6 Month Ayurveda Challenge

[Aspire]

I have had amla and JBCO in my hair for the last 3 days as I prepare my hair for braids. Tomorrow, I will massage with Shikakai oil and then wash with Shikakai. The I will DC with Amla and AOHR overnight. Tuesday I plan to rinse, air dry and braid. then I will use my use my spritz while in braids. HTH!!
-

 

[beauti]

i broke the knob off my hardtop dryer earlier today and i've been sooo discouraged! today is wash day and i'm supposed to be sitting under that dryer with a mixture of oils for an hour before applying my tea rinse and now i'm gonna have to keep it in overnight, which i'm not looking forward to. i'm just gonna go to sallys and buy another one tomorrow. so wash day is now tomorrow.

 

[gitana0801]

Count me in! I will post my reg. tomorrow when I figure it all out.

 

[beans4reezy]

I am visiting an Indian Market today. I cannot wait to see what goodies I can pick up

 

[nikki2229]

Please count me in. I am just looking for another oil besides Vatika. I am also looking for the shikakai shampoo bar or the amla.

I found some Indian grocery's near my house. The one I frequent does not have what I am looking for so I will check some others after work.

I will use henna 1x/mo.
Shikakai and amla tea rinses weekly.
Vatika, coconut, and possibly another oil 2-3x/week.

I will unofficially be doing this regimen on my DD. I can not enter her because she is not a member here and she likes me to use heat on her hair more frequently.

I will post both of our pictures this evening.

DD is 7 months post with some thinning due to breakage at the demarcation line.

I am 8 months post. We are both transitioning.

 

[HERicane10]

Hericane, do you make a tea with the Amla or just mix it all together with dry Amla powder. I co-wash daily and this sounds delish.

Hey there! No tea. I followed the same recipe as longhairdontcare's shikakai co-wash. 32 oz. moisturizing conditioner + 1-2 c coconut oil ( I used 2 this time, but will reduce to 1 for future mixes) + 1 box amla powder + 1 oz. peppermint e.o. ( I used camphor; its what I had on hand & its good for dandruff and dry scalp)

I love this mix with the amla better than the shikakai for me. Its supa moisturizing and I often don't follow with another conditioner. Plus a light coating of coconut oil is left in my hair!

 

[cherepikr]

Hey there! No tea. I followed the same recipe as longhairdontcare's shikakai co-wash. 32 oz. moisturizing conditioner + 1-2 c coconut oil ( I used 2 this time, but will reduce to 1 for future mixes) + 1 box amla powder + 1 oz. peppermint e.o. ( I used camphor; its what I had on hand & its good for dandruff and dry scalp)

I love this mix with the amla better than the shikakai for me. Its supa moisturizing and I often don't follow with another conditioner. Plus a light coating of coconut oil is left in my hair!

Thank you so much. I will try something similar with Kalpi Tone powder. Do you store the mixture in the fridge?

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

I did a tea rinse Sat w/ 2pts brahmi, 2pts maka and 1pt amla mix. This morning I DC'd on dry hair with Lekair cholesterol plus aloe mixed with Brahmi powder. Cowashed with Aussie Moist and now I'm airdrying in flexi rods.

 

[LongCurlyLocks]

I want to join this but I have a question. How would this comply with MT? I had stopped using but I'm back on it. Would it have any effect on the product or would it be ok? I plan to mix the oils with MT and use the powders as a DC. Please let me know.

 

[HERicane10]

Thank you so much. I will try something similar with Kalpi Tone powder. Do you store the mixture in the fridge?

My room stays very cool, so I just keep it by the air conditioner, but MS is sooo hot in the summer, I'm watching it closely. I use it almost daily, so I think I'll use it up before it goes rancid.

I'm sure kalpi tone would work great too! I found the texture of shikakai alone too grainy fro me. Wish I could get the kalpi tone locally.

 

[flowinlocks]

I want to join this but I have a question. How would this comply with MT? I had stopped using but I'm back on it. Would it have any effect on the product or would it be ok? I plan to mix the oils with MT and use the powders as a DC. Please let me know.

