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

**eaglefeather71** · March 27th, 2009, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by hennaphile

I just tried coconut milk today... works wonders! It left a slight amount of oil on my hair, which for me is fine because mine tends to be a tad dry, but wow! i'm going to try your shampoo recipe tomorrow after another coconut milk application

Your hair in your avatar is absolutely georgeous! I have never tried coconut milk in my hair. Mine tends toward oily rather than dry and doesn't need much conditioning at all so I have been hesitant to try it.

This weekend I have more time available for my hair than I have in quite some time. I think I may do some serious indian herb and oil pampering. For those who have used Chickpea, I want to try the chickpea in my recipe tomorrow. I have dried whole chickpeas and canned cooked ones too, would the canned ones work if I put them in a blender, or would I need to use the dried ones and grind them to a powder?

**ratgirldjh** · March 27th, 2009, 07:07 PM

[quote=HotRag;521480]I tried low fat yogurt today, instead of 4% fat.
After more than 2 hours in hair with the blend, my hair does not smell yogurt at all.

this is good to know - thanks

**hennaphile** · March 28th, 2009, 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

Your hair in your avatar is absolutely georgeous! I have never tried coconut milk in my hair. Mine tends toward oily rather than dry and doesn't need much conditioning at all so I have been hesitant to try it.

Aww thanks! So today I did an herbal and amla paste after coconut milk... very nice except i should have strained it. Hair looks good so far.

Where does one find shikakai and aritha?

**eaglefeather71** · March 28th, 2009, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by hennaphile

Aww thanks! So today I did an herbal and amla paste after coconut milk... very nice except i should have strained it. Hair looks good so far.

Where does one find shikakai and aritha?

Usually you can find them at an indian grocery store locally. I don't have one locally so I originally bought mine online and I'm pretty sure the links to my online sources are in this thread, I'll have to look and link it here. Then one day my family and I went on a day trip where I found an indinan store and stocked up on both.

If you don't have aritha and shikakai, what herbs did you use with the amla?

**eaglefeather71** · March 28th, 2009, 09:53 AM

This week, I'm experimenting again:

Overnight Oil soak

Note: I figured out where all the big chunks came from last time. I bought some shikakai from the indian grocery store and have used it 2 times. I noticed these "rocks" each time so I sifted the shikakai, it was full of little chunks and twigs. So from now on, I can use the sifted stuff and not have to worry about the chunks.

1 big scoop of Shikakai
1/4ts Rose
2 big scoops of hot water
probably 4-5 tb Chickpea Paste
1/2 TB Molassas
1tb yoghurt
1tb hot catnip tea (the rest will be a rinse)

THis made a thin paste tha I put in a squirt bottle and applied, covered with plastic and a scarf. I'm letting it sit for about 2 hours and will then do a catnip rinse. I'll update with results later.

**Oskimosa** · March 28th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by ratgirldjh

I have noticed less wave, but I have always thought it was from the Henna layers on my hair. The shikakai does straighten it quite a bit while still damp, but I have not noticed it sticking around.

Less wave, huh? I guess I'm doing something different because I have MORE wave than usual. My routine used to be just a CWC with Dairy Whip, but with the herbs and oils only it's wavier. It's also kindof stringier when I over-oil, but my scalp and canopy are still doing quite well. So I really want to make this work for my ends.

I'm only leaving it on for 5-10 minutes, and it's getting the right amount of oil off my scalp. I don't know if I'll maybe need to clarify once a month or something. I think the stringy ends have SOMETHING to do with my hard water. Might need to clarify just the ends ...? Otherwise, my hair really really looks nice, it's not so wirey looking with all those flyaways yet it doesn't feel greasy! I'm definately happy I tried this.

ETA: Check out this photo from today, compared to my siggie. Definate change I think.

ETA again: I brushed out my waves. Still more wave than normal, though.

**eaglefeather71** · March 28th, 2009, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Oskimosa

Less wave, huh? I guess I'm doing something different because I have MORE wave than usual. My routine used to be just a CWC with Dairy Whip, but with the herbs and oils only it's wavier. It's also kindof stringier when I over-oil, but my scalp and canopy are still doing quite well. So I really want to make this work for my ends.

