Amazing inexpensive homemade shampoo and conditioners recipes to treat your tresses without harsh chemicals, natural home remedies and cures for head lice, get rid of dandruff and to control hairfall naturally at home.
How To Make Reetha Shampoo At Home For Clean Shiny Hair
This homemade shampoo made with Reetha, Amla and Shikakai is very common in India, and almost every family has its own way of using these super ingredients for cleansing and conditioning their hair. This tradition of making natural shampoo with dried soap nuts (reetha), shikakai pods and amla chunks is passed down from the ancient times and is practiced in modern era too. Apart from being used in homemade and herbal recipes, these three ingredients are also used in different formulations in a variety of hair care products floating in the market, not to forget Amla or Amalaki is a part of “Triphala”, an Ayurvedic combination of three fruits which have several vital benefits for health and beauty. There are a plenty of products prepared using these three fruits and each fruit has its own characteristic that makes its application beneficial for hair growth, shine, and overall hair health.
The Base Ingredients To Make Reetha Shampoo At Home
Reetha
Reetha in Hindi aka Soapnut is known for its excellent cleansing properties and is even used for cleaning laundry which makes it a very good option for adults and children who are allergic to the chemical based detergents. One more unique application of soap berries is in cleaning jewelries, but the most popular use is to make hair care products.
Benefits of Reetha For Hair
It is an excellent cleanser
It gives shine to the hair
Provides softness to rough hair
It helps in getting rid of the nasty dandruff
Shikakai
Shikakai is a herb that is known as “the fruit for hair” its remedial properties for hair has been acknowledged since ancient times and it still continues to be among the most favorite herbal remedy for hair health. It has mild pH thus gently cleanses the hair without stripping off the natural oils from the hair. Shikakai contains Saponins that are natural foaming agents, this is from where shikakai derives its cleansing properties. Shikakai is also used in combination with Reetha and Amla which makes its even better as a natural shampoo, but its works good on its own too.
Benetits of Shikakai For Hair
Low pH value helps retain the natural oil
It is a natural de-tangler
It cleanses and conditions the hair
Amla
Amla or India Goosberry is regarded as a wonder berry on account of its tremendous medicinal and remedial properties. I can go on and on writing about this amazing fruit which is a power house of Vitamin C and is packed with antioxidants. It is called Amalaki in Sanskrit and is one of the ingredient in the Triphala other two being Haritaki and Bibhitaki. Its is also the main ingredients in the popular Ayurvedic preparation “Chyavanprash”, it also an excellent natural Eye tonic according to Ayurveda. Talking about hair it is immensely beneficial for strengthening and the darkening the hair.
Benefits of Amla For Hair
It promotes hair growth
Prevents premature graying of hair
It helps in controlling hair fall naturally
It darkens the hair
It is a natural hair tonic for overall hair health
Steps For Making Reetha Amla Shikakai Shampoo
This DIY cleanser for hair has all the qualities that you would like your shampoo to possess, this shampoo cleanses, conditions, stimulates hair growth, manages the frizz and imparts a lustrous volume to your hair. All that it takes is a little extra time and effort than what your store bought shampoo will take.
This recipe is equivalent to a hair spa, it provides all the nourishment that a good hair spa treatment imparts to the hair. The recipe I have taken here to share with you is my mother’s recipe, this is one regime that my mother used to follow till the time I got married. She had this old wok made up of iron in which all the ingredients in dried form were soaked overnight and were used next morning to shampoo my hair.
The Recipe is totally chemical free and it calls for following ingredients
Reetha / Ritha/ Aritha ( soapnuts) dried : 7-8
Shikakai dried : 3-4 pods
Amla Powder: 2 tsp.
How To Make
To make your shampoo at home you need to begin the preparation a night before , once you have arranged all the required ingredients you are good to go.
Step 1 : Soak Ritha and Shikakai in water in an iron utensil if available, else use any other bowl that you have. Let it soak overnight, soaking will infuse the water with the goodness of both the fruits and it will also make them soft and make it easy to use them next morning.
Step 2: Next morning add amla powder to the water and it sit for another half an hour.
Step 3: Crack open the Ritha and Shikakai and discard the seeds.
How to Apply
Step 1: Wet your hair
Step 2: Take the fruits between your palms and rub them till they start forming the lather.
Step 3: Apply this lather to your hair and scalp and massage gently as you would do while shampooing your hair with your regular shampoo.
Step 4: Rinse off
Step 5: Repeat from step 3 for one more time.
