Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Regimen Building: Go Ayurvedic Part 2


In part 1 of our Ayurvedic series, we focused more on different shampoo methods. However this time we are going to touch more on various conditioning & moisturizing methods.

A few notes before we get started:
Most if not ALL of these herbs can be purchased at Indian grocery stores. If you do not have an Indian grocery store in your area, you can always find these ingredients online. For your convenience, I have linked each ingredient to it's online source in the event you have a hard time finding it on ground.  

Before you apply any of these Ayurvedic conditioners, it is recommended that you oil your hair thoroughly beforehand. I recommend Coconut Oil, as it is the easiest to obtain, inexpensive, and very effective. 

Some of you may find difficulty completely rinsing out mixtures that call for powdered herbs. I have found that soaking your hair in a tub filled with water is the easiest method to remove excess residue.

A little bit about each ingredient in these featured formulations:
Hibiscus Petal Powder - Conditions hair, promotes healthy hair growth, prevents hair loss, thickens hair
Marshmallow Root Powder - Nourishes hair follicles and scalp, conditioning properties, imparts shine 
Amla Powder - Stimulates hair growth, has wonderful conditioning properties, strengthens hair at the roots
Kalpi Tone - Promotes hair growth, prevents pre mature balding, light conditioning properties, imparts shine 
Fenugreek Seed Powder - Prevents hair loss, promotes hair growth, helps strengthen hair shaft, light protein Brahmi Powder - Strengthens hair at the roots, helps relieve dandruff, also purported to thicken hair
Bhringraj Powder - Promotes hair growth, prevents pre mature balding, light conditioning properties 
Aloe Vera Gel - Promotes hair growth, balance PH level, heal scalp, imparts sheen, light conditioning properties, nourishes hair follicles, and scalp 
Orange Peel - Imparts incredible shine, light conditioning properties 
Stinging Nettle - Nourishes hair and scalp, imparts shine, light conditioning properties 

Conditioner Mix 1
4 tbs Hibiscus Petal Powder
4 tbs Marshmallow Root Powder
3 tbsp Amla Powder
In a medium size bowl, mix all ingredients together with enough spring water to make a thick paste. Gently section your hair, and use an applicator brush to generously apply the mixture starting at the scalp, and working your way down the hair shaft. Cover with a plastic cap and allow mixture to sit on head for about 45minutes-hour. 
How Often?
Once Weekly  

Conditioner Mix 2
4 tbs Hibiscus Petal Powder
3 tbs Kalpi Tone
1 tbs Fenugreek Seed Powder [Methi]
In a medium size bowl, mix all ingredients together with enough spring water to make a thick paste. Gently section your hair, and use an applicator brush to generously apply the mixture starting at the scalp, and working your way down the hair shaft. Cover with a plastic cap and allow mixture to sit on head for about 45minutes-hour. 
How Often
Once Weekly

For those of you that aren't too keen on conditioning your hair w/o a creamy base, I have a few tried and true recipes utilizing conditioner as a base. 

Creamy Conditioning Mix 1
1/4 cup VO5 Moisture Milks; Strawberries & Creme Conditioner 
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
2 tbs Hibiscus Petal Powder
2 tbs Brahmi Powder
2 tbs Bhringraj Powder 
In a medium size bowl, mix all ingredients together and use immediately. Gently section your hair, and use an applicator brush to generously apply the mixture starting at the scalp, and working your way down the hair shaft. Cover with a plastic cap and allow mixture to sit on head for about 45minutes-hour. 
How Often
Once Weekly  

Deep Conditioning Mix 
1/4 cup Aveda Damage Remedy Conditioner
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
2 tbs Hibiscus Petal Powder
2 tbs Brahmi Powder
2 tbs Bhringraj Powder 
1 tbs Fenugreek Seed Powder [Methi]
In a medium size bowl, mix all ingredients together and use immediately. Gently section your hair, and use an applicator brush to generously apply the mixture starting at the scalp, and working your way down the hair shaft. Cover with a plastic cap and allow mixture to sit on head for about 45minutes-hour. 
How Often? 
Once Weekly 
 
Keeping your hair thoroughly moisturized should be part of everyone's healthy hair care regimen. The beauty of mixing your own products, is that you can swap out herbs to better suit your needs. Here are a few low-cost, highly effective moisturizing spritz's. 