I'm only leaving it on for 5-10 minutes, and it's getting the right amount of oil off my scalp. I don't know if I'll maybe need to clarify once a month or something. I think the stringy ends have SOMETHING to do with my hard water. Might need to clarify just the ends ...? Otherwise, my hair really really looks nice, it's not so wirey looking with all those flyaways yet it doesn't feel greasy! I'm definately happy I tried this.

You may just want to pull back on oiling the areas that are becoming stringy, either use much less or none at all in those areas. You could also go the other way and make sure those areas are completely saturated with the herbs and leave them on longer (1 hour). The herbs are so mild that I have left them on overnight with no ill effects at all, and my scalp is VERY sensitive.

Also, if you are using Amla It would make sense that you are getting more wave. Ratgirldjh I think has stopped using Amla because her hair didn't like it, but amla is definetly known to enhance curl.

**eaglefeather71** · March 28th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

This week, I'm experimenting again:

Overnight Oil soak

Note: I figured out where all the big chunks came from last time. I bought some shikakai from the indian grocery store and have used it 2 times. I noticed these "rocks" each time so I sifted the shikakai, it was full of little chunks and twigs. So from now on, I can use the sifted stuff and not have to worry about the chunks.

1 big scoop of Shikakai
1/4ts Rose
2 big scoops of hot water
probably 4-5 tb Chickpea Paste
1/2 TB Molassas
1tb yoghurt
1tb hot catnip tea (the rest will be a rinse)

THis made a thin paste tha I put in a squirt bottle and applied, covered with plastic and a scarf. I'm letting it sit for about 2 hours and will then do a catnip rinse. I'll update with results later.

As I was rinsing my hair, I just KNEW there was going to be a bunch of oil left in because my hair felt so thick and dense as I ran my fingers through during the rinse. That is usually how it feels when I find oil remaining. So to test, I blow dried my bang area and lo & behold, no oil! So I kept blowdrying my crown area, still no oil, just thick shiny hair. Hmm...I stopped there because I normally don't blowdry. The rest is still damp, and I'm still expecting oily hair...it will be so cool if it's not oily at all because I didn't have to sleep in the herbs this time. We'll see...

**Oskimosa** · March 28th, 2009, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

You may just want to pull back on oiling the areas that are becoming stringy, either use much less or none at all in those areas. You could also go the other way and make sure those areas are completely saturated with the herbs and leave them on longer (1 hour). The herbs are so mild that I have left them on overnight with no ill effects at all, and my scalp is VERY sensitive.

Also, if you are using Amla It would make sense that you are getting more wave. Ratgirldjh I think has stopped using Amla because her hair didn't like it, but amla is definetly known to enhance curl.

Thanks. I TOTALLY forgot about amla and curl, I remember lots of people talking about using it with henna and getting that effect. I'm getting just the right amount of oil off my scalp, and when I don't oil enough, it leaves my ends rather ragged. Maybe a different oil... Conditioner doesn't work well with the herbs either, I've found.

Originally Posted by eaglefeather71

As I was rinsing my hair, I just KNEW there was going to be a bunch of oil left in because my hair felt so thick and dense as I ran my fingers through during the rinse. That is usually how it feels when I find oil remaining. So to test, I blow dried my bang area and lo & behold, no oil! So I kept blowdrying my crown area, still no oil, just thick shiny hair. Hmm...I stopped there because I normally don't blowdry. The rest is still damp, and I'm still expecting oily hair...it will be so cool if it's not oily at all because I didn't have to sleep in the herbs this time. We'll see...

It is really funny how the stuff feels as you rinse it out, almost like your hair is really oily but it dries fine! Takes alot of getting used to. Normally if I washed and felt my hair that oily, it'd be a giant greaseball with no volume. But I have plenty of volume at the roots! That's why I think it will really work for me, since that area is soooo happy.

**HotRag** · March 28th, 2009, 12:17 PM

When my hair had dried totally from last days wash, I noticed that the ends that were oiled heavily with sesame oil, was nice and soft. The other side that was equally heavilly oiled with coconut oil, was dry and tangly (as dry as hair got from soapnut wash without pre oil). Sesame oil seems to keep stuck better when covered with herb wash.
It was a big difference, even my DH could easily see and feel the difference.