When I first started my Ayurveda journey I was using it in conjunction with MT/OCT with no problems.

 

[flowinlocks]

My room stays very cool, so I just keep it by the air conditioner, but MS is sooo hot in the summer, I'm watching it closely. I use it almost daily, so I think I'll use it up before it goes rancid.

I'm sure kalpi tone would work great too! I found the texture of shikakai alone too grainy fro me. Wish I could get the kalpi tone locally.

I agree it's kinda too grainy for my liking as well. I put a box of it in my food processor and ground it up a bit more. This seemed to help some.

 

[flowinlocks]

Hey there! No tea. I followed the same recipe as longhairdontcare's shikakai co-wash. 32 oz. moisturizing conditioner + 1-2 c coconut oil ( I used 2 this time, but will reduce to 1 for future mixes) + 1 box amla powder + 1 oz. peppermint e.o. ( I used camphor; its what I had on hand & its good for dandruff and dry scalp)

I love this mix with the amla better than the shikakai for me. Its supa moisturizing and I often don't follow with another conditioner. Plus a light coating of coconut oil is left in my hair!

I have been mixing my powders in my cond. in single use batches. Mainly because I like to make different recipes. However I have been cowashing almost daily since it's been hot. I would like to make a large batch to have on hand. The last time I tried to mix it & put it back in the bottle, the powders absorbed a lot of the liquid & swelled. By the next day I could barely get it out.erplexed Anyway I'm gonna try it again (with less powder maybe?). My question is does the coconut oil solidify in the mixture?

 

[HERicane10]

I have been mixing my powders in my cond. in single use batches. Mainly because I like to make different recipes. However I have been cowashing almost daily since it's been hot. I would like to make a large batch to have on hand. The last time I tried to mix it & put it back in the bottle, the powders absorbed a lot of the liquid & swelled. By the next day I could barely get it out.erplexed Anyway I'm gonna try it again (with less powder maybe?). My question is does the coconut oil solidify in the mixture?

I mix mine in an old humecto bucket. The coconut oil does solidify some, but not much, the water from the conditioner accumulates at the bottom and I have to mix again before each use.

 

[flowinlocks]

I mix mine in an old humecto bucket. The coconut oil does solidify some, but not much, the water from the conditioner accumulates at the bottom and I have to mix again before each use.

Has anyone tried the mixture with another type of oil?

 

[HERicane10]

i haven't.

 

[cherepikr]

Thanks flowinlocks and Hericane for the co-wash ideas.

My reggie will be as follows:
*Nightly prepoo with Amla, Vatika, or Castor Oil.
*Daily co-wash with powder (Kalpi Tone, Brahmi, Heenera, Hibiscus, and or Methi) infused cheapie conditioner.
*Tea rinse on weekends with above powders.
*Wash once a month with Chandrika bar.
* My moisture & DC reggie will remain the same. DC every other day, and moisturize and seal twice a day with ends baggied nightly.

 

[beans4reezy]

Alright. I picked up some Vatika Coconut Oil, Vatika Olive enriched Hair oil a box of henna and Alma powder.

Tonight (hopefully, I can get the little one to sleep early), I am going to pre poo with the Vatika Olive oil and will cowash with V05 with Alma powder added into the V05 conditioner.

I'm going to start there to see how my hair likes it! I'm so excited!

 

[Shay72]

Finally figured out my routine.

Pre poo with one of these many oils either for 1 hr or overnight--Amla, Shikakai, Bhringraj, Vatika Frosting, Cocasta & Shikakai

Try to remember to scritch at some point

Hot oil treatment 3x/week

DC 3x/week with steam and follow up with a tea rinse, then cowash out

Use tea rinse mix #1 one time a week--hibiscus, brahmi, bhringraj,amla
Use tea rinse Mix #2 one time a week--kalpi tone & fenugreek
Alternate tea rinse Mix #3 --neem, shikakai, amla with auyurvedic poo bar

At some point I will do a cassia gloss

 

[jeabai]

Yesterday I made Aggies spritz and I actually pulled it off! so proud of myself! I applied a paste of kalpi tone and then dc'd with moistefese, spritz with the spritz and sealed with coconut oil. Did a scalp massage with shikkai and alma today and cowashed with suave cocunut.

