Ayurveda 101 PART1

So to compliment the hairyuveda challenge am posting a list here of some of the more well known (and a few not so well known) Ayurvedic Preparations.
First what does ayurveda mean any old way so here's a quote,
"Ayurveda
combines the Sanskrit
words ayur (life) and veda (knowledge).
The name aptly describes
the essence of this ancient Indian system
of medicine."-end of quote taken from http://www.pioneerthinking.com/insideayurveda.html
In Indian there is an entire system of doctors who are called "Hakeem" which in Arabic mean 'wise one' the doctors practice totally holistic medicine using only herbs to heal and cure all types of illnesses from pleurasy, gastrointestinal, brain disorders and even you guessed it HAIR problems like baldness and graying, dandruff fallouts whatever the problem is there is an herb for it(and many of the herbs pull double duty) so here's a small list of some popular ones and their common uses. If I forget some please jump in and add on ;-). ALSO I'LL BE BREAKING THIS UP INTO PARTS B/C i CAN'T SIT HERE LONG ENOUGH TO TYPE IT ALL AT ONCE, LOL

Trusted Brands for these products are: Dabur, Ramtirth, Hesh, Uttam, Ancient Formulae,Baidyanath, and Himani (to name a few)

Ayurvedic Powders:
Amla Powder- Amla is also known as Indian Gooseberry and is a popular powder to add to henna mixes. Due to it's high vitamin c content a few tablespoons added to henna is acidic enough to trigger dye release. Amla promotes hair growth by strengthening the roots of the hair. Also helps with premature graying and can tone down henna coppery reds to reddish browns.

Amla Oil- Has the same benefits as the powder most oils can be used as a pre-poo for extra moisture and added conditioning and Dabur now has 'Amla Gold Oil' which has the added benefit of henna and almonds!

Brahmi Powder- is known for making hair thicker and more dense and full and if you need a good nights sleep give yourself a brahmi it also helps to strengthen hair roots and control dandruff

Brahmi Oil(Ramtirth)- this oil contains brahmi but also contain about 22 other herbs infused in a coconut oil base in addition to what the powder helps the oil also helps improve split ends and hair loss

Bhringraj- also known as Maka powder is possibly the cure all for all of the damage we've done to our hair! It is known for curing hair loss due to damage or caused by other scalp issues such as alopecia, cures dandruff, prevents premature graying,acts as a 'brain soother' to help you rest [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
This one is also supposed to help with postpartum bleeding and pain and acts as a 'multivitamin' for your hair

Mahabhringraj Oil (Maka Oil)- look for the same benefits as the powder in addition to helping with frequent headaches, itchy scalps and pruritis

Okay so here's to get us started next addition: shikakai, vatika, neem, and jaswand!!
part 3 we'll get into henna, cassia and indigo [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Thanks, this helps alot. So how do you mix the powders. And do you use them separately or one at a time?

i love this breakdown, so now i need to add the maka powder aka brain soother on my list...so now im curious too like jnb, and how often do u use em? would u henna one week and maka the next?

Great list...

I posted my question in the challenge about the alma powder. Can we check the BnB site for directions on mixing the different powders? **checking the site now**

Hi Ladies !
You all are going to keep me on my toes here ;-)
Mixing is easy and you can combine the powders to compliment them. For example mix Amla and Bhringraj or Shikakai and Jaswand or even Neem powder depending on what your hair's need are. And unless adding to henna all you need to add is lukewarm water (or I use aloe vera juice for added moisture) make a paste or a hot water to make a tea which you would strain to make a rinse.
You can also add any of the powders right into your henna mix Nubbienatty (bhringraj mixes well and of course amla powder is a henna favorite so it would no problem to use both) And if you have leftover paste you can always freeze the leftovers for a gloss or if it's a good bit for another whole head application!

Hello Everyone,
I am very new at the forum (this is actually my first post). I have done a lot of research with Ayurvedic powders and oils. Here is a website I found to be very helpful:
http://www.heshpharma.com/hair-care-products.html

I hope this helps!

