Indian Hair Please!

[Kaya]

So, I was inspired by a recent post and thought it might be nice to get an Indian hair thread going, if no one minds. :flower: (If there is an existing thread, please let me know!)
There are so few Indians where I live, I rarely, if ever, get the opportunity to compare and discuss hair care with a fellow Indian.
Enter this lovely community! :bluebiggr
So, any Indian members! (And anyone else who wants to respond!) Please, let's hear about your hair and your care routines.

Personally, I have pretty thick, slightly wavy, BSL hair. It's got some red streaks in it's length that I'm not sure came from a faded final dye job, or from the henna in my hair oil. (I had red highlights twice, with a third dye back to natural color.)
I use coconut oil daily, with heavy oilings once or twice a week. I tend to CO, with CWC on heavy oiling days. I teeter-totter between using cones and not.
My daily styling is either a braid or bun. I used to flat-iron my hair every so often, but have sworn off of heat. Instead, I'm learning to accept my natural waves. Even though I tend to be a bit of a frizz-head! :ohmy:

[starlights]

Well i live in London, but my family are all originating from India :)
I find that following the indian hair care method is pretty good actually it works wonders for my hair and all the indian women i know seem to have marvellous healthy hair... especially in this cold weather we have over here :)

[Aveyronnaise]

I am also interested in Indian methods. Mostly because , even though I'm not Indian, I am Mexican-Native and white, my hair really seems to resemble that of Indian ladies.
My hair really seems to be responding to some heavy oiling, it's softer and more healthy than ever before.

[chotee]

Hi, I am a indian living in the middle east....i have a lot of indians here who have long hair and sometimes i feel my hair is really thin compared to them but i am still determined to grow long :smile: I follow the indian methods of washing with shikakai and herbs and oil my hair. Of late, i have discovered that the less i wash the better it is for my hair. So i am using less of oils and henna. for inbetween my washes i am using the hair butter from L'occitane and the day before my wash i soak my hair with different indian oils like bringraj, coconut, castor etc....this routine makes my hair look "not so frizzy"....i would love to hear from other people out here following indian methods or have indian hair

[Diamondbell]

Indian living in India - well, I have tried many methods now: 1) the CO, 2)the WO, 3)the CWC, 4) heavy oiling and washing with shikakai the next day 5) henna with tea and yoghurt 6) oil+shampoo (there's a big thread on this in the Recipes section), and 7)other herbal methods like aritha, coconut milk soak, fenugreek seeds soaked and ground and used with urad dal, and even gram dal flour.

I like it best when I wash with herbs. But I have decided to do a CWC once in a while. Your idea of "CWC on heavy oiling days" is a good one :thumbsup: I also like WO now and then. I brush hair with BBB. I like washing less too - about once a week.

RIght now I use homemade coconut oil - i.e. Parachute coconut oil mixed with herbs like curry leaves, black seed, fenugreek seeds. But I have tried many different oils before (like Neelibringadhi oil, sesa oil, to name a few).

My daily hairstyle is braid or bun, especially the double braided ones.

[Fethenwen]

I'll be watching this thread with interest :drama:
I'm really interested in Indian hair care, even though my hair texture is very different from Indian, it responds very well to these treatments.
Best scenario would be to find local herbs that would work a bit in the same way, I feel a bit bad when I buy Indian herbs, I have no idea how they are produced and then they are also shipped from such a long way away.

[hairyfairy]

Hi! Another Indian here living in India. I had thick tailbone length hair in my teens but did not know how to care for it then, and sadly lost most of the thickness. Presently I have waist length slightly wavy hair. I have some grays coming in and have just started doing two step henna+indigo to cover those. Current routine is oil shampoo once a week, light combing in the morning, thorough brushing with a bbb at night. Regular style is either a figure of eight or the typical Indian bun that does not need any sticks. At night it is in a single braid. I never wear it down.

[hibiscus]

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[Rabya-Khadija]

Hmm I'm Pakistani in UK, I don't know how much it differs but I get very orangey red hair in the sunlight(I've never used henna) and there's always visable streaks.

A few of my cousins and their kids still over there have bright red (actual ginger) hair when they're born, which is odd! It tends to go a light brown as they get older.

I wouldn't say my hair was VERY thick but it's coarser than my English friends and the less I do with it the better it seems to be. When I'm over there I'm always looking at other womens hair :D

[Xandergrammy]

I'm not Indian, but live in a community that includes many Indians and I've long been a fan of the beatiful hair some women have. I'll be paying attention to this thread. I also get very good results from oiling.

[Annalouise]

I'm not Indian but I'm doing an Indian hair care regime. Why? Because I am sensitive to soaps and chemicals but also because my hair is thinning and I am trying to grow it thicker.

I use reetha/aritha to wash. I usually make a gravy or tea by adding a tea made from hibiscus, rosemary, basil, sage, nettles, horsetail (any of above herbs). Then I do a rinse with acv infused with the above herbs and a tea rinse sometimes with darkening herbs like sage.

I do a heavy oiling once or twice a week. Sometimes I'll do a mask with fullers earth and henna or cassia, and this helps remove a heavy oiling.
The oils I use for oiling are coconut, olive oil or peanut oil.
I do have some problems removing a heavy oil. I usually have to use about 4 tbsp of reetha and make a thick gravy and leave it on my hair for 15 minutes. The tricky part is making sure the herbs get on all the hair strands.

I also use rosemary and lavender essential oils in my hair oil to rub on my scalp at night.

I've also used neem in my washes and like it too. And I brush my hair with a BBB.

I'm experimenting with washing my hair upsidedown because it helps take the pressure off the top of my head where over-washing occurs.

And, I wash my hair daily. I would wash it less often but I like to oil my hair a lot. Maybe too much. Naa, you can't oil your hair too much.;)

[Aveyronnaise]

I am wondering if there is an article or thread breaking down the different Indian techniques and herbs. Perhaps this one will be it?

[ratgirldjh]

I'm not from India - but I have used indian herbs too. For some reason shikakai made my hair much straighter than aritha - so now if I use herb washing I use aritha. I am going to try doing a heavy oiling and using the paste to wash off the oil... with shikakai I could never really get all the oil out and even if I did all my waves disappeared! It actually seemed like my hair texture changed. With aritha I don't lose my waves - but I definitely need more oil... hmmm any ideas? I have hibiscus too...

djh

[HintOfMint]

Indian gal from New York checking in!

I suppose the most "indian" part of my hair care routine is using coconut oil, and yes, my Indian friends tease me a bit for being so "traditional." Funny enough, I never used coconut oil as a leave in until I came to LHC. Whenever I used coconut oil before, it was a pre-wash soak mandated by my mother. She would massage it into my scalp though, which felt AMAZING.

[Kaya]

I am wondering if there is an article or thread breaking down the different Indian techniques and herbs. Perhaps this one will be it?

I agree. I would really like to learn how to use Indian hair powders. I have some Meera hair powder. I used it once and I ended up with a gritty, tangled mass of hair on my head. :hmm: Not much fun, and hence, I haven't used it again. It did smell pretty darn good. Sweet and herb-y!
But I would like to try out that shikakai powder that everyone talks about. I just need some how-to-use instructions! :p

[mira-chan]

I am wondering if there is an article or thread breaking down the different Indian techniques and herbs. Perhaps this one will be it?
Check my signature for the Indian herb hair care article. There are a couple of threads on this topic in the Recipe forum. :flower:

I'm not Indian, but my brother in law's family is. :D I have a very similar hair type that responds well to traditional Indian hair care. I was using herbs and oils exclusively for over a year until I got busy and lazy. Now back to sulfate free shampoo (oil shampoo mix) but still use coconut oil regularly as both pre-wash and leave-in.

I find that when using herbal power for wash in mud form, it helps to use a basin to rinse out instead of the shower. The grittiness just flows out then when hair is in free float.

[starlights]

I oil alot too, my hair seems to love vatika and parachute coconut oil, i swear those two make my hair grow!! i bun my hair alot too... i've never tried the herbs thing, when i went back to india the women seriously had long hair everywhere, i thought i was in hair heaven lol i never saw them doing the herbal thing, i must ask my aunt about that... then i will come back & post techniques, ha!

[Diamondbell]

This is my contribution on Indian herbs
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10900&highlight=Herbs

I haven't used all found in this thread but curry leaves, feungreek seeds and herbs like aritha, shikakai are really good! :)

[McFearless]

Indian hair is just so beautiful.

[christine1989]

Indian hair is just so beautiful.

Agreed! I am in long hair heaven on my morning commute to school. The bus I take is full of Indian women with long, shiny hair to admire during the 45 min bus ride. :)

[JuneBride]

This is very interesting...I'll be watching this thread! I love Indian literature as well :)

[patchoulilove]

While I am not Indian, I would love to learn more about this method of haircare. At most, I know only of the advantages of Henna. I look forward to this thread ! *subscribe*

[Paranda Belle]

Hey another Indian here.

Never really used "Indian" techniques and sadly don't know much about them. My mother has a fear of herbs and oils making her hair smell, so she never passed the little knowlege that she knew onto me. It was always about the scientific looking bottles with lots of chemicals in.




Funny enough, I never used coconut oil as a leave in until I came to LHC.

I never used coconut oil either until I found this site! It's amazing though.

[Othala]

I'm Indian/Pakistani/Arab/Afghan living in the U.K. Traditional Indian haircare is my default for the summer months when I use Shikakai (somethimes with methi powder) to wash my hair after an overnight heavy Neeli oiling. I also leave coconut oil in my hair all summer long though not to the extent that the natives of Kerala do.

The Indian hair care techniques work really well for me and the only reason I do not use them in the winter is that the herbs (shikakai and the herbs in Neelibhringadi tailam) are cooling on the body system and I really don't want to over-cool in the cold winters.

[PeaceLoveHair]

I am west indian ( indian born in the Caribbean). My hair care routine involves hair oiling (coconut oil) especially to treat the ends, but also deep conditioning once a week ( leaving the oil to soak in my ahir and scalp overnight and then washing it all out in the morning.) I've only started doign this a few months ago and I'm glad I finally started taking my mom's advice on hair oiling! =) I still have to experiment with hair washing techniques and herbs because I just do the regular wash and condition right now. Which works for my hair...But coconut oil is amazing. I also slather it on my whole body after my showers. I never have dry,skin anymore and I swear it is helping scars fade a little better.

[jeanniet]

I'm half Indian from California. My hair texture is pretty typical, but fairly curly. I have a two-step hendigo for conditioning/strengthening and to cover my grays. I've tried all different washing methods, and so far my favorites are either CO or soapwort root with an herbal rinse. I haven't had much luck using Indian herb washes. I had too much dryness and a lot of shedding with them, so I've been hesitant to do much more experimentation. Coconut oil doesn't agree with my hair too much, so I use jojoba, camellia, and argan oils instead. My hair does like oil!

[summergame]

I am not Indian but i am also very interested in the diferent methods they are using! A few years go i find some Indian herbs in a local store here and after using them i haver the most thick hair i could wish :-). I am thinking to buy it online now because there is really nothing here anymore where i could buy Indian herbs!

[Othala]

I forgot to say in my earlier post that one Indian hair care tradition that is upheld in my home is the vigorous head massage aka the "tail malish" or "champi malish". It is pretty full on and induces a great sense of well-being, deep sleep and is reputed to strengthens hair roots.

[PrincessBob]

I am an (Native American) Indian. And as a native my hair is somewhat mixed in texture and I am still experimenting routine-wise. I clicked on this thread, because I thought, "Hey, I'm an Indian." Now know this was intended for people of Indian descent and I'm curious...

[Dreamkitty]

I was born in the UK, my dad is originally from India(Assam) and my mums from Bangladesh.

My hair has always been thick with medium fine texture but its a bit fluffy too so its a must for me to use oil to tone it down a bit.

I think I inherited thick hair from my mum's family side.

As a child, my mum oiled my hair with Jasmine oil regularly & used a mild shampoo and that would be it. Washed my hair twice a week.

I think diet plays a part in health too & maybe that contributed to my hair health as I was introduced to eating Fish, Asian as well as English vegetables from a young age.
I also think you have to take care of your hair inorder for it to be healthy. For example, my cousin had beautiful, very thick hair when she was a child upto the age of 14. But then she started straightening it, styling it every week and now she complains of her hair being too thin.

I have seen alot of Indian women with great hair, especially Sri Lankan women who have the thickest, longest hair.

[Paranda Belle]

I think diet plays a part in health too & maybe that contributed to my hair health as I was introduced to eating Fish, Asian as well as English vegetables from a young age.



I have a theory that some of the indian spices used for cooking help the hair, eg. tumeric, corriander and cumin. I eat alot of home cooked indian food, and if I eat too much other stuff I start to shed.

[Dreamkitty]

I have a theory that some of the indian spices used for cooking help the hair, eg. tumeric, corriander and cumin. I eat alot of home cooked indian food, and if I eat too much other stuff I start to shed.

I agree, the spices you listed are always used in my mums cooking with a whole lot of other stuff, too many spices to name. Onions, garlic are a must for curries too so maybe that has an effect too as it contains sulfur.

I think herbs, spices, vegetables, fish in particular really contribute to the health of anyones hair.

[Diamondbell]

I forgot to say in my earlier post that one Indian hair care tradition that is upheld in my home is the vigorous head massage aka the "tail malish" or "champi malish". It is pretty full on and induces a great sense of well-being, deep sleep and is reputed to strengthens hair roots.

Othala no wonder you have lovely thick hair! :D

[Fethenwen]

I forgot to say in my earlier post that one Indian hair care tradition that is upheld in my home is the vigorous head massage aka the "tail malish" or "champi malish". It is pretty full on and induces a great sense of well-being, deep sleep and is reputed to strengthens hair roots.
^ That is something I could think of doing to my family members too, if I had one :)

[Cleopatra18]

I'm planning to adopt an indian regimen starting next month :) I read alot about daily coconut "head bath".Im so interested in this.I know daily heavy oiling of parachute coconut oil made my hair sooo thick and grew like weed.but sadly it's not available anymore so im using any other brand of coconut i find.BTW is it ok to wash daily with herbs?
Also I'm going to do treatments 2x/week of Sidr (ziziphus),amla,and probably fenugreek powder,and mix them with castor oil and garlic-infused olive oil.I really want to know if sidr really grows the hair like it claims.
this is such a great thread! I hope more people chime in with more info.
oh BTW I may not find shikakai locally so i think ill be using rhassoul clay to wash.
ETA : I HAD to ask,do you guys use trichup oil? anoop? pardhan amla? kesavardhini concentrate oil?
also there're indian packs sold here as already mixed herbs for hair washing,are those good?
so many people sell these stuff claiming to be hair miracles, it's so tempting.

[Othala]

Othala no wonder you have lovely thick hair! :D
Thank you Diamondbell. I do believe head massages make a real difference over time to the quality of ones hair because increased blood circulation = increased nutrients getting to the hair roots = stronger hair roots and better hair.

[sakuraemily]

Indian from India. I try out many oils. Coconut oil with curry leaves is good. But right nowIi'm trying out olive oil. If it helpsIi'll alternate between the two.
I oil too heavily for shikakai to be able to wash it out so I first do a shikakai treatment for 15-20 mins followed by shampoo.
I will have to improve my diet for better results though. But indian hair care rocks.

[Cleopatra18]

PS: I have this indian website (http://www.indusladies.com/forums/hair-care-and-hair-styles/) for hair care,too much info though,too little time to go through them.
Please if anyone finds interesting information on it,share in this thread.

[Othala]

I'm planning to adopt an indian regimen starting next month :) I read alot about daily coconut "head bath".Im so interested in this.I know daily heavy oiling of parachute coconut oil made my hair sooo thick and grew like weed.but sadly it's not available anymore so im using any other brand of coconut i find.BTW is it ok to wash daily with herbs?
Also I'm going to do treatments 2x/week of Sidr (ziziphus),amla,and probably fenugreek powder,and mix them with castor oil and garlic-infused olive oil.I really want to know if sidr really grows the hair like it claims.
this is such a great thread! I hope more people chime in with more info.
oh BTW I may not find shikakai locally so i think ill be using rhassoul clay to wash.
ETA : I HAD to ask,do you guys use trichup oil? anoop? pardhan amla? kesavardhini concentrate oil?
also there're indian packs sold here as already mixed herbs for hair washing,are those good?
so many people sell these stuff claiming to be hair miracles, it's so tempting.

Ummm...my goodness me, you are enthusiastic! I am a bit concerned about the things you are thinking of doing.There are no miracles really. It's following a beneficial routine, consistently, that matters.

Rhassoul clay to wash hair is problematic (may dry out and damage cuticle) as is the daily coconut oil headbath unless you live in a hot climate. I would not recommend daily washing with herbs, but that does depend to some extent on the herbs you are considering e.g. a paste of hibiscus leaves is fine but anything stronger is not and why would you want to wash your hair everyday anyway? And garlic-infused olive oil? On your hair/scalp? Why?

What are your hair concerns? The suitability of the specialist hair oils you mention depend somewhat on your hair and scalp type and needs and some of them are snake oil.

I use Neelibhringadi and have used it for years because it reduces my hair shedding to a level that nothing else has and because it conditions my hair beautifully. Trichup irritated my scalp as did Navratna and Kesavardhini is I believe for those experiencing major hair loss. What are you looking for in an Ayurvedic oil? With more information about your hair and scalp the posters here may be able to advise you properly.

ETA: I really don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, I just want you to have a good Indian hair care experience.

[Cleopatra18]

Ummm...my goodness me, you are enthusiastic! I am a bit concerned about the things you are thinking of doing.There are no miracles really. It's following a beneficial routine, consistently, that matters.

Rhassoul clay to wash hair is problematic (may dry out and damage cuticle) as is the daily coconut oil headbath unless you live in a hot climate. I would not recommend daily washing with herbs, but that does depend to some extent on the herbs you are considering e.g. a paste of hibiscus leaves is fine but anything stronger is not and why would you want to wash your hair everyday anyway? And garlic-infused olive oil? On your hair/scalp? Why?

What are your hair concerns? The suitability of the specialist hair oils you mention depend somewhat on your hair and scalp type and needs and some of them are snake oil.

