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

**HotRag** · March 20th, 2009, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by ratgirldjh

for some reason the amla powder i have now doesn't make my hair feel crunchy or dry or 'doll' like. it may be that last year when i was using it i still had some ends that had been dyed before and they didn't like it - i don't know.

That's a good thougth!
I started care about my hair in May 2008, so I have ends that I have not cared about. They are also hennaed, and henna seems to get my hair a bit dry and easy to damage.

I am glad my ends like yogurt though :-)

I just have combed my damp hair out, and there is a bit yogurt smell, but I do not think it is very yucky. It is not anything like last weeks vomit smell anyway, not near that, thank God.

I can't smell any beany smell, but I am not sure I know how it smelld, and I have other smells that could hide the beany smell.

**Yedda** · March 21st, 2009, 02:41 PM

I am hoping you guys can recommend a starting routine for me with Indian herbs and oils.

Background: I just bought some soap nuts, but haven't used them. Right now I am just on a CWC routine, and I'm open to anything. Oh, and I use Hesh bhringraj oil once to three times a week and leave it on overnight. To some extent I would rather make my own oil than the Hesh because I've heard it uses mineral oil but it's not on the ingredient list, and I can't say for sure that's true, but I would prefer coconut oil as a base.

I have fine, and also thin hair.

Goals:

1. Thicker hair (the volume each strand of hair and total number of hairs)

2. Darker hair, maintaining dark hair (I'm naturally have dark brown hair and am currently growing out lighter highlights)

3. Healthier hair overall, stronger hair

Please help me come up with a routine! I've been trying to come up with my own by reading this thread but I must say I am quite confused since I am new to Indian helps and oils.

Thank you in advance.

**ratgirldjh** · March 22nd, 2009, 04:23 PM

well i can tell the amla packs made my hair feel stronger - even though i finally resorted to my shampoo bar to get out the rest of the yogurt smell and some left over oil...
but 2 days later my hair feels a little stripped on the ends
so i guess maybe once a month with a yogurt and amla pack might be good for me
i'm really scared to try shikakai again - my scalp finally calmed down (no itching! YAY)
and for some reason my hair likes poo bars these days...

has anyone tried brahmi powder?

well, anyway, i better stop trying things that make me itch! once it starts then EVERYTHING makes it worse!

oh - i tried soapnuts a few times and then didn't make me itch at all! but they dry out my ends too much - even with oiling! too bad - they made my hair very thick feeling and shiny

this sure does take a lot of experimenting to get right!

**eaglefeather71** · March 22nd, 2009, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by lenac

I am hoping you guys can recommend a starting routine for me with Indian herbs and oils.

Background: I just bought some soap nuts, but haven't used them. Right now I am just on a CWC routine, and I'm open to anything. Oh, and I use Hesh bhringraj oil once to three times a week and leave it on overnight. To some extent I would rather make my own oil than the Hesh because I've heard it uses mineral oil but it's not on the ingredient list, and I can't say for sure that's true, but I would prefer coconut oil as a base.

I have fine, and also thin hair.

Goals:

1. Thicker hair (the volume each strand of hair and total number of hairs)

2. Darker hair, maintaining dark hair (I'm naturally have dark brown hair and am currently growing out lighter highlights)

3. Healthier hair overall, stronger hair

Please help me come up with a routine! I've been trying to come up with my own by reading this thread but I must say I am quite confused since I am new to Indian helps and oils.

Thank you in advance.

I would start with the soapnuts you already have, following the instructions in Melli's article. After a week or so of your hair adjusting to the natural cleanser, you will most likely have a nicer transition in to the other herbs. They are VERY different as they are powders that go on your hair gritty like mud, let sit for a while and then rinsed out. After you adjust to soapnuts, I would start with Shikakai as a cleanser after a good oiling, and letting it sit covered on your head for at least a couple hours or overnight. I like to use the powdered herbs and oils on the weekends and then use the soapnuts during the week if I have to wash. HTH

ETA: Check your oil bottle for any ingredient that has the word parafin in it. That is Mineral Oil. I have the Hesh Bhringraj oil and it is definetly coconut oil based, but I think they have both available. ALso, once you get used to using the herbs, its time to add in the conditioning herbs if your hair needs that, like Amla, Brahmi, etc.

**eclecticaurora** · March 22nd, 2009, 09:41 PM

WOW! I am impressed with soapnuts for shampoo! I have used them twice now and both times NO real tangles! I haven't had this easy of a time going through my hair with a comb since cone conditioners. I am still trying to figure out the best concentration, but so far I am a convert.

**tooqute2nv** · March 22nd, 2009, 11:45 PM

Soapnuts are just aritha, right? Everyone started using soapnuts, and I never have, sooooooo, just asking.

**ljkforu** · March 22nd, 2009, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by tooqute2nv

Soapnuts are just aritha, right? Everyone started using soapnuts, and I never have, sooooooo, just asking.

Aritha is ground, soap nuts are whole. They are really fun to play with, you crack them gently with a hammer and remove the seed and then go on with your intended recipe (check Mellie's foam method).

**gerit** · March 23rd, 2009, 07:12 AM

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

**Yedda** · March 23rd, 2009, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

I would start with the soapnuts you already have, following the instructions in Melli's article. After a week or so of your hair adjusting to the natural cleanser, you will most likely have a nicer transition in to the other herbs. They are VERY different as they are powders that go on your hair gritty like mud, let sit for a while and then rinsed out. After you adjust to soapnuts, I would start with Shikakai as a cleanser after a good oiling, and letting it sit covered on your head for at least a couple hours or overnight. I like to use the powdered herbs and oils on the weekends and then use the soapnuts during the week if I have to wash. HTH

ETA: Check your oil bottle for any ingredient that has the word parafin in it. That is Mineral Oil. I have the Hesh Bhringraj oil and it is definetly coconut oil based, but I think they have both available. ALso, once you get used to using the herbs, its time to add in the conditioning herbs if your hair needs that, like Amla, Brahmi, etc.

Thank you Eagle Feather! I will report back after I start using the soapnuts.

**HotRag** · March 23rd, 2009, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by ratgirldjh

has anyone tried brahmi powder?

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.