Hello, all you lovely creatures!!
The reetha powder cleanses the scalp and gently washes away the oil and dirt, while not leaching away the scalps natural oils in a harsh manner.
Shikakai Powder nourishes and conditions the hair and scalp while gently cleansing the hair.
This is a snap I clicked after my hair wash today morning. Sorry about that floral instagram filter - this wasn't planned! They are way shinier than before and are growing at a tremendous pace.
Here is a short blog post on the update of my #NoPooExperiment, since I want you all to know what worked / didn't work for me well.
(An all herbal Do-It-Yourself shampoo recipe to follow.. read on.. )
The comparison shot - I used a lot of shampoos and conditioners in the snap on the left. In the right snap I am using only herbal ingredients. In both snaps I let my hair dry naturally.
My last post was about how I quit shampoo and began using Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar.
I have gone through a full 3 month period now of not touching even a drop of shampoo or conditioner. And as I mentioned before, the withdrawals were intense! Missing the perfumed fragrance of shampoo was a major thing for me. I am a true Libran. I love everything that smells delicate, dainty and sweet, floral, vanilla.. And then to be smelling all neutral - it's taken a while, I won't lie. But I surprised myself. I started liking the natural smell of my skin and hair. And now whenever I apply anything more than a body mist - it over powers and leaves me a little nauseous.
Ok, a lot has been rambled about... Now, jumping to the gist of this post.
Baking soda and ACV DID NOT work for me! 2-3 weeks into using it, it left me confused. The baking soda began to build up like a very chalk-ey consistency around the crown of my head. And my hair started getting rough. It got difficult to get the comb through my hair. At first I felt I may be getting the ratio wrong. And the moment I increased the ACV - the hair got limp and the scalp oily. The hair ends were beginning to feel very slightly brittle at this point. Though I fortunately still did not experience hair fall. I just couldn't seem to figure out what I was getting wrong.
And I was nicely into the 2month mark of not using shampoo. So I didn't want to give up at this stage.
I finally moved onto what I had planned for right in the beginning. But due to not finding all three ingredients at one go.. I kept delaying the plan up until I was hell bent on giving this a shot as I was so desperate.
So here is the mix I am using now to shampoo with instead:
2tbs SHIKAKAI POWDER (Acacia Concinna Powder)
2tbs REETHA POWDER (Soapnut Powder)
1tbs AMLA POWDER (Indian Gooseberry Powder) *this one is optional
(I have waist length hair - you can use a quantity that suits your hair length)
What you need to do:
Mix these three in a bowl (I use an old cold coffee shaker, so that it is easier and quicker to mix it up). Add about 250ML of water. And shake and mix. This will turn frothy, soapy - just like a shampoo. You can use this mix for one time. Pour it on your scalp and let it drizzle down your hair strands. Gently massage your scalp and then leave it on for atleast 5-7minutes. If possible, apply it and leave it on for 30-40mins when you have the time.
You can also add in a larger quantity in a similar ratio in a large jar to save on time. I use an old nutella jar. What a pity. 😶 ...
Now wash your hair thoroughly with warm water. The bathroom will be a slight mess. And the washing may take longer than a usual shampoo since it takes some amount of rinsing to get all the grainy seeds of the Reetha Powder out of your hair.
(I am not endorsing this brand, this is the only one I happened to find on amazon.in, you can buy these at a local grocery store too).
Amla Powder makes the hair healthy and thick. It's full of vitamin C.
I went through a phase like most of us, where I felt the need for my hair to be tamed. I did not allow my curls to be the way they wished to. And that's where the vicious cycle of more frequent shampoos, many more blow dries a week, lots more conditioner began. I am finally embracing my waves and I can't stop secretly looking at the texture in the mirror at times .... :P
Your hair will go back to it's default type & texture - of course you can style them the way you wish to still, but I would suggest embracing your natural hair on most days. When we hate our hair, I really feel they hear us. ;)
If you plan on trying this method out, here are a few things to keep in mind..
PROS :
- The experiement is all natural - with no risk of ruining your locks. So in case you are going through hairfall / dandruff / an itchy scalp / premature whitening of hair - you should definitely be giving this a shot without any hesitation.
- This lifestyle change isn't only good for your body, but great for the environment too! I had turned conscious of the plastic I waa using a little before I began this experiement. And I am so happy that I am no longer paying for plastic bottles that will just be thrown away every month.
- Again, important point for many out here! It saves money while bestowing you with no chemicals at all.
- My hairfall is still almost nil. I experience minimal hair fall even while I wash / comb my hair.
- Hair growth is a lot more than before. Thus the volume has increased. I made a center parting the other day while combing my hair and noticed a lot of tiny 1 inch hair beginning to grow. This is something I have never experienced before.
- The frizz has lessened - my hair are more wavy with more volume. That is how my hair used to be when I was 12yrs old.
- My hair is SHINING like never before!!
- My face isn't dry like it would always be - especially through winters. Not too sure about the correlation there. But it's been a huge added benefit.
- I need to wash my hair once in 6-8days. They do not get dirty like they would.
- Even just a warm shower cleans the scalp since there is no product buildup.
- Weird one. But pillow cases don't need to be changed as often as before! My scalp just doesn't get oily like it did when I used Shampoo.
CONS :
- The smell of Reetha Powder is very subtle, but can be irritating for some. It has a slight berry-ish / wine / fruity smell.
- Each hair wash takes around the same amount of time as it did when I would shampoo - but slightly longer in terms of the planning and making the mixture. Keep a buffer of 3-4minutes.
- No perfumey fragrance. You can use essential oils for that and smell like a relaxing spa through the day ;)
- Availability of all 3 ingredients. If you are in India, chances are you will find these very easily at any grocery store or online. For people outside India - one may have to search a little to find them online.
I really cannot think of any other cons.
This is a method I will continue to use, do follow me on my Instagram to follow my updates!
Hope this helps you. Please do comment below if you try out this method or plan on doing so. Or in case you have any queries.
Have a great day!
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