I use Neelibhringadi and have used it for years because it reduces my hair shedding to a level that nothing else has and because it conditions my hair beautifully. Trichup irritated my scalp as did Navratna and Kesavardhini is I believe for those experiencing major hair loss. What are you looking for in an Ayurvedic oil? With more information about your hair and scalp the posters here may be able to advise you properly.
Bolded---> was trying to remember the name of this oil but had no luck.
Mainly im trying to minimize my shedding and regain thickness.somehow i lost an inch of circumference over the past 3-4 months without even noticing really,was shocked by it (i made a thread about it).I have no health issues i know of except for stress.I've been feeling really bad over that loss because thickness was my #1 goal since i started.Also I havent been doing much to my hair at all because i had college exams for about the past month.
My hair is usually on the dry side,with a really bad curl pattern that varies from relatively tight coils at the roots and weird shapes on the length.
I tried everything really,low maintance,shampoo,no shampoo,CO,CWC,even shampoo bars.I dont think anyting worked for me.
I also have dandruff and it doesnt go unless i wash my hair (aka shampoo the scalp),and it comes back around the 3rd day so i have to wash again.
My shedding i think is within normal,could be 50-70.but comparing to when i started hair care it was below 20.so i think that progressive loss daily is what lead to thickness loss.back then,I used no shampoo,washed 1-2 x per week,and daily i would massage my hair and scalp with coconut,olive,castor,sesame,wheat germ,aloe vera,and the list goes on.I know it sounds like a ton of oils,but my hair was at its best although my scalp condition was not great.
I dont wanna go back to that though,cause i hate the itchy scalp and way too much oils.
That's why im experimenting with herbs and clay etc I got the stuff in the mail already but ill be trying them next week.
i reallly hope something from all this will help me.
BTW garlic-infused olive oil could be cultural thing i guess.just like indian care,here in egypt and most arab countries many many people say garlic is amazing for the hair loss and it encourages growth.and well olive oil is great in muslim culture.
I got the rhassoul clay here from another member,angharad,who uses rhassoul clay regularly and her hair is amazing.It's very known in morrocan hair care but i know daily use will probably be too much.
I'm so frustrated with my hair honestly,I'm giving it all the moisture i can,and balance with proteins,yet it would still shed and break badly.so this is my last resort.
God bless you if you read this long post,really.
/rant

[Othala]

Bolded---> was trying to remember the name of this oil but had no luck.
Mainly im trying to minimize my shedding and regain thickness.somehow i lost an inch of circumference over the past 3-4 months without even noticing really,was shocked by it (i made a thread about it).I have no health issues i know of except for stress.I've been feeling really bad over that loss because thickness was my #1 goal since i started.Also I havent been doing much to my hair at all because i had college exams for about the past month.
My hair is usually on the dry side,with a really bad curl pattern that varies from relatively tight coils at the roots and weird shapes on the length.
I tried everything really,low maintance,shampoo,no shampoo,CO,CWC,even shampoo bars.I dont think anyting worked for me.
I also have dandruff and it doesnt go unless i wash my hair (aka shampoo the scalp),and it comes back around the 3rd day so i have to wash again.
My shedding i think is within normal,could be 50-70.but comparing to when i started hair care it was below 20.so i think that progressive loss daily is what lead to thickness loss.back then,I used no shampoo,washed 1-2 x per week,and daily i would massage my hair and scalp with coconut,olive,castor,sesame,wheat germ,aloe vera,and the list goes on.I know it sounds like a ton of oils,but my hair was at its best although my scalp condition was not great.
I dont wanna go back to that though,cause i hate the itchy scalp and way too much oils.
That's why im experimenting with herbs and clay etc I got the stuff in the mail already but ill be trying them next week.
i reallly hope something from all this will help me.
BTW garlic-infused olive oil could be cultural thing i guess.just like indian care,here in egypt and most arab countries many many people say garlic is amazing for the hair loss and it encourages growth.and well olive oil is great in muslim culture.
I got the rhassoul clay here from another member,angharad,who uses rhassoul clay regularly and her hair is amazing.It's very known in morrocan hair care but i know daily use will probably be too much.
I'm so frustrated with my hair honestly,I'm giving it all the moisture i can,and balance with proteins,yet it would still shed and break badly.so this is my last resort.
God bless you if you read this long post,really.
/rant

You poor thing. I'm sorry your hair is giving you such a hard time.

Shikakai usually clears up dandruff in my experience, but aggravates a dry scalp condition that has no dandruff. How did you use Shikakai and what effect did it have?

Also, have you tried returning to the routine you used when you had a hair loss of 20 hairs a day? What did you wash with seeing as you used no shampoo?

[Cleopatra18]

You poor thing. I'm sorry your hair is giving you such a hard time.

Shikakai usually clears up dandruff in my experience, but aggravates a dry scalp condition that has no dandruff. How did you use Shikakai and what effect did it have?

Also, have you tried returning to the routine you used when you had a hair loss of 20 hairs a day? What did you wash with seeing as you used no shampoo?
I cant find shikakai locally,that's why i'm considering trying sidr as an alternative.and since i would be heavy oiling my hair anyway,i dont think it'll be drying.it's also known for clearing dandruff.
I used conditioner only,it removed the oils however my hair was kind of weighted down.and the roots also were very hard to detangle :shrug:

[Sheltie_Momma]

I am also interested in Indian methods. Mostly because , even though I'm not Indian, I am Mexican-Native and white, my hair really seems to resemble that of Indian ladies.
My hair really seems to be responding to some heavy oiling, it's softer and more healthy than ever before.

Me too - I'm half white and half Mexican and my hair is really very much like Indian hair (excepting perhaps color and beauty), so I am happy to read all the notes here.

[summergame]

I want to share a very good video on this treat,it is about making your own indian oil with herbs,oil and EO, every oil you want is good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwSYsKQT-3M

Could someone advice me with specific Indian herbs and oils please? :flower:

My hair is dry,I have to use a heavy conditioner otherwise it is full of tangles and really dull..I have waves and love dark colored hair,some herbs who colored darker are no problem!
The problem when i use oil is that it imediatly looks greasy,what small amount i try to use. My hair is also very fine and grows very slowely. A few name of herbs and oils who maybe would work fine for me are most welcome!

Thank you very much!

[Kaya]

So much love on this thread! Three cheers for LHC! :disco:

Anyways, I thought I would offer up the website where there is a veritable treasure trove of wonderful Indian hair care products. Now I have only tried a few of the hair oils, but I would venture to say that they have quality products, ranging from your basic hair oils to herbs and cassia. The prices seem reasonable as well. They also have fast shipping in my experience.

http://www.ayurnaturalbeauty.com/

I use the Dabur Vatika hair oil and the Ramtirth Brahmi oil. Word of caution to those who want to use the Brahmi oil. It is straight coconut oil with a lot of herbs. Wonderful, but it has a very strong earthy, herb-y smell. I don't mind it, but others may not have the same opinion. :p Plus be careful with the bottle. It's a basic screw-top bottle and can be hard to pour from without dripping. This oil is dark green, so it's probably the last thing you want on a carpet. :shake: I transferred it a glass bottle and use a dropper to dispense it.

[Othala]

I think we need a clear definition of what is meant by "Indian hair care".

For me, it means the traditional hair care practiced in most parts of India by most East Indians before modern products took over.

Traditional hair care is still practiced in parts of India today where modern hair products have not yet made inroads into the hair care market, especially in rural areas where people are too poor to afford to buy stuff to look after their hair rather than collecting it free from Nature.

Modern products such as commercial shampoos, conditioners, silicones, hairspray and synthetic hair colourants were/are not part of traditional Indian hair care.

Rhassoul, Sidr, Argan oil are part of Middle-Eastern hair care, not Indian hair care.

Traditional Indian hair care, IMO, is typically the following:

Hair and scalp are cleaned with herbal pastes e.g. Shikakai, Aritha (Reetha), Hibiscus leaves
Hair is oiled heavily once a week
Hair is kept oiled to a greater or lesser extent at all times after cleaning
If hair is dyed, it is with Henna
If there are problematic conditions with hair and scalp these are treated by the application of herbal packs e.g. Amla, Bhringraj, Methi, Kadi pata, etc, and/or Ayurvedic or herbal oils of which there are a multitude available
Weekly head massage
Usually a weekly head bath (the exception being the Keralese practice of daily hair rinses in water, sometimes with mashed Hibiscus leaves rubbed into scalp) followed by heavy oiling
Using a comb - never a brush
Air-drying hair - never using hair dryers or other heated tools
Protective styles: Two oiled plaits (braids) for girls, a single plait or bun for adult women
Hair is scented with incense e.g. Loban, Mogra, Chambeli
Hair is decorated with highly perfumed flowers e.g. Jasmine


The above are just my suggestions. What do you all think?

[Othala]

I just wanted to add that, of course, everyone is free to combine modern and traditional products.

I do feel that if people want to truly experience traditional Indian hair care, they will gain most by not mixing say modern conditioners with for example coconut oiling as the conditioner may prevent the coconut penetrating the hair shaft. Thus the benefit you could have got by applying coconut oil on hair that is free of residues and coatings will not be forthcoming.

Maybe I am being a purist, but I do worry about the number of different products that some people use on their scalp and hair, especially on some Youtube tutorials, in the belief that by using some of everything they fancy the end result will be superb.

Traditional Indian hair care practices are simple and although one can make up all sorts of exotic mixtures, the strength of this type of hair care is in its simplicity and effectiveness.

[Cleopatra18]

I think we need a clear definition of what is meant by "Indian hair care".

For me, it means the traditional hair care practiced in most parts of India by most East Indians before modern products took over.

Traditional hair care is still practiced in parts of India today where modern hair products have not yet made inroads into the hair care market, especially in rural areas where people are too poor to afford to buy stuff to look after their hair rather than collecting it free from Nature.

Modern products such as commercial shampoos, conditioners, silicones, hairspray and synthetic hair colourants were/are not part of traditional Indian hair care.

Rhassoul, Sidr, Argan oil are part of Middle-Eastern hair care, not Indian hair care.

Traditional Indian hair care, IMO, is typically the following:
Hair and scalp are cleaned with herbal pastes e.g. Shikakai, Aritha (Reetha), Hibiscus leaves
Hair is oiled heavily once a week
Hair is kept oiled to a greater or lesser extent at all times after cleaning
If hair is dyed, it is with Henna
If there are problematic conditions with hair and scalp these are treated by the application of herbal packs e.g. Amla, Bhringraj, Methi, Kadi pata, etc, and/or Ayurvedic or herbal oils of which there are a multitude available
Weekly head massage
Usually a weekly head bath (the exception being the Keralese practice of daily hair rinses in water, sometimes with mashed Hibiscus leaves rubbed into scalp) followed by heavy oiling
Using a comb - never a brush
Air-drying hair - never using hair dryers or other heated tools
Protective styles: Two oiled plaits (braids) for girls, a single plait or bun for adult women
Hair is scented with incense e.g. Loban, Mogra, Chambeli
Hair is decorated with highly perfumed flowers e.g. Jasmine
The above are just my suggestions. What do you all think?
wow you really know alot about this.I didnt know Hibiscus can be used as a cleanser,will it remove heavy oilings or it's just a mild one? I'm also very scared of it staining any clothes/towels.I heard its stains are a pain to remove :confused:
What do you think is the best use for amla? is it best as powder or should i infuse it in some oil?same question for fenugreek as well.

[Othala]

wow you really know alot about this.I didnt know Hibiscus can be used as a cleanser,will it remove heavy oilings or it's just a mild one? I'm also very scared of it staining any clothes/towels.I heard its stains are a pain to remove :confused:
What do you think is the best use for amla? is it best as powder or should i infuse it in some oil?same question for fenugreek as well.

Hibiscus is used as a very mild cleanser and conditioner. It does not clean very well at all and is not a good de-greaser, but it is slippery because it contains mucilage and is used in some parts of South India during the daily head bath routine. It is the leaves of the red variety of Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis (called the Shoeflower) that are used. The leaves do not stain, but the flower stains red. The flower is used as a pack or steeped in oil, not for cleansing.

Amla is best used as a fresh fruit pack or by boiling the fresh chopped fruit in oil. I think the powdered stuff is of very limited use and not worth the bother.

Fenugreek is wonderful for making herbs into a workable paste. It binds herbs together and makes them easy to apply. It has a strong smell so I do not recommend using it in oil or as any kind of leave in. Makes a nice pack with yoghurt. Typically, ground Fenugreek seeds are used in hair care.

[Cleopatra18]

Hibiscus is used as a very mild cleanser and conditioner. It does not clean very well at all and is not a good de-greaser, but it is slippery because it contains mucilage and is used in some parts of South India during the daily head bath routine. It is the leaves of the red variety of Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis (called the Shoeflower) that are used. The leaves do not stain, but the flower stains red. The flower is used as a pack or steeped in oil, not for cleansing.

Amla is best used as a fresh fruit pack or by boiling the fresh chopped fruit in oil. I think the powdered stuff is of very limited use and not worth the bother.

Fenugreek is wonderful for making herbs into a workable paste. It binds herbs together and makes them easy to apply. It has a strong smell so I do not recommend using it in oil or as any kind of leave in. Makes a nice pack with yoghurt. Typically, ground Fenugreek seeds are used in hair care.
Huh? which one are those? I only know the ones we have here we boil them and make a really tasty drink of it :D I'm guessing that's the fruits?
sorry what exactly is the daily head bath routine?
The amla i got was dried fruits and i grounded it into powder for easier usage.
I hope i'm not too annoying :rolleyes:
ETA: i just googled and i think i'm talking about hibiscus flowers,that's no good for the hair right?

[Kaya]

I just wanted to add that, of course, everyone is free to combine modern and traditional products.

I do feel that if people want to truly experience traditional Indian hair care, they will gain most by not mixing say modern conditioners with for example coconut oiling as the conditioner may prevent the coconut penetrating the hair shaft. Thus the benefit you could have got by applying coconut oil on hair that is free of residues and coatings will not be forthcoming.

Maybe I am being a purist, but I do worry about the number of different products that some people use on their scalp and hair, especially on some Youtube tutorials, in the belief that by using some of everything they fancy the end result will be superb.

Traditional Indian hair care practices are simple and although one can make up all sorts of exotic mixtures, the strength of this type of hair care is in its simplicity and effectiveness.


By no means do I intend to come across as rude, but I do feel a tad hurt. I understand and certainly agree that true traditional Indian hair care, at it's core, is effective due to it's simple nature. It's derives all of its' treatments from the earth's bounty, just as has been done since the discovery of hair care. I think we tend to forget that before all modern hair products, mother earth provided everything we could need.
But, as much as I would love to be able to follow a strict traditional Indian routine, I simply can't. I don't have the time, nor the money to be able to support a full-time Indian care regime. And I would venture to guess that this might be true for other. Hence, yes, I do mix modern and traditional methods. And I'm proud to say that I have seen a difference in my hair. Daily oilings, weekly heavy oilings, combing, no brushing, protective up-dos, and no heat have made my hair healthier and thicker. I have been able to embrace and practice these elements of traditional Indian hair care.
However, I also use modern products, primarily non-cone conditioners everyday, and SLS shampoo twice a week. I also use a conditioner spray every so often. And they don't seem to have affected the Indian care aspect of my regime.

I had an epiphany awhile back. I discovered that what I had been doing was working for my hair and I didn't need to go crazy with worry and stress out about trying to change it in exchange for no-cones, all-organic, all-natural care. I did tweak my routine and added and subtracted certain elements.

I think people need to keep in mind that there is no hair care routine, whether traditional or modern, that will give immediate, spectacular results. Keeping realistic expectations and having patience is the best thing to do. Figure out what works for you and be open to dabbling with all sorts of products, new or old.

I guess the point of my mini-rant is that though we keep dropping the phrase Indian hair care, it should be given a broad definition here. Whether you are a true traditional Indian hair care purist, or someone like me who follows quite a few of the practices yet mixes in modern products, or someone who is only doing one or two aspects.

Oh geez, I really hope I didn't offend, piss-off, or hurt anyone. I just couldn't stop thinking about this thread and I had to write out my feelings. Anyone and everyone is more than welcome to rant right back at me! :scared:

[Annalouise]

I love this thread!:cheese: It's awesome.

I just wanted to say that I did a herbs and oils routine for three weeks and used henna on my hair to get highlights.

Anyways, I had problems. I was using aritha (hesh) to wash and using an herbal rinse that was primarily western herbs because they are what I can get locally and inexpensively. (sage, rosemary, lavender, and nettles mostly).

I either mixed a couple teaspoons of aritha with the herbal tea to wash or I made a paste with aritha, neem and henna to wash my hair more effectively after a deep oiling. I did wash my hair daily as I was putting stimulating oils on my scalp nightly.

I was doing a heavy oiling twice a week (with a brahmi coconut oil (brand Bindi) on my scalp and coconut oil on my length, or coconut oil with rosemary and lavender on my scalp) and some coconut oil daily on the ends. And doing head massages which are awesome!

(and I should note that I comb and brush my hair even though I know vigorous brushing is not recommended in ayurveda).

My hair started to get really tangly, dry and staticy. It was a hot mess!

What did I do wrong?

I've since washed my hair with shampoo and that got rid of all the build up and my hair returned to normal.

[born_confused90]

hi, just thought i'd introduce myself:
i'm pakistani (very similar to indian hair i believe)in england and i have wavy very thick hair.
- thicker than anyone i know actually now that i think on it..it's mostly medium hair with some fine strands thrown in but the odd thin is i have these 2 very coarse sections about an inch wide by my ears. I tend to classify my hair as dry/damaged but it's actually quite silky and very shiney.
And my haircare routine is changing a lot nowadays whilst i look for a good shampoo(i can't find one that my hair likes!) and a couple deep treatmemts, so i'm trying a lot of new things nowadays.
But the main gist of it is:
i lightly massage my scalp with castor oil, cover everything else with coconut oil lightly and leave that on for about half an hr to an hour, shampoo then condition.
When dry i massage in some john frieda root awakenin strengthening spray.
I'm cutting down on heat usage so i try to air dry, but will use the blow dryer if in a rush or if my hair is very frizzy (which it sometimes is if it didn't like the shampoo). I use fantasia hair polish serum in my hair whe it's about 70% dry. And i think that's it!

[virgo75]

I'm not Indian, but I love this thread. :love:

I've used traditional Indian hair care(coconut oil & shikakai to wash) in the past for several months straight. It was wonderful, but sometimes I missed the convenience(and perfumey scents) of modern products.



I just wanted to add that, of course, everyone is free to combine modern and traditional products.

I do feel that if people want to truly experience traditional Indian hair care, they will gain most by not mixing say modern conditioners with for example coconut oiling as the conditioner may prevent the coconut penetrating the hair shaft. Thus the benefit you could have got by applying coconut oil on hair that is free of residues and coatings will not be forthcoming.

Maybe I am being a purist, but I do worry about the number of different products that some people use on their scalp and hair, especially on some Youtube tutorials, in the belief that by using some of everything they fancy the end result will be superb.

Traditional Indian hair care practices are simple and although one can make up all sorts of exotic mixtures, the strength of this type of hair care is in its simplicity and effectiveness.


I have to agree that traditional methods work best together. At least in my experience.

The happiest hair days I experienced in my life were from using shikakai to wash and coconut oil. :cloud9:

That was it.

When I used conditioner I got frizz and buildup. Shampoo doesn't get out heavy oilings as well as shikakai without drying my hair and turning into a frizzy mess. Shikakai never seemed to dry my hair no matter how much I used.

The only problem I had with it was that my hair seemed dry and brittle during the winter and I haven't figured out how to compensate for that without using modern products.

I've tried Amla powder for conditioning, but it made my hair frizzy and weird. :confused:

I also don't really like ordering products online, but if I could find a way to make it work all year round I would invest and buy enough to last me the year. lol

I'm really enjoying this thread and look forward to the responses. :D

[jamena]

:) i just started using indian hair care products at the beggining of the month so far so goood my hair is soo much healthier and shinier i used shikakai oil and herbal hesh perfumed coconut oil im planning to buy shikakai powder and organic virgin coconut oil they work wonders my hair is soft and nooo more dryness/brittleness

[summergame]

I agree to that the traditional Indian methods are looking very good to me,the problem is for me like some other LHC users that i have not the time to do such a routine and we've do not have all the products who are listed in this topic, i really need to order everything online. I really think it is sad that there are coming every day new shampoos in the magasins full of silicones and sulfates but they are no natural products who are coming..

Hope you understand me, my English is poor! :(

[Paranda Belle]

I would argue that there is a difference between hair on the heads of people that originate from or live on the indian subcontinent and indian hair care, however you want to define it. When growing up I found my hair would behave in different ways to the hair my english friends had, so in my opinion we do need to class it in its own catagory. Whether indian hair responds better to indian hair care or western products is a matter of experimentation, opinion and the individual. I know lots of indians who would never touch indian herbs and oils and I'm sure there are lots of people who don't have indian hair, but adopt indian herbs into their routine.