 

[Aggie]

Yesterday I made Aggies spritz and I actually pulled it off! so proud of myself! I applied a paste of kalpi tone and then dc'd with moistefese, spritz with the spritz and sealed with coconut oil. Did a scalp massage with shikkai and alma today and cowashed with suave cocunut.

Congratulations jbailey. I am so happy to hear this.

 

[beans4reezy]

I just made a paste out of Alma powder (powder, conditioner, and oil)...My hair feels great! Is it me, or does my hair feel heavier, denser? Does the Alma powder have a thickening effect?

 

[flowinlocks]

I just made a paste out of Alma powder (powder, conditioner, and oil)...My hair feels great! Is it me, or does my hair feel heavier, denser? Does the Alma powder have a thickening effect?

Oh yeah, that's one of the benefits of the powders, they make the hair feel thicker. I think it's kinda like a coating, but it seems to keep the hair strong. I'm glad you had a great first experience.

 

[flowinlocks]

Also Amla is highly acidic, it's known to increase texture.

 

[flowinlocks]

Finally figured out my routine.

Pre poo with one of these many oils either for 1 hr or overnight--Amla, Shikakai, Bhringraj, Vatika Frosting, Cocasta & Shikakai

Try to remember to scritch at some point

Hot oil treatment 3x/week

DC 3x/week with steam and follow up with a tea rinse, then cowash out

Use tea rinse mix #1 one time a week--hibiscus, brahmi, bhringraj,amla
Use tea rinse Mix #2 one time a week--kalpi tone & fenugreek
Alternate tea rinse Mix #3 --neem, shikakai, amla with auyurvedic poo bar

At some point I will do a cassia gloss

Sounds like a good reggie, let us know how it works out.

 

[Ltown]

Have anyone ever made their own shikaki oil using the powder, I would love to save money making it? I assume that I can do part coconut oil/shikaki powder?

 

[Cassandra1975]

Have anyone ever made their own shikaki oil using the powder, I would love to save money making it? I assume that I can do part coconut oil/shikaki powder?

Yes...Sareca posted something about this in one of the older threads. You could use a double boiler method. I personally found a potpouri simmer pot at WalMart (in the back where they sell the craft stuff, near the fabric area) for very cheap. I put about a cup of coconut oil in the simmer pot, and then the shikakai powder (I can't remember how much right now), and let it simmer for about six hours. It's just enough heat to infuse the oil, without burning it. Then you can strain through cheesecloth, or a stocking. Which ever works best.

 

[flowinlocks]

Yes...Sareca posted something about this in one of the older threads. You could use a double boiler method. I personally found a potpouri simmer pot at WalMart (in the back where they sell the craft stuff, near the fabric area) for very cheap. I put about a cup of coconut oil in the simmer pot, and then the shikakai powder (I can't remember how much right now), and let it simmer for about six hours. It's just enough heat to infuse the oil, without burning it. Then you can strain through cheesecloth, or a stocking. Which ever works best.

Sareca's thread got me to making oils when I first started with Ayurveda. I made one with Shikakai, Amla, Neem. And another one with Bhringhaj, Brahmi, Amla. I later added Horsetail & Nettle to the second one. I bought the glass oil bottles from Target, melted my Coconut oil down and filled the bottle almost full. (leave room for the powder). Then I poured it in a tiny Crockpot I bought for this purpose. I added a teaspoon each of whatever powders and let it simmer for about six hours. I have to admit I'm too lazy to strain, So I let it sit in the pot for a few days, and when all the sludge/powder settles to the bottom I pour the oil off the top. Most ladies use one of the methods mentioned above. I think the next time I make one I'll try using the tea bags. I also Infused some Vatika oil with Shikakai, Bhringraj, & Fenugreek. This one I call my Vatika cocktail. It's great way to keep the Fenugreek in my hair when I don't want to make tea or deal with the gumminess.The Bhringraj I have right now is kinda stemy, so using it for this purpose works out great. Warning these oils don't smell good , so you might want to add some EO. I didn't add anything to mine so I've recently been using them at night (not the one with the Horsetail) and cowashing them out in the morning.

