Shikakai "shampoo" recipe
I've been experimenting with shikakai since November, trying out different recipes, and have finally come up with one that works consistently:
In a small saucepan, combine:
1-1.5 cups water
1 tbsp whole flaxseeds
2 tbsp shikakai
1/2 to 1 tbsp amla
Optional spices:
5 whole cloves
3 cardamom pods
1 tsp coriander
Boil this on medium-high heat for 10 minutes, then strain into a glass container to cool. I have used a metal mesh sieve to strain the stuff, but you can also use a cheesecloth or a metal coffee filter.
Explanation of ingredients:
Flaxseed is conditioning; it adds slip and body to the mixture. (Check the flaxseed wash entries for more information). Flaxseed alone is too conditioning for me, so I used it in combination with shikakai.
Shikakai is a cleansing herb, which you can pick up in an Indian spice store ($2-3) or online (more expensive). Its cleansing power is undisputed, but it is also thought to strengthen the hair at the roots. I have found it to be too abrasive when I followed the instructions on the box and made a thick powder with water (I use the Hesh brand). Straining the herb out, as in the recipe, takes the abrasiveness out of the equation. For reference, my hair is fine and fragile, so your results may vary.
Amla is a cleanser and a conditioner. What you buy in the Indian spice store is actually a powdered berry, known as Indian gooseberry, which tastes sour and has a softer consistency than shikakai. You can use amla paste on your skin as a mask, which tightens and tones the skin. It is sometimes added to herbal dye mixes to darken and cool the resulting color. I like it because it seems to tone down the slight coloring effect that shikakai has.
The spices are completely optional--I use them for scent, and I was inspired to do so by westcoastred 's post. The resulting mixture, by the way, has a plummy, spicy scent which I really like.
To use this mixture, pour it on your scalp, wait for maybe three minutes, and then rinse off with cool water. I usually follow it with an acidic rinse--anything from diluted citrus juice to tea or white vinegar with essential oils. Straight shikakai is sometimes used on pre-oiled hair, but I have found that to be unnecessary when shikakai is mixed with flaxseed.
In my own routine, I find that I have to alternate different types of washes in order to keep my hair happy. This particular "shampoo" keeps for a while--up to a month in the fridge--and is enough for two to three washes. I alternate with stuff like applesauce (and, less and less frequently now, egg yolk).
In a small saucepan, combine:
1-1.5 cups water
1 tbsp whole flaxseeds
2 tbsp shikakai
1/2 to 1 tbsp amla
Optional spices:
5 whole cloves
3 cardamom pods
1 tsp coriander
Boil this on medium-high heat for 10 minutes, then strain into a glass container to cool. I have used a metal mesh sieve to strain the stuff, but you can also use a cheesecloth or a metal coffee filter.
Explanation of ingredients:
Flaxseed is conditioning; it adds slip and body to the mixture. (Check the flaxseed wash entries for more information). Flaxseed alone is too conditioning for me, so I used it in combination with shikakai.
Shikakai is a cleansing herb, which you can pick up in an Indian spice store ($2-3) or online (more expensive). Its cleansing power is undisputed, but it is also thought to strengthen the hair at the roots. I have found it to be too abrasive when I followed the instructions on the box and made a thick powder with water (I use the Hesh brand). Straining the herb out, as in the recipe, takes the abrasiveness out of the equation. For reference, my hair is fine and fragile, so your results may vary.
Amla is a cleanser and a conditioner. What you buy in the Indian spice store is actually a powdered berry, known as Indian gooseberry, which tastes sour and has a softer consistency than shikakai. You can use amla paste on your skin as a mask, which tightens and tones the skin. It is sometimes added to herbal dye mixes to darken and cool the resulting color. I like it because it seems to tone down the slight coloring effect that shikakai has.
The spices are completely optional--I use them for scent, and I was inspired to do so by westcoastred 's post. The resulting mixture, by the way, has a plummy, spicy scent which I really like.
To use this mixture, pour it on your scalp, wait for maybe three minutes, and then rinse off with cool water. I usually follow it with an acidic rinse--anything from diluted citrus juice to tea or white vinegar with essential oils. Straight shikakai is sometimes used on pre-oiled hair, but I have found that to be unnecessary when shikakai is mixed with flaxseed.
In my own routine, I find that I have to alternate different types of washes in order to keep my hair happy. This particular "shampoo" keeps for a while--up to a month in the fridge--and is enough for two to three washes. I alternate with stuff like applesauce (and, less and less frequently now, egg yolk).