Step 6: Wash your hair thoroughly, also remove all the bits of soap nuts and Shikakai from your hair
Thats It! You are done!
Also Read: 3 Inexpensive Natural Shampoo Recipes
You will not require any conditioner after this homemade shampoo as shikaki will prevent the hair from getting entangled, leaving it smooth and manageable.
You will be amazed to see how shiny and silky your hair has become, your hair will be clean and smooth and very healthy after applying for few weeks.
Precautions While Using This Shampoo:
Ensure that the shampoo does not enter your eye as both Ritha and Shikakai have compounds that can irritate the eyes and can cause redness and severe itching in the eyes.
This Natural shampoo with the combined goodness of all the three primary ingredients used will certainly promote hair growth, prevent hair fall, prevent graying of hair, will keep the scalp and hair from drying off thus leaving it lustrous, shiny and dandruff free.
Where to buy the ingredients?
You can drop in to your nearest herbal or Ayurvedic store to get these ingredients, if you find it difficult to locate one just log it to amazon and you can order from there.
Give this homemade shampoo a try and do come back to share your experiences in the comments.
| Buy The Ingredients From Amazon To Support |
Reetha (soap nuts) |
| Shikakai |
| Amla Dried |
Bottom Line
homemade shampoos can be a little time consuming and they may not produce too much lather, but the bottom line is they are free of chemicals and that is why I feel they should be tried atleast once. If you loved this recipe of rettha shampoo you can take it to the next level by trying Homemade Hair Conditioner Recipes.
Home Remedies for Greasy Hair
Oil in our body is produced by Sebaceous glands, they produce fatty, greasy substance called Sebum, which lubricates the skin and hair and it also maintains proper hydration levels. Thus the production of oil in our body is important as it helps keep the skin moist and prevents excessive dryness of hair and skin.But when there is excess production of sebum the hair becomes greasy, it attracts dirt and loses its volume and becomes sticky and flat.Employing certain home remedies for reducing oily hair can bring in the expected results, what we need to ensure while using natural remedies to control excess oil is that we retain the natural oils produced by the sebaceous gland. Stripping off all the oil from the scalp will result in dull, weak and lifeless hair.
Talking about hair the Sebum provides a healthy shine to hair strands the problem begins when it is produced in excess.
Controlling the oiliness of hair is very important as the oily hair attracts dirt more easily, these particles will clog the pores and lead to hair loss and other hair problems thus treating greasy hair will help you prevent hair fall also.
If you are not sure about your hair type you can do this simple test to check if your hair is greasy or not.
Home Remedies To Control The Oiliness Of Hair & Scalp
Shampoo Frequently
Washing you hair frequently will help to remove the excess oil from the scalp and thus preventing it from running down to the strands. When the scorching sun and summer is at its hottest the humidity and the heat stimulates the oil glands present in the scalp, and you end up with sweaty, smelly and greasy hair. In summers you must wash your hair after coming back from your outdoor routine.
The oil production which is carried out by the Sebaceous Glands is a continuous and an ongoing process our aim here is not to disturb the functioning of Sebaceous glands, what we should do instead is focus on removing the excess oil by washing it off.
Do not Condition Too Often
Greasy hair has got the tendency of flattening very, fast if you has been dealing with greasy hair you must be aware of the difficulties you face while styling your hair. Conditioning your hair after each time you shampoo will make the hair go flat.
Do not Over-brush
When we brush our hair the brush acts as the carrier of oil, the oil from the root will be carried by the hair brush through the length thus spreading the oil and making it all the more greasier.
Even though oily hair types are suggested not to over brush but still you have to brush your hair as you do not want to carry a birds nest over your head, so to address this the key choosing the right tool for your hair, you can choose wide toothed combs as thick bristle brush tends to distribute more oil.
Try The Lemon Rinse For Greasy Hair
The acids in the Lemons will the greasiness. After Shampoo hair rinse will certainly help in reducing the problem of oily hair.
How to Make The Oil Control After Shampoo Lemon Rinse For Hair
Squeeze out juice from two lemons. Add it to a liter of water, try to use distilled water, if you cannot get it use normal tap water. Rinse your hair with this homemade lemon rinse after shampoo. This rinse should be your final rinse. If you do not want to use lemon rinse you can try Beer rinse or Cider rinse as they work equally well in dealing with greasing hair problem.
Condition The Ends
If you feel you need to condition your hair, then try to condition only the length and ends of your hair.The aim here is to avoid the hair conditioner seeping inside the roots.
