Natural and safer alternatives to commercial shampoo

Even a simple search of the net will throw up several alternatives to shampoo with their own claims of being natural, safe, environment friendly etc starting with Baking Soda (Yes, you heard that right) to natural soap bars, DIY (Do-it-yourself) shampoo and what not. 

However, in keeping with my own policy of never endorsing through this site any product that (1) I have not tried out myself and (2) does not have a body of reliable evidence (research, anecdotal, historical, traditional), I am going to make only one recommendation:

Combination of Shikakai (Acacia Concinna) and Arappu (Albizia Amara) in the ratio of 1:1 mixed thoroughly, stored in airtight containers and reconstituted into a paste with warm to hot water just before a shower. There are several suggestions and additions to this basic combination but in my opinion they are bells and whistles and can be added based on individual preferences - these include - Soap nut powder (Reetha), Henna, Amla and dried powder of hibiscus petals.

In Ayurveda, seborrhoeic dermatitis (dandruff), or pityriasis capitis is known as "Darunaka" under the broad head of Ksudra Roga formed by the sandhi (meeting of two words) "Daruna" meaning "cracked or flaking scalp" and "Kandura" meaning "Itchy scalp"

Of the various natural alternatives available, Shikakai (extracted from the bark, leaves or pods) is one of the few natural alternatives that has been tested scientifically and proven to be safe and effective. It helps reduce scaling, itching, dryness and greasiness of scalp after treatment while prolonging the interval between scaling. (Click to read).

Shikakai Pod

Further, Shikakai is known to have a pH close to the pH of normal human hair (4.5 - 5.5), is non-aggressive, has mild anti-fungal, and anti-lice properties, helps detangle long and difficult to manage hair, helps retain natural hair/scalp oil, produces just the right amount of foam, clears dandruff, cleans scalp and hair, while imparting shine and bounce.

Arapu Leaves

Arappu powder the other part of this combination is made by powdering the dried leaves of the Arappu plant Albizia Amara. Arappu finds mention in ancient siddha literature and is referred to as a "hair tonic" that completes this combination by playing the role of a conditioner. Siddha medicine also talks about its "cooling" effect on the head/body.

Soap nut powder and Arappu powder

Shikakai and arappu powders are now available "ready