (using the hammer) always in the same locations and after small cracks start appearing, I give one hefty bang on it with the hammer making sure I have a vessel underneath it to collect the water. It is better to do this whole work either outside in the garden or somewhere where the stains won't fall. (The water collected can be drunk). Breaking a coconut into two equal parts of the same size makes it easier for grating it for whatever purpose later: grating to make oil later, grating to squeeze out coconut milk etc.

Aisha25
April 1st, 2008, 09:12 AM
MMM me too henna sooq:P.Wow thank you so much for the tips henna and Diamondbell.I will definitly buy more coconuts now that I know how to make them open,and maybe make a chutney as well,yummy.

Henna Sooq
April 1st, 2008, 07:08 PM
Diamondbell, thanks for the tip! getting the bigger pieces is also helpful too.

Diamondbell
April 2nd, 2008, 07:37 AM
Henna Sooqand Aisha25- you are very welcome :) Hope you post how it turned out. I forgot to add: when you tap on the mid-section of the coconut, keep rotating the coconut. The hammer should fall in one straight line all around as you keep turning the coconut in your left hand. (Hope this makes sense!)

Henna Sooq
April 2nd, 2008, 03:02 PM
absolutely!!

Diamondbell
April 5th, 2008, 12:47 AM
I found this in a magazine:

Beauty recipe for long lustrous hair:
Extract coconut milk without using water. Boil this till oil is obtained. Use this oil for the hair. A dar brown residue will be obtained after the oil is removed. This residue can be eaten and is tasty too. Do not make large quantities of this oil, but just enough to last for a week. If you like, you can add essence of any flower to this oil.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unfortunately the number of coconuts to be used was not given. May be one or two?

tiny_teesha
April 7th, 2008, 02:14 AM
i found some amla, henna, lemon and something else infused coconut oil at a store near by, i didn't buy it because i have HEAPS of coconut oil, but i think i might next time i go there, my sister can use it, she loves coconut oil too.

XtinaXposed
April 10th, 2008, 03:13 AM
i found a shop nearby which sells dabur vatika oil-i love it! i was always scared of havy oils because i have thin hair and had very bad experiences with olive oil, but my hair seems to love this coconut oil (but i hate the smell). it is even a bit cheaper than the other oils i can buy over here. i use it as leave-in, deep condition before washing and i once tried a scalp massage which left my roots greasy, so i probably won't use it for scalp massages again.

Anshul585
January 3rd, 2017, 11:30 PM
I'm using vatika coconut oil since I was 5 and it does wonders. As you said it has a very mild and soothing smell. Its the best oil for curly haired girls.

Bhringraj oil(Acliptica Alba) is used from ages in india to stop balding and premature greying. But nowadays many bhringraj oil brands include mineral oil in it. And the ones who doesn't sell it for a relatively higher price.

Sesame oil, as you said is used in preparation for hair oils and body oils. Its very good for moisturising dry hair and scalp.

Allychan
January 3rd, 2017, 11:55 PM
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25777&d=1483512816
Has anyone tried this concoction? I found it at the Indian grocery store, it says it is for thinning and balding. It's got some familiar herbs for hair loss and the picture of the chemist who made it is very reassuring too

summergame
January 4th, 2017, 01:24 AM
Yesterday somebody mentioned al shaafi hair oil on the LHC Facebook group and I am intrigued by it. Unfortunately if I would buy it from Amazon there are huge shipping costs and the product itself is already 20 euro for a bottle...

lapushka
January 4th, 2017, 06:45 AM
Yesterday somebody mentioned al shaafi hair oil on the LHC Facebook group and I am intrigued by it. Unfortunately if I would buy it from Amazon there are huge shipping costs and the product itself is already 20 euro for a bottle...

I would wait for some experiences first if it's that expensive.

summergame
January 4th, 2017, 09:00 AM
I would wait for some experiences first if it's that expensive.

I think that's a good idea! :)

ChloeDharma
January 5th, 2017, 10:38 PM
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25777&d=1483512816
Has anyone tried this concoction? I found it at the Indian grocery store, it says it is for thinning and balding. It's got some familiar herbs for hair loss and the picture of the chemist who made it is very reassuring too

I have used this oil and did like it. It's great for headaches and joint pain but it does seem to have mineral oil in it which I don't like using on my scalp. It has quite a medicinal mentholy smell which I like but some people might struggle with. If mineral oil doesn't bother you or you are just looking for something to treat pain then I'd give it a thumbs up.

Allychan
January 6th, 2017, 01:54 AM
I have used this oil and did like it. It's great for headaches and joint pain but it does seem to have mineral oil in it which I don't like using on my scalp. It has quite a medicinal mentholy smell which I like but some people might struggle with. If mineral oil doesn't bother you or you are just looking for something to treat pain then I'd give it a thumbs up.

I might just use it as a scalp treatment, the menthol really gets the circulation moving and I get frequent headaches, so two birds one stone