But, as much as I would love to be able to follow a strict traditional Indian routine, I simply can't. I don't have the time, nor the money to be able to support a full-time Indian care regime. And I would venture to guess that this might be true for other. Hence, yes, I do mix modern and traditional methods. And I'm proud to say that I have seen a difference in my hair. Daily oilings, weekly heavy oilings, combing, no brushing, protective up-dos, and no heat have made my hair healthier and thicker. I have been able to embrace and practice these elements of traditional Indian hair care.
However, I also use modern products, primarily non-cone conditioners everyday, and SLS shampoo twice a week. I also use a conditioner spray every so often. And they don't seem to have affected the Indian care aspect of my regime.

I think people need to keep in mind that there is no hair care routine, whether traditional or modern, that will give immediate, spectacular results. Keeping realistic expectations and having patience is the best thing to do. Figure out what works for you and be open to dabbling with all sorts of products, new or old.

I guess the point of my mini-rant is that though we keep dropping the phrase Indian hair care, it should be given a broad definition here. Whether you are a true traditional Indian hair care purist, or someone like me who follows quite a few of the practices yet mixes in modern products, or someone who is only doing one or two aspects.

Oh geez, I really hope I didn't offend, piss-off, or hurt anyone. I just couldn't stop thinking about this thread and I had to write out my feelings. Anyone and everyone is more than welcome to rant right back at me! :scared:

Agreed with all of the above, and you didn't offend me!

In England I find that loose herbs in packets are only availible in indian shops in areas where there are "new" immigrants, suggesting that indians who were born in England or indians who have been here for years use commercial products for convieniance or because they find herbs clog the drain (I speak from experience :)!)

Even in india now people are turing away from herbs. I tried getting some herbs on my last trip thinking that they would be easier to find there but had real problems. As people get richer, commercial products, like those from dabur, are seen as a status symbol. Whether it's better for them or not, I don't know.

Currently I used things like commercial conditioner, ready mixed oils etc. The beauty of joining lhc is that I can read all this info on here and start my own little hair journey and decide what is best for me after experimenting. Different products, different hair, different results.

Othala - I currently use conditioner and coconut oil and feel the benefits. It does penetrate through whatever the conditioner leaves on my hair and because my hair is so long and tangly I can't imagne ever doing without commercial conditioner.

[Othala]

Othala - I currently use conditioner and coconut oil and feel the benefits. It does penetrate through whatever the conditioner leaves on my hair and because my hair is so long and tangly I can't imagne ever doing without commercial conditioner.

Hi Paranda Belle, as you can see from my signature, I use commercial conditioner (Elasticizer) along with coconut oil, too. Unlike yourself, I feel that conditioners coat the hair and prevent the coconut oil being properly absorbed by the hair shaft. I have been reading ktani's oil shampoo thread where a similar conclusion appears to have been reached.

I have lived in England for 39 years and it was not through my Indian relatives that I first came across traditional Indian hair "products", but through internet hair forums. Then I grilled my relatives and the relatives of my Indian friends for information. No one in my family that remain in India and Pakistan use Shikakai or oil their hair. They think it is dreadfully old fashioned and backward and think I am out of my mind for taking up these "obsolete" practices.

Like you, I also think that modern bathrooms are not cut out for Indian herbs (the clogging issue you mentioned and also staining) and that using Indian herbs in cold climates is not good, which is why I revert to a purist traditional Indian routine only in the summertime.

I agree that people who have their ethnic origins in or around the Indian sub-continent generally speaking share a certain hair type in terms of colour, thickness, texture and so on, although there is variation within that hair type.More importantly perhaps, a few decades ago we all shared a vision of extremely long, black hair as an essential part of female beauty.

I too believe that our hair type responds well to the traditional Indian hair care methods and use of natural substances, in terms of health, growth and preservation of length. However, as modernity spreads, heads of oiled hair in plaits and buns are seen as ugly or dirty and the ideal of beautiful hair is shorter, styled, coloured, blow-dried and chemically treated image that we are bombarded with by the media.

I think/hope there will always be a place for traditional Indian hair care, whether that is by ethnic Indian people or people of other ethnicities and nations who find this approach beneficial for their own hair, bathroom drainage problems notwithstanding!

[Cleopatra18]

I did coconut heavy oiling and washed it off with rhassoul clay the next day.Gosh my hair feels extremly thick but same time it's kinda dry/tangly.although i doubt it's the rhassol since i mainly applied it on my scalp and very little on the length.It cleaned my scalp really well though.
I plan to henna really soon and hopefully work on adding more moisture into my hair.

[heynormy]

Another Indian here!!
Mainly my routine consists of washing with shampoo and conditioner, but coconut oil has been a staple for me since I was a kid. I remember my mom used to do a weekly heavy oiling on me with a scalp massage!!

[WinterInBloom]

I'm not an Indian, actually Mexican, White, and Native American, but my hair must be similar-ish in texture to Indian women's hair because Indian herbs work quite well for me. I use aritha, amla, and ashikakai to wash my hair at least once a week, sometimes twice if I have time, but otherwise I use Beeceuticals shampoo and conditioner for my second washing if I need to. I also use vatica coconut oil on my hair as well. If I need to do a heavy oiling I use my shampoo and conditioner to wash it out as the herbs aren't quite strong enough to do so.

I'll give a quick breakdown on how I use my herbs, in case anyone finds the information useful.

1. I make my herbs into something between a tea and a really runny gravy as there are still herb particles in it. I fill a coffee mug with boiling water and add 1 teaspoon each of aritha, amla, and ashikakai. I leave it to set for at least ten minutes, but sometimes longer.

2. When my tea/gravy is ready I give it a good stir, then I poor it through a small wire mesh strainer into a bottle meant for hair dye (I also use a funnel so pouring doesn't get messy). This doesn't get out all herb particles, just the largest ones that would clog the very small tip on my bottle.

3. I give the bottle a gentle shake, then use it to paint many stripes all over my scalp. Then just rub it in. I generally let it sit in my hair for 20-30 min. I find this method helps me get the herbs distributed evenly, and it seems the best way to keep my mixture from running away from me and making a big mess before I can get it on my scalp.

I did try using a thicker gravy, and even paste before, but both of those methods required a lot more of the herbs, which turned out to be wasteful since I don't need a whole lot of the herbs to get my hair clean. Also, the pastier mixture just made my hair tangle up, it was still soft and shiny in the end, but it was fun getting the tangles out. :P

[Dreamkitty]

I tried Hesh Aritha & Shikaki herbal powder for the first time from my local indian shop. I did a heavy oiling and then applied the gravy mixture onto my hair. It did absoluetly nothing for my hair, infact it made my hair feel very dry, sticky and heavy with the residue.

Even straining the powder, still left grains in my hair. I tried it as a thick paste, that didn't work on my hair either.

I know that for some people those hebs work fantastic, each to their own I guess.

I told my mum about it and she said, maybe the hesh brand is not pure. Don't believe everything you read and I guess that is true because you don't know what is going into them. If I could find a soapnut, I would have powdered it myself. But anyway now Im afraid to use Aritha & Shikaki, both packages are sitting there in the bathroom and I will use the remaining powder to wash jewellery instead.

I think simple is best, Dabur Amla Oil is ok on my hair, It keeps my hair mositurized but after I finish that Im going back to coconut oil, that is my favourite and works best for my hair :).

What works for me is using diluted lemon on the hair to get rid of a dry scalp. And natural youghurt which makes my hair feel so soft and gives me great results.

My hair feels the healthiest when I use coconut or olive oil and then simply wash with a basic shampoo, just using conditioner on the ends.

[LoversLullaby]

Wonderful thread! I'm always searching through the old one in the archives (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=53513) and am so glad we have a thread here to talk about it! Restrictions on my lifestyle mean I can't follow a strict Indian hair care method, as the nearest Indian grocery is 30 miles away and I have no idea if they even sell Indian hair care herbs there. However I do follow a bunch of things from them. Here are some of them below I follow:




Hair is oiled heavily once a week
Hair is kept oiled to a greater or lesser extent at all times after cleaning
If hair is dyed, it is dyed with henna (don't dye my hair and that's the only way I would dye it)
Weekly head massage
Air-drying hair - never using hair dryers or other heated tools
Protective styles: Two oiled plaits (braids) for girls, a single plait or bun for adult women

I wash about twice a week (sometimes three), with a deep oiling once a week before deep conditioning too. I also do coconut milk soaks sometimes, and I only use combs on my hair, except for my BBB that I use to smooth back my buns if I have a ton of flyaways.

For my heavy oilings I use about 3 teaspoons coconut oil and 1 teaspoon castor oil (included in there to increase thickness and encourage growth, I know for sure it's making my hair thicker, there's so many baby hairs coming in!). I massage it into my scalp first, and then apply down from there. Braid it, apply more oil to the tassel, and then keep it on overnight. I then shampoo it out and deep condition it usually. (: I'll then use coconut oil and a leave in conditioner on my ends, and coconut oil everyday before putting my hair up into a bun. My hair is just so happy with this routine. Hopefully someday I will be able to experience a true Indian hair care routine!

[Vijikanth]

Well I was hoping to start this thread sometime back. Good to see so many response(thanks to Kaya). This is the second time am growing my hair and it is shoulder length. My routine is : I wash my hair daily and apply coconut oil even when it is damp. This is the traditional practice of people from Kerala which is famous for thick and black hair. This helps to spread the oil evenly as it does not mix with water. I use Dabur Amla hair oil while going to office as it leaves the hair non sticky.

[Cailie]

I was planning on making an Oil Infusion (for my scalp massages & to then leave overnight) with this "infusion" technique : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e095va7iAX0&feature=related

I would like you to help me and comment my recipe ... maybe my plan would be mixing too many ingredients ? :confused:


Oils
Coconut - 1/3
Olive - 1/3
Castor - 1/3

* *

Powders
Shikakai - 1 part
Brahmi - 1 part
Bhringraj - 1 part
Hibiscus Petal - 1 part
Henna - 1 part
Amla - 1/5 part
Cassia - 1/5 part

* *

Essential oils
Neem tree - few drops
Pepermint - few drops



I'd really love to have comments on this, before I do it !
Would these ingredients be better divided into 2 recipes : one for my scalp, and another for my ends ?

[virgo75]

I was planning on making an Oil Infusion (for my scalp massages & to then leave overnight) with this "infusion" technique : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e095va7iAX0&feature=related

I would like you to help me and comment my recipe ... maybe my plan would be mixing too many ingredients ? :confused:


Oils
Coconut - 1/3
Olive - 1/3
Castor - 1/3

* *

Powders
Shikakai - 1 part
Brahmi - 1 part
Bhringraj - 1 part
Hibiscus Petal - 1 part
Henna - 1 part
Amla - 1/5 part
Cassia - 1/5 part

* *

Essential oils
Neem tree - few drops
Pepermint - few drops



I'd really love to have comments on this, before I do it !
Would these ingredients be better divided into 2 recipes : one for my scalp, and another for my ends ?

I'm not a "professional" with herbs nor Indian, but I would ask if you've used all of these oils, herbs, and essential oils before alone? Some of the ingredients can irritate your skin or your hair might not like some of it. You might want to try each one alone first, then mixed in small quantities to test out how your hair and scalp respond. :flower:

If you decide to make the oil, please let us know how it works out. :) I've thought about making an infusion, but haven't tried yet.

[Cailie]

Yes, I've tried everything with great success, except for 3 herbs : Brahmi, Bhringraj and Hibiscus (which I should soon receive)

Thank you for the reminder, I will skin-test first !

I am very eager to try to make a oil infusion !!

[Othala]

Well I was hoping to start this thread sometime back. Good to see so many response(thanks to Kaya). This is the second time am growing my hair and it is shoulder length. My routine is : I wash my hair daily and apply coconut oil even when it is damp. This is the traditional practice of people from Kerala which is famous for thick and black hair. This helps to spread the oil evenly as it does not mix with water. I use Dabur Amla hair oil while going to office as it leaves the hair non sticky.

Hi Vijikanth, so nice to see a Keralite guy on this thread. May I ask you some questions, please?

Like yourself, my female Keralite friends (who live in Cochin) say that they have a head bath every day, but when I asked them to explain what they use to wash their hair, they said only water except twice a week when they use Thaali.

What do you use to wash your hair every day?

[Diamondbell]

.....they said only water except twice a week when they use Thaali.



What is Thaali? BTW Othala you have given some fantastic information on Indian methods of hair care. I have to read it all again, it was so interesting! :thumbsup:

[hairyfairy]

Ok, I am from Bengal, the Eastern part of India, and here are the hair care methods and prejudices I grew up with.

1. Oil hair everyday before a shower, and wet the top of the head, not the whole length. There used to be a special updo for this. Indians take showers, or pour water on the head and body with a mug from a bucket, or take dips in lakes/rivers. The bathtub is not culturally appropriate.

2. Once oiled at least some water must be put on the head, otherwise the body is supposed to get 'heated'.

3. Coconut oil was the oil of preference. Some herbs might be mixed in it at home.

4. Shampoo once a week, generally on Sundays. No oiling on the day of shampoo. Any commercial shampoo could be used, or Ritha. Nobody knew about Shikakai in Bengal. It was a Southern Indian herb and quite unknown to Bengalis of that time.

5. No combing wet hair. Hair wrapped in a Gaamchaa(a thin checked cotton towel) till semi-dry and then left loose with a light knot at the bottom to prevent major tangling. Comb out tangles after hair is fully dry then lightly oil and put up in braids. Twin for young girls and single for older/college going girls. Married women always wore their's in buns, as braids hanging down the back was considered 'frivolous'.

6. In the afternoon their used to be a ritual of braiding and putting up hair with oil and water. One must not wear hair down after dark. A thin ribbon was used to make a tight ponytail. This was believed to aid in faster hair growth. And then hair was dressed according to one's age.

[Othala]

What is Thaali? BTW Othala you have given some fantastic information on Indian methods of hair care. I have to read it all again, it was so interesting! :thumbsup:

Hi Diamondbell, thank you.

Thaali is usually a large handful of Hibiscus leaves mashed up. it is used as a shampoo but also has conditioning properties.

I think it is a Malayalam word.Thaali can also refer to any herbal substance used to wash the hair, so for example the Thaali I use to wash my hair is Shikakai and Mehti.I suppose it is just a term for homemade herbal shampoo.

Any Malayalees here, please correct me if I am wrong.

[Annalouise]

Ok, I am from Bengal, the Eastern part of India, and here are the hair care methods and prejudices I grew up with.

1. Oil hair everyday before a shower, and wet the top of the head, not the whole length. There used to be a special updo for this. Indians take showers, or pour water on the head and body with a mug from a bucket, or take dips in lakes/rivers. The bathtub is not culturally appropriate.

2. Once oiled at least some water must be put on the head, otherwise the body is supposed to get 'heated'.

3. Coconut oil was the oil of preference. Some herbs might be mixed in it at home.

4. Shampoo once a week, generally on Sundays. No oiling on the day of shampoo. Any commercial shampoo could be used, or Ritha. Nobody knew about Shikakai in Bengal. It was a Southern Indian herb and quite unknown to Bengalis of that time.

5. No combing wet hair. Hair wrapped in a Gaamchaa(a thin checked cotton towel) till semi-dry and then left loose with a light knot at the bottom to prevent major tangling. Comb out tangles after hair is fully dry then lightly oil and put up in braids. Twin for young girls and single for older/college going girls. Married women always wore their's in buns, as braids hanging down the back was considered 'frivolous'.

6. In the afternoon their used to be a ritual of braiding and putting up hair with oil and water. One must not wear hair down after dark. A thin ribbon was used to make a tight ponytail. This was believed to aid in faster hair growth. And then hair was dressed according to one's age.

Thanks! That was so interesting.:) I love it. I love the fact that there is a "ritual" around hair. I love the hair knot to avoid tangling. How much oil do you guess people used on a daily basis? Like 1 tsp or more? And do you dampen the hair with water before you put the oil on it?
And lastly, do married women wear any bun, or is there a type of bun that is the most common?

[hairyfairy]

Quantity of hair used daily was maybe 1 tsp or so. It is never measured, just poured in the left palm, rubbed together (the palms, I mean) and spread on the scalp by spreading the fingers and pushing them below the scalp hhair from both sides.

Water is put on the head after oiling.

There is a typical everyday Indian bun which is normally worn. Dress up 'do's are different.

Of course, much of this is changed now. We oil and don't wet our hair, don't braid our hair at night, move around with carefree abandon while our hair flies in the wind, and do many other 'unthinkable' things much to the consternation of our grandmothers.

[Diamondbell]

Wonderful thread!

For my heavy oilings I use about 3 teaspoons coconut oil and 1 teaspoon castor oil (included in there to increase thickness and encourage growth, I know for sure it's making my hair thicker, there's so many baby hairs coming in!). I massage it into my scalp first, and then apply down from there. Braid it, apply more oil to the tassel, and then keep it on overnight. I then shampoo it out and deep condition it usually. (: I'll then use coconut oil and a leave in conditioner on my ends, and coconut oil everyday before putting my hair up into a bun. My hair is just so happy with this routine. Hopefully someday I will be able to experience a true Indian hair care routine!

Thanks for sharing this! I too oiled with coconut oil and a little bit of castor oil and washed the next day I did only a WO but used rosemary and neem decoction for the last rinse - and it really helped me because my hair ends were so dry. I like it!! :D

[Dreamkitty]

Ok, I am from Bengal, the Eastern part of India, and here are the hair care methods and prejudices I grew up with.

1. Oil hair everyday before a shower, and wet the top of the head, not the whole length. There used to be a special updo for this. Indians take showers, or pour water on the head and body with a mug from a bucket, or take dips in lakes/rivers. The bathtub is not culturally appropriate.

2. Once oiled at least some water must be put on the head, otherwise the body is supposed to get 'heated'.

3. Coconut oil was the oil of preference. Some herbs might be mixed in it at home.

4. Shampoo once a week, generally on Sundays. No oiling on the day of shampoo. Any commercial shampoo could be used, or Ritha. Nobody knew about Shikakai in Bengal. It was a Southern Indian herb and quite unknown to Bengalis of that time.

6. One must not wear hair down after dark.

Hairyfairy, those are some interesting points and my mum told me some of these:D.

I oil my hair fairly heavily once or at the most twice a week. My hair is fluffy & if I oil lightly my head feels heated like you said, I feel uncomfortable.

I have a question, is it bad to leave oil on hair for a long time? because after shampooing, the morning after I apply medium heavy oil to my hair and then don't wash it for 5 days, sometimes it has stayed in my hair for a week even. My theory is that will the oil attract most dust making hair shed more?

[LoversLullaby]

I'm thinking of trying a completely Indian-based hair care routine, except of using egg shampoo instead of shikakai. I've used egg shampoos before with my heavy oilings and my hair loved it, and it removed most of the oil, but not too much of it where my hair felt stripped. :) Maybe when I get the money I'll order some shikakai and a few other Indian herbs too, but for now I have no money. :D I'll be researching thoroughly! I just am really searching for an all-natural hair care routine that works well with my hair, and since my hair responds well to a lot of Indian hair care methods, I'll be using a lot of these methods. Expect me around this thread a lot more! :)

[Annalouise]

Quantity of hair used daily was maybe 1 tsp or so. It is never measured, just poured in the left palm, rubbed together (the palms, I mean) and spread on the scalp by spreading the fingers and pushing them below the scalp hhair from both sides.

Water is put on the head after oiling.

There is a typical everyday Indian bun which is normally worn. Dress up 'do's are different.

Of course, much of this is changed now. We oil and don't wet our hair, don't braid our hair at night, move around with carefree abandon while our hair flies in the wind, and do many other 'unthinkable' things much to the consternation of our grandmothers.

