How to make your own herbal hair wash powder: new & improved!

This post is a follow-up to my prior recipe for a hair wash powder with really one primary goal: to make the process of producing this powder at home a little simpler. Since the original publication of that recipe in 2019, I’ve continued to manufacture, use, and experiment on myself with the powder. I’ve sent out samples to some of you. I’ve answered quite a number questions from readers such as yourselves. The present post is a synthesis of new findings and old clarifications.

There are presented here by way of several “release notes” for this product update (ha ha), longish and probably of varying interest. The recipe follows along with a guide to the ingredients used, and finally further notes about processing, use, FAQs etc.

1. My recipe has not fundamentally changed.

The ingredient list, as you see from what’s reproduced way-down-below for comparison, is still the same as from 2019. But I have changed some proportions and expanded the good-to-have/optionals list. Particularly, I’ve reduced arappu [Albizia amara] and therefore effectively shifted emphasis to shikai [Acacia concinna]. There are two reasons for this. First, what I found: while arappu in the mix certainly made the powder feel more shampoo-like in use, it was also significantly more drying. It felt like a harsher cleanser. I ended up proportionally reducing it with each successive batch, until I found I could be happy without it altogether. If you want it in for the more shampoo-ey experience in the shower, you can keep some in–but that part’s up to you.

Second, what I heard anecdotally from a friend: arappu was usually reserved for maids, while shikai was for princesses! Make of that what you will, but the insight is that shikai is the better ingredient for hair care [Thank you, @pratibha.iyer :D]. And because the ladies who help out at home are usually the ones to see me making my powders, they get the first samples–with shikai, arappu or both!

2. The biggest change I’ve made is in reconstituting the ingredient list into “Browns” and “Greens.”

“Browns” are the already-dried, largely brown or dark ingredients you simply procure from markets and grind (shikai, amla, methi, vettiver etc.). “Greens” refer to the leafy and floral components (hibiscus, neem etc.), which I recommend procuring fresh, drying, and using (who knows how long those powders have been sitting on shelves??). I found many folks were overly concerned about adding or removing this or that ingredient, or going to great lengths to procure the powder of something when really they’d have had a shampoo without it. Somewhere, the long ingredient list perhaps meant that it was easy to miss the spirit of the recipe as a whole.

I’ll not ever forget the words of wisdom from my son’s Italian music teacher, to whom once I was bemoaning the difficulty of getting good mascarpone and savioardi to make tiramisu. “Forget the mascarpone,” he said in his typical quiet musician’s way, “forget the savioardi. Then you will understand the soul of the thing.”

The same applies to this hair wash powder. You’ll still need shikai, like a traditional tiramisu will always need cream. There are just some ingredients you can’t do without. But it helps to understand where the flexibilities lie, and there are several.

3. I’ve calibrated the recipe for weights, but…

… this was a tough one for me though it may make lots of people very happy, since my earlier system of measuring by “parts” was apparently confusing. Just to clarify, a “part” can be anything you choose–a cup or a spoonful or a bucket. The intent there was to allow you to scale up (or down) your recipe without needing to compute anything. All ingredients were, after all, added in proportion to all others.

I’ve resisted the shift to weights because on a home-scale of use, that’s just painful. I know as a baker myself it’s annoying to have to pull out weighing scales for all but the most exacting of recipes. I prefer as an Indian cook to eyeball and use rough, tactile measures. Perhaps most importantly, I’m inclined to “imprecision” and complexity in this “free open” Woodstocky blogging space because I know it’s being scoured by many who seek to monetize recipes–with no credit given or returns afforded. Yes, I’ve had inquiries about my recipes from people nurturing their own businesses or their own brands–you know who you are! No, I’m almost never offered any compensation. It took a lot to come this far with this recipe, and there’s a creative commons license that’s at the bottom of all my pages that specifies non-commercial sharing and use. I can’t enforce that, but don’t particularly want to make it easy for those seeking easy short-cuts to research and product development. Call it my small attempt at push-back in the face of inevitable outcomes.

