To make our hair shiny, silky, long, and dandruff-free, we often use many products that claim to address these concerns. But much like the skin, your hair also needs love and care and products that suit its type. As such, applying anything and everything can do more harm than good. Before we proceed, allow us to share some information about your hair, which contains a protein called keratin — produced in the hair follicles, where new hair cells are formed. During this process, the old cells gradually get pushed out of the skin and new ones get generated. Basis this process, a single hair strand grows at a rate of about 1 cm per month.
According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, there are 100,000 to 150,000 hair follicles on each person’s scalp, and it is normal to lose anywhere from 50 to 100 strands of hair per day. Hence, a few hair strands on your comb are not a cause for concern. But there are various factors that can increase hair loss such as side-effects of medications, hormonal changes, an unhealthy diet, and even stress.
Rinky Kapoor, dermatologist, The Esthetic Clinic, told indianexpress.com, “One has to be careful when using store-bought chemical products because although they seem promising they might contain high doses of chemicals that can cause. Many products claim immediate relief from hair loss, but such results are only temporary, and your hair fall might get worse.” The expert added that one can instead opt for natural home remedies that contain natural ingredients, and have minimal to no side effects.
That’s exactly what we have for you today — a tried and tested natural shampoo, courtesy of Chef Meghna Kamdar that promises silky, smooth hair.
“My grandma had long silky hair and this is something she taught my mother and my mother would use this shampoo on my sister and my hair. For so many years, we used to apply this natural homemade shampoo instead of store-bought shampoo,” Chef Kamdar shared, adding that this shampoo is “so much better, natural, and no side-effects; plus so many benefits.”
Ingredients
*100 gm reetha (Aritha/Soapnut)
*20 gm shikakai pods
*20 gm dry amla (gooseberries)
*2 cups of water (after boiling it will become 1 cup)
Method
*First, remove the seeds from reetha and shikakai.
*Then take 2 cups of water in a pan.
*Add amla, reetha and shikakai to the water and boil till water becomes half.
*Let it cool down.
*Squeeze out all the pulp of reetha.
*Use a medium strainer (not a fine strainer) and strain the shampoo so you will get a pulpy mixture of thick shampoo.
*Store in a bottle.
Chef Kamdar shared the following benefits:
*This is a 100% natural shampoo, so it will not form the same amount of foam as store-bought chemical shampoos.
*It is recommended to apply hair oil before use. Some people may find this shampoo to cause their hair to become a little dry after use.
*Be careful while applying. If it goes into your eyes, it will give you a feeling of burning sensation.
Benefits
Talking about the ingredients and their benefits, Kapoor said that reetha, popularly known as soap nut, is an Ayurvedic hair care ingredient. “Antifungal and antibacterial in nature, reetha acts as a gentle cleanser for hair that can be used every day. It gives shampoos its foam-like texture,” she added, listing the following reasons why you should use it:
*Makes hair shiny and lustrous
*Helps control greying of hair
*Stimulates better hair growth
*Gets rid of dandruff
*Helps kill lice in the scalp
The dermatologist further said that shikakai (soap pod) is a popular traditional medication used to control hair fall and promote long and healthy hair. “It is rich in antioxidants, saponin, vitamins A, C, D, F, and K which provide the hair most of the health essentials it needs. It removes dirt, grime and excess oil from the scalp but still maintains the natural pH and oil balance of the scalp,” she added.
As for amla, Kapoor said that this hair care ingredient provides thick, shiny and long hair. “It is a potent Ayurvedic treatment, which is rich in vitamin A and C, tannis, amino acids, antioxidants and has zero side-effects. It also helps retain natural moisture, thus becoming a nourishing agent for the hair,” she told indianexpress.com. Also, amla can be directly applied on hair and even be consumed in our diet. “Eating amla regularly in your diet helps prevent premature greying of hair and also improves the life cycle of hair. It strengthens the hair and adds a natural health and shine to it,” Kapoor concluded.
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