Thank you ButterQueen!! This is so helpful!! I was afraid of the challenge before because I am new to the natural scene and had no idea what you were talking about!!! LOL But now I think I'm going to join in the challenge! But first I have to find these, do you order them online?


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

http://members.fotki.com/NaturalNewbieBeauty

darkkinkynlovely wrote:Hello Everyone,
I am very new at the forum (this is actually my first post). I have done a lot of research with Ayurvedic powders and oils. Here is a website I found to be very helpful:
http://www.heshpharma.com/hair-care-products.html

I hope this helps!

Thank you!!!!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

http://members.fotki.com/NaturalNewbieBeauty

Thank you Butter Queen I am feeling more and more comfortable with the challenge after each informative posts like the Ayurveda 101, keep them coming!! I was so eager to submit my BnB order I should have checked this first. But I think I have everything, but what I don't I will just have to place another order; especially since I'm in VA and my products will get to me relatively quick. YIPPEEEE!!! I'm so psyched about the Ayurveda products. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Being Natural, naturally is a beautiful thing!

Here we go a little more info to chew on as our challenge matures!
Shikakai Powder - is one of those multi-taskers in the sense that not only does it condition and shine it also cleans the hair, promotes hair growth and makes hair feel silky by smoothing out the hair shafts/strands
Shikakai Oil- posseses these same traits but it also has other natural ingredients to clean the 'flow of sebum' and leave hair soft from root to tip.Also good for controlling dandruff
Jaswand- ALSO KNOWN AS RED HIBISCUS OR SORRELL DIFFERS FROM dried hibiscus flowers we may use to make our burgundy mixes in that they coat the strands like henna whereas Jaswand totally conditions from inside and leaves hair soft and smooth. It also cleans the hair and has a fresh earthy kind of smell
Aritha Powder- is the business if you're looking for an ayurveda that is strictly for cleansing. Can be used as a shampoo or you can even use it for cleaning silver and doing your laundry. AKA 'soapnut' and it will leave you squeaky clean (but not stripped ;-)
Dabur Vatika- Is a fave of so very many it contains those things we love like coconut oil, henna, amla and lemon along with some other essentials that everyone's hair can benefit from
NEEM OIL!!- REALLY i CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT NEEM (or maybe I should say I can't say everything about neem) I have seen it's benefits in curing all kinds of hair and scalp issues like severe dandruff, dermatitus, I have seen it work wonders for peoople with excema due to its antifungal, anti bacterial properties any type of infection that is caused by an overgrowth of yeast or fungus can be halted with neem oil. Ths stuff even works to cure yeast infections (yes a vaginal yeast infection!). ONE PROBLEM...it stinks, it does, I said it it really stinks [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
but wow the benefit outweighs all of that.
Neem Powder- because it comes from the leaf instead of the seeds like the oils does it isn't as potent but is still beneficial for mixing with other powders to help with chronic dandruff or make a paste for use on skin for problems with acne
Next up henna, cassia, indigo and a few other we may have missed [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

ButterQueen,
The store I bought my Vatika Oil has a Neem powder but it is called a face mask. Can this be used on the hair?

Hi Newday,
do you happen to remember the brand of it? If you check the ingredients though and the only ingredients are neem leaf powder or neem powder then yes it can be used on your hair as well. You will find that many of these powders can be used on skin as well as hair like amla and neem!

Oh thanks BQ for all the hard work and info. I didn't look at the ingredients list and I can not remember the brand. I will head back over and find out.

If anyone goes to their local Indian store to get their ayurvedic herbs can you tell me which ones are commonly found there? I get my henna from my local Indian store and it has Henna, Amla, Branji and Bringraj powders together and it is also 100% natural. I haven't checked if there were any other fully natural herbs and seeing as how I hate going into a store and not buying anything could someone please help me out by answering this question?

