Make Your Own Natural Shampoo: Get Soft and Shiny Hair at Home - hair buddha Ae ae. For centuries people in India have mostly used various fruits, barks, stem, seeds and leaves to make their own homemade shampoo. Although, now many people are opting for more convenient options -market bought shampoos; is it good or bad is a big question, Since I was little Ihave seen my mother make her own natural shampoo using shikakai, reetha (soap nut) and orange or lemon peel. | had never tried it until recently when my favourite shampoo had its ingredients changed, and my hair refused to like the new ones. Luckily my mother was paying us a visit. And | decided to use her expertise of making this all natural homemade shampoo. Before we go on how to make homemade shampoo, let me tell you a ttle about my quest for natural shampoo. Ihave suffered from itchy scalp for many many years. And I have had uncountable bad hair days. Besides, when I moved to London the hard water made things even worse. | tried using filtered water to wash my hair, this did help, but only a little, | then started trying various shampoos. | finally found a shampoo which claimed to contain all natural ingredients. My hair & scalp absolutely loved it; | used this for couple of years. But justrecently the shampoo producers changed many of its ingredients, and my hair was left ‘cuticle broken’ and my scalp was itchy again. So | finally decided to give my mom’s homemade shampoo a try. My mom's homemade shampoo — let's call the shampoo Ree-Shi for its main ingredients reetha and shikakal — made my hair amazingly soft and shiny. And my scalp felt better and the itch has gone away. Moreover my hair are doing pretty fine without the need for filtered water. | so much like happy endings! | was a bit annoyed with myself to have waited all these years to find the right shampoo for my hair. | totally overlooked my mom's homemade concoction for all these years and never ever thought of using it on my hair. Anyways i's never too late...blah blah... hope you won't delay any bit Here are the ingredients and how to use them: Shikakai 1. Shikakai: Shikakai or Acacia concinna is a climbing shrub native to central and south India. Shikakai literally means “fruit for hair. It has been used as a hair cleanser in the Indian sub-continent since ancient times. Shikakai acts as a detangler and makes hair smooth and soft. Its rich in vitamin C and vitamin D, and many essential phytonutrients that nourish the hair follicles and promote hair growth. Soap Nut Reetha 2. Soap nuts or Reetha: Reetha contains natural surfactants called saponins, which makes it a great natural cleanser. Surfactants are foaming agents that help remove dirt and grease from your hair/skin. Mostcommercial shampoos contain chemical surfactants which may not be skin or environment friendly. Reetha is a natural softener, so no need for conditioner after shampoo. It is an excellent alternative for people who are allergic to sulfates and parabens in the commerical shampoo, Dried Amia 3. Amla or Indian gooseberry: In traditional Indian cultures, amia is considered a valuable hair tonic and forms a regular part of hair care ritual, The antimicrobial and antioxidant properties help to maintain a healthy scalp. ‘Amia is known to strength hair roots, encourage hair growth, and address premature greying . ‘Shampoo Ingredients: Shikakai, Reetha, ard Amia How to make? You will need: + 10 grams shikakai pods + 10 grams reetha berry + 5 gram amia pieces This is the basic ratio, you can adjust the ingredients as desired. You can substitute amla for orange peel or lemon peel. Use any one of the three- amla, orange peel and lemon peel if you use alll or excess, it will dry out your hair.2. Take all ingredients in a pan, add 750 ml of water and let them soak for 8 to 10 hours.3. Heat the mix til it starts to boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 15 to 30 minutes. The longer you let it simmer the more concentrated it will become.4. Remove from the heat and let it cool. When it comes to the room temperature, crush the reetha, shikakai, and amla/peels with your hand. 5, Strain before use.‘Shampoo in Process This is a not a long process, it just needs some planning. Yet to do this every time, before you wash your hair, can put many off, And you cannot make a large batch and store the liquid in the fridge, as it will turn bad, The good news is, you can freeze the mixture into ice trays, and use it as and when required. Take out 2 to 3 cubes (more or less depending on the length of your hair) few hours before you want to use it. Reetha Shampco frozen into cuves How to use? Use as normal shampoo. Wet hair, then massage the Ree-Shi (Reetha & shikakai) shampoo on the scalp, and move towards the ends of your hair. Let it sit of couple of minutes and then rinse. This mix hardly lathers. But it cleans your hair well. Hf you have oiled your hair, then you may want to add multani mitt (fuller’s earth), or rhassoul clay, or besan (chickpea flour), or mung bean flour to the ree-shi concoction. Adding any of the above -flour or clay — will ensure that your hair cleans well and don't feel greasy. Hf you have dry hair: Add a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds or marshmallow root when making this shampoo. Both fenugreek and marshmallow are very moisturising and conditioning for hair, and will eave it soft, shiny and smooth,Fullers Earthy Multani Mit No more conditioner: After shampooing with Ree-Shi you will not need to follow with any conditioner. Following shampoo, pat dry your hair, take a pea sized amount of coconut oil or almond oil and rub through the lower third of your hair, avoiding the scalp, and leave-in. The result is soft, shiny and manageable hair. Suits all hair types: This shampoo is suitable for all hair types and will not strip the natural oils from your hair. This traditional product is probably the original pH balanced shampoo. Blond hair: Shikakai and amla can darken your hair over time. If you do not wish to alter your hair colour, skip these two, So use just reetha and along with it you can add one or more of the below listed herbs (1 to 2 teaspoon each), and follow the same directions to make the shampoo. marshamallow root - conditions and softens hair horsetail herb ~ makes hair strong and shiny fenugreek seeds ~ softens hair and useful in scalp conditions such as dandruff and eczema nettle leaves — add body and get rids of excess oil, good for oily hair licorice root~ moisturises your scalp and hair and helps with hair loss Where to buy? Reetha, shikakai and amia are avallable in most of the Indian grocery stores, or you can also purchase them online. Why Shikakai — Reetha Shampoo? This shampoo is a great natural cleanser. Itis free from not so good ingredients like Sulfate, parabens, and other additives, and moreover packaging — no more plastic bottles. It is mild, having naturally low pH and will not strip the natural oils from your hair. Usually no conditioner is needed, as reetha is a natural softer and shikakai acts as a detangler. Buying Cosmetics and toiletries: Before buying shampoo or any cosmetic products train yourself to read the labels. If you are unsure of any ingredient you can check it on www.ewg.org. Buying herb powders: | generally prefer to use whole herbs than their powder forms, because powder can be easily adulteratedAlways buy powdered herbs from a reputed seller, so you know what you are getting is pure herbal powder. Note: If you have never used these herbs before, do a patch test to see if you are allergic to any ingredient. What do you think? If you have used this before, please share your experience. Shop at Amazon and support hair buddha Get the Ree-Shi shampoo ingredients: Reetha