Thanks Hairyfairy:) That's funny. It's true if you don't take care of something you'll lose it right? Grandmothers usually have good advice. I never heard of wetting the head after oiling.

[Othala]

I don't know if this belongs under the Indian hair care category, but I have witnessed how hair growth is stimulated and alopecia in the following instances overcome by the topical application of iodine. I am posting this here because all these ladies were Indian and the Iodine cure was suggested by an Indian herbal practitioner.

My aunt, a friend of my mothers and another lady who is an Indian GP have resolved their hair loss problems this way. I give some details below:

Aunt
My mother's sister is 60 years old and she developed a bald patch about the size of a medium tomato at the back of her head about 10 years ago. More of these bald patches have appeared and disappeared over the years but she always had at least three of them at any one time. The doctor said that they were stress-related and there was no medication that would help. A hakim (Indian practitioner of Unani medicine) recommended she apply a teaspoon of Iodine, diluted in sesame oil, all over her scalp and leave it overnight, washing it off the following day. The type of Iodine she was using is Lugols (sp?) and apparently it stains so she wore a hat to bed and covered her pillow with a towel. One month later her bald patches have filled in with a centimetre of strong growth. There are no further bald patches appearing. This has been the case since Spring 2010.

Mother's friend
This lady who is in her 40s has diffuse hair loss so you can see through her hairdo. She did the Iodine treatment as described above and 6 months later she has a full head of hair.

Lady doctor
This Hindu lady is a GP here in the U.K about 55 years old and she is anemic. She had been taking iron tablets and injections of B12 for years but her hair had thinned and was considerably weak and broken especially around her temples and forehead hairlines. She followed the iodine treatment and a few months later her hair growth is strong and her hair is maintaining it's structure and not breaking off.

Now, all the above could be coincidences. It could be that all these ladies had an underlying Iodine deficiency that was effecting their hair growth. I don't know. I just find it interesting and wonder if anyone has heard of this before and can throw any light on why the Iodine may be working.

[hairyfairy]

I have heard of this but don't know anybody who has actually done this. Probably the absorption of iodine through the skin corrected some underlying deficiency, who knows?

[lascuba]

I have heard of this but don't know anybody who has actually done this. Probably the absorption of iodine through the skin corrected some underlying deficiency, who knows?

That's what I'm thinking. Iodine deficiency causes hypothyroid, which can cause hair loss.

I'm loving all the advice in this thread!

[Othala]

That's what I'm thinking. Iodine deficiency causes hypothyroid, which can cause hair loss.

I did not think Iodine deficiency could be rectified by Iodine application and absorption through the skin.

How does one even know that one has Iodine deficiency and if it is at a level that does not cause apparent thyroid problems but does cause hair loss?

BTW, now that I am mentioning this my Indian friends and relatives, they all seem to know or recall this remedy!

[Diamondbell]

"Turnips, cabbage, mustard, soy beans, peanuts, pine nuts and millet can be eaten, if there is a deficiency of iodine."
says holisticonline dot com.

This is good to know.

[Othala]

"Turnips, cabbage, mustard, soy beans, peanuts, pine nuts and millet can be eaten, if there is a deficiency of iodine."
says holisticonline dot com.

This is good to know.

Also, kelp and seafood!

[Annalouise]

I have a book called "grow hair fast" and it prescribes a 50/50 mixture of castor oil and white iodine (the kind you can eat, not the kind you put on cuts) on your scalp daily.
I've also read this is popular in India for hair loss.

I haven't tried it because you have to order white iodine online its hard to get.

[lascuba]

I did not think Iodine deficiency could be rectified by Iodine application and absorption through the skin.

How does one even know that one has Iodine deficiency and if it is at a level that does not cause apparent thyroid problems but does cause hair loss?

BTW, now that I am mentioning this my Indian friends and relatives, they all seem to know or recall this remedy! We can absorb at least some iodine through the skin...whether it would be enough to correct a deficiency I don't know.

[Vijikanth]

Hi Othala, Sorry I happened to see your comments only today. Thanks for the comments about my hair. But I'm from Chennai, Tamilnadu and not Kerala eventhough mostly I'm mistaken for a keralite not only with appearance, but with the slang too. Anyway, As your keralite friend suggested, I too do not use any ingredients while washing the hair other than shikkakai once a week. And I started using Himalaya Conditioner for some time. And when the hair is still damp, I apply Dabur Amla hair oil or Pure Coconut oil bought straight from the Oil mill.

[Othala]

Hi Othala, Sorry I happened to see your comments only today. Thanks for the comments about my hair. But I'm from Chennai, Tamilnadu and not Kerala eventhough mostly I'm mistaken for a keralite not only with appearance, but with the slang too. Anyway, As your keralite friend suggested, I too do not use any ingredients while washing the hair other than shikkakai once a week. And I started using Himalaya Conditioner for some time. And when the hair is still damp, I apply Dabur Amla hair oil or Pure Coconut oil bought straight from the Oil mill.

Hi Vijikanth,

Good to hear from you. Sorry I mistook you for a Keralite.

Thank you for confirming your routine and the products you use.

I envy your ability to buy fresh coconut oil. Do you find the fresh oil very different from the older stuff? Interesting that you oil on damp hair. Is this because you are rushed for time or because this has a better effect on your hair?

And if I may say so, it is so nice to see that a young man is taking care of his hair properly!

Best wishes,

Othala

[Annalouise]

Do you think a person could rub powdered kelp on their scalp to achieve the same effect? (as using white iodine?)

[Othala]

Do you think a person could rub powdered kelp on their scalp to achieve the same effect? (as using white iodine?)

Hi Annalouise,

Having just read your previous and last posts, I thought I would so a little online research and came upon this summary of some scientific studies concerning Iodine absorption through the skin:
http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/updates/UNIOD-02/UNIOD_02.htm

The upshot is"One can conclude that skin application of iodine is an effective if not efficient and practical way for supplementation of iodine with an expected bioavailability of 6 to 12% of the total iodine applied to the skin."

Well, if the amount of Iodine one would absorb from topical application of actual Iodine is only 6 - 12%, then I think even less of the Iodine that is trapped in cellulose within kelp would be absorbed by the skin. I am only speculating though.

Very interesting what you posted about the White iodine and Castor oil mix. I may try it out. Thank you.

[Cailie]

What about indian hair care and trimming ?

Are there any traditions or beliefs sometimes related to trimming ?
Are there moments / methods appropriate to do it (or not to) ? Frequency ?

[Othala]

What about indian hair care and trimming ?

Are there any traditions or beliefs sometimes related to trimming ?
Are there moments / methods appropriate to do it (or not to) ? Frequency ?

Traditionally, and I mean in "the old days" women ideally never cut or trimmed their hair at all.

Babies had their head shaved and the hair that was removed was disposed of in a ritual way. My sister and me both had our head shaved at 9 months of age and the hair was mixed in a flour and water dough and thrown into the sea. I think this was done to prevent people taking the hair and using it in sorcery or witchcraft.

[hairyfairy]

Even shed hair balls are spat on before disposing. The reason given is to
prevent 'evil eye' but actually spit (or water if you would, ) weighs the hair down and prevents it from flying all about the place.

No trimming on Tuesdays and Saturdays, no trimming on the day you were born as well as the actual birthday. No trimming after sunset, on the full and new moon days.

[Cleopatra18]

A friend of mine was just telling me that "if you want the hair to grow thick like indians,babies should shave all their hair at 9 month or 1 yr of age"
I did henna treatment the past week and doing regular coconut oil soaks prior to washing 3x per week.I have been washing with sidr and keeping track of it on my blog outside LHC,will add the link to my siggy later if anyone wants to know.Im just using it for the second time today,havent rinsed yet.

[Paranda Belle]

All the indian superstitions about hair that I can think of are about washing. Married women (and those waiting for nice husbands) should not wash their hair on Tuesdays. If you want to keep your brothers safe, you should not wash your hair on a Thursday and it's just plain bad luck to wash your hair on Saturdays!

[Vijikanth]

Hi Vijikanth,

Good to hear from you. Sorry I mistook you for a Keralite.

Thank you for confirming your routine and the products you use.

I envy your ability to buy fresh coconut oil. Do you find the fresh oil very different from the older stuff? Interesting that you oil on damp hair. Is this because you are rushed for time or because this has a better effect on your hair?

And if I may say so, it is so nice to see that a young man is taking care of his hair properly!

Best wishes,

Othala
Hi Othala, Thanks for those wonderful comments. Yes it makes a lots of difference. I not only use Plain coconut oil, but add few roots and dried Hibiscus flower as well soaked into it. Thats my moms traditional way. That acts as a coolant as well as maintain the black color. Hair doesnt turn sticky when the hair oil is pure. Dampness helps spread the oil evenly since Oil and water do not mix. Also it conditions the hair. If hair is dry and oil it, it turns out puffy and unmanageable since my hair is curly and thick.

[Annalouise]

Hi Annalouise,

Having just read your previous and last posts, I thought I would so a little online research and came upon this summary of some scientific studies concerning Iodine absorption through the skin:
http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/updates/UNIOD-02/UNIOD_02.htm

The upshot is"One can conclude that skin application of iodine is an effective if not efficient and practical way for supplementation of iodine with an expected bioavailability of 6 to 12% of the total iodine applied to the skin."

Well, if the amount of Iodine one would absorb from topical application of actual Iodine is only 6 - 12%, then I think even less of the Iodine that is trapped in cellulose within kelp would be absorbed by the skin. I am only speculating though.

Very interesting what you posted about the White iodine and Castor oil mix. I may try it out. Thank you.

Hi Othala,
Thanks for your information. I did a quick search and I found several shampoos that were fortified with sea kelp. So I think it would be fairly safe to add kelp to shampoo or to oil, and put it on the scalp. Maybe even mixing my castor oil with my powdered kelp. :)
But like you say, in powdered form it might not be very absorbable. It would be best to just buy the white iodine.

[Othala]

Hi Othala, Thanks for those wonderful comments. Yes it makes a lots of difference. I not only use Plain coconut oil, but add few roots and dried Hibiscus flower as well soaked into it. Thats my moms traditional way. That acts as a coolant as well as maintain the black color. Hair doesnt turn sticky when the hair oil is pure. Dampness helps spread the oil evenly since Oil and water do not mix. Also it conditions the hair. If hair is dry and oil it, it turns out puffy and unmanageable since my hair is curly and thick.

Hi Vijikanth, That is good information. I have been told about these recipes that run in some families regarding things that are soaked in coconut oil to make it extra special for the hair. Some of these recipes are secret, I'm told. this summer I will buy some fresh coconuts and extract the oil. Lack of stickiness would be a great boon. I will also take your advice and try oiling on damp hair. Thanks and best wishes, Othala

[Othala]

Hi Othala,
Thanks for your information. I did a quick search and I found several shampoos that were fortified with sea kelp. So I think it would be fairly safe to add kelp to shampoo or to oil, and put it on the scalp. Maybe even mixing my castor oil with my powdered kelp. :)
But like you say, in powdered form it might not be very absorbable. It would be best to just buy the white iodine.

Hi Annalouise,

When I use kelp to make dashi stock, I soak a strip of kelp in water overnight. By morning the water has become jelly-like. I have also done this with powdered kelp and it has turned into a light jelly. I just wonder if one can do a scalp treatment just with this jellified kelp. I am thinking that castor oil may block absorption as it is a drawing oil not a penetrating oil.

Also, with shampoo, is the kelp going to be adversely effected by the shampoo ingredients and is it going to be long enough on the scalp to be absorbed?
Please let us know how you get on with your experiments. I think experimentation is what makes LHCers so wonderful. Always trying new things and constantly learning.

Take care,
Othala

[TwilightBloom]

The Indian hair care techniques work really well for me and the only reason I do not use them in the winter is that the herbs (shikakai and the herbs in Neelibhringadi tailam) are cooling on the body system and I really don't want to over-cool in the cold winters.


Where do you get your Neelibhringadi oil, I can't seem to find it anywhere? thanks for any help..

[Cleopatra18]

Othala I never really understood that thing,oils cooling on the scalp or produce heat.
is that like in the sense of increasing the metabolism etc? and like does it matter to the hair?
Also do you find extra growth with Neelibhringadi oil?

[Diamondbell]

Babies had their head shaved and the hair that was removed was disposed of in a ritual way. My sister and me both had our head shaved at 9 months of age and the hair was mixed in a flour and water dough and thrown into the sea. I think this was done to prevent people taking the hair and using it in sorcery or witchcraft.

I have also heard that they would shave the baby's head and apply the powdered ash of a coconut shell on the baby's scalp (before wash) in Kerala and this ensured thick hair. Anyone heard of it? But I just checked and found this at kesarkar dot com:
"◦Burn a hard shell of coconut till it reduces to ash. Filter and store in a glass bottle. Mix some amount of this ash everyday with virgin coconut oil, and apply on the scalp. wash after few hours. Regular use prevents hair fall and also helps treat alopecia" .

So it looks like adults use it too? :ohmy: Hmm... sounds like a tedious process.

[Othala]

Where do you get your Neelibhringadi oil, I can't seem to find it anywhere? thanks for any help..

I got it online from the India Abundance website. I spoke to the guy there and ordered it in bulk and got a good deal. I wanted the Kama Ayurveda brand in particular because it is good quality and does not contain antimony (some other brands do). I have never seen Neelibhringadi oil in the shops, even in "Indian areas" of the U.K.

[Othala]

Othala I never really understood that thing,oils cooling on the scalp or produce heat.
is that like in the sense of increasing the metabolism etc? and like does it matter to the hair?
Also do you find extra growth with Neelibhringadi oil?

The heating and cooling of various substances that are applied to the body, or ingested, is part of Ayurveda teachings. The heating or cooling effect is subtle and it is referring to the internal effect on the body, not the actual physical temperate.

Does heating/cooling matter to the hair? Well, it is a scientific fact that prolonged fever is a cause of hair loss. In the East, hot weather can cause a person to over-heat and this too can cause hair loss. I think you would need to speak to an Ayurvedic practitioner to get a qualified answer.

The Neelibhringadi oil (which is very cooling to the point that it may bring on sinus problems and give you a chill if you are susceptible to these things) has improved the quality of my hair more than any enhancement of growth. It certainly reduces my shed rate when I use it consistently in the summer.

I thought this might have been a coincidence and that perhaps my hair simply shed less in the summer, so last year I stopped using Neeli oil for 2 months. Result = increased shedding. Went back to the Neeli oil. Result = shedding reduced right back.

[Othala]

I have also heard that they would shave the baby's head and apply the powdered ash of a coconut shell on the baby's scalp (before wash) in Kerala and this ensured thick hair. Anyone heard of it? But I just checked and found this at kesarkar dot com:
"◦Burn a hard shell of coconut till it reduces to ash. Filter and store in a glass bottle. Mix some amount of this ash everyday with virgin coconut oil, and apply on the scalp. wash after few hours. Regular use prevents hair fall and also helps treat alopecia" .

So it looks like adults use it too? :ohmy: Hmm... sounds like a tedious process.

I have never heard of this. A very tedious process, as you say Diamondbell. The older generation certainly knew how to make a lot of work for themselves!

I wish I had a maid who could help me with my hair rituals. My great grandmother had such a maid who would comb and oil her hair everyday. Every Sunday, the maid would prepare the herbal mixtures for hair washing, then massage her mistresses head and wash it. The process took 3 hours I am told by my aunts who shake their head at the madness of it all. But they have short hair in modern styles and think I am crazy to want to know about such things, let alone practice them.

[Cleopatra18]

haha i cant imagine how amazing it must be having someone do all the hard work for you ,that was my favourate part about going to a salon.

[starlights]

I'm originally from Kerala and we do cut the babies hair when its a few months old. I've never seen the coconut wash though, although I do live in england but i can imagine it happens back home. :) I will have to ask my aunt about the herbs they all use back home in kerala as i was born in england :) will come back and update!

[Yozhik]

What a wonderful thread and great store of information! I definitely want to try out some of these techniques when I come back to the States. Shipping to Russia, I think, let alone trying to explain to customs what I'm ordering, would be too much of a task for me.

I especially love the beliefs about hair trimming and washing -- does anyone else know any others, or relating to hair in general? I learned a couple of interesting ones that some traditional Russian people follow, like burning all trimmed hair, as well as shed hair to prevent cursing by the Evil Eye. Also, according to some, any self-trimming is very bad luck, because you are in effect shortening your life by cutting your own hair. I think it's fascinating how vitality and hair are so linked . . .

Also, I am very intrigued by a couple of statements on this thread for the traditional married woman's bun, which holds without pins. Could someone please explain how to make it? Thank you in advance! :flower:

-Yozhik

[Annalouise]

Hi Yozhik:) Here is the thread on Indian buns:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=63468

[Yozhik]

Hi Yozhik:) Here is the thread on Indian buns:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=63468

Thanks for your help, Annalouise! :flowers:

[mira-chan]

I have the Indian Hair Styles by Veena Purohit book. I think I copied some of the instruction images on my blog and in my photobucket somewhere I think. I'll dig around to find it and post some. It has some care instructions too I'll dig the book up and post some things here soon.

I forgot I had it. :oops:

[Othala]

I have the Indian Hair Styles by Veena Purohit book. I think I copied some of the instruction images on my blog and in my photobucket somewhere I think. I'll dig around to find it and post some. It has some care instructions too I'll dig the book up and post some things here soon.

I forgot I had it. :oops:

Looking forward to your next post on this thread, mira-chan :).

[Cleopatra18]

This thread is so enabling :rolleyes: I'm doing my best not to place a huge order for indian herbs and oils right now :( I think I'm going to henna again the coming weekend,anyone doing the same??
Btw Othala I saw your profile and didn't quiet understand how henna ruined your hair? or maybe I got it wrong :confused:

[Othala]

Btw Othala I saw your profile and didn't quiet understand how henna ruined your hair? or maybe I got it wrong :confused:

Hi Cleopatra18. Here is the short version of how henna ruined my hair:

I applied henna (about 4 times) and henndigo (once) over the course of 18 months to my entire hair i.e. not just the roots.

On first application, my hair felt stronger but drier and with repeated applications it just got increasingly brittle and porous to the point that it started breaking off.

Now all the time I was using henna, I was deep conditioning and oiling like mad. It did no good and I ended up with hair that would not get longer than that photo in my album.

Once I stopped using henna and cut off all the henna'd hair, I could grow long hair again. My hair is now much healthier and elastic, not straw-like, not porous and gaining longer lengths than before.

[Cleopatra18]

okay now I'm scared,should I stop using it? this sounds scary
I remember using it last year a total of 2-3 times (once every month) my hair didnt suffer but My hair broke off later I'm not sure if it was because of Henna.
I have been stuck at this length for so long and everything beyond waist length was breaking and thin.
I cut off 3 inches of hair gradually over the past 5 months or so,I thought my hemline would be better but shockingly in my last length check in january my length was kind of see through starting from about BSL-MBL.
okay I'm having mini panic attack right now..

[mira-chan]

These images are from "Indian Hair Styles" book by Veena Purohit.

Hair was oiled before all hairstyles in this book.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena2.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena3.jpg

Note: I own the book these images come from, it is out of print and very rare, published in the 1962. (In case of copyright complaints.)

[Othala]

Beautiful photographs, mira-chan thank you. I love the use of various kinds of Jasmine flowers in the hair. Very romantic indeed (sigh).

[Cleopatra18]

Wow what a nice book! you're so lucky :)

[mira-chan]

Flowers are a major thing in this book for hair decoration and beautification.

I'm looking at the hair care section now and I'll summarize some care info.

