Using Indian Herbs and Oils to grow, Grow, GROW!

I've been using the herbs for maybe two weeks now. So far, it's really different but it seems to be working REALLY well for me. My hair feels thick and soft, and feels somewhat oily but it's not GREASY feeling or looking. I have plenty of volume at the roots. I've washed my hair once or twice since then using DW but that was because I was in a rush.

Sometimes when I wash my hair too infrequently, I get a bit of scalp acne. This hasn't happened, despite the "oiled" feeling my hair has. It's very different to get used to... Since it was doing so well on my hair, I decided to use the same paste on my face. It REALLY feels quite nice. Neem is anti-septic and tulsi is anti-bacterial. So this stuff HAS to be good for my acne. So far, my skin seems to love it. I wash first with my homemade soap and then follow with an herbal mask for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day, whatever I have time for. My mix isn't nearly as exact in measurements as it was before, but I'm using something like a tablespoon and a half of shikakai and a tablespoon each of the neem, tulsi, and amla.

We'll see how it all turns out... I know shampoo bars worked famously for me for about two or three weeks. Hopefully this is more long-term. I've gotten used to the herbal scent, but does anyone add anything else to scent their wash that won't dry out their hair or mess with the delicate chemistry of the herbs? I used to use may chang or orange eo's but I think they dried out my hair. Ideas??

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Originally Posted by Oskimosa

I've been using the herbs for maybe two weeks now. So far, it's really different but it seems to be working REALLY well for me. My hair feels thick and soft, and feels somewhat oily but it's not GREASY feeling or looking. I have plenty of volume at the roots. I've washed my hair once or twice since then using DW but that was because I was in a rush.

Sometimes when I wash my hair too infrequently, I get a bit of scalp acne. This hasn't happened, despite the "oiled" feeling my hair has. It's very different to get used to... Since it was doing so well on my hair, I decided to use the same paste on my face. It REALLY feels quite nice. Neem is anti-septic and tulsi is anti-bacterial. So this stuff HAS to be good for my acne. So far, my skin seems to love it. I wash first with my homemade soap and then follow with an herbal mask for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day, whatever I have time for. My mix isn't nearly as exact in measurements as it was before, but I'm using something like a tablespoon and a half of shikakai and a tablespoon each of the neem, tulsi, and amla.

We'll see how it all turns out... I know shampoo bars worked famously for me for about two or three weeks. Hopefully this is more long-term. I've gotten used to the herbal scent, but does anyone add anything else to scent their wash that won't dry out their hair or mess with the delicate chemistry of the herbs? I used to use may chang or orange eo's but I think they dried out my hair. Ideas??

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i actually love using amla paste to do masks on my face from time to time. it leaves my skin very firm and takes off all the dead skin. however if i use it too often i start getting cystic pimples! but i think that may be from the extreme pore tightening action of the amla mask. so now i try and remember to steam my face before using and then wait for a while after using the mask before applying oil to my face.

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Originally Posted by HotRag

I use brahmi. But I haven't tried with and without, and do not know what the difference would be. I have had brahmi in all herb washes I have done.

The thing I first thought of when I opened the package, was that I thought it smelled just like henna.

I have added tulsi and neem though, so about them, I can say that I did not notice any negative effects at all.

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i actually love the way the brahmi smells - but i may or may not be allergic to thyme - i'm not sure if the indian thyme (brahmi) is the same type of thyme - but i had a very bad reaction to giovanni's leave in that thyme is one of the first ingredients... :( sadness - i would love to try this powder!

one more post here - i had noticed last year when i was using shikakai regularly (once a week) after heavily oiling - that everytime i finished a hair washing with it that my hair would feel and look longer immediately! has anyone else noticed this? i actually thought it was all in my head until my bf asked one day what i was doing to my hair to make it grow so fast!

back then i was not on this board and did not think to measure my hair - so i am curious as to if anyone else on here notices their hair feeling or looking longer after these treatments.

of course it could be a straightening action - because these herbs do seem to make my hair a little straighter immediately after washing. the next day my waves come back...

hahaha - will she ever stop posting???

well, i am sitting here after oiling my hair last night with shikakai paste on my head. i decided that i would try it again - since shikakai alone never USED to make me itch. perhaps it is because the last 2 times i tried it - and itched - was the first time it was mixed with LOTS of chandan and the 2nd time i left it on for 3 hours!!!

so this time it is shikakai alone and a much thinner paste - and i finally got the shikakai to dissolve better this time by mixing it with boiling water and then letting it sit for about an hour! i also microwaved it for 30 seconds after it cooled off - then let it sit

so i am going to let it stay on my head for only and hour and will post results later

wish me luck!

HTH

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Originally Posted by gerit

Hi all,

I'm appreciated by this thread since I like to use the knowledge of cultures with long traditions in using natural means of body- and haircare.

It's nice to find out, that it's giving good look and feeling.