4. There remains a fair amount of variability

Getting all down to the micro-gram about this honestly is missing one great big reality of the natural world and that’s variability. One batch of hair wash powder to the next, there is variation and I can never tell just how much. Quality control is tough unless you’ve got your thumbs firmly on every single source, and I’m not yet cultivating my own shikai and soapnut, nor drying my own amla. It matters what season it is, it matters how long the products have been sitting on shelves, it matters how careful you are about drying ingredients, it matters that the crop this year was abundant or had had a bad infestation of bugs–among other things you may know or never know.

All told, understanding your ingredients for what they are and what they do and adjusting them based on your own ground realities will make a far better hair wash powder than any that’s stuck to following weights in a recipe. If you’re repurposing hibiscus from teabags, you may as well leave the stuff out. If you’re wanting vettiver for just the fragrance then adding some essential oil does the trick. If your shikai seems of a lesser quality or comes from a packet of unknown provenance, then you can likely adjust with soapnut (or, indeed, arappu), but you can’t simply leave it out without changing the soul of this recipe. If you make the hair powder and it’s just not working for your hair, then you’ve to know what to adjust and by how much (usual culprits are shikai and hibiscus). On the other hand, if you’ve just got a bit more neem or fenugreek in the mix, or if you can’t find brahmi–that’s not going to affect outcomes very much.

5. It’s not about getting ingredients from Amazon

This is personal, and gets to the heart of what this seemingly ordinary powder represents for me. It may matter to nobody other than me, but I’d like you to know the frame of reference for this recipe.

My younger son and I had started with an experiment in living life without plastics: how far could we go? What would it take? What would we never be able to have again? What new possibilities would open? The hair powder was a possibility that opened out–easily enough because it’s rooted in Indian traditional practices. [The good thing about this experiment is that Amma can’t use her phone or her camera, quipped the boy, and how we both laughed.]

So, obviously for me, this isn’t just about the powder, but about a whole way of living locally and relating to the natural world (“becoming environmentally conscious”). In that sense, this “recipe” for hair powder was not a recipe for hair powder, but one for how to live the sort of life in which one finds solutions like this hair powder to return you to yourself. So also, it’s not about the proportions of shikai or methi. It’s not about ordering ingredients online (lord, no!). It’s about finding what local plants work what magic in your local world. It’s about being where you are—because you chose to be there or life took you there, and surely there’s a natural world where you are, waiting to be explored. And if there isn’t, well run—not away from Baba Yaga in the deep forest but straight back to her as a source of knowledge. That’s the quest. The recipe is a tale of mine.

To those who ask: why’d you leave the US? I might answer: to make my own hair powder! & hope now that makes better sense 😁 And for those others who might share knowledge of native ingredients from other lands and how hair washes can be crafted from those–I welcome that!

6. In the end, you have to know what you want

Making your own hair wash is not like buying a shampoo where you can simply go and select among so many options the one that fits your whims or needs the best. This one puts full control into your hands–but that’s also responsibility: you have to know what you want and how to build it. At one level that’s an existential question about what life you really want to lead, as I indicated in point #5 above. At another, it’s a sort-of simpler question about what you want from a shampoo. But the two are quite intertwined. What you want from a shampoo becomes connected to the sort of life you want to lead.

We’ve been “taught” by commercial shampoos for far too long about how a shampoo should ideally work–ironic, right because the word has Indian origins: chapayati [Sanskrit], which means to press, knead, soothe; chāmpo [Hindi]. So we’ve to start from our modern experiences to chart a course back to our traditional ones. Confront assumptions, redraw the limits of what is acceptable in the bath, rethink everything. What do you expect from a hair wash powder? Lathering? Clean feeling hair the moment you’re out of the shower? Just to get the oil out? Or something else?

Lathering is a big one; many look for that visually and by touch-feel and feel reassured by it. To some extent, you can adjust ingredients to achieve a desired effect, as I did with arappu for on-hair lathering (but flipping back to shikai when I realized the drying side-effects). But we’re not lab-engineering solutions here, so there are just some natural limitations you’ll have to learn to live with, in exchange for the large benefits of DIY home-based production, a reliance on natural, less environmentally harmful products, and very frankly better care for your hair and body.