1. Hair is combed twice a day for several minutes. "Comb hair in an outward direction, not flat against the head." No fine tooth combs, wide tooth combs only. "Comb from the nape of the neck over the head, and from the top of of one ear to the other. In this way the hair gets ventilation it needs, which it cannot obtain when combed close to the head."

2. Braid for the night after combing.

3. Wash mix: Aritha, Shikakai, and Amla in equal parts. Soak overnight in cold water then boil, strain and let cool. Rub it into hair well and then was and rinse hair.

4. Fresh coconut "milk"applied to hair a day before wash.

5. For dandruff and itching, neem juice or lime juice just before wash, applied to the scalp.

6. Massage with coconut or til (sesame) oil, warmed and rubbed gently into hair and scalp. Wash excess away with shikakai or soapnuts.

7. Be gentle with wet hair.

[Fethenwen]

^ Awesome! I wish I could get my hands on such a book.

[Fethenwen]

Hmm, I found something like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Indias-Beauty-Secrets-Monisha-Bharadwaj/dp/1856267784/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297197738&sr=1-10

Seems quite promising.

[mira-chan]

^ Awesome! I wish I could get my hands on such a book.
I got mine on Abebooks second hand internet book store. Sometimes rare books like that pop up there for relatively reasonable prices.

[Annalouise]

Thanks Mira Chan, those updos are beautiful. And I can only imagine how long the models hair was.
Very good hair care instructions too. I will try it when I have the herbs.:)

[mira-chan]

Thanks Mira Chan, those updos are beautiful. And I can only imagine how long the models hair was.
Very good hair care instructions too. I will try it when I have the herbs.:)
You're welcome. The hair is about thigh length from what I see in the book pictures.

Some more pictures:
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena4.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena5.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena6.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena7.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/Veena/veena8.jpg

This is all I have scanned for now. If I get time to do some more I will. The book is mostly pictures so there are a lot.

[Kaya]

Mira-Chan, the spirits thank you! The scans are absolutely amazing! Those women have such gorgeous hair. Need I mention the styles are utterly :thud:-worthy? I adore that last braided bun.

[Othala]

Hmm, I found something like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Indias-Beauty-Secrets-Monisha-Bharadwaj/dp/1856267784/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297197738&sr=1-10

Seems quite promising.

I have this book. It does not provide any additional information to what already we have on LHC. A better book in terms of Indian Haircare history is "Almond Eyes, Lotus Feet".

[Paranda Belle]

What a wonderful thread and great store of information! I definitely want to try out some of these techniques when I come back to the States. Shipping to Russia, I think, let alone trying to explain to customs what I'm ordering, would be too much of a task for me.

Yozhik, You don't say where in Russia you are but there a few Indian shops in Moscow which stock spices and some hair products. I can provide vague directions if you want to experiment. Indian stuff in general (particularly bollywood dance) is popular all over the country and recently there are loads of indian cultural centers which have sprung up mainly because it was the year of India in Russia a few years back.

[Paranda Belle]

Mira-Chan Thank you so much for those pictures. I hope to look forward to more!

As a compare and contrast, here are some styles (http://www.weddingsutra.com/lakmesalon/look_book.htm) from one of India's upmarket salon chains. (click on hair looks)

[Othala]

mira-chan I think your hair would look beautiful in those styles. Have you tried them? Have you tried decorating your hair with flowers?

I have been umming and aahhing about buying some Tuberose bulbs to grow this year as they are on special offer at a gardening company I subscribe to. After seeing the "double tuberose veni bun" I am definitely going to get some.

Amazing how something related to hair can lead to inspiration in the garden, LOL.

[mira-chan]

mira-chan I think your hair would look beautiful in those styles. Have you tried them? Have you tried decorating your hair with flowers?

I have been umming and aahhing about buying some Tuberose bulbs to grow this year as they are on special offer at a gardening company I subscribe to. After seeing the "double tuberose veni bun" I am definitely going to get some.

Amazing how something related to hair can lead to inspiration in the garden, LOL.
Thanks. Unfortunately my taper would make most of them look iffy for now so I'm waiting a bit before trying.

As for flowers, I don't generally have easy access to the flowers used for these things traditionally. I'm generally too far north plant hardiness wise to grow most of the plants needed other than jasmine and that I can't plant my parents yard as mum considers the smell too strong. Oh well.

I have done the flower wreath thing that's traditional for my culture (Russian) when I have access to enough flowers that can work for it (flexible stems needed) and I do stick cherry blossoms into the side of my bun when I can in the spring. :D

[Othala]

I have done the flower wreath thing that's traditional for my culture (Russian) when I have access to enough flowers that can work for it (flexible stems needed) and I do stick cherry blossoms into the side of my bun when I can in the spring. :D

Sounds lovely!

When I was a teenager growing up in London, my parents told me that if I were living in India they would warn me never to walk outside in the evening wearing flowers in my hair because this is irresistible to Djinns. No Djinns in the U.K apparently, LOL.

[mira-chan]

Sounds lovely!

When I was a teenager growing up in London, my parents told me that if I were living in India they would warn me never to walk outside in the evening wearing flowers in my hair because this is irresistible to Djinns. No Djinns in the U.K apparently, LOL.
We had the opposite. Especially certain flowers would protect from being stolen by forest and water spirits. No Djinns in Russia either. :laugh:

[Yozhik]

Yozhik, You don't say where in Russia you are but there a few Indian shops in Moscow which stock spices and some hair products. I can provide vague directions if you want to experiment. Indian stuff in general (particularly bollywood dance) is popular all over the country and recently there are loads of indian cultural centers which have sprung up mainly because it was the year of India in Russia a few years back.

Paranda Belle, thanks for the tips! I'll keep that in mind the next time I go to Moscow, which should be around June.

Unfortunately, I'm far enough away from Moscow that I don't go there very often, and where I live is pretty isolated and there are practically no foreigners. I did hear, recently, that there's an Indian souvenir shop -- maybe it was started as part of this year of India -- I'll have to go and check it out on the off-chance that they might have something. :)


Sounds lovely!

When I was a teenager growing up in London, my parents told me that if I were living in India they would warn me never to walk outside in the evening wearing flowers in my hair because this is irresistible to Djinns. No Djinns in the U.K apparently, LOL.


We had the opposite. Especially certain flowers would protect from being stolen by forest and water spirits. No Djinns in Russia either. :laugh:

Othala and mira-chan -- what great accounts of the protective/dangerous aspect of flowers in one's hair! Very cool.

Mira-chan, can you remember which flowers are protection against leschiye and vodeniye?

[mira-chan]

Othala and mira-chan -- what great accounts of the protective/dangerous aspect of flowers in one's hair! Very cool.

Mira-chan, can you remember which flowers are protection against leschiye and vodeniye?
St. John's Wort (zveroboi) is woven into belts and wreaths for protection. Verbena. Gvozdika (Dianthus), best with 9 of these in one wreath, generally the wild flower variety.

Clover for luck. Nettle (Krapiva) for protection, so is wormwood (polyn' - Полынь), and its' considered especially strong for this, also cleanses the house.

Hope that helps Yozhik.
And I'll stop hijacking the thread now. :D

[Othala]

Clover for luck. Nettle (Krapiva) for protection, so is wormwood (polyn' - Полынь), and its' considered especially strong for this, also cleanses the house.


Oh my goodness! Thanks so much for mentioning wormwood, mira-chan, because I had asked Yozhik about it on her profile page yesterday. Is it protection against something specific, do you know?

/hijack

[Othala]

Back to Indian hair. This photograph shows the reality of how poor women in India today wash their hair....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oochappan/4261090703/in/photostream/

Harsh soap and questionable water. You can bet she won't rinse enough to get all that soap out of her hair because water would either be scarce or have to be carried from the well or river (some would wash their hair directly in the river).

It's highly likely that after washing this woman would comb and oil her hair and then bun it or braid it. She would apply sufficient oil in her hair to coat it completely and protect it. That would be all she would do until the next wash day; at the most she might pour water over her head daily.

Despite the lack of modern products and despite the lack of profuse amounts of clean water, she will typically have strong, long hair.

[twolunarspring]

I have heard that a lot of Indian immigrants to the UK used to wash their hair with Fairy Liquid (dish soap). I have heard this referenced a lot of times in books and films, etc. I'm not sure how common it was. I remember the book Brick Lane had a part about how the teenage daughter was no longer happy with Fairy Liquid, and wanted fancy shampoo instead.

[Othala]

I have heard that a lot of Indian immigrants to the UK used to wash their hair with Fairy Liquid (dish soap). I have heard this referenced a lot of times in books and films, etc. I'm not sure how common it was. I remember the book Brick Lane had a part about how the teenage daughter was no longer happy with Fairy Liquid, and wanted fancy shampoo instead.

That's interesting. Maybe it was the only thing that could get the oil off? LOL.

When my family moved to London between 1969 and 1971, we all used Head and Shoulders. None of us had dandruff and none of us left oil in our hair but for some reason Head and Shoulders was the shampoo of choice in our own and every other Indian and Pakistani home we visited.

[mira-chan]

Oh my goodness! Thanks so much for mentioning wormwood, mira-chan, because I had asked Yozhik about it on her profile page yesterday. Is it protection against something specific, do you know?

/hijack
It's considered a general cleanser against anything nasty. Good to have a bit in your home and good to have some on you. Usually dried version. It repels insects so that may have been one of the reasons for the wide use of it.

/hijack...again

[Othala]

Here is a lovely photograph of an Indian woman with really long hair in pretty good condition.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thompsonphotography1/311741994/

It looks like she might have henna'd her hair at some stage as you can see the reddish tint in the last 18 inches or so of her hair. It could also just be age and damage as Indian hair can turn reddish through damage, especially sun damage.

I really should be working........but I've got that Friday feeling....:cool:

[Annalouise]

Thanks for the pictures Othala.:)

[twolunarspring]

Wow, what a wonderful photo that is :)

[Diamondbell]

Thanks mira-chan for the pictures from Veena Purohit's book! They are lovely. It's really very kind of you to do this! :)

[Aveyronnaise]

Here is a lovely photograph of an Indian woman with really long hair in pretty good condition.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thompsonphotography1/311741994/

It looks like she might have henna'd her hair at some stage as you can see the reddish tint in the last 18 inches or so of her hair. It could also just be age and damage as Indian hair can turn reddish through damage, especially sun damage.

I really should be working........but I've got that Friday feeling....:cool:
My hair does that red thing from sun damage , is it true that coconut oil can help stop it ?
Also I have a tiny white strip starting in the front and i noticed that my hair seems to go from black to red to gray , it's weird.

[Cleopatra18]

Mira-chan is there anything more about hair care? or is it mainly hair styles?

[Yozhik]

My hair does that red thing from sun damage , is it true that coconut oil can help stop it ?
Also I have a tiny white strip starting in the front and i noticed that my hair seems to go from black to red to gray , it's weird.

Maybe this is a more common transition color -- my mother has mostly black hair, but is gradually beginning to get more whites, and before they go white, they go red (rather than grey). Also, I've noticed with one or two strands in my hair that rather than my usual brown-black hair, I'll have a black transitioning to reddish white. :hmm:

[Othala]

My hair does that red thing from sun damage , is it true that coconut oil can help stop it ?
Also I have a tiny white strip starting in the front and i noticed that my hair seems to go from black to red to gray , it's weird.

The red pigment in black/brown hair that is transitioning to white, as Yozhik mentioned, is not a sign of damage; I have hair like that too and my hair colour was originally blue-black when I was in my twenties.

The red hair I am talking about is black hair that is sunburnt. The hairshaft has lots of little "explosions" and the structure of the hair shaft is badly damaged. The black pigment seems to be lost and the hair looks reddish and sometimes even blonde.

I don't think Coconut oil can prevent this. As far as I know the only hair oil with any sun protective quality is Sesame oil.

[mira-chan]

Mira-chan is there anything more about hair care? or is it mainly hair styles?
There is some more.
The book format is:
- Historical hair style replications. Hairstyle how to pictures.
- Some quotes from historical literature interwoven together in a flowing format for some pages.
- Hair care info, which I started summarizing in a previous post. There is some recipes which I do plan on copying and posting here, I've just not had time yet. I will do so soon. There are also recommendations for curing hair problems in this section. I will be posting those too.
- Then there are more hair style pictures.

The book is not long, I'd say around 100 pages at most. No page numbers. The picture pages are on nicer papers. The text pages have yellowed though.

Hair oil recipe from book copied exactly as is, I don't know some of the ingredients so some help in figuring them out would be great:

Ingredients needed:
Coconut oil
Green Amlbla (hog plum) (My note: I guess this is fresh amla)
Rose Petals
Ivory dust
Mango stone (dried)
Mendi (Myrtle)
Bhangra seeds (celipta prostata)
Nagol Seeds
Sandalwood shavings
Kapoor kachli

Take these ingredients in equal proportions. Grind together Ambla, Rose petals, Mehndi, and Bhangra leaves into a paste. Put a little water in it and soak the mixture. Take the dry ingredients like Ivory dust, Mango stone, Nagol seeds, Sandalwood shavings and Kapoor kachli and boil them in coconut oil together with the water soaked concoction. While boiling, add a bit of fresh green doodhi. (What is this?) it helps to keep the scalp cool and comfortable and prevents headaches.

As soon as the mixture on the boil starts taking shape of a glutenous mass, reduce heat of the stove or "choola" and let it boil slowly till all the water from the mixture had evaporated. Remove the vessel from the fire. Strain the mixture with a peace of clean cloth. Let it cool. Allow strained mixture to set. Then once again strain it, this time using a thick piece of cloth - a piece of handloom or "khadi" would be ideal. When the oil thus produced has cooled, pour it into a bottle for use.

[principessa1984]

I have a question. Do you guys oil your scalp or just the hair shaft? Thanks

[Othala]

While boiling, add a bit of fresh green doodhi. (What is this?) it helps to keep the scalp cool and comfortable and prevents headaches.

Doodhi, also spelt "Dudhi", and called Lauki in Urdu is one of my favorite vegetables. It is a pale green gourd of the Calabash type, but it does not have the classic bottle gourd shape with a waist, rather it is a long marrow type of shape but tapered at one end.

It is very watery and truly cooling and in haircare of the very olden days, the pulp of Dudhi was applied like a pack to the head.

Nowadays you can get Dudhi hair oil, but in my opinion it is not worth it. Better to use the vegetable itself (but not in colder climes).

Dudhi, or Lauki is delicious cut into chunks and cooked with Toor daal (lentils).

[Othala]

I have a question. Do you guys oil your scalp or just the hair shaft? Thanks

Not a straightforward answer I'm afraid. The once weekly head massage is done on the scalp, the oil is subsequently washed off.

Some people oil their clean hair as a leave-in. Some oil their clean hair and scalp. Some use plain oils, some use medicated or herbal oils.

[Dreamkitty]

I have always wondered about this. Can someone tell me as im very curious.

:) Every Sri Lankan women I see have incredibly thick hair, so long hair. What is their secrets?. We had a Sri Lankan neighbour and her hair was like this too but I never asked her.

Is the Sri Lankan hair routine similar to Indian hair routine? Ive tried googling it but there is no information.

I told my mum this, she said they eat alot of coconut in their food and probally use coconut oil on their hair too.

[Othala]

Dreamkitty, When I was growing up in London, I was good friends with a Sri Lankan family. The two girls my age ate junk food, hated Eastern food and never oiled their hair. They had the same thick hair as their parents. It's genetic.

As for growing long hair, well I don;t thing eating coconut is going to help. It might make you nice and plump though, LOL. Coconut oil, as most people on LHC know, is helpful in preserving and protecting hair as it grows but it will not actually increase the growth rate or your terminal length.

[Cleopatra18]

There's this oil from sri lanka called kumarika hair oil which is coconut oil based and infused with many many herbs It's supposed to be really good for growth and thickness.
Here's a link (http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/107133224/Kumarika_Herbal_Hair_Oil.html) to it.
Also another oil was by the brand "healing islands",it's coconut,vitamin e and gotukla extract (what's this?). It says on the bottle that it's part of the traditional sri lankan hair care.
I have both oils my dad got them for me while he was there on business but I wasnt consistent with any of them.However the kumarika oil made my hair very soft *sometimes* as it can be very heavy on the hair,and the healing islands one smells so good (very nice coconutty smell).

[principessa1984]

Not a straightforward answer I'm afraid. The once weekly head massage is done on the scalp, the oil is subsequently washed off.

Some people oil their clean hair as a leave-in. Some oil their clean hair and scalp. Some use plain oils, some use medicated or herbal oils.

Oh ok, thanks.

[Annalouise]

I have a question. Do you guys oil your scalp or just the hair shaft? Thanks

My ayurveda books say to do a scalp massage and put oils that are infused with herbs or essential oils on the scalp. This is very important to stimulate the hair follicles and remove sebum that is building up. All my ayurveda books say to do this. In fact, in my opinion, it is more important than oiling the hair. The scalp is living, the hair is dead. You want to nourish the scalp and make the scalp happy.:) But one is always to wash their hair after applying oils to the scalp as you don't want to clog the pores. So oil a few hours or the night before a wash.
I have one book that says to apply these oils to the scalp nightly and wash the scalp with a mild cleanser everyday. This is supposed to promote hair growth.

I tried this for about 3 weeks and my hair did grow faster. It's hard to believe, but it did. I got an inch growth in one month PLUS I trimmed my hair half an inch.

I think it really is good to do these oil massages on the scalp.:)

Some oils are not beneficial for the scalp and are thus only applied to the hair shaft, peanut oil is one of these.

[Dreamkitty]

Dreamkitty, When I was growing up in London, I was good friends with a Sri Lankan family. The two girls my age ate junk food, hated Eastern food and never oiled their hair. They had the same thick hair as their parents. It's genetic.

As for growing long hair, well I don;t thing eating coconut is going to help. It might make you nice and plump though, LOL. Coconut oil, as most people on LHC know, is helpful in preserving and protecting hair as it grows but it will not actually increase the growth rate or your terminal length.

Interesting!:) yeah I think it might be genetic too. Every Sri Lankan woman or man I have seen have very thick, strong hair even the girls that used to be in my school and you are right the Sri Lankan children that are born here still have good hair and some of them are probally not even practising the hair care routine in their native country.

Ive read that coconut oil is high in cholestral so ive always been cautious to eat it, even though it is delicious. I love the smell and putting it on my hair, compared to other oils.

I have inherited thick hair from my mum side. As for length my hair just grows at the normal rate and like you said any hair oil, including coconut is just for nourishing, softening the hair.

[Dreamkitty]

There's this oil from sri lanka called kumarika hair oil which is coconut oil based and infused with many many herbs It's supposed to be really good for growth and thickness.
Here's a link (http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/107133224/Kumarika_Herbal_Hair_Oil.html) to it.
Also another oil was by the brand "healing islands",it's coconut,vitamin e and gotukla extract (what's this?). It says on the bottle that it's part of the traditional sri lankan hair care.
I have both oils my dad got them for me while he was there on business but I wasnt consistent with any of them.However the kumarika oil made my hair very soft *sometimes* as it can be very heavy on the hair,and the healing islands one smells so good (very nice coconutty smell).

Thanks for the link:D. Never heard of this oil before, looks good though. Does it contain mineral oil?

[Cleopatra18]

My ayurveda books say to do a scalp massage and put oils that are infused with herbs or essential oils on the scalp. This is very important to stimulate the hair follicles and remove sebum that is building up. All my ayurveda books say to do this. In fact, in my opinion, it is more important than oiling the hair. The scalp is living, the hair is dead. You want to nourish the scalp and make the scalp happy.:) But one is always to wash their hair after applying oils to the scalp as you don't want to clog the pores. So oil a few hours or the night before a wash.
I have one book that says to apply these oils to the scalp nightly and wash the scalp with a mild cleanser everyday. This is supposed to promote hair growth.

