Saturday, October 30, 2010

Ayurvedic 101 No. 3


Basic Washes
compiled by violetflowers

Icydove's Wash Mix
2 tbsp. shikakai powder
2 tbsp. amla powder


Add 4 cups of hot tap or heated water to powdered herbs. Allow to steep until comfortably warm (at least 5 minutes), strain ( use a metal coffee filter), and pour tea over wet hair and massage in. You can do a highly diluted ACV rinse. The amla is conditioning, but for a little extra boost, apply coconut oil as a prewash treatment and apply a conditioning rinse after washing.

Shell's Wash Mix2 tablespoons of shikakai
3 tablespoons of amla

Mix together with warm water and let sit for 5-15 minutes. Use as a paste. Apply to scalp and hair, distribute/massage very gently, and let sit for 5-15 minutes. Massage gently again and then rinse thoroughly.

Pre-washing oiling is advised anytime you use shikakai. Follow this up with an AVC rinse and some post wash oiling.


mira-chan's Indian herb hair gravywhole aritha � 3 to 5 berries
whole amla � 1 to 2 tablespoons
whole hibiscus � 4- 6 flowers

Boil in two cups of water till about a cup boils out. Strain. Then put on a low heat and add arrowroot starch (mixed with cool water so it doesn�t clump) and mix until it turns to a gravy consistency. Let cool and use. Will last a week at most with refrigeration. (Acts similarly to Dianyla�s herb gravy)


Epiphanee's Wash MixUse 1 tablespoon of shikakai powder and mix it up with about 3 cups of water until it is a thin paste (as opposed to a thick mud).

Apply the paste to your scalp and hair length - everywhere that you have applied coconut oil.

Just apply the paste and don't "massage" it in. It is very slightly abrasive so massaging it in would not be good for the hair shaft.

Leave for 10 - 15 minutes and rinse thoroughly.

Neoma's Purple Sludge Mix1 tablespoon amla powder
2 tablespoons shikakai powder
2 tablespoons methi powder
2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers

Pour a cup of boiling water over the first three ingredients. Put the hibiscus in a tea ball and add them to the rest of the brew. Cover and steep 30 minutes. Remove the tea ball.

You can use it as soon as it cools sufficiently or keep it a few days in the fridge. I always use it on oiled hair. Finger-comb in the shower under running water to remove the herbal debris. May stain light hair or surfaces.

Leia's Herbal Wash and Condition
1 tablespoon bhringraj
1 tablespoon amla
1 tablespoon aritha
1 tablespoon neem
2 tablespoons shikakai
2 tablespoons sandalwood

Mix a little with boiling water, wait for it to cool a bit, and apply the paste to hair and scalp (sometimes after oiling with olive oil); leave on all night. You may use a bowl to catch the runoff and rinse again in the morning.

Violetflower's Wash Mix I1 dessert spoon of amla powder
1 dessert spoon of shikakai powder
1 dessert spoon of cassia obovata
6 dessert spoons of my soapnut shampoo

Massaged a small handful into dry hair, wet hair, then aplly the remainder, making sure that to cover all hair root to tip, massage scalp gently, then wrap cling film around hair for about 10 minutes. Rinse.

Violetflower's Wash Mix II
1.5 dessert spoons of amla
1 dessert spoon shikakai
1 dessert spoon of aritha
1 dessert spoon orange peel
1 dessert spoon brahmi
1 dessert spoon neem
1 dessert spoon tulsi
2 dessert spoons kapoor kachli
2 dessert spoons maka
3 dessert spoons marsh mallow
1 and a half teaspoons of virgin coconut oil.

Wash as usual--makes hair very shiny!


Conditioning Mixes That May Be Used As Gentle Washes
compiled by mira-chan and Shell


Mira-chan's Mild Wash Mix I
Take half a cup of fresh hibiscus leaves and crush them. The boil them in about a cup of water for 20 minutes. Strain, let cook and use as shampoo. The hibiscus leaf wash is not to be used post oiling or on oily hair unless it is very concentrated. It will not remove much oil. It mostly acts as an anti-dryness barrier.


Mira-chan's Mild Wash Mix IITake two tablespoons of powdered hibiscus flowers, mix with a cup of boiling water. Let cool. Apply to hair and leave for 5 to 20 minutes. Rinse well. Gives shine and cleans non-oiled hair well. Would be good for those who want to wash very often (daily or every other day) or for non-oiled naturally dry hair/ scalp.

Shell's Herbal COUse three tablespoons of amla in about two cups of warm water. Let sit for 5-15 minutes. Apply to hair and scalp. Gently massage scalp with a bit of water splashed on. Leave in for 15 minutes or so. Won't remove any but a very light oiling. Nicely conditioning and gently cleansing. Also makes your hair smell nice.


Rinses and Conditioners
compiled by Icydove

Traditionally, prewash oilings and using conditioning herbs in the washing mix serve as the Indian herb user's only conditioners. However, some people use Indian herbs for additional conditioning needs or for deep treatments.


Icydove's Herbal Rinse1 heaping tsp. of hibiscus
1 heaping tsp. of elderflower
1/2 tsp. of honey
Add the herbs and honey to two cups of hot water. Let steep for about 5 minutes, and strain. Dunk ends in the mixture, then pour it over head. Rinse lightly to prevent the hibiscus from staining. TIP: Use the mixture while the water is still warm or the honey could stiffen hair. Use aloe vera gel and jojoba oil mixed together as a leave-in.


mira-chan's Hibiscus Conditioner3-4 flowers of hibiscus
one tablespoon fenugreek seeds ( coarse powder or just crushed)
1 table spoon of arrowroot powder/ starch.

Mix arrowroot powder with a little bit of cool water. Make a large mug worth of strong tea with hibiscus and fenugreek. Strain then add arrowroot. Allow to cool then use as a conditioning rinse.

Kissedbyfire's Indian Herbal Wash/Condition1 tablespoon neem
1 tablespoon shikakai
1 tablespoon aritha
1 tablespoon amla
1 tablespoon sandlewood
1 tablespoon brahmi
1 tablespoon hibiscus
2 tablespoon marshmallow root
1 cup tea (rosemary, chamomile, lavendar, etc.)

Allow tea to simmer while mixing up the herbs. Add tea to herb mixture, mix well. Let cool to a warm temperature and apply.

Start with an avc rinse, then dry hair. Apply mix to slightly damp hair and scalp, and massage. Let sit for an hour wrapped in a plastic bag. Rinse.

Enjoy!

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