Always check the contents on the packaging before you buy your conditioner, buy the product with the least amount of oil, or you can also try Homemade Hair Conditioners. Do not use cream based conditioners and shampoos.
Natural Home Remedies for Greasy Hair
Cut oiliness With Egg White Hair Mask
Just take Egg white of two Eggs (of more if you have longer tresses), whisk it a bit to make it lighter and easier to apply on the hair. Apply the Egg Whites root to tip and cover with a shower cap. Allow it to dry and then rinse with normal water. You can also squeeze in lemon juice in your last rinse this will enhance the results you get from your Egg mask.
Treat Greasy Tresses with Beer Rinse
The drying property of alcohol present in the beer will help cut the oiliness of hair. Make the beer flat by leaving it open for half an hour before using it. Shampoo your hair with your regular shampoo of try homemade shampoo if you have the luxury of time to pamper your tresses. It will be great if you can grab yourself organic beer to make the rinse as the organic beer wont be loaded with preservatives. Now wash your hair as you would normally do and after the final wash rinse your hair with diluted beer. Leave this beer rinse on for about 5-7 mins and then wash under normal running water.
To make the beer rinse you need
Flatenned Beer 1 part
Water 1 Part
Dilute the beer in water and use this as your after shampoo rinse.
How to Know if I have Greasy Hair
Is My Hair Greasy
Greasy or oily hair is a very common condition which is generally a result of sebum over production. It makes your hair look flat and you may find it impossible to style your tresses.
Hair Type Test to check Greasiness
To confirm if you have greasy hair you can take this simple tissue paper test at home.
Steps for Hair Type Test
Shampoo it:
Shampoo your hair a day before which you are planning to take the hair test.
Perform The Test:
After 24 hours have passed, take a tissue paper and press it on the scalp, remember you just need to press the tissue paper. Do the same behind the ears also.
Check the tissue paper:
If you see oil patches on the tissue paper you certainly have a greasy / oily hair type.
Some more ways to identify greasy / oily hair
Shampoo your hair as you normally do. Don’t apply any leave on potion, styling gel, hair serum etc. on the hair.
Just leave the hair as it is after shampoo.
Now check your hair after two days. If you find group of hair clinging together to for thick bunches of strands, you have oily hair.
At this stage the greasy hair will also have lost all the bounce and volume, it will feel dirty, sticky and heavy.
Why do I have Greasy Hair
As said before the most common reason for oily and greasy hair is over production of sebum. Sebum is a waxy matter that secretes on the skin. It is an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands, and is responsible for keeping the skin and hair moist and lubricated.
Over secretion of this fatty oil leads to oily and greasy hair problem.
You can try home remedies to manage greasy hair at home, these methods require you to make simple alteration in your regular hair care routine and works fine.
How to control Greasy Hair
Avoiding the following will help in controlling excessive greasiness of hair;
Do not use moisturizing shampoo
Avoid applying the hair condition directly on the scalp
Avoid frequent use of hair styling gels and serums
Use products which are specifically designed for oil clarifying and controlling
Common Causes Of Greasy Hair
Hormones : Hormonal changes in the body may result in increased production of sebum
Genetics: You may inherit overactive sebacious gland from your parents.
Hair Type : If you have straight hair the oil is more likely to spread evenly till the tips of your hair, whereas curly/wavy hair have some scope of preventing the sebum from travelling down towards the tip.
Dry Shampoo For Greasy Hair Good or Bad
Green & Gorgeous Organics Natural Dry Shampoo Powder Oily Hair – Grapefruit & Sweet Orange
Dry shampoo that is meant specifically for greasy / oily hair will definitely help in absorbing the oil from you hair. What you need to know is repeated use of dry Shampoo or using it as a substitute for a hair wash will do no good to your oily hair, as dry shampoo is just particles which are eventually going to cause build-up and clogging. Washing your hair with a nice cleansing shampoo is a must, it will remove the dirt and oil from the scalp and will also exfoliate the scalp.
If you have to leave home for any urgent commitment, you may use Dry shampoo for oily hair as a quick fix for greasy hair, but don’t forget to wash your hair well afterwards.
Homemade Hair Dye Recipe for Grey Hair
Premature graying of hair has become a very common problem in the contemporary era, people lead a workaholic and stressful life with busy schedules which makes taking out time for personal care a luxury. The nutrition part in daily diet is almost neglected and all these may lead to grey hair. However there might be other reasons also like deficiency of vitamin B-12 or problem of Thyroid.
The silvers or salt and pepper whatever you call it can also occur due to excessive use of electric hair dyers, harsh chemicals present in some hair care products.
