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Some links in this article are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we find useful to our readersNatural herbs are believed to be the best hair care products, just like herbal shampoos, hair wash, hair packs and many more. One such type of herb, that is being used widely and also gives an extremely amazing result for the hair is, shikakai. Basically, Shikakai fruit pods contains many tiny seeds that we mostly throw away, but other than that shikakai have many various types of benefits and even the plant’s bark as well as leaves are also used. Shikakai is also available in the market in the form of powder or dried fruit form. Shikakai, can also be used in a hair wash, herbal shampoo or even in hair packs that can help to get rid of various kinds of hair related problems. So here are some hair care tips using shikakai or acacia concinna, that you must know and use it at home for a beautiful as well as lustrous hair.
Hair Care Tips
1Hair Cleansing
Shikakai is considered as an excellent hair cleaner. You can make a paste of the shikakai powder and apply it on the scalp and the hair. Leave it on for about some time. Shikakai paste can help to clean the hair and also removes all the type of impurities as well as dirt from the scalp and the hair naturally without any kind of harmful effects from the chemicals.
2Nourishes Your Hair
Shikakai can not only just clean the hair, but can also help to nourish them. You can even add some other vital herbs like the amla, reetha as well as henna into it to make it a more valuable product for the scalp. Shikakai also has many ample amounts of vitamin D and vitamin C in it which can help to nourish the hair from the root to tip and make it strong as well as bouncy.
3Treats Dry Scalp
Using soaps normally can make your scalp as well as hair dry. It can steal away the moisture from the hair and make it more rough. It can also result in many chronic skin ailments like, seborrheic dermatitis. When you apply shikakai, it does not make your scalp dry. The low pH level in shikakai and its gentle action can make it the best product for the people who have sensitive scalp.
4Detangles Your Hair
When you do shampoo to your hair, your hair tends to become dry and get entangled. To detangle the hair, you use many different types of conditioners and serums and in the process of freeing the hair sometimes you lose few strands. On the other hand, shikakai is an amazing natural and effective hair detangler. After washing the hair with the shikakai powder you do not require the need of a separate conditioner.
5Aids the application of hair dye
It has always been recommended to wash the hair with shikakai before you apply hair dye on the hair. The reason is that shikakai can help in better soaking of the dye in the hairs and also increases the power of the dye on your hair for a longer stay.
6Combat Dandruff
A lot of people suffer from dandruff issue. It is considered as one of the serious scalp disorders, which lead to loss of hair. Shikakai, is believed to be the natural remedy which can help to control the hair loss and prevent dandruff from occurring again and again.
7Shiny Hair
Every girl want her tresses to be lustrous as well as radiant and shikakai is among one such natural and cost effective treatment that can help to give dazzling shine to the hair. After regular use you will see that your dull hair will start appearing nourished and healthy in just a few applications.
How to make shikakai shampoo:
Shikakai can be used to make homemade shikakai shampoo. The process to make this shikakai shampoo is also quite very easy. It is natural as well as devoid of all the chemicals.
- First soak a few dried shikakai pods, a little reetha and a dried amla overnight.
- Then boil the water, the very next morning until the pods gets soften.
- Now cool down the water, mash and strain off the liquid, and then use the strained water as your shampoo.
- Remember it will not lather as much as a readymade shampoo, but it does the job better.
- Another process is that you can also boil the dried shikakai or the shikakai powder, some neem leaves, fenugreek powder as well as some dried amla into the cup of water for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- After it has cooled out, mash and then strain the liquid.
- Use that water as your natural shampoo.
How to make shikakai oil:
- First add a tablespoon of shikakai powder into a half cup of basil / avocado / coconut oil.
- Then put the mixture into a container and then let it sit for at least a few weeks.
- Then keep it, shaking it. Now use this oil in your hair for at least two to three times in a week and after that shampoo well.
How to make shikakai hair pack:
- Blend shikakai and yogurt properly as they are an excellent ingredient for the hair.
- Massage the paste on your hair by blending it properly, wash it off after 15 to 20 minutes.
- Try to do this process every alternate day and see effective results within a week.
- In another process you can add half a cup shikakai and one cup amla powder in a cup of lukewarm water.
- Let it sit for one to two hours.
- Then apply this paste all over your hair and wash it off after 30 minutes.
- It is an excellent remedy to treat dry and dandruff affected hair.