Shikakai

Until a few years back, when shops were not packed with fancy haircare products, most Indian homes were filled with the fragrance of a black concoction every morning. This was when reetha (soapnut), soaked overnight, was blended with shikakai powder to make a 100% natural shampoo and body wash.
Reetha and Shikakai contain all the required goodness for healthy lustrous hair. Shikakai, which means ‘fruit for hair’, is a gentle herb, native to southern India. It is extremely mild and doesn't strip hair of natural oils making it ideal for those with sensitive scalps. It is probably nature's original pH balanced shampoo which removes dirt and keeps hair free of fungal infections by detoxifying the blood in the scalp and preventing premature greying of hair. It is a natural conditioner since it also detangles hair. Shikakai contains 100 times more vitamin C than grapefruit as well as abundant antioxidants such as vitamins A, D, E and K that promote healthy hair growth.

I have just returned from a trip to India and used this trip to brush up on my knowledge of the traditional natural recipes used by folks back home. One of the most popular homemade reetha-shikakai hairpacks is to mix two parts of reetha with one part of shikakai, adding half-a-cup of fenugreek (methi) seeds into this mixture. If possible, add dried hibiscus leaves too. Make a powder or grind the paste of fresh leaves. Wash and rinse hair thoroughly with this paste.


Jyoti