Yucca Vs. Soapwort Vs. Aritha/Soapnuts?

**mellie** · August 28th, 2008, 07:51 AM

The reused soapnuts worked! Here's some pics!

**mellie** · August 31st, 2008, 12:42 PM

Just wanted to update, the last three days I've used the reused soapnut liquid without following it with an herbal rinse, and my hair is looking and feeling sensational! Yesterday I did a roots-only henna/katam, and this morning washed it out with the soapnut liquid. It's looking so body-ful, shiny, and feels wonderful!

**mellie** · October 6th, 2008, 06:23 PM

Just wanted to update again, today I tried my same recipe but with lime instead of lemon juice. Worked great! Here's some pics:

FYI, I didn't follow up with any kind of rinse at all.

**mellie** · October 16th, 2008, 06:05 AM

Another update!

I tried reusing the same soapnuts to make a 3rd liquid. It worked great on most of my hair, just not the hair near my face which tends to get greasy easily. So, for most people it would probably work OK, just not folks like me with especially greasy hair. However, re-using the same soapnuts 2x works really nicely!

**wintersun99** · October 16th, 2008, 08:49 AM

So, have you settled on your favorite wash method yet? Are you sticking with Soapnuts? Also, are you using them exclusively or are you mixing it up with the shampoo bar?

**mellie** · October 16th, 2008, 09:12 AM

I have been switching between soapnuts and Dairy Whip...I like them both! :-)

**mellie** · October 22nd, 2008, 04:59 AM

An update:

I've been using the soapnuts exclusively now, and my hair looks and feels wonderful. Here's a good closeup, you can see the nice body and shine (sorry it's big!):

However, it's really been pulling out the color from both katam and indigo (not henna). So, be aware if you color!

ETA: Another positive is that I lose so much fewer hairs when I shampoo with soapnuts as opposed to shampoo!

Here's some interesting research on soapnuts that I found:

Antimicrobial Activity of Sapindus mukorossi
http://www.ehealthguide.info/read_new32285.html

Hepatoprotective activity of Sapindus mukorossi and Rheum emodi extracts
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18442207

ETA:

The effects of the local application of extracts of the fruit of Sapindus trifoliatus for 4-5 weeks on the hair development in the skin of mice was investigated. Results of histological examination showed that the extract appeared to prolong the anagen [growth] stage of hair growth in mice.

http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/si...temp/~cS8POQ:9

http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/si...emp/~cS8POQ:11

A plant-based natural surfactant with potential applications in the remediation of contaminated soils was obtained from the dry fruit pericarps of Sapindus mukorossi.

**mellie** · October 22nd, 2008, 05:07 AM

P.S. Soapnuts are also apparently antimicrobial and biodegradable too, so they are very environmentally friendly compared to chemical detergents.

http://digitalpoetry.wordpress.com/live-green/

A single soapberry tree produces hundreds of kilos of nuts per year! Soap Nuts fall to the ground in Indian and Indonesian forests where they are collected by folks who have used the nuts for centuries....

Prized for its handsomeness, the leaves of the Chinese Soapberry tree are paripinnate and crowd at the end of the branches. On the branch ends, the “drupes” or berries hang in pairs or triplets. The fruits are green and smooth when fresh, and when dried become a light brown with silky wrinkles. The trunk is straight and cylindrical; the bark is dark to pale yellow with vertical fissures spanning the length. They can rise to as tall as 25 meters and as wide as 5 meters, the leaves forming a thick umbrella shaped canopy embedded with green flowers. For this reason, they are often planted along boulevards in the way we plant magnolias in the US...

The fruits of this special soapy tree, when peeled from their inner seed, are primarily used as a cleanser. The leathery fruit skins release saponin and become a magnificent detergent when immersed in water. In ancient India these fruits, known in Hindi as reetha, were used for soap and hair wash powders, used by jewelers for shining ornaments of gold and silver and used in the laundering of fine silks and wools....

Soap Nuts are even safe enough to use as toothpaste and as a fruit and vegetable wash. A ten-minute soak in a solution of Soap Nuts removes 95% of the surface pesticides and chemical residues on fresh produce. Soap Nuts are also useful in the kitchen as a food-safe cleaner for countertops, appliances, and sinks.

I wonder if they could grow here in the US, in my backyard, haha? That would be pretty cool.

**mellie** · October 22nd, 2008, 06:50 AM

In my research, I also found some other natural detergents:

-Soapbark (Quillaja saponaria)
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/soaptr60.html

Quillaia bark is used in its native country for washing clothes, and in this country is used by manufacturers and cleaners for washing or cleaning delicate materials. For washing hair: Powdered Soap Tree bark, 100 parts; alcohol, 400 parts; essence of Bergamot, 20 drops; mix. It is said to promote the growth of the hair.

-Soapberry (Sapindus marginatus)

Has anyone used either of these?

Also, there is another variety of soapnuts:
Sapindus trifoliatus

**Hekuro** · October 23rd, 2008, 07:27 AM

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone on this thread who's worked so hard to figure out how to use the soapnuts in haircare.

I think I'm going to swing by the Indian store today and pick up some Aritha powder, then order some whole soapnuts online. I'll report back and let you all know how the washing goes...though it isn't wash day yet, so probably not tonight.

Anyway, I'm excited about this experiment. I've been using yucca root, which was wonderful for a few weeks, but now it isn't working as well. I'll have to look into the other two natural detergents you just posted about, Mellie. I don't know anything about them as of yet.

Thanks again you guys, I thought I was going to have to go back to chemical shampoos.

~Hekuro