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Dez
January 12th, 2009, 07:23 PM
So I ordered a sample of soapnuts in the hopes of trying it on my hair. In the meantime I found that I really like CO. I'd still like to try soapnuts just to see. But I'm wondering if only 5 soapnuts (that's how many came in the sample) is enough to get a feel of how soapnuts would be on my hair? From what i've read it sounds like others who use soapnuts use more than 5. Should I just be trying this sample in my laundry? LOL thanks!

Aisha25
January 12th, 2009, 07:37 PM
I think you can try with that amount just try it on your scalp and if you have enough then do the length too:)

girlcat36
January 12th, 2009, 07:55 PM
I have the exact same question! I got my sample a couple days ago.

Sammybunny711
January 12th, 2009, 08:18 PM
Yes! me as well! I just ordered soapnuts but I am curious as to how you use them and how many you should use. Do you boil them or soak them? How does one go about using them?

Aisha25
January 12th, 2009, 09:37 PM
Ok here is two ways 1:Take 5 cups of water and add 5-6 whole soap nut shells to the water. Boil them and simmer for half an hour. Strain the boiled nuts and pour the remaining liquid into a bottle to use as a shampoo on your hair 2: crack them open a little with a hammer, boil them in water for about 1/2 hour (their skin gets soft and the water gets frothy). Let them cool (or add cold water) and grab the nuts in my palms and rub them to froth them up. It takes a bit of a doing but you get so much froth from using fewer nuts this way. This is how it will work for you guys cause you have so little of them.

devs12
January 12th, 2009, 09:42 PM
Ok here is one way crack them open a little with a hammer , boil them in water for about 1/2 hour (their skin gets soft and the water gets frothy). Let them cool (or add cold water) and grab the nuts in my palms and rub them to froth them up. It takes a bit of a doing but you get so much froth from using fewer nuts this way. This is how it will work for you guys cause you have so little of them.
hey thanks aisha for this tip,

Aisha25
January 12th, 2009, 10:03 PM
Oh yeah I forgot to say becareful when you use these cause if it gets in your eyes oh my gosh does it burn like anything for hours.

Heidi_234
January 13th, 2009, 03:12 AM
I usually take 4 soapnuts and soak them overnight in a big cup (300ml). The day after I pour some of the liquid minus the soapnuts into an old conditioner bottle and shake it very well for foam.
Here an updating post about using soapnuts.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=388788&postcount=572

Kazazi
January 13th, 2009, 04:14 AM
wow that's a big difference in amount of soapnuts used. i haven't tried them yet, but am curious also, but how do i figure out whether 4 or 22 are necessary in about 300 mls?

mellie
January 13th, 2009, 04:46 AM
The recipe in my siggy link (which has pics of the foam method that I use, which is very helpful to keep it out of your eyes!) uses 22 soapnuts in 1 cup water. You could try to proportionally reduce the recipe by 1/4 to try it with your sample - which would be 5 soapnuts in approx. 1/4 cup water. That would make about 2 washes' worth. This recipe works well for my naturally oily hair and scalp. If you are not oily, you could reduce the amount of soapnuts or increase the water.

I tried the boiling method and recipe that has only 4-5 soapnuts in it, but it was not strong enough to cut the oils in my hair, and left me very greasy. The recipe in my siggy link (with 22 soapnuts) is the only one which actually worked for my oily hair and scalp. FYI, I tried lots of different proportions and recipes and almost gave up on soapnuts before trying this one! :-)

Kazazi
January 13th, 2009, 05:11 AM
Hi Mellie, I am just curious because Heidi_234 said she uses only four soapnuts in 300 mls, which is so much less - have you ever tried a wash this dilute and what were the results?

For your 300 mls/1cup of strong dilution, does it last in the fridge for 8 shampoos then? Or do you use the rest for other stuff?

Also, what kind of water do you use for soaking? Plain tap or other, hot or cold?

mellie
January 13th, 2009, 05:14 AM
Yes, I tried the much more diluted recipe and it didn't work for me, it left my hair very greasy and lank. I tried many different recipes and methods and almost gave up. The only recipe that has worked for me was the one in my siggy link. But my hair is very oily naturally so the diluted recipe might work differently for others.

I use just plain tap water, mildly warm.

Yes, it lasts in the fridge for 8 shampoos (if you use 1 oz each time). I tend to use a little more than 1 oz. (more like 1.5 oz.) so I get a few less washes out of it. But I think 1 oz. would work just fine for most folks!

Heidi_234
January 13th, 2009, 07:26 AM
Hi Mellie, I am just curious because Heidi_234 said she uses only four soapnuts in 300 mls, which is so much less - have you ever tried a wash this dilute and what were the results?

For your 300 mls/1cup of strong dilution, does it last in the fridge for 8 shampoos then? Or do you use the rest for other stuff?

Also, what kind of water do you use for soaking? Plain tap or other, hot or cold?
My hair&scalp tend to be on the dry side (unlike Millie's). But even with that, I pre-oiled my scalp with EVOO, and wash it out with the soapnuts with no trace of greasiness. I'm haven't measured the cup, but I suppose it's around 300ml or maybe less.

mellie
January 13th, 2009, 07:38 AM
That's so amazing to me! I just checked and 300 mL is approx. 10 oz. So your liquid is less than 1/4 as strong as mine, and it even takes olive oil out for you?

I stupidly tried oiling my hair last weekend, that was a very, very very bad idea. I used about a half teaspoon of coconut oil, massaged into my scalp and length, and left it on for 30 minutes before washing.