Herbal Moisturizing Spritz 1
1/3 cup Aloe Vera Gel
2 tbsp Hibiscus Petal Powder
2 tbsp Marshmallow Root
1 1/4 cups Distilled Water
Bring distilled water to a boil, then let cool slightly. Add Hibiscus Petal Powder and Marshmallow root to water, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain mixture through cheesecloth, and add Aloe Vera Gel to liquid. Pour mixture in a spray bottle, and store in refrigerator for up to one week.
How Often?
As needed

Herbal Moisturizing Spritz 2
1/3 cup Aloe Vera Gel 
2 tbsp Hibiscus Petal Powder
2 tbsp Orange Peel 
1 tbsp Stinging Nettle
1 1/4 cups Distilled Water
Bring distilled water to a boil, then let cool slightly. Add Hibiscus Petal Powder, Orange Peel Powder, and Stinging Nettle to water, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain mixture through cheesecloth, and add Aloe Vera Gel to liquid. Pour mixture in a spray bottle, and store in refrigerator for up to one week.
How Often?
As Needed


Specialty Treatments
Herbal Hair Cream - Perfect for those looking for a nice creamy, all natural styler that offers a bit of hold. The Brahmi and Amla offer conditioning properties whilst promoting hair growth, and strengthening hair at the roots. The Shealoe leaves hair soft, smooth, manageable and shiny!
Try It:
1oz Shealoe Butter
3 tbs Brahmi Oil
3 tbs Amla Oil 
Mix all ingredients well, add to sterile jar; store in cool area.

MTM's Homemade Vatika Oil - This was definitely one of my favorite herbal oils. This oil is formulated with herbs that nourish and heal the scalp, promotes hair growth, imparts shine, softness, and manageability.
Try It:
2 Cups Coconut Oil
1 tbsp Stinging Nettles
1 tbsp Amla Powder
1 tbs Bhringraj Powder
1 tbsp Brahmi Powder
1 tbsp Orange Peel Powder
1 tbsp Neem Powder
1 tbsp Henna Leaf Powder
Add ingredients to a crock pot set on the lowest setting; leave overnight. Strain herbal oil several times through a cheesecloth, and add to squeeze bottle.  To make even a stronger herbal infusion, take your herbal oil, and add a fresh batch of herbs [in the same quantities listed] and place the mixture back in the crock pot [set on low] for another 24 hours. Strain mixture again, and bottle.

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22 comments:

  1. Long time reader, first time comment...ur blog is heaven sent Nikole...I love the fact that you have great insight into natural products and you promote a fantastic range of food, clothes, and most importantly hair care.

    Your blog my dear, is the holy grail of everything that is fly and fiesty, with a hint of ethereal p.o.v.

    Keep up the great work

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  2. Wow. Thank you so much for your generous information and for sharing these precious recipes. I'm natural and in the process of growing my hair, so they will help a lot. I nominate you the official CEO of my elisirs. :-)

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  3. Love the recipes! Adding them right now to my Ayurvedic regimen. Thanks for sharing your techniques and processes...you're the best!

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  4. Yes! I love Ayurveda, so glad I found it about a year or so ago. I greatly enjoy it's benefits and how cost effective it is. I'll certainly be trying some of these recipes.

    ~shae
    http://afroniquelyyou.com

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  5. @Anonymous; Thank you very much for the continued support! It is much appreciated! Thank you, thank you thank you!!

    @The Best Monday; LOL Thank you very much! I hope you love them as much as I do!

    @Stella B; Thank you! Enjoy :-)

    @Afroniquely; You are right about being cost effective!! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the prices, and the stuff lasts forever too!

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  6. Hey Chica,
    I was wondering if you have pics of the ingredients. I went to buy the Fenugreek Seed Powder i was clueless that was Methi until i was told. I really want to make sure i am buying the right ingredients since i want to bring the ayuverdic regime to my life.

    You have been my guide when it comes to my hair, and i wanna thank you for all the tips and product reviews!

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  7. Great Recipes!! I'm going back to ayurveda and will definitely be using some of these. Going back to read part 1.

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  8. You are truly heaven sent.. How unselfish of you to give these recipes to us.. So what would you consider the one that would be best for extremely thin see through hair??