I noticed my first silver strands when i was in my early 20’s and I bet I am not alone. A lot of youngsters are now seeking consultation from experts to combat the problem of grey hair and many others choose to dye their hair with harsh chemicals.
When you are seeking a solution to stop greying of hair you try almost everything that promises the desired results some really see good results and some land up with side effects like hair loss and lifeless hair, instead of making your hair an experiment lab try out homemade hair dye recipes made with all natural ingredients which have proven benefits to help with premature greying of hair see the difference. These natural hair coloring remedies will not only provide color but will also nourish the hair from root to tip.
Best 3 Homemade hair dye for grey hair recipes
The Triphala Hair Dye for natural black hair color
What you need
Loha Choorna
Ink-nut (Terminalia chebula / harad/ Haritaki)
India Gooseberry (Amla)
Black Earth (Kali mitti)
Sugar cane juice
How To :
To make your homemade hair dye, first you need to grind all the ingredients except the sugarcane juice.
Sterilize a glass jar .
Mix the ground powder in sugar cane juice.
Place the lid and leave for one month.
After one month the dye is ready to color and cover your grey hair.
Apply this paste at night on the hair and wash off in the morning.
This hair dye pack will give a natural black color to the grey hair
Liquorice (Mulethi/ Mulhati) and Indian Goosberry (Amla) Treatment
Take one part Amla Juice, one Part clarified butter and one-fourth part Liquorice.
Take all of them in a heavy bottom pan and simmer until the water (liquid) dries up and thick clarified butter is left.
Let it cool and then store it in cool and dry place.
This remedy is very safe to use as a hair dye and does not have any side effects on the skin.
The Homemade Recipe for Henna and Amla Hair Dye
Henna is a very common plant that is used to dye the hair. Naturally it provides orange-reddish color but since we are using amla in our hair pack the tone will be close to black.
Henna can also lead to dryness of hair in some people, addition of milk in this hair mask takes care of that.
This is yet another remedy to cover up the grey hair inexpensive and effective. Use fresh ingredients for this remedy.
Make a fine paste by grinding Amla, Henna leaves and Neem leave together. Now blend in milk to the paste till you achieve a semi liquid consistency.
Apply this mixture at night and keep till morning. This remedy should be done twice a week to get best results.
Note: Those living in the USA may avail all the Ayurvedic herbs and medicines from Nature’s Formulary
Home Treatment of Head Lice with Custard Apple
Head lice is a common problem in girls and even boys, they are contagious and can easily be spread through head to head contact or by sharing hair accessories like combs, bands and scarves etc.Head Lice are not very dangerous and they do not cause any disease. But they can be annoying and may also affect young girl’s confidence levels as its quite embarrassing to have lice floating on your hair.
It is very important to treat your head lice as it is contagious and can be contracted by your spouse and children very easily.
How to choose a treatment method for head lice?
Treatment of head lice can be done with both over the counter products and home remedies. However you should first diagnose the degree of infestation before applying any product on your head to treat head lice.
Children below 6 years of age should not be given any head lice removal treatment without consultation of the pediatrician/doctor.
Most of the products require repeated applications for complete removal but be careful that you dont overdo the usage of such products.
Custard Apple Home Remedy for Head Lice Treatment
Custard Apples are being used in Thai folk remedies since long time. Both the leaves and the seed of custard apple tree have medicinal properties and they can be used in the treatment of head lice too.
Treating Head lice with Custard Apple Leaves
Take fresh leaves of Custard Apple tree and crush them to take out the juice. You mar crush the leaves with mortar and pestle and then strain the juice with the help of a cheese cloth.
Apply this fresh juice on the scalp and leave it for 20 mins. Now rinse off the juice and wash your head with a mild herbal shampoo.
Home Treatment of Head Lice with Custard Apple Seeds
Grind Custard Apple Seeds to fine powder, mix this with water to make a paste.
Now apply this paste on head and leave it overnight. Cover your head with a shower cap or with a cloth. Rinse it next morning and shampoo your hair.
Precautions while using Custard Apple home remedy for head lice
The oils present in the custard apple seeds are very dangerous for eyes. They may cause severe burning, redness and can also affect vision.
- Do Not allow the paste enter your eyes in any case.
- Do not touch your eyes after touching or itching your head when you have the paste on.
- While rinsing the head next morning just bend forward and wash your head so that the water does not enter your eye.
- Take someones help to apply the paste on your head so that you can keep your eyes tightly closed throughout the application.