What I still missed - did I overlooked something? - is the momentum of "grow, grow, grow!"
I'm not going to dispute it, but would like to know, which experiences corrobate it in excess of good look and feel.
Also the appropriate ways of using.
Isn't the knowledge available from people coming out of this kind of tradition and use of indian haircare?

For myself I achieved a kind of "training" of hair and scalp by eliminating silicone-products and by reducing the washing / applying of shampoo to maybe 10 days, while my scalp honored this by stopping itching and other inconveniences.

But still don't really know, how to improve the strength and the health of my hair (besides of skipping means, that apparently hurt it).

Sure it's good to have better means of cleaning hair, but I think, that alone will not increase the grow-factor and the strength.

How about the results of the other discussion in this forum http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ead.php?t=8939 ?

How about combining henna / cassia with indian herbs ?
There's also known fenugreek to be stimulating the growth of hair and used by oriental cultures http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenugreek
How about to check out the (natural) means, experiences and knowledge on supporting the growth and health of hair?
I think, the use of indian herbs is a good track to follow. But maybe combined with other knowledge, we have in reach and also getting deeper into it's real secrets.

Gerit

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Many of the Indian herbs have been known to cause root and shaft strength to hairs, and help in growth. I started using the herbs for the purpose of growth and thickening of hairs and as a result have gotten shiny soft hair too! I have only been using them for a few months and it is about time to measure my hair for growth, but even if I don't have excessive growth, the condition of my hair is enough to keep using them.

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Originally Posted by ratgirldjh

i actually love the way the brahmi smells - but i may or may not be allergic to thyme - i'm not sure if the indian thyme (brahmi) is the same type of thyme - but i had a very bad reaction to giovanni's leave in that thyme is one of the first ingredients... :( sadness - i would love to try this powder!

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The botanical names of brahmi and common thyme are different, though brahmi is often confused with gotu kola. What you could do is mix up a little paste of brahmi, apply it to the inside of your elbow then cover and see if you get a reaction.
It is a very good herb for growth so fingers crossed you can use it :)

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Originally Posted by ChloeDharma

The botanical names of brahmi and common thyme are different, though brahmi is often confused with gotu kola. What you could do is mix up a little paste of brahmi, apply it to the inside of your elbow then cover and see if you get a reaction.
It is a very good herb for growth so fingers crossed you can use it :)

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ChloeDharma Brahmi (Hindi) is indeed Gotu Kola (Sinhalese) (Centella Asiatica). They are one and the same.

But there are two types of Brahmi (See Herbs and Uses Thread). The same leaf that is called Brahmi is also called Gotu Kola. There is one more plant however with the same name Brahmi is "Neer Brahmi" (Bacopa monnieri) , the brahmi that grows in swampy regions and the leaf is different. Both the leaves don't have any smell, unless perfume has been added to it. Both can be used for hair growth.
Check:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...984#post262984

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Originally Posted by ratgirldjh

i actually love using amla paste to do masks on my face from time to time. it leaves my skin very firm and takes off all the dead skin. however if i use it too often i start getting cystic pimples! but i think that may be from the extreme pore tightening action of the amla mask. so now i try and remember to steam my face before using and then wait for a while after using the mask before applying oil to my face.

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I had heard of doing amla masks before, just never bothered to try it. And I don't apply oil afterwards, since I have terribly oily skin. I wonder if I don't need oil since I'm using those other conditioning herbs too... I just use my soap first to clean off any eye makeup I might be wearing. They're superfatted about 7%. Then I follow with the herbs. So far so good, but if I develop anything nasty I'll see about your method!

Anyone know if I can store leftovers for the next day? Do I put it in the fridge or what..?

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Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

Many of the Indian herbs have been known to cause root and shaft strength to hairs, and help in growth. I started using the herbs for the purpose of growth and thickening of hairs and as a result have gotten shiny soft hair too! I have only been using them for a few months and it is about time to measure my hair for growth, but even if I don't have excessive growth, the condition of my hair is enough to keep using them.

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I didn't really know your hair was supposed to grow faster.. maybe because it's stronger, it won't break off and lose growth? I started using them as an alternative to shampoos, since I've had so many mixed results from different natural ones I've tried. It reminds me a bit of the BS and ACV method, but I'm just not getting greasy. It's really weird.

On my ends, however, I'm not yet finding the right balance and type of oil to use. I'm starting to think that since nothing has worked to far, even using other washing methods, I might just need a trim. Yuck. I don't want to, but those razored ends are spliting really bad around my face. I don't think it's related at all to the herbs, but they're just hard to ignore when the rest of my hair feels so nice. I did join the "no cuts in 2009" thread, though. I wonder if it would be ok to just trim the face-framing layers I have? Hhhhm.

well the shikakai pack yesterday took off all the oil! today my hair is very soft and shiny - but it seems to be less wavy. i don't know if this is because of the shikakai or since it is very humid and rainy here today.

the thinner paste definitely made it easier to squish it into my hair when applying. i just applied it in sections and sort of rolled it around my hair all the way to the ends and then i would squish the sections to make sure the 'juice' got all through.

i like the smell of shikakai!