I tried this for about 3 weeks and my hair did grow faster. It's hard to believe, but it did. I got an inch growth in one month PLUS I trimmed my hair half an inch.

I think it really is good to do these oil massages on the scalp.:)

Some oils are not beneficial for the scalp and are thus only applied to the hair shaft, peanut oil is one of these.
Cool,so 1.5 inches in one month? :D What oil did you use?
Can anyone suggest a mild cleanser to wash heavy oilings? Conditioner only doesnt remove it that good.


Thanks for the link:D. Never heard of this oil before, looks good though. Does it contain mineral oil?
No neither of them contains mineral oil.

[Othala]

Can anyone suggest a mild cleanser to wash heavy oilings? Conditioner only doesnt remove it that good.

Pure, unscented, liquid Castile soap. It's mild and lathers well and I haven't found the need to use an ACV rinse afterward.

[getoffmyskittle]

I'm 1/2 Indian. I'm a little confused about where my hair comes from though. It's thicker and coarser than my mom's (she's the Indian one), but still has a similar fluffy/floaty quality. :shrug: Probably a blend, like other things about me.

Still... I've been using coconut oil since I was little. My grandma always put it on my hair and said it would make my hair "soft and black." My favorite way to use it is to do a heavy oiling (until my hair looks wet), leave it in overnight, and wash it out in the morning. My grandmother recently told me that the way I oil my hair is the way they do it in Kerala and that her family has always (lightly) oiled it *after* a wash and just left it in, the way a lot of LHCers do. I have never been able to get that to work for me, I always end up with stringy bits and my hair needs to be washed sooner.

I have never been able to get Indian herbs to work. I use Head and Shoulders shampoo and I alternate between Biolage Conditioning Balm and other, less spendy conditioners. As you might be able to guess, my biggest hair challenge :p is my scalp: I'm pretty sure I have seborrheic dermatitis, and nothing has ever kept it under control except traditional sulfate shampoos.

[Othala]

I'm pretty sure I have seborrheic dermatitis, and nothing has ever kept it under control except traditional sulfate shampoos.

You might be interested to know that one Ayurvedic treatment for SD is a scalp pack made of Tulsi (holy basil leaves). I am going to grow some in my garden this year for a friend with SD. I hope it works.

[Cleopatra18]

Pure, unscented, liquid Castile soap. It's mild and lathers well and I haven't found the need to use an ACV rinse afterward.
I have oil-based hair soap that i stocked on a while ago and haven't used it yet. I found it a little drying though so I was thinking to dilute it with more oil and water as in movie star method shampoo so it wouldn't be so drying and also to make it liquid as it's jelly-ish consistency,what do you think?
I have 7 boxes of this thing :rolleyes:
ETA: I think i need to follow with ACV though,maybe I could add a tablespoon or so to the mix?

[Othala]

I have oil-based hair soap that i stocked on a while ago and haven't used it yet. I found it a little drying though so I was thinking to dilute it with more oil and water as in movie star method shampoo so it wouldn't be so drying and also to make it liquid as it's jelly-ish consistency,what do you think?
I have 7 boxes of this thing :rolleyes:

Is it a soap bar? If so, then I would not use it because it might contain tallow and other things that have caused it to be a hard bar. It will coat and dry your hair.

You have 7 boxes of soap....Wow!

[Cleopatra18]

Is it a soap bar? If so, then I would not use it because it might contain tallow and other things that have caused it to be a hard bar. It will coat and dry your hair.

You have 7 boxes of soap....Wow!
Lol yeah wow indeed..:D
It has ingredients on the box it just contains bunch of oils and sodium hydroxide.It's not a bar,I think its consistency is like morrocan black soap like this (http://files.fatakat.com/2009/5/1242812734.jpg)
What's tallow?

[getoffmyskittle]

You might be interested to know that one Ayurvedic treatment for SD is a scalp pack made of Tulsi (holy basil leaves). I am going to grow some in my garden this year for a friend with SD. I hope it works.

Yes, I am interested! Thank you!

[Annalouise]

Cool,so 1.5 inches in one month? :D What oil did you use?
...

Every night I used a homemade oil of Jojoba oil, rosemary e.o., lavender e.o., and lemon e.o..
And occaisionaly a nightly scalp oiling of 50/50 castor oil and coconut oil and sometimes I put this on in the day too. And occaisionaly a nightly scalp oiling of a commercial ayurvdic oil called "Ramtirth" "Brahmi Hair Treatment" with brahmi, coconut oil, lemon, sandlewood, coriander, nagarmotta, valo roots, sitalchini, kapurkachali, gahunla, and vaj roots.

The nightly scalp oiling is always done with a scalp massage and washed out in the morning. I should also mention that I washed my hair with soap or aritha mixed with a tea made of herbs that also promotes hair growth.:)

I did not use any chemicals or sulphates or anything like that on my scalp (and still don't). I think these are bad for hair growth but thats just my personal opinion.:D

[Annalouise]

Pure, unscented, liquid Castile soap. It's mild and lathers well and I haven't found the need to use an ACV rinse afterward.

I ordered some pure castile soap as my recipes call for it. I haven't tried it yet though. Do you dilute it or use it straight?

[Othala]

Lol yeah wow indeed..:D
It has ingredients on the box it just contains bunch of oils and sodium hydroxide.It's not a bar,I think its consistency is like morrocan black soap like this (http://files.fatakat.com/2009/5/1242812734.jpg)
What's tallow?

Oh, I see. Well go for it. Hopefully it will work and you will then have 7 boxes of treasure, LOL.

Tallow is beef or mutton fat. It is used in soap making sometimes and also you may get sodium tallowate appearing on the label which is saponified tallow.

Let us know how you get on with your soap experiment.

[Othala]

I ordered some pure castile soap as my recipes call for it. I haven't tried it yet though. Do you dilute it or use it straight?

I use it as you would shampoo. I just wet my hair and scalp thoroughly and then dispense some of the Castile soap and rub it in my hands to create a lather and then apply it to my scalp.

[Cleopatra18]

Every night I used a homemade oil of Jojoba oil, rosemary e.o., lavender e.o., and lemon e.o..
And occaisionaly a nightly scalp oiling of 50/50 castor oil and coconut oil and sometimes I put this on in the day too. And occaisionaly a nightly scalp oiling of a commercial ayurvdic oil called "Ramtirth" "Brahmi Hair Treatment" with brahmi, coconut oil, lemon, sandlewood, coriander, nagarmotta, valo roots, sitalchini, kapurkachali, gahunla, and vaj roots.

The nightly scalp oiling is always done with a scalp massage and washed out in the morning. I should also mention that I washed my hair with soap or aritha mixed with a tea made of herbs that also promotes hair growth.:)

I did not use any chemicals or sulphates or anything like that on my scalp (and still don't). I think these are bad for hair growth but thats just my personal opinion.:D
Oh what a nice combination of oils.sadly I'm trying to use up the oils I already have,so I dont think I'll be buying anymore for a while (except for coconut).
I may try daily coconut oilings though,I think my hair is happier with frequent washing.


Oh, I see. Well go for it. Hopefully it will work and you will then have 7 boxes of treasure, LOL.

Tallow is beef or mutton fat. It is used in soap making sometimes and also you may get sodium tallowate appearing on the label which is saponified tallow.

Let us know how you get on with your soap experiment.
I wil,I really hope it works.I have been "experimenting" for over a year now lol.I'll start with a smaller batch first.thanks for the info on tallow.:)

[Cleopatra18]

Othala the ingredients are Olive oil,jujube,soya, pottasium hydroxide,rosemary and chamomile extract.
I read a recipe on another website to dilute it with equal parts of olive oil,water,bitter almond oil and rose water.
I dont have bitter almond oil so I think I'll just use the rest of the ingredients,possibly with substituting olive oil with refined coconut oil.
do you think the oil will make it too oily?

[Othala]

Othala the ingredients are Olive oil,jujube,soya, pottasium hydroxide,rosemary and chamomile extract.
I read a recipe on another website to dilute it with equal parts of olive oil,water,bitter almond oil and rose water.
I dont have bitter almond oil so I think I'll just use the rest of the ingredients,possibly with substituting olive oil with refined coconut oil.
do you think the oil will make it too oily?

Don't, whatever you do, use bitter almond oil. It contains Hydrogen Cyanide. Please don't risk it. I'm glad you have none to hand.

In terms of the ingredients of your soap, it looks like saponified olive oil with a few nice additions. Reminds me of Aleppo soap.

It could be drying to your hair so a little olive/coconut oil would help, but maybe try it without any additives the first time because you may not need it.

I think the rose water would make no difference to your hair in the soap but would be nice in a rinse or as a spritz afterward.

[Cleopatra18]

I tried it before without additions it was nice in the summer but after that i felt it was very drying.
I just mixed a batch about 50gm of soap with i think equal amount of oil and 100ml water/rose water.
I'm going to let it sit for 1-2 days before use.I need to detangle and deep condition anyway.
Thank you so much Othala.You're so helpful :flowers:

[Othala]

Cleopatra, you are most welcome, it's great to talk things through with each other and I'm sure I'll be asking your advice one of these days.

[Cleopatra18]

Cleopatra, you are most welcome, it's great to talk things through with each other and I'm sure I'll be asking your advice one of these days.
aren't you the sweetest Othala :) I haven't used the soap mix yet,I detangled yesterday and did prepoo treatment with wheat germ oil and sunflower but didn't get a chance to wash today.
Luckily however,I think I may finally put my hands on some parachute coconut oil :inlove: :inlove: My hair LOVES this oil,it's great for growth too. Is it famous in india? for some reason I feel it has an extra something on all other brands of coconut oil.

[mira-chan]

aren't you the sweetest Othala :) I haven't used the soap mix yet,I detangled yesterday and did prepoo treatment with wheat germ oil and sunflower but didn't get a chance to wash today.
Luckily however,I think I may finally put my hands on some parachute coconut oil :inlove: :inlove: My hair LOVES this oil,it's great for growth too. Is it famous in india? for some reason I feel it has an extra something on all other brands of coconut oil.
Parachute oil is definitely the most exported Indian coconut oil. It's very commonly mentioned, though I'm not sure of how popular it is in India. It's the easiest to get oil for hair in the USA. I've seen Indian commercials for it too. It's a really nice oil. My only complaint is that the opening is so small. I live in a colder climate so it's really hard to get it out if the bottle for half the year.

[Cleopatra18]

Parachute oil is definitely the most exported Indian coconut oil. It's very commonly mentioned, though I'm not sure of how popular it is in India. It's the easiest to get oil for hair in the USA. I've seen Indian commercials for it too. It's a really nice oil. My only complaint is that the opening is so small. I live in a colder climate so it's really hard to get it out if the bottle for half the year.
I wish!! It's pretty much non existent in egypt.I had to ask someone to buy it for me from kuiwat.
2 years ago my dad baught me a gaint bottle of this oil and I had no clue about hair care.I straigtend my hair once every 2 weeks-1months and bunned in between while doing many coconut oil soaks with parachute.I went from APL+ to waist in one year or less :) I'm pretty sure it wasnt the low manipulation because I always do that and my progress this year was shameful.
I really like the smell too,even though alot of people see it as a disadvantage.
On the other hand,parachute gold mixed with mineral oil stinks.

[emmanuelle0459]

Hi!
I've just read this thread through. I've decided to start incorporating Indian hair care into my routine.
I already dye my hair with Henna. I only do the roots now though as repeat all over application makes my hair sort of stiff and darker than I would like.
I have some coconut oil here so tonight I'm going to have a go at oiling my hair with that, massaging my scalp and braiding it before bed. Tomorrow morning I want to try an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse. I also have some argan oil I might try that tomorrow night!
I wanted to find out about herbs and oils that increase hair growth and if there is any that would darken the hair as I would like to avoid these.
Thanks in advance! x

[lascuba]

How is parachute oil different from regular coconut oil?

[Diamondbell]

Parachute oil is definitely the most exported Indian coconut oil. It's very commonly mentioned, though I'm not sure of how popular it is in India. It's the easiest to get oil for hair in the USA. I've seen Indian commercials for it too. It's a really nice oil. My only complaint is that the opening is so small. I live in a colder climate so it's really hard to get it out if the bottle for half the year.

mira-chan, I personally think that Parachute oil is the most popular coconut oil in India. I am sure lots of people are using herbal oils here (India) like Nilibringadi or even the popular Dabur Vatika, but I have seen Parachute oil being used the most. You can also check out reviews here
http://www.mouthshut.com/product-reviews/Parachute-Coconut-Hair-Oil-925004746
I think this is one oil you can use without risking hair shedding. There are also bigger Parachute bottles - with very big lids, may be they are not available where you live? That's the kind I have. I couldn't find a google image of them though.

[mira-chan]

mira-chan, I personally think that Parachute oil is the most popular coconut oil in India. I am sure lots of people are using herbal oils here (India) like Nilibringadi or even the popular Dabur Vatika, but I have seen Parachute oil being used the most. You can also check out reviews here
http://www.mouthshut.com/product-reviews/Parachute-Coconut-Hair-Oil-925004746
I think this is one oil you can use without risking hair shedding. There are also bigger Parachute bottles - with very big lids, may be they are not available where you live? That's the kind I have. I couldn't find a google image of them though.
Diamondbell, Thank you for the information. It's good to know that this oil gets such good reviews. This is the container I see it in:
http://www.amazon.com/Parachute-Coconut-Oil-200-oil/dp/B000HLCKC8

There are about three -four sizes and it says "For export only" on the bottle. I've never seen Parachute oil containers with wider openings here unfortunately. The smaller opening may be more leak proof for shipping but it is sure inconvenient in the cold climate.

I found a picture with different containers Parachute offers here:
http://www.agabahrain.com/html/menuB/parachute.htm
I haven't seen anything other than the center four on the bottom.

Dabur, Ayur and Ancient Formulae products are the most common here variety and availability.

Lascuba, Parachute oil is unrefined coconut oil with the coconut scent. I've not had it go bad on me while still in the bottle (separate amounts in small containers have grown things) so it's very stable. It's also very inexpensive compared to health food store brands.

[AnnaJamila]

Can you say henna hut? :eyebrows:

[Othala]

As Spring approaches, I am turning to the hair oil that is traditionally used during this season in various parts of India and that is Sesame oil.

Sesame oil (and it's the un-toasted version that is used) is good for scalp and hair and is the oil of choice for scalp massages in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medical system, and it contains Vitamin E, iron, copper, magnesium and calcium that are reputed to nourish the hair follicle.

Sesame oil does not give you that crunchy feeling that Coconut oil can and it does not harden in cold weather. It is also SPF4 so you get mid sun protection from it.

If you are interested in using Sesame oil then you won't have to spend a fortune as the type that is used for haircare is the same type used in cooking and it costs very little. So, for example, I can get a 200ml bottle of it in London for about £0.65 and that will last me from March to July, which is when I switch to Neelibhringadi oil.

[Cleopatra18]

I haven't seen parachute with bigger openings too.I used the same one that mira-chan posted about.I totaly agree that parachute does NOT go rancid.I really dont know why,but I baught coconut oil locally and after about 6 months or so it smelled so bad I threw it.At the same time,I had a parachute oil that's more than 6 years old (yes really) and it was PERFECT.I dont know why.
Sesame oil has been on my "things to buy" list for a long time.In islam,it was recomended by the prophet and used by the women in everything and best known to soften the hair. It also has a high ceramides content which is great.It makes the hair shaft more elastic and stronger,with less tendency to tangle and break.It's supposed to buildup fast though,but I have no personal experience.

[Diamondbell]

Sesame oil does not give you that crunchy feeling that Coconut oil can and it does not harden in cold weather. It is also SPF4 so you get mid sun protection from it.

So, for example, I can get a 200ml bottle of it in London for about £0.65 and that will last me from March to July, which is when I switch to Neelibhringadi oil.

I know what you mean about sesame/gingely oil! So true that it doesn't make the hair crunchy like coconut oil. In fact for a long time I was using only sesame oil or the Neelibringadhi oil, which is sesame oil-based. I used to know someone who used only sesame oil all her life and she had very good hair - even won in the contest for long hair! :D

mira-chan - Yes, I meant those containers at the bottom row on the left, in the link you sent. Too bad you don't get them. :(

[Othala]

Parachute Coconut oil has an interesting website containing 3 articles that are very...umm...pro Indian hair to put it mildly and of course pro oiling.

You might want to take a look: http://www.parachuteadvansed.com/pakc-media-scan

[Dreamkitty]

After I finish my Dabur Amla Gold hair oil, I want to go back to using coconut oil which is my favourite. I realised my hair likes simple oils the best.

I don't like that Dabur has mineral oil in it and two other chemical ingredients. It is also quite expensive.

So I went to my local Indian store and I saw a few bottles of Parachute coconut oil. It got me interested. £2.19 for a 500ML blue bottle. Not that bad at all. The only problem I have, is how am I going to get the coconut oil out of the plastic bottle?

The coconut oils I used before were in glass bottles and I would surround them in warm water.

But parachute oil bottle is plastic. Plastic melts if the temperature is too hot.:confused:

[Othala]

I wanted to find out about herbs and oils that increase hair growth and if there is any that would darken the hair as I would like to avoid these.

I am not aware of any herbs or oils that are scientifically proven to increase hair growth. You may find that regular scalp massages may increase your hair growth rate over time as the blood circulation is enhanced.

However, some people have reported their hair growth rate increasing due to the inclusion of Castor oil in their scalp massages and there is a thread about this elsewhere on LHC.

As for darkening, Amla darkens hair temporarily. I am not sure about other herbs or any oils that darken hair. Maybe DiamondBell, HairyFairy or our resident scientist, mira-chan, can answer your questions.

[Diamondbell]

I am not aware of any herbs or oils that are scientifically proven to increase hair growth. You may find that regular scalp massages may increase your hair growth rate over time as the blood circulation is enhanced.

However, some people have reported their hair growth rate increasing due to the inclusion of Castor oil in their scalp massages and there is a thread about this elsewhere on LHC.

As for darkening, Amla darkens hair temporarily. I am not sure about other herbs or any oils that darken hair. Maybe DiamondBell, HairyFairy or our resident scientist, mira-chan, can answer your questions.

Me neither - i.e. I am not sure if any herbs really help in increasing hair growth. I'd say fenugreek (in the form of leaf especially) is good for hair, to eat this stir-fried or to even grind the leaves and apply on hair, for hair growth. Fenugreek seeds in powdered form can be used on scalp along with Shikakai. I have also heard that Rosemary helps in increasing blood circulation on the scalp. Aritha (or Reetha) is one such herb, which may help in hair growth. I'd say scalp massages will definitely help as well.

And amla is said to darken hair. Indigo will definitely darken hair. :D All others may be just theories: like curry leaves, bhringaraj etc...

Othala - I just read those articles! :lol: Some of the lovely heads of hair at LHC can disprove their theories! Ha haa!!

[Cleopatra18]

After I finish my Dabur Amla Gold hair oil, I want to go back to using coconut oil which is my favourite. I realised my hair likes simple oils the best.

I don't like that Dabur has mineral oil in it and two other chemical ingredients. It is also quite expensive.

So I went to my local Indian store and I saw a few bottles of Parachute coconut oil. It got me interested. £2.19 for a 500ML blue bottle. Not that bad at all. The only problem I have, is how am I going to get the coconut oil out of the plastic bottle?

The coconut oils I used before were in glass bottles and I would surround them in warm water.