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  9. Thank you. Praise Jesus I looked at your site, again I was thinking about getting some new products. Thank you so much!

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  10. Have you ever tried making your own Amla or Brahmi oil?

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  11. Good Morning!! I tried using the Conditioner mix #1 and I have a few questions. Tbs is that tablespoons and tbsp is that teaspoons?? Because when I looked up both abbrevaitions to clarify how much I needed to use, both abbrevaitions indicated tablespoons. I want to try this conditioner out again but would like some more clarification

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  12. Hi there! Wonderful recipes. I recently purchased several of these herbs and couldn't wait to put them to use...Your recipes helped tremendously!

    I just created the Herbal Moisturizing Spritzer # 1. Will the red color stain clothing and the hair?

    Thanks again for sharing and giving so much of your time and resources.

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  13. You rock! I've been natural for about 2 years and 18 months of that in braids. It's been SUCH a struggle trying to figure out what works! I can't begin to explain my complete frustration with my hair! With all the help and information from this blog, I have made more progress in 4 days, than the past 4-6 months! I am so close to cracking the code to my hair and it's because of your blog! Do you "hair" the applause!!! Thank you!!!!

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  14. HELP! I steamed with my first Ayurvedic treatment today. I used 2 tbs each of Brahmi, Neem, Amla and Orange Peel powder and 2 tbs each of Neem, Amla and Vatika oil. I also threw in a Palmer's Coconut Oil protein pack and 5 tbs aloe water. My paste was the consistency of pasta sauce. After applying my paste, I braided each section before working on the next section. Then I steamed, prior to washing. I went through my regular wash routine and thought I'd rinsed out the paste but there was more residue than I imagined so I had to rewash my hair, leaving it feeling stripped and very tangled and I haven't had tangled hair since adopting my new wash routine several months ago. Any tips for getting the herbs out of the hair?

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  15. Tried the Creamy Conditioning Mix 1 and found some residue left on my relaxed strand and some on my scalp. Is this normal? Did I do something wrong and do I need to condition afterwards.

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  16. Hi moptop beauty i just wanted to no how often do you use henna on your hair and do you use indigo to get that natural beautiful black hair that you have thank you.

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  17. You provide so much information, it is easy now to establish my own ayurveda routine at home. I will switch the cleansing herbs (my hair just cannot stand shikakai and hates acv-rinses) for rhassoul clay(which works like a charm for me) but will otherwise follow your recmommendations by the word. I will definitely make my own vatika oil blend, awesome idea to use the crockpot for this.
    I plan to henna weekly and I will do the big ayurveda treatment weekly, too. I am not sure whether to do both regimens on the same day or split them up-which results in two washdays. We will see...

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  18. Thank you soooooooo much for this information, I am excited to try these mixes. I have been using vatika oil, which I love!! I henna my hair monthly and use amla powder in my conditioners. This post can in time for me to take better care of myself in 2011. Thanks again!

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  19. Hi Nikole,
    Thanks for all the hard work you put into researching and most of all sharing your findings with us.
    I have a quick question about the spritz made up of hibiscus, marshmallow and aloe vera gel. What kind of spray bottle do you recommend for that? Because I tried the regular spray bottles and the nozzle got clogged. I tried four different spray bottles and the same thing happened. I really love this mix but it's hard for me to apply it in my hair if I do't use a spray bottle. Can you please recommend a spray bottle I could use for this( pls note that I strained the mix using a cheesecloth)

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  20. I tried the deep conditioning mix and conditioner mix 2. Complete disaster. I mixed the proper amounts and mixtures were very thick. the conditioner was falling everywhere while I attempted to apply it. It even fell right out of my hair when applied....

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  21. Anonymous I did the deep conditioner 2 mix as well and you probaby used too much water. I only add a little water at a time as I stir the mixture. This way I can get it to the right consistency without over saturating it with water.

    Hope that helps a bit

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  22. I'm at a stage where I too want to practice a strict Ayurvedic regimen. Would you suggest to follow-up with one of the Ayurvedic conditioning methods immediately after utilizing one of the Ayurvedic cleansing methods or do them on separate days (i.e.have an Ayurvedic cleansing day, then an Ayurvedic conditioning day)??? Please help me Sis...

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