For example, that foamy lathering of commercial shampoo–happens more while hydrating the powder (the effects of reetha and shikai) than on your hair (that happens with arappu). The absence of conventional on-hair lathering makes us then feel like the oils and dirt are not being removed, so then there’s re-learning to trust that shikai/soapnut do the trick, remarkably well at that. Next, most of us do expect a squeaky clean feeling right out of the bath, but I’ve had some of my hair powder batches turn out a tad grainy (inconsistent milling, probably). So, I’ve had to either use a mug-and-bucket (the volume of water with mug pouring gets the grains out better than showering), or just rest assured that all the grains will release and fall as my hair dries & only then will it feel clean. It’s been a shift in perspective and use I never anticipated.

Why I love this recipe & why you should try it out, too:

This is the simplest part to cover. Because, in random order:

• it connects me to the natural world and to my roots (pun intended!),
• I can make it myself,
• its environmentally safer than most commercial shampoos,
• it’s pretty darned easy to use,
• it compels me to stick to a regular oiling-massaging regimen,
• it has significantly reduced my hair fall,
• I love the smoky-woody fragrance of my hair after
• it leaves my hair feeling soft and full-bodied for several days after [I went from shampooing my hair well-near daily to just once or twice a week. I recommend also the use of some light hair serum or very tiny quantity of a light hair oil after washes.]

Need I say more? With that, the promised recipe!

The new & improved herbal hair wash recipe

1. Browns [total about 1 kg with all ingredients, computed after removing soapnut seeds]

1. Shikakai: 500g
2. Soapnut or soapberries: 200g [with seeds, which will then need to be removed]
3. Dried Amla (Indian gooseberry): 200-250g
4. Green gram or whole mung: 1 cup, about 100g
5. Methi or fenugreek seeds: 1 cup, about 100g
6. Optional Arappu powder: 125g [quantity and importance very much reduced from original recipe]
7. Optional Vettiver: 50g [quantity reduced from original recipe]

2. Greens, in order of importance & quantity [200-300g, dried]

1. Hibiscus leaves and flowers [the most]
2. Curry leaves [1 bunch-ish]
3. Neem leaves [1 bunch-ish]
4. Good to have: Brahmi or Asiatic pennywort [handful]
5. Good to have: Dried tulasi or holi basil [handful]
6. A nice addition: Paneer or desi gulab, Gruß an Teplitz rose [handful]

Know your ingredients

Find the full pictorial guide to ingredients here, via my 2019 post

1. Shikakai: the dried seed pods of the Acacia concinna tree. Cleansing, restores shine to hair, promotes hair growth, strengthens hair roots and dramatically reduces hair-fall.
2. Soapnut or soapberries, रीठा or reetha: dried “berries” of the Sapindus mukorossi tree. Primarily cleansing; contains natural saponins, which cause lathering. Note: can burn the eyes, so take care to restrict contact to scalp.
3. Amla, Indian gooseberry: fruit of the Phyllanthus emblica tree. Strengthens hair follicles, promotes scalp health, restores natural oils, reduces frizziness, improves dark hair pigmentation, and prevents pre-mature greying.
4. Green gram or whole mung: De-greasing, cleansing; contains minerals which maintain scalp health.
5. Methi or fenugreek: Prevents dandruff, restores vitamins and minerals to the scalp, helps strengthen hair and prevent breakage.
6. Arappu thool (பச்சை அரப்பு தூள்), or Arappu powder, also known as chiguraakku in Telugu: the young leaves of the ‘Krishna siris’ or Albizia amara tree, dried and ground. Naturally conditioning, softening, lathering, and cleansing.
7. Vettiver, roots of the fragrant Khus grass, known botanically as Vetiveria zizanoides: Imparts nurturing oils to hair, along with a smoky, woody fragrance (that pairs well with many other scents like sandalwood and ylang ylang); anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory.
8. Hibiscus leaves and flowers: Deep conditioning, prevents hair fall and split-ends, restores softness and shine.
9. Curry leaves, dried leaves of the Murraya koenigii tree: Widely used in Indian cookery, these are a rich source vitamins, minerals, and some amino acids which increase hair growth, strengthen follicles, and moisturize the scalp. Also help to remove dead follicles, thus reducing dandruff.
10. Neem, Azadirachta indica: dried leaves of the neem tree, known widely for anti-fungal, anti-bacterial properties; promotes scalp health and reduces lice.
11. Brahmi or gotu kola, the Asiatic Pennywort, Centella asiatica (not to be substituted for Bacopa monnieri which is also known as Brahmi): known as a “brain food” (when internally consumed), brahmi is soothing, provides nutrients to hair follicles, and promotes better hair growth.
12. Tulasi, holi basil, Ocimum tenuiflorum: promotes growth, reduces scalp itchiness and prevents dandruff, adds fragrance.
13. Paneer Rose, desi gulab, Gruß an Teplitz: controls excess oil, stabilizes pH balance, reduces frizziness, adds fragrance.