My soapnut liquid didn't budge the oil all. I refilled the container since it had some foam left, and tried again, and still nothing. I almost started to cry, because I couldn't get the oil out. I had to lather up 7 times with Dairy Whip to finally get the oil out. It was terrible.

Just goes to show how different hair can be from one person to another!

Heidi_234
January 13th, 2009, 08:32 AM
That's so amazing to me! I just checked and 300 mL is approx. 10 oz. So your liquid is less than 1/4 as strong as mine, and it even takes olive oil out for you?

I stupidly tried oiling my hair last weekend, that was a very, very very bad idea. I used about a half teaspoon of coconut oil, massaged into my scalp and length, and left it on for 30 minutes before washing.

My soapnut liquid didn't budge the oil all. I refilled the container since it had some foam left, and tried again, and still nothing. I almost started to cry, because I couldn't get the oil out. I had to lather up 7 times with Dairy Whip to finally get the oil out. It was terrible.

Just goes to show how different hair can be from one person to another!
That's true.
I remember your coconut oil disaster. :grouphug:
But I forgot to note I used most, if not all the 300 ml of the liquid in the shower. I'm still working out a system though. You take a shower almost every day, I use soapnuts once a week. I only used it in foam form twice maybe, so I haven't adjusted yet. And another thing, I tried soaking 3 nuts once and I think it was too weak to wash.

mellie
January 13th, 2009, 09:19 AM
Oh, I see - you use all the liquid you make in one go, that would make a difference. I just used 1 oz. today and it worked really nicely - I think I will stick with 1 oz.!

Heidi_234
January 13th, 2009, 09:25 AM
Oh, I see - you use all the liquid you make in one go, that would make a difference. I just used 1 oz. today and it worked really nicely - I think I will stick with 1 oz.!
With the foam, I used probably half or so and run the other half through my hair in it's liquid form. Next time I'll try to fill very little of the bottle with liquid and shake it the way you do. See how this works for me.

Dez
January 14th, 2009, 11:10 PM
thanks for the suggestions. I have yet to try anything because i don't want to waste them! LOL I definetly don't have oily hair. Well it gets oily after not being washed a few days. But i've been noticing these past few weeks my hair and scalp have been very dry. So that might help me that I won't need to use so many nuts. I'll be sure to update you all when I get up the courage to try something.
I'd really like something that keeps my hair very hydrated. CO has been working very well, so maybe I shouldn't try and fix something that's not broken... but today after my CO my hair didn't feel as hydrated. It could be something I did different today though.

mellie
January 15th, 2009, 04:52 AM
If you'd still like to give it a try, I'd suggest maybe using 5 soapnuts in a half cup water (rather than a 1/4 cup water, which would be my recipe divided by 4). Hopefully that would still be strong enough to clean but not too drying on your scalp?

jojo
January 15th, 2009, 11:24 AM
yeah should be fine, just use half the amount of water and give it a good shake or put in a blender to get some serious foam.

I just mixed mine with a bit of shikakai Powder and got great results too!

lora410
January 15th, 2009, 11:30 AM
Yup, and soapnuts can be soaked a few times before you need to toss the shells. Once the shells get mushy then they are no good anymore. We use them for our laundry and occasionally fo rmy hair :)

jojo
January 17th, 2009, 12:26 AM
I puree the shells and use them as a face pack, there great too!

Dez
January 17th, 2009, 06:52 PM
ok, my first experiment i'm going to go ahead and shake them up in 1/3 c. water (because i can't find my 1/4 c. measuring cup and i'm just doing a quick 15 min. soak and shake in a bottle to try it out tonight) then my next experiment will soak overnight in 1/2 c. water. wish me luck! hopefully 4 hr. is long enough for my hair to dry tonight, i don't like going to bed with wet hair. but i don't feel like showering in the morning, alone with the kids in the house :o

Kazazi
January 18th, 2009, 03:58 AM
Ok, thanks Heidi and Mellie for clarifying your recipes. I will try and pick up a soapnut sample next time I come past the shop that stocks them and see what happens!

Dez
January 18th, 2009, 01:33 PM
ok, so today my hair feels and looks really good. But my scalp feels a little itchy like the last day before you wash your hair? so i don't know if i put on enough or got all of it clean. I used the foam but maybe the soapnuts need to be soaked for the full over night. I'll try that this time. Also Mellie is it essential to have a squeeze bottle to get the scalp closer to the nape of the neck? I felt it run down that way when i put the foam on, but i don't know if I really got the nape clean or not. It was strange not scrubbing.

mellie
January 18th, 2009, 01:36 PM
No, you should not feel itchy. I would say definitely soak them for a full overnight. Also, with the foam, I actually take the lid off the bottle and "pouf" the foam onto my hand, and wipe that on my hair.

ktani
January 18th, 2009, 01:56 PM
ok, so today my hair feels and looks really good. But my scalp feels a little itchy like the last day before you wash your hair? so i don't know if i put on enough or got all of it clean.

Soapnuts have been reported to cause itchiness. It may be dryness or irritation or an allergic reaction. Saponins are known to be an irritant. Pre oiling may help.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=393614&postcount=60

ktani
January 18th, 2009, 02:17 PM
More
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=425072&postcount=134

ladyluck
January 21st, 2009, 03:04 PM
Quick question, I just got some soapnuts in the post....I take it they are supposed to be all sticky? I wasn't expecting that! :)

mellie
January 21st, 2009, 03:58 PM
Sometimes they are sticky - Jojo said the sticky ones worked really nicely!

ladyluck
January 22nd, 2009, 12:05 PM
Ok I will give them a go and let you know. :) Thank you.