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

**eaglefeather71** · January 29th, 2009, 07:07 AM

I havn't permed my hair in years, but I have a story about perming. My first attempt at a perm was at the ripe ol' age of 7 years old, what were they thinking! The perm didn't take and it was attempted again only a week later. I had an afro! mainly because they let me choose the tiny rollers, but also I think because of the damage that had already been done to my hair. We ended up "straightening" it soon after that, yet more damage. I don't remember what my hair looked like after that.

During my teen years my hair took perms and color just fine, but became damaged and dry if I lightened it at all. Once I permed bleached streaks and they fried!

Now that I'm knowingly taking good care of my hair, I can judge better how my hair reacts to certain things. Oil as you all have seen doesn't soak in to my hair very well. Oil does condition it, but it takes a ton of washing to get it to not be oily. When I was using Dr Bronners and/or Shampoo bars, I didn't need and my hair didn't like acid rinses. If my hair felt too frizzy, I would use just a little conditioner. Even with the conditioner, my hair would become oily very fast, but would last a few days if I didn't condition. I think my hair acts completely different now that it has henna on it than it did before Henna, so that may scew the results of this experiment. I need to go to work now but I'll think about it and get back to you later with more information.

**eaglefeather71** · January 29th, 2009, 03:43 PM

Wow, it took 2 more washes to get the oil out this time from the treatment I did on Tuesday. But with all the oil, the washes didn't strip my hair at all. I think I may have figured out that the Shikakai is what is causing my reactive scalp pimples. They start showing up, and hurting almost immediatly after I use anything that I have included the shikakai in. That's not too much of a bummer though, since it's not one of my favorite herbs. I can live without that one if I have to.

**Beloved** · January 30th, 2009, 03:26 PM

So one thing I've noticed after using soapnuts several times is that my henna is basically gone. I only had a little henna to begin with because I have dark hair and used a 1/3 henna 2/3 cassia mix, and only used it once. Has anyone else notices that? Maybe aritha is something people should try when they want to get rid of some of their henna.

Warning, TMI!

I'm having to take a break from aritha because I had the flu and now anything that smells like acid makes me nauseous. Let's just say the smell of acid brings back moments I'd rather forget, LOL. So, I'm going to try to find out more about shikaki and some of the non-aritha mixes people here are using.

**eaglefeather71** · January 30th, 2009, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Beloved

So one thing I've noticed after using soapnuts several times is that my henna is basically gone. I only had a little henna to begin with because I have dark hair and used a 1/3 henna 2/3 cassia mix, and only used it once. Has anyone else notices that? Maybe aritha is something people should try when they want to get rid of some of their henna.

Warning, TMI!

I'm having to take a break from aritha because I had the flu and now anything that smells like acid makes me nauseous. Let's just say the smell of acid brings back moments I'd rather forget, LOL. So, I'm going to try to find out more about shikaki and some of the non-aritha mixes people here are using.

I haven't noticed mine fading, but I have 4 layers and a few glosses. I also gloss almost weekly. I'm slowly lightening some parts of my hair so that the henna will be more apparent, and I'll be able to tell better then if the henna fades. But really, My hair is holding the henna very well.

**ljkforu** · January 31st, 2009, 01:28 AM

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

I haven't noticed mine fading, but I have 4 layers and a few glosses. I also gloss almost weekly. I'm slowly lightening some parts of my hair so that the henna will be more apparent, and I'll be able to tell better then if the henna fades. But really, My hair is holding the henna very well.

3 soap nut washings and I lost a lot of my katam and indigo, possible some of my henna. I posted a new pic in my album to document my progress.

**eaglefeather71** · January 31st, 2009, 10:13 AM

I integrated catnip in to my washing technique this morning and I'm pretty sure it helped get all the pre-oiling out first try. I think I will do this every Saturday when I have pre-oiled.

I saturated my dry, pre-oiled hair with the catnip, covered with a shower cap and let it sit(drip) for about 20 minutes. I then applied the soapnut foam without rinsing and let it sit for another 5 minutes or so. When I rinsed, my hair was super uber soft and it was immediatly apparent that there was no oil left. I'm still drying, but I really don't feel any oil. YAY!

I am trying to slowly add in some highlights so that the henna shows up a little more in my hair, and to protect my hair from the damage of peroxide I have been pre-oiling with coconut oil each time I apply. My hair color is pretty much not budging so I have had to do quite a bit to it, but so far so good with the coconut oil protection. That's one of the reasons I started using the catnip today, not only to assist with the cleansing, but to add some extra conditioning.

**HotRag** · January 31st, 2009, 10:22 AM

Oh, I also tried to get some oil out with catnip today.

I didn't succeed though.
But I think it was due to my egg wash.

Last week I washed bhringraj oiled scalp clean with decyl glukose, but the egg wash didn't get this out.

Then I made a rinse with catnip before putting catnip on again to sit for an hour.
It seams to have gotten a bit of oil off, but not enough to look clean :S

I look like my brylcreemed husband

**eaglefeather71** · January 31st, 2009, 11:09 AM

I feel your pain. If you have soapnuts or aritha powder maybe you could try to mimic what I did to see if it works for you. You have a ton more hair than me though, so I don't know.

**HotRag** · January 31st, 2009, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

I feel your pain. If you have soapnuts or aritha powder maybe you could try to mimic what I did to see if it works for you. You have a ton more hair than me though, so I don't know.

I have aritha, whole AND powder. But I am more afraid to get dry hair than oily, so I am waiting to use aritha again, until I can get amla (one more week until I will go to that Indian store again).

Whenever I have too much of oils (not sebum) in hair, I think "oh yeah, another week with oil treatment". My hair seams to like it

(EDIT: It is not as oily as during scalp oiling - before wshing.)

Maybe I should try two eggs next egg wash. Heavily oiled hair may need more than a usual one. When I did not oil my scalp, one egg was really enough fo the whole hair. Could even put some oil in it.

**ljkforu** · January 31st, 2009, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

I haven't noticed mine fading, but I have 4 layers and a few glosses. I also gloss almost weekly. I'm slowly lightening some parts of my hair so that the henna will be more apparent, and I'll be able to tell better then if the henna fades. But really, My hair is holding the henna very well.

Wow! I'm only glossing every 6-8 weeks. I think I'll step it up a little and get a better coating on the hair shafts.