But parachute oil bottle is plastic. Plastic melts if the temperature is too hot. :confused:
I used the same method with parachute,soaked in hot water for a while till it's liquid.I really dont think the plastic will be affected if you put it in hot water.Putting it in the microwave though is obviously a bad idea lol.
It's really cheap over there.I totaly recommend it.If you dont mind the scent of it I think it would totaly work for you.I'm paying about 10 usd for 400ml bottle.
P.S: haven't read the articles yet,But I'm drooling over the models' hair.

[mira-chan]

I wanted to find out about herbs and oils that increase hair growth and if there is any that would darken the hair as I would like to avoid these.
Thanks in advance! x


I am not aware of any herbs or oils that are scientifically proven to increase hair growth. You may find that regular scalp massages may increase your hair growth rate over time as the blood circulation is enhanced.

However, some people have reported their hair growth rate increasing due to the inclusion of Castor oil in their scalp massages and there is a thread about this elsewhere on LHC.

As for darkening, Amla darkens hair temporarily. I am not sure about other herbs or any oils that darken hair. Maybe DiamondBell, HairyFairy or our resident scientist, mira-chan, can answer your questions.
Castor oil is known to increase growth, just as Othala said. It's commonly used on eyelashes and eyebrows for this purpose too.

As for darkening herbs, only those that actually dye (Henna, Indigo, buxus, etc.) actually darken or stain hair permanently. Anything else is temporary staining. Amla will stain light hair, the stain lasts till the next wash. Any powdered herb that is dark-ish in color can stain lighter hair, but it's not noticeable on medium to dark color hair. Rosemary and sage can stain hair temporarily too.

Neelibringradi oil can stain hair as it contains indigo so check the ingredients of herbal oils before you buy or use them.

For the parachute oil bottle, I haven't had a problem melting the oil in a hot water bath either. I wouldn't suggest actually putting it in a heating pot though just in case.

I'm with Cleopatra in drooling over the model's hair there.

I use sesame oil as well, I usually mix some essential oils like jatamansi (Spikenard) with it.

[Cleopatra18]

Ooh Mira-chan I just saw your post in the other thread(full moon leo),are you still trimming tomorrow (technically today)?? I'm very tempted but DBF keeps telling me it's not real LOL
I need some encouragement :p

[Cleopatra18]

I found this article (http://blog.cocoguru.com/2010/04/11/how-is-cocoguru-coconut-oil-different-from-parachute/) about the difference between parachute and another brand of coconut oil.It seems however,they're trying to make parachute sound bad? :confused:
It says that parachute is heat pressed,and therefore loses some of the goodness of the oil,is that true??

[mira-chan]

Ooh Mira-chan I just saw your post in the other thread(full moon leo),are you still trimming tomorrow (technically today)?? I'm very tempted but DBF keeps telling me it's not real LOL
I need some encouragement :p
Yes I am. I trip almost every month now as I'm at my goal length and am trying to make the ends a bit thicker. So picking the 18th to do it shouldn't hurt. :) I'm still in the 17th here, so tomorrow.


I found this article (http://blog.cocoguru.com/2010/04/11/how-is-cocoguru-coconut-oil-different-from-parachute/) about the difference between parachute and another brand of coconut oil.It seems however,they're trying to make parachute sound bad? :confused:
It says that parachute is heat pressed,and therefore loses some of the goodness of the oil,is that true??
Most heat pressed oils are refined. The most carefully cold pressed coconut oils are very expensive (here at least) and spoil fast. Parachute still solidifies when it's cold so it's not refined. It's not yellowish either as they describe heat pressed oil to be.

In addition it seems that site is trying to sell their own coconut oil, so they are trying to make theirs look better.

[Cleopatra18]

Yes I am. I trip almost every month now as I'm at my goal length and am trying to make the ends a bit thicker. So picking the 18th to do it shouldn't hurt. :) I'm still in the 17th here, so tomorrow.


Most heat pressed oils are refined. The most carefully cold pressed coconut oils are very expensive (here at least) and spoil fast. Parachute still solidifies when it's cold so it's not refined. It's not yellowish either as they describe heat pressed oil to be.

In addition it seems that site is trying to sell their own coconut oil, so they are trying to make theirs look better.
Oh cool,In that case I may trim too as well,although my hair is finally deciding to behave...I hate when this happens :mad:
BTW i just washed my hair with the soap mix and i think my hair really likes it.Im trying not to become super duper excited lol cause things always work for me the first time then it's horrible.
The lady that's getting parachute for me just told me a 2 litre sized bottle is available.I had a total ******** :D I still dont know its price though so i'm not sure I'll get it.Shipping and Taxes are very high over here.
I still have a week before college starts so I hope i put together a regimen for my hair before that.
ETA: okay wow I didn't realize I said an inappropriate word here...My apologies :o

[ratgirldjh]

I've always heard to trim on the new moon - or at least when the moon is getting bigger and full is the biggest!

I just trimmed a tiny bit today!

For me some oils penetrate better when they have been heated. I especially found this to be true of sesame oil. The raw cold pressed sesame oil just sat on top of my hair and skin. The 'cured' auryvedic sesame soaked right in.

Maybe this is the case with coconut oil too? They say curing the sesame oil takes out something (i forget what exactly) that keeps it from sinking in as well. It seems to be true for sesame oil at least!

djh

[Dreamkitty]

I used the same method with parachute,soaked in hot water for a while till it's liquid.I really dont think the plastic will be affected if you put it in hot water.Putting it in the microwave though is obviously a bad idea lol.
It's really cheap over there.I totaly recommend it.If you dont mind the scent of it I think it would totaly work for you.I'm paying about 10 usd for 400ml bottle.
P.S: haven't read the articles yet,But I'm drooling over the models' hair.

Thank you Celopatra for the reply. I will try it out and the scent is no problem for me at all, I love the smell of coconut on my hair.:D

[mira-chan]

Oh cool,In that case I may trim too as well,although my hair is finally deciding to behave...I hate when this happens :mad:
BTW i just washed my hair with the soap mix and i think my hair really likes it.Im trying not to become super duper excited lol cause things always work for me the first time then it's horrible.
The lady that's getting parachute for me just told me a 2 litre sized bottle is available.I had a total ******** :D I still dont know its price though so i'm not sure I'll get it.Shipping and Taxes are very high over here.
I still have a week before college starts so I hope i put together a regimen for my hair before that.
ETA: okay wow I didn't realize I said an inappropriate word here...My apologies :o
I completely understand the behaving nicely hair thing. One wash week it's perfect, the next it's a mess. Usually the important events where hair has to be nice tend to coincide with terrifying medusa hair.

We have less issues with taxes here and the 500ml bottle is about $5 each. It's unfortunate yo have trouble with that. A two litre size container will definitely hod you over for a while if you get it.

[Cleopatra18]

Okay so after that horrible setback I want to really have an indian routine.I think my hair is happier with frequent washing so I will try to wash daily or every other day for a while.I will prepoo with coconut (hair and scalp),wash with diluted soap,then condition.Considering spraying damp hair with moisture spray then oiling it again till the next wash.Is this fine? is there downsides of having oiled hair all the time? I dont care about the appearance I just want it to be well protected (and growing).
I heavy oiled with coconut a while ago and noticed my hair started shedding with the oil.I know this is common in LHC but do people experience that kind of thing in india?? does it go away by time? I heard before that oil makes the "Weak" hair fall in order for newer stronger hair to replace it.
I feel so desperate *sigh*

[Diamondbell]

Okay so after that horrible setback I want to really have an indian routine.I think my hair is happier with frequent washing so I will try to wash daily or every other day for a while.I will prepoo with coconut (hair and scalp),wash with diluted soap,then condition.Considering spraying damp hair with moisture spray then oiling it again till the next wash.Is this fine? is there downsides of having oiled hair all the time? I dont care about the appearance I just want it to be well protected (and growing).
I heavy oiled with coconut a while ago and noticed my hair started shedding with the oil.I know this is common in LHC but do people experience that kind of thing in india?? does it go away by time? I heard before that oil makes the "Weak" hair fall in order for newer stronger hair to replace it.
I feel so desperate *sigh*

This oiling and shedding is different from person to person. In my case, if I have too much oil in my hair and can't get it out even after washing (this happens usually when I do completely herbal washes) - hair starts shedding after wash. It is inevitable. I usually restore it back with CO.

But the way you are going to wash hair (with diluted soap/shampoo bar) should be OK. Also when you suddenly change routines - 1) like oiling or 2) when you change oils 3) scalp massages ---- you will initially have shedding, especially because of scalp massage. But later it will stop shedding.

One Ayurvedic method for Daily Wash I have read about is 1) massage scalp with a little sesame oil on getting up in the morning
2) leaving on the oil for a few minutes and then washing hair (with the usual shampoo or herbs)
If you do that then you won't have that oily look the whole day. But it is possible to have oiled hair all the time; in that case, do a light oiling. :D ... HTH

[LoversLullaby]

I decided to get kicking on my new routine!

Thursday night I clarified my hair my hair and conditioned with a cone-free conditioner for the last time (if this routine works).

Last night I did a really heavy coconut oiling mixed with a bit of castor oil. I shedded a lot while doing it, which is very strange. That never happens. Maybe it's because I didn't add the sweet orange essential oil like I normally do. Guess that's a keeper! I also massaged a bit more vigorously, and maybe since my scalp isn't used to that it shedded more.

This morning I mixed up a batch of egg shampoo (Indian herbs are not available in my area at all, no Indian grocery stores and I don't want to order off the internet). I mixed up a whole egg, an egg yolk, a spoonful of ACV, 5 drops of olive oil, and 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil. I took out the little white membranes of the eggs that hold the egg yolk to the egg white since that seems to get stuck to my hair, then whipped all the ingredients together. I put the whole thing all over my hair and let it sit while I shaved and washed myself (which takes awhile, I tend to be slow!). Soaked my hair in an ACV rinse (two cups filtered water with 3 spoonfuls of ACV) and left it on my hair. Wrapped it in a turbie twist, then just let it down and put some coconut oil through the length. Fluffed it out with my hands, and don't plan on combing it till it's dry. My hair feels soft and surprisingly not tangly the way it is usually without cones. It feels like the egg shampoo definitely got all the oil out of my hair while it's wet, but we'll see for sure when it's dry. I'll post results, maybe pictures!

I also plan on doing coconut milk soaks once a month as sort of a deep treatment. My hair really likes coconut milk soaks.

[Cleopatra18]

I decided to get kicking on my new routine!

Thursday night I clarified my hair my hair and conditioned with a cone-free conditioner for the last time (if this routine works).

Last night I did a really heavy coconut oiling mixed with a bit of castor oil. I shedded a lot while doing it, which is very strange. That never happens. Maybe it's because I didn't add the sweet orange essential oil like I normally do. Guess that's a keeper! I also massaged a bit more vigorously, and maybe since my scalp isn't used to that it shedded more.

This morning I mixed up a batch of egg shampoo (Indian herbs are not available in my area at all, no Indian grocery stores and I don't want to order off the internet). I mixed up a whole egg, an egg yolk, a spoonful of ACV, 5 drops of olive oil, and 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil. I took out the little white membranes of the eggs that hold the egg yolk to the egg white since that seems to get stuck to my hair, then whipped all the ingredients together. I put the whole thing all over my hair and let it sit while I shaved and washed myself (which takes awhile, I tend to be slow!). Soaked my hair in an ACV rinse (two cups filtered water with 3 spoonfuls of ACV) and left it on my hair. Wrapped it in a turbie twist, then just let it down and put some coconut oil through the length. Fluffed it out with my hands, and don't plan on combing it till it's dry. My hair feels soft and surprisingly not tangly the way it is usually without cones. It feels like the egg shampoo definitely got all the oil out of my hair while it's wet, but we'll see for sure when it's dry. I'll post results, maybe pictures!

I also plan on doing coconut milk soaks once a month as sort of a deep treatment. My hair really likes coconut milk soaks.
That sounds really cool,I didnt think of egg shampoo to wash out the oil.although I remember doing egg treatment to my hair and it smelled really bad :disgust: Do you apply it on scalp only or all the length too? Please let us know how your hair turns out.

[LoversLullaby]

That sounds really cool,I didnt think of egg shampoo to wash out the oil.although I remember doing egg treatment to my hair and it smelled really bad :disgust: Do you apply it on scalp only or all the length too? Please let us know how your hair turns out.

It washed out really well, and the essential oil in it made it smell like oranges!! :) I applied it to my entire head, length and all, though a bit more of I was on my scalp than length. It's all the way dry for the most part and all the oil was removed. :) :) It looks really nice!!! Soft too. I kept it in for about 15 minutes.

[Cleopatra18]

Wow really? I used to CWC the oil out.I do the "W" with diluted soap.even with that my hair still had a thin film of greasiness over it after it dried.I'll defently try this but I need to get some orange EO first.I DONT want that egg smell again.

[Cleopatra18]

I just washed my hair with egg shampoo.I wanted to keep it simple so I mixed about 3 (small) yolks only (no whites) with some rose water to add little scent,surprisingly the eggs had No smell while mixing it and applying on my hair.I left it on for 15 mins.
My hair is still wet,I'll update when its completely dry.I really hope it works.
BTW I had my hair heavy oiled with coconut 6 hours prior to washing.

[ratgirldjh]

I had problems with the egg smell staying in my hair too. Maybe I will try it with orange EO or orange flower water... hmmm
djh

[Cleopatra18]

I think this egg wash thing works really well,Im thinking of doing it daily,but worried it might not work if I use it too often.My hair is still half dry but it looks like it washed all the oil out.I would love to do daily heavy oilings and wash it out with eggs.Will this work?

[getoffmyskittle]

I think this egg wash thing works really well,Im thinking of doing it daily,but worried it might not work if I use it too often.My hair is still half dry but it looks like it washed all the oil out.I would love to do daily heavy oilings and wash it out with eggs.Will this work?

I did egg washes for a while and for some reason the egg just stopped removing the oil. I have no idea why.

[Diamondbell]

Hi!
I've just read this thread through. I wanted to find out about herbs and oils that increase hair growth and if there is any that would darken the hair as I would like to avoid these.
Thanks in advance! x

Here is a homemade Hair Growth Pack for you. (This pack definitely aids in hair growth according to a user - I am yet to try this out) :
Ingredients:

Amla powder - 2tsp.
Shikakai powder - 2tsp.
Brahmi powder - 2tsp.
Hibiscus powder - 2tsp.
Chickpea flour - 5tsp.
Green gram flour - 2tsp.
Orange peel powder - 2tsp.
Rice flour - 5tsp.
Egg white - 1

Method: Put all the ingredients and mix together in a container. Now add water to make a paste. Wash your hair, towel dry and apply this pack on scalp and entire hair. Leave it for 20 min. then wash it off.

You can apply this hair growth pack once in a week.
HTH :flower:

[Othala]

I am trying out a new Ayurvedic routine over the next few weeks that is reputed to be good for increasing lush growth of hair, cleaning, conditioning the de-tangling hair - all at the same time and all using just a single herb.

The herb is Fenugreek (Methi in Hindi) and the part used is the seed. You can buy a big pack of ground Fenugreek quite cheaply. Fenugreek is a western as well as an eastern herb and I grow it in my garden. I like the fact that I am using something that can grow in the country I live in and not just something exotic from the east.

Basically, the routine is that twice or thrice a week you mix up a tablespoon or more (dependent on your hair length) of ground Fenugreek with cold water and leave it overnight.

The Fenugreek will swell and release mucilage and become slippery. It has mild cleansing powers so no heavy hair oiling and no oiling the scalp on this routine.

The next morning, apply the paste to your scalp and hair and cover with a plastic cap whilst you get on with some chores or whatever for 20 minutes. Rinse off with copious amounts of warm water and that's it.

When you hair dries, you will see immediate conditioning benefits and with regular use you will see increases in growth (allegedly).

[Cleopatra18]

Oh I like that,I have heard alot about fenugreek being good and all but never tried it.
currently I'm doing Sidr treatments about 2x per week or sth,I usualy let it sit overnight.You think I can add a spoon or two of powdered fenugreek to it instead?

[scorpio_rising]

I was just thinking of starting a similar routine, Othala!
We can compare notes. :)

[McFearless]

I am trying out a new Ayurvedic routine over the next few weeks that is reputed to be good for increasing lush growth of hair, cleaning, conditioning the de-tangling hair - all at the same time and all using just a single herb.

The herb is Fenugreek (Methi in Hindi) and the part used is the seed. You can buy a big pack of ground Fenugreek quite cheaply. Fenugreek is a western as well as an eastern herb and I grow it in my garden. I like the fact that I am using something that can grow in the country I live in and not just something exotic from the east.

Basically, the routine is that twice or thrice a week you mix up a tablespoon or more (dependent on your hair length) of ground Fenugreek with cold water and leave it overnight.

The Fenugreek will swell and release mucilage and become slippery. It has mild cleansing powers so no heavy hair oiling and no oiling the scalp on this routine.

The next morning, apply the paste to your scalp and hair and cover with a plastic cap whilst you get on with some chores or whatever for 20 minutes. Rinse off with copious amounts of warm water and that's it.

When you hair dries, you will see immediate conditioning benefits and with regular use you will see increases in growth (allegedly).

Hi Othala. You say it has mild cleansing properties. Does that mean it could dry out clean hair? My hair is very dry so I don't want to risk anything.

Thank you for all your help and knowledge.

[Cleopatra18]

I was just looking up fenugreek on google there's a ton of recipes really.
From what I've read fenugreek has lecithin which is the same cleanser in egg yolks that makes it work as a shampoo.I suppose that's where the cleaning effect come from?
Also I read before that its best to use whole seeds then ground them after they soften in water overnight,then apply it to the scalp.Would it make a difference? I think it's alot easier to just use the powder.
ETA: fenugreek seeds also has saponins

[mira-chan]

Hi Othala. You say it has mild cleansing properties. Does that mean it could dry out clean hair? My hair is very dry so I don't want to risk anything.

Thank you for all your help and knowledge.
It does not dry out my hair when it's not oiled. I find it balances things out and gives my hair shine. It's a very mild and conditioning cleanser. My hair is very dry as well. I make a methi pack with about 3 table spoons of powder in enough water to mix and about a centimeter over it extra. Then let stand for at least two hours. I put on the pack, let it sit covered with a shower cap for 30 minutes then rinse off well. My hair loves it. A recommendation on sites is to mix it with buttermilk instead of water for even more conditioning and strength for hair.


I was just looking up fenugreek on google there's a ton of recipes really.
From what I've read fenugreek has lecithin which is the same cleanser in egg yolks that makes it work as a shampoo.I suppose that's where the cleaning effect come from?
Also I read before that its best to use whole seeds then ground them after they soften in water overnight,then apply it to the scalp.Would it make a difference? I think it's alot easier to just use the powder.
ETA: fenugreek seeds also has saponins
I've used only powdered methi as it's easier and I don't have the time to grind them usually. I've had no issues with it. It's my go to hair wash pack when my hair is acting really crazy and dry. it makes my hair soft and shiny every time. It does build up a bit after several treatments so be careful.

I don't oil (other than a light leave in oil) before methi washes.

[starlights]

Parachute oil is definitely the most exported Indian coconut oil. It's very commonly mentioned, though I'm not sure of how popular it is in India. It's the easiest to get oil for hair in the USA. I've seen Indian commercials for it too. It's a really nice oil. My only complaint is that the opening is so small. I live in a colder climate so it's really hard to get it out if the bottle for half the year.

When i went to Kerala, Parachute oil was widely used there by relatives of mine.