Please and Thank you

I have often read that the conditioning effects of henna last for about 4-5 washings. I was wondering how long the conditioning effects of amla last. Also is amla as effective when mixing with (cone-free) conditioner like a gloss as it is when just mixed with water? Appreciate any insight on this.
Thanks!

Hi freckledmom4! The conditioning effects of amla in my opinion last about as long as any deep conditioning treatment and a 'amla gloss' is definitely something that is "do-able". I'm actually planning a co-wash using my shea and honey conditioner 25 grams each of jaswand, bhringraj, and amla powders. Just mix the amla with warm water to make a paste, let it sit for about 15 monutes and then add it to your conditioner!
Hope this helps [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Hi Ladies-
If you are looking to purchase ayurvedic products and your not comfortable going to any old mom and pop indian store to make your selections, or ther is low availability in your community. I suggest you check out Butter-N-Bars, http://www.butters-n-bars.com/index.html. I purchased my products from this site because of the brief description and use of the ayurvedic powders, oils and henna was helpful to me in determining what I needed because I am green brand new to ayurvedic products. Oh and the coco-mango shea butter is delightful too.
Carla

Carafi366, don't forget to use the "Curlynikki" code to get an additional 10% off your orders at http://butters-n-bars.com [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Butterqueen I have a question.. Is Amla powder the only powder containing conditioning properties? Are there other powders that condition hair as well?

hi darkkinkylovely!
Most of the powders have some sort of conditioning/stregnthening properties. Amla, henna, cassia, brahmi, shikakai, even jaswandi and maka so you have many choices when it comes to conditioning powders. Some also clean as well as condition like Jaswand and Shikakai Some coat the hair like henna and cassia while others like Amla and Brahmi are absorbed into the strands and don't coat like henna does (that's why henna and cassia powders are used for coloring the hair, since they coat the starnds they have the ability to also color the hair strands and by changing the color of the pwders you can also change the color you achieve from your henna ;-) Pretty cool, huh ? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

what other colors can you get from henna n cassia? i thought u only get the red tint from henna and black from cassia [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

^^^ what she said. I thought cassia was just for gloss and henna was the color agent. Okay...so after reading on the BnB site I see that you can get color form cassia as well. Just curious....

PART 3 COMING UP [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Three of the most commonly used ayurvedic powders are henna, indigo, and cassia powder.

Henna and cassia are from the same family of plant, and the one of the main differences is the way the powders behave in terms of coloring. They both have the same strengthening and conditioning properties but cassia obovata will not color dark hair.
What it will do is act as a conditioning treatment for those who want the benefits of a henna without any color.
Also it can be mixed with henna on gray or light colored hair (light browns or blondes) to give a strawberry blonde effect or used alone to give dull grays a nice blond sheen.
Again cassia will not color dark hair but henna will.
Henna powders can be mixed with different plant like hibiscus flowers to achieve burgundy colors (one of my fave mixes ;-) or with cocoa powder to achieve different shades of brown or with indigo powder to achieve medium to dark browns or in a two step process henna and indigo together create jet black(note Amla powder is commonly added to henna but only tones down the coppery reds to make them more subtle)
Indigo Powder also comes from a plant and is commonly mixed with henna or used after henna to create darker hair tones and is a favorite for coloring gray.
Indigo powder has a very high acid level which makes it difficult fr some people to use. The high ph in the Indigo powder can cause severely itchy scalp or even headaches in severe cases.

Never use indigo powder alone unless you want your hair to turn blue [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] .

All three of these powders typically come from various regions of India however henna has been cultivated in various areas of not only India, but Africa and even the Middle Eastern countries (it literally grows everywhere, but it's origins are India)

You can use both henna and cassia powders to make glosses, but indigo (which lacks those conditioning properties) is for the most part used for natural coloring adventures. Leftover henna paste as well as cassia can be frozen, however any mixes containing indigo or indigo powder can not be frozen and once it is mixed must be used immediately.

Hope these tidbits help a little, and I am a henna head myself feel free to ask or even pm me with any questions you may have.
Happy Hennaing [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]