Questions about Alma

[Knittycat]

My hair is, annoyingly, 1b on my left side, and 2b on my right. I've considered using alma to help even out the curl. I'm doing my best to love my hair!
Anyway, I've looked for alma online, and I'm finding a lot of alma oils, but no herb. Does the oil work like the herb? If not, where do I find the herb? How is it applied?

Thanks in advance

[mira-chan]

My hair is, annoyingly, 1b on my left side, and 2b on my right. I've considered using alma to help even out the curl. I'm doing my best to love my hair!
Anyway, I've looked for alma online, and I'm finding a lot of alma oils, but no herb. Does the oil work like the herb? If not, where do I find the herb? How is it applied?

Thanks in advance
You mean Amla?

The oil is usually amla extract in a carrier oil. Most of the amle oils I've seen are mineral oil based. It's heavier and may not work like the herb.

Here is Hesh amla powder (http://www.amazon.com/Hesh-Amla-Powder/dp/B004VBWUPM)
You can make a paste out of it and use it as a hair mask. There is a link in my signature to the Indian herb hair care article which has recipes that you might find helpful.:)

[Knittycat]

LOL, yes amla, not alma

[Othala]

I had a cousin called Alma. She died. :-(

Anyway, Amla :-) I find the fresh fruit better than the powdered fruit. Amla is not a herb. You can buy the dried fruit too. IMO it's best to get the fresh fruit, cut it into pieces and cook it slowly in coconut oil to extract the good stuff. Watch out though because the stuff will stain your hands dark brown and if you are a henna-head it will cool down your red.

[maborosi]

I've read that amla cannot actually make hair go curly- but only allow the hair to retain curls (especially during henna)- is this true? If that's the case, Knittycat, you might not have luck with the 1b side curling.

I've wanted to put it into a wash recipe, but I was always a bit nervous about it curling up my hair shudder: Hopefully, someone can clear up that confusion for me. :flower:

~maborosi~

[Henna Sooq]

Amla does create wave and bounce/volume to hair and should bounce some of your looser strands a bit more curly. Amla powder is your best choice as it's 100% amla powder and it's more concentrated. So you get the full affect.

The organic amla oil doesn't have mineral oil in it. More so you'll find it with sesame seed oil and even that can be organic as well. But the oil won't have the same affect as the powder since it's a different form of extraction and also contains a base oil in it. It always has a base oil even if the company doesn't list it. I haven't ever seen 100% pure amla oil myself.

Khadija