I brought a bottle at the end of last year from here in London and gave it ago, my hair grew over an inch and bit in one month... so it definately works :)

I agree the opening is really small, but what i do is squirt a huge blob of oil onto my hands and massage it into my hair.

Parachute oil seems to work miracles, used repeatedly in the month it made a HUGE difference to my hair growth!

[Diamondbell]

OK - I did one of these hairpacks: I didn't have much time. So I oiled a bit with sesame oil and then applied a mixture of shikakai, aritha, rice flour and orange peel powder, kept it on scalp for about 5-7 minutes (not more) and washed it off. Hair feels lovely. All the oils got removed, and no shedding either :thumbsup:

Othala - your fenugreek experiment sounds good. I have to try it too.

[sakuraemily]

I've noticed that a lot of people here oil their hair only ears down. thats great for hair but oil can also nourish hair follicles upto some extent and by oiling only hair, the hair follicles won't get anything.
So everyone I know and myself included oil the scalp as well as hair.
Some people are worried about their scalp already being oily but its alright to oil an already oily scalp I've noticed.

[sakuraemily]

OK - I did one of these hairpacks: I didn't have much time. So I oiled a bit with sesame oil and then applied a mixture of shikakai, aritha, rice flour and orange peel powder, kept it on scalp for about 5-7 minutes (not more) and washed it off. Hair feels lovely. All the oils got removed, and no shedding either :thumbsup:

Othala - your fenugreek experiment sounds good. I have to try it too.
Rice flour huh? Must try that.
I usually do a shikakai, aritha, bengal gram powder wash. I add this thing called arappu powder sometimes. I keep the paste on for 15 mins and then wash out.
How long did you keep it on?

[sakuraemily]

Hi Othala. You say it has mild cleansing properties. Does that mean it could dry out clean hair? My hair is very dry so I don't want to risk anything.

Thank you for all your help and knowledge.

Fenugreek won't dry out your hair as far as I know.

[sakuraemily]

For anyone who wants to know, Parachute oil is one of the most preferred brands in India. I live there. But use only the one that says pure, edible coco oil.
They have a pure range as well as an advansed range.
The advanced one has chemicals.
The pure one is really really good.

[mira-chan]

When i went to Kerala, Parachute oil was widely used there by relatives of mine.

I brought a bottle at the end of last year from here in London and gave it ago, my hair grew over an inch and bit in one month... so it definately works :)

I agree the opening is really small, but what i do is squirt a huge blob of oil onto my hands and massage it into my hair.

Parachute oil seems to work miracles, used repeatedly in the month it made a HUGE difference to my hair growth!
I do that in the warmer months as well. Currently it is rock solid so nothing will come out of the opening without a bout 20 + minutes of work trying to melt it. :mad:

[Annalouise]

...I like the fact that I am using something that can grow in the country I live in and not just something exotic from the east.

...

Othala, I decided to do the same thing. Since I live in the dessert I decided to go and harvest yucca roots and use them instead of buying plants from the east. That is why I'm not using Indian herbs anymore. :) It doesn't cost me anything and it grows locally all over the place.

[Othala]

Othala, I decided to do the same thing. Since I live in the dessert I decided to go and harvest yucca roots and use them instead of buying plants from the east. That is why I'm not using Indian herbs anymore. :) It doesn't cost me anything and it grows locally all over the place.

It makes perfect sense :).

[Cleopatra18]

I lose exactly 20 hairs everytime I oil my scalp,I dont know if I should give that up in order to prevent the shedding.what do you all think?Is it just weak follicles that was going to shed already? BTW I'm sure its not old shed hair.
I'm waiting for my parachute oil to arrive.I remember it made my hair so thick,and got some really nice growth.I still dont know how often should I use it.
Starlights How often did you apply parachute to get 1+ inch in one month?
I was supposed to wash my hair today but I got lazy =/ My scalp is really itchy since yesterday,I dont know why.

[Othala]

Hi Othala. You say it has mild cleansing properties. Does that mean it could dry out clean hair? My hair is very dry so I don't want to risk anything.

Thank you for all your help and knowledge.

You are most welcome, but my knowledge mostly comes through experimentation and ideas from other people on LHC, so thanks to you all.

Fenugreek has a small amount of saponin, not enough to dry out even freshly shampooed hair, applied to which it will act as a conditioning agent. I have very dry hair too and Fenugreek has never dried my hair out. I have used it with Shikakai and other herbs as well as on it's own.

If you do decide to try it please make a runny paste and don't let it dry on your hair otherwise it crusts up and is difficult to remove properly.

The only problem with Fenugreek in my experience is the smell. It is a pretty strong curry smell and whilst it is on my head, even though covered by a plastic shower cap, I have to stop myself from gagging. But then I have a particularly sensitive sense of smell.

[Othala]

I lose exactly 20 hairs everytime I oil my scalp,I dont know if I should give that up in order to prevent the shedding.what do you all think?Is it just weak follicles that was going to shed already? ....and I lose about 60 hairs every time I do a scalp oiling.

It is just hairs entering Teleogen i.e. the end of their lifecycle and you are just giving them some added assistance in shedding.

If it is any consolation, a trichology manual that I have says that the removal of Telogen hairs actually speeds up the growth of the new Anagen hair that is waiting for the removal of the old hair from the hair follicle before it can go into full growth mode.

So, by removing the old, soon to be shed hair, you are actually speeding up the growth of new hairs.

[Cleopatra18]

....and I lose about 60 hairs every time I do a scalp oiling.

It is just hairs entering Teleogen i.e. the end of their lifecycle and you are just giving them some added assistance in shedding.

If it is any consolation, a trichology manual that I have says that the removal of Telogen hairs actually speeds up the growth of the new Anagen hair that is waiting for the removal of the old hair from the hair follicle before it can go into full growth mode.

So, by removing the old, soon to be shed hair, you are actually speeding up the growth of new hairs.
Yeah I heard that before but was'nt so sure (shedding the weak almost dead hair so the new stronger hairs come out).Thing is I like to oil daily and I'm just scared that by time I'll lose more of my thickness.
I heard about the fenugreek smell too :disgust: pretty disgusting from what I've heard.

[brunette]

The way I look at it is: these hairs are going to fall out anyway, and as long as you are not scrubbing at the roots with your fingers but gently moving the scalp itself as you apply the oils/massage then you are not going to do any more damage than brushing or shampooing.
I keep forgetting to oil except for my castor oil around my hairline nightly, reading recent posts in this thread has made me determined to oil more often and crack out my parachute oil (I've only used mine for cooking - delicious for oven baked onion bhajis!). Last bottle I had I melted and put into a wide mouthed jar. I kept it in a kitchen cupboard and only scooped out what I wanted when I wanted it.

[ratgirldjh]

I've done fenugreek only washes quit a bit using the powdered fenugreek. For me they even removed a light oiling and I actually enjoy the smell.

The only problem I had with it was that it built up on my hair very fast! But I am wondering if it is because I would sometimes not let the mixture sit for several hours (or overnight) and then use it... I would use it immediately (mixed it with hot water and waited til it was a slimy consistency) and wash it out immediately too (kind of like a co wash) - not keeping it in my hair for any length of time.

Does leaving it in your hair longer clean better and help prevent build-up? I was thinking the longer I left it the more build up it would leave?

Finally, is there any way to prevent fenugreek build up? (lol) I really love the smell of fenugreek! :D It makes me hungry!!! :)

[Cleopatra18]

I've done fenugreek only washes quit a bit using the powdered fenugreek. For me they even removed a light oiling and I actually enjoy the smell.

The only problem I had with it was that it built up on my hair very fast! But I am wondering if it is because I would sometimes not let the mixture sit for several hours (or overnight) and then use it... I would use it immediately (mixed it with hot water and waited til it was a slimy consistency) and wash it out immediately too (kind of like a co wash) - not keeping it in my hair for any length of time.

Does leaving it in your hair longer clean better and help prevent build-up? I was thinking the longer I left it the more build up it would leave?

Finally, is there any way to prevent fenugreek build up? (lol) I really love the smell of fenugreek! :D It makes me hungry!!! :)
Lol Mom loves fenugreek smell too.she also drinks it often.Very healthy but not so tasty I think :o
I was also wondering about build up.I am totally off shampoos now so I'm wondering How often to clarify and with what.
Is castile soap enough to remove build up?

[starlights]

I do that in the warmer months as well. Currently it is rock solid so nothing will come out of the opening without a bout 20 + minutes of work trying to melt it. :mad:

I use the pure coconut 100%- Parachute oil.
I live in London, so the bottle is always rock hard.

What I do is to melt the bottle... i put it in the microwave for a minute... or i sometimes put the bottle in a pan, then pour hot boiled kettle water on it... then after 10 mins come back and find the liquid has melted :D

[starlights]

I've noticed that a lot of people here oil their hair only ears down. thats great for hair but oil can also nourish hair follicles upto some extent and by oiling only hair, the hair follicles won't get anything.
So everyone I know and myself included oil the scalp as well as hair.
Some people are worried about their scalp already being oily but its alright to oil an already oily scalp I've noticed.

Yes i oil my scalp too... hasnt done me any harm... i leave the oil in there bunned up for 2 days max then wash out. Seems to leave my hair so smooth, and no flaky scalp, yay!:cheese:

[McFearless]

It does not dry out my hair when it's not oiled. I find it balances things out and gives my hair shine. It's a very mild and conditioning cleanser. My hair is very dry as well. I make a methi pack with about 3 table spoons of powder in enough water to mix and about a centimeter over it extra. Then let stand for at least two hours. I put on the pack, let it sit covered with a shower cap for 30 minutes then rinse off well. My hair loves it. A recommendation on sites is to mix it with buttermilk instead of water for even more conditioning and strength for hair.


I've used only powdered methi as it's easier and I don't have the time to grind them usually. I've had no issues with it. It's my go to hair wash pack when my hair is acting really crazy and dry. it makes my hair soft and shiny every time. It does build up a bit after several treatments so be careful.

I don't oil (other than a light leave in oil) before methi washes.

Thats really good to know, thank you! Clearly its working for you..your hair is stunning.


Fenugreek won't dry out your hair as far as I know.

Thanks for the help:)


You are most welcome, but my knowledge mostly comes through experimentation and ideas from other people on LHC, so thanks to you all.

Fenugreek has a small amount of saponin, not enough to dry out even freshly shampooed hair, applied to which it will act as a conditioning agent. I have very dry hair too and Fenugreek has never dried my hair out. I have used it with Shikakai and other herbs as well as on it's own.

If you do decide to try it please make a runny paste and don't let it dry on your hair otherwise it crusts up and is difficult to remove properly.

The only problem with Fenugreek in my experience is the smell. It is a pretty strong curry smell and whilst it is on my head, even though covered by a plastic shower cap, I have to stop myself from gagging. But then I have a particularly sensitive sense of smell.

Make a runny waste, got it thanks! :)

[hairyfairy]

Yeah that methi smell never seems to leave my hair...DH says I smell like pickles.

[Diamondbell]

Rice flour huh? Must try that.
I usually do a shikakai, aritha, bengal gram powder wash. I add this thing called arappu powder sometimes. I keep the paste on for 15 mins and then wash out.
How long did you keep it on?

Hi sakuramemily - I kept it on for 5-7 minutes but you can have it on for 15 minutes too. Rice flour does make a difference, I had no idea either that rice flour could be used. But I remember lots of people used to use shikakai with rice water (water in which rice is cooked), with good results. I know arappu powder. Isn't it kind of slippery? But I like it too. :D

[sakuraemily]

I lose exactly 20 hairs everytime I oil my scalp,I dont know if I should give that up in order to prevent the shedding.what do you all think?Is it just weak follicles that was going to shed already? BTW I'm sure its not old shed hair.
I'm waiting for my parachute oil to arrive.I remember it made my hair so thick,and got some really nice growth.I still dont know how often should I use it.
Starlights How often did you apply parachute to get 1+ inch in one month?
I was supposed to wash my hair today but I got lazy =/ My scalp is really itchy since yesterday,I dont know why.

I'm not Starlights, but for oil to work best you need to keep it on for atleast 8 hours. Thats overnight. And you can use it once or twice a week.
If you don't mind going around with oily hair then its ok to go around for 2-3 days with oil on the head as long as you do WO everyday. But don't over-WO.
Source: Keralites have seriously thick hair and you always see them with oiled hair in India. A lot of them, not all of course.

[sakuraemily]

Hi sakuramemily - I kept it on for 5-7 minutes but you can have it on for 15 minutes too. Rice flour does make a difference, I had no idea either that rice flour could be used. But I remember lots of people used to use shikakai with rice water (water in which rice is cooked), with good results. I know arappu powder. Isn't it kind of slippery? But I like it too. :D

Yeah I guess it is.
I find this stuff easier to wash out if I dunk my head in the tub/ bucket first( of course keeping nose and ears carefully out).

[sakuraemily]

Me too - I'm half white and half Mexican and my hair is really very much like Indian hair (excepting perhaps color and beauty), so I am happy to read all the notes here.
No matter what your ethnicity is or hair type is, Indian haircare will help you

[Cleopatra18]

I'm not Starlights, but for oil to work best you need to keep it on for atleast 8 hours. Thats overnight. And you can use it once or twice a week.
If you don't mind going around with oily hair then its ok to go around for 2-3 days with oil on the head as long as you do WO everyday. But don't over-WO.
Source: Keralites have seriously thick hair and you always see them with oiled hair in India. A lot of them, not all of course.
umm what? xD Please explain further.You mean I have to rinse hair with water only everyday if I'm planning to keep the oil in my hair for more than one day?
The only thing so far that seemed to get the oil out was egg washes.so (originally) I was planning to heavy oil overnight daily and wash it with eggs the next day.But I'm concerned that doing this makes me shed more than normal (maybe 50-60hairs,my normal is 20-30 i think).
Is heat necessary for oil to work/absorb?

[sakuraemily]

I think we need a clear definition of what is meant by "Indian hair care".

For me, it means the traditional hair care practiced in most parts of India by most East Indians before modern products took over.

Traditional hair care is still practiced in parts of India today where modern hair products have not yet made inroads into the hair care market, especially in rural areas where people are too poor to afford to buy stuff to look after their hair rather than collecting it free from Nature.

Modern products such as commercial shampoos, conditioners, silicones, hairspray and synthetic hair colourants were/are not part of traditional Indian hair care.

Rhassoul, Sidr, Argan oil are part of Middle-Eastern hair care, not Indian hair care.


Traditional Indian hair care, IMO, is typically the following:
Hair and scalp are cleaned with herbal pastes e.g. Shikakai, Aritha (Reetha), Hibiscus leaves
Hair is oiled heavily once a week
Hair is kept oiled to a greater or lesser extent at all times after cleaning
If hair is dyed, it is with Henna
If there are problematic conditions with hair and scalp these are treated by the application of herbal packs e.g. Amla, Bhringraj, Methi, Kadi pata, etc, and/or Ayurvedic or herbal oils of which there are a multitude available
Weekly head massage
Usually a weekly head bath (the exception being the Keralese practice of daily hair rinses in water, sometimes with mashed Hibiscus leaves rubbed into scalp) followed by heavy oiling
Using a comb - never a brush
Air-drying hair - never using hair dryers or other heated tools
Protective styles: Two oiled plaits (braids) for girls, a single plait or bun for adult women
Hair is scented with incense e.g. Loban, Mogra, Chambeli
Hair is decorated with highly perfumed flowers e.g. Jasmine
The above are just my suggestions. What do you all think?
correction,
Oiling 2-3 times a week, some people did it everyday.
Traditionally hair rinses also were done more than once a week. I mean rest of India not Kerala.

[starlights]

In Kerala women generally put the oil in damp hair after washing :) I remember everyone around me has such healthy head of hair :)

I normally leave the parchute 100% coconut oil / vatika in least the whole day, but my hair does not look greasy, my hair seems to absorb the oil quickly and just looks like a glimmer shine of black hair :) it definately has made my hair thicker too :) Doing updo's is so much easier too.

Mustard oil is great for the colder climates (like london) some indian women use that oil too back in india.
I used to also use it here before I went to work and people would ask what it was that gave it made my hair so healthy sheen.
Hurrah for mustard oil in the cold times, it prevents splits for me too :)

[sakuraemily]

Someone(I'm too lazy to check who) said that shikakai and all were well known in the south and are not really east Indian herbs. It is true, but quite a few east Indians did know about them.
My granny said that when she was young, she had an aritha tree in her house and she used the aritha fruit to wash my mum's hair. She'd soak it over night and separate the skin and pulp the next morning and use. I can't properly remeber how exactly she did it, but she did soak the fruit.

[sakuraemily]

There is one vital fact everyone must know if we are talking Indian haircare.
Malayalees and Bengalis, reputed to have the best hair in India, are nuts about fish. Fish is a staple in diet and I think some Bongs and Mallus can't even survive a day w/o fish. I'm not certain how frequently Keralites eat fish but Bengalis certainly do.
Bengalis primarily eat riverfish.I think Keralites are big on seafish.
Fish is a very good nutrient source and that I think helps hair in addition to all the oil and shikakai.
Nowadays though Bong hair quality is going down because many hate oiling.

[AnnaJamila]

Yes i oil my scalp too... hasnt done me any harm... i leave the oil in there bunned up for 2 days max then wash out. Seems to leave my hair so smooth, and no flaky scalp, yay!:cheese:

Scalp oiling really saved me from the flakies!!! Haha, I <3 coconut oil!!!

[AnnaJamila]

....and I lose about 60 hairs every time I do a scalp oiling.

It is just hairs entering Teleogen i.e. the end of their lifecycle and you are just giving them some added assistance in shedding.

If it is any consolation, a trichology manual that I have says that the removal of Telogen hairs actually speeds up the growth of the new Anagen hair that is waiting for the removal of the old hair from the hair follicle before it can go into full growth mode.

So, by removing the old, soon to be shed hair, you are actually speeding up the growth of new hairs.

I LOVE YOU. Haha, I've been in the middle of a huge *depressing* shed and you just made me feel so much better!!! Hugs!!!

[sakuraemily]

I have a question. Do you guys oil your scalp or just the hair shaft? Thanks

Both scalp and hair shaft.

[starlights]

There is one vital fact everyone must know if we are talking Indian haircare.
Malayalees and Bengalis, reputed to have the best hair in India, are nuts about fish. Fish is a staple in diet and I think some Bongs and Mallus can't even survive a day w/o fish. I'm not certain how frequently Keralites eat fish but Bengalis certainly do.
Bengalis primarily eat riverfish.I think Keralites are big on seafish.
Fish is a very good nutrient source and that I think helps hair in addition to all the oil and shikakai.
Nowadays though Bong hair quality is going down because many hate oiling.

This is a true fact!
Keralites do love their sea food! However not all of us eat it everyday (some of us dont) but it is part of the regular diet.
Whenever i go back home to my family home (either here in London or back in India) there is always fresh fishes that are spicey fried or made into a lovely coconut fish curry to eat, yummy! lol:)

My grandma used to tell me eating fresh, quality fish is good for hair , good for body and intelligence too... :D

[Annalouise]

I am really surprised to hear how much Indian women oil their hair. I have fine hair on the medium to thin side, and when I oil my hair it looks oiled. Plus my hair is not black, but light brown, so when I oil my hair the color changes and it looks greasy. This is why I only oil before bed and wash it out in the morning.

Do you think that Indian hair is particularily suited to oiling because of its black color and coarseness? Or do some Indian women have lighter colored hair that is also fine?

[Cleopatra18]

My dandruff is back again =/!! I have been lazy with my sidr treatments recently and apparently my scalp is not happy..*sigh*
The egg washes are great thou! super easy and all the oil is washed out completely.I can't believe I didnt try this sooner.