 

[HauteHairGurl]

Hi Ladies!

Well I finally got to purchase some of my Ayurveda stuff this weekend. The guy was really nice and said he would order the other products I wanted. I'm going to keep going there since it's close to my house and the people were nice. This is what I bought:
Amla Oil (need to take this back though b/c it's the one with mineral oil in it)
Methi Fenugreek powder
Neem powder
Shikakai power and shikakai soap
Amla powder
Vatika oil
Parachute coconut oil

So yesterday I clarified to start me off with a clean slate and DC'ed with ORS Pak. I then moisturized my hair with the Profective in the green tub (root health) and sealed with the Vatika oil and baggyed. Today when I woke up my hair was soft because it was still wet so I put some more Vatika oil on it (I thought to seal in the moisture from baggying). Well by the time I got to work, my hair was dry and it still feels dry . Anyone have any recommendations? I've been going through the monstrous 'Ayurveda Support' thread but I don't want to have product overload and use all the powders at the same time. Most ppl are posting their recipes but they seem to have 50-11 ingredients. Instead I'm using each powder one at a time. I plan to cowash 5 days a week and no sulfate poo/DC twice a week. I made a moisturizing poo using Dr. Bronner's and coconut oil. Would this still be drying? My mom is even actually interested in using these products (and she's been anti-LHCF since I started)! She's relaxed (every 5 weeks, I'm trying to get her to stretch). Can anyone recommend a really basic reg for her? I'm thinking she'll let me wash it once a week. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I'm also drinking the fenugreek powder to increase my milk supply. Does anyone know of a better way to dissolve the powder? I've tried acai juice, hot water and room temp water and I always get grit that just sits at the bottom of the cup. That stuff is bitter as all get out!

 

[MissMusic]

Hi Ladies!

Well I finally got to purchase some of my Ayurveda stuff this weekend. The guy was really nice and said he would order the other products I wanted. I'm going to keep going there since it's close to my house and the people were nice. This is what I bought:
Amla Oil (need to take this back though b/c it's the one with mineral oil in it)
Methi Fenugreek powder
Neem powder
Shikakai power and shikakai soap
Amla powder
Vatika oil
Parachute coconut oil

So yesterday I clarified to start me off with a clean slate and DC'ed with ORS Pak. I then moisturized my hair with the Profective in the green tub (root health) and sealed with the Vatika oil and baggyed. Today when I woke up my hair was soft because it was still wet so I put some more Vatika oil on it (I thought to seal in the moisture from baggying). Well by the time I got to work, my hair was dry and it still feels dry . Anyone have any recommendations? I've been going through the monstrous 'Ayurveda Support' thread but I don't want to have product overload and use all the powders at the same time. Most ppl are posting their recipes but they seem to have 50-11 ingredients. Instead I'm using each powder one at a time. I plan to cowash 5 days a week and no sulfate poo/DC twice a week. I made a moisturizing poo using Dr. Bronner's and coconut oil. Would this still be drying? My mom is even actually interested in using these products (and she's been anti-LHCF since I started)! She's relaxed (every 5 weeks, I'm trying to get her to stretch). Can anyone recommend a really basic reg for her? I'm thinking she'll let me wash it once a week. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I'm also drinking the fenugreek powder to increase my milk supply. Does anyone know of a better way to dissolve the powder? I've tried acai juice, hot water and room temp water and I always get grit that just sits at the bottom of the cup. That stuff is bitter as all get out!

Sounds like you didn't use a leave-in. The Profective Root Health is full of protein and will not leave your hair soft. The Dr. Bronner's is a good alternative, I cannot say whether or not it will be drying, but I think you're going to have to play that by the ear.

For your mom I would probably just use an oil and a shampoo bar to keep it simple. How about oil to pre-poo, shampoo bar, and a DC. Maybe a second Ayurvedic oil to seal the leave-in and moisturizer or the same one. HTH!