Fun facts about paneer roses, thanks to @nic_in_the_garden: Although this “quintessential desi gulab” is often mixed up with damask, I learned from @nic_in_the_garden that the two are distinct. Gruß an Teplitz is, he says, “a creation of the Austrian-Hungarian rose breeder Rudolf Geschwind (1829-1910), named for the Bohemian spa town of Teplice, [a] complex cross of China, Bourbon, and hybrid tea roses… its strong fragrance and ability to bloom continuously even under very hot conditions, plus ease of propagation via cuttings, made it a consummate success [in South Asia],” cultivated here only since 1897. See the difference between the damask varieties here and here [Sidonie]–and our paneer rose here. Note that paneer roses could also be a variety known as Kakinada red.

Processing and Milling

The method of drying and processing the powder is the same as before. Please consult my previous post on this but basically: remove soapnut seeds, dry all ingredients to a crisp, and send off to a mill to process into as fine a powder as the miller will oblige you with.

Notes on use, FAQs, Resources

• Use about 4 tablespoons of powder for oiled long hair, or 2T or less for unoiled or short hair. Mix with water and beat with your hands until it makes a thick-ish but still flowing paste. It should be thick enough not to flow off directly, and thin enough to penetrate to your scalp without too much physical effort. Rest it for a few minutes before using.
• Wet your hair and apply the paste, taking care that it does not touch your eyes. Try to apply it straight down the length of your hair rather than pushing it about too much–that makes it easier to wash out later. Leave it on for a few minutes, and then wash off. Use a mug to pour water if some parts are grainy and hard to remove. The rest will come off after in the drying process, so not to worry.
• Is it ok to use this as a hair pack? Sure, but I’d not keep it on for hours, maybe just 15 mins or so before washing it off.
• Why haven’t you used bhringraj/karisalankanni? Because the more typical use is in hair oils, and I’ve used it there.
• Will this give me a cold? No, it won’t. No hair powder will. Colds are caused by viruses and not oils and powders 🙂 But if you are susceptible to catching colds, then be warned that any oiling and powder-using is likely to be cooling, both because of the inherent properties of ingredients and because the process just takes a touch longer than a straight shampoo. Dry off quickly afterwards, wear or drink something warm. Nothing else should be required.
• The importance of oiling: this powder works its absolute best when used with a regular scalp massaging and oiling regimen (what we call a “headbath”!). The oil that works magic for me is this one, but you should fashion a list of ingredients that are suitable for where you are and prepare or procure some other suitable oil. Don’t skip this step though. Hair powders are part of a wholistic approach to body care, and oiling is another essential component of that!
• For blonde or other-colored-hair readers: this recipe is a fairly traditional one, in the sense that it makes use of a lot of ingredients known for their value in hair care in traditional India. In that sense, it’s crafted for women with dark hair, but the use of amla even on blonde hair should not at all turn it shades darker, but rather restore richness in sheen. Given that the quantity of amla used per wash is small, I would not foresee any problem using it.

For reference & comparison: Measurements and order of importance from my earlier recipe:

1. Shikakai: 4 parts (up to 5 parts for oily hair types)
2. Soapnut or soapberries: 1 part
3. Dried Amla (Indian gooseberry): 1 part
4. Arappu powder: 4 parts: 125g
5. Hibiscus leaves and flowers: 4-5 parts (more for deeper conditioning)
6. Curry leaves: 1 part
7. Green gram or whole mung: 1 part
8. Methi or fenugreek: 1 part
9. Vettiver: 1 bunch
10. Brahmi or Asiatic pennywort: 1 part
11. Dried Neem leaves: 1 part
12. Dried tulasi or holi basil: 1 part
13. Paneer or fragrant Gruß an Teplitz rose: 1 part