Shikakai Powder For Hair

I was carrying this to the showers at my gym and when someone saw it, her eyes practically popped out of her head. What was in the bottle and why was I taking a shower with it?

I bought a box of shikakai powder from the supermarket after reading about the benefits. It's known to add shine, strengthens the roots, eliminates dandruff and most important to me, reduces hair loss. It was only £1.30 and it's a dried herb powder that you mix with water and clean your scalp with it.

Shikakai contains sapons which are surfactants. It mildly cleanses and the PH is 4, slightly acidic which is the right level for keeping dandruff at bay and closing hair cuticles. Shakakai basically gets rid of dirt and oil and makes hair shiny, similar to doing a apple cider vinegar rinse.

I recycled a nearly empty squeeze bottle of honey which had crystallised. I added hot water and powder to make a runny paste. Honey is good for hair, I figured. The mixture smelt muddy so add a few drops of essential oil for fragrance.

I wet my hair and applied it to my scalp and massaged it in. There were no suds and it was gritty, like a scrub. I let it sit in my hair while I was doing my normal shower routine. When I rinsed, I could instantly feel my hair was softer and smoother. It was amazing!

When my hair dried, it smelt a little muddy (because I did'nt add fragrance) but it subsided after a few hours. Let this be a warning if you're planning to use it when you're going to be around other people-use essential oil!  My scalp felt like it had been scrubbed clean and even though I didn't use conditioner, I didn't feel like I needed to.

I like shikakai because it's all natural, cheap and mild on my hair. Good for gentle and frequent cleaning as my fine hair looks dirty by the second day of washing. As for reducing hair loss, I'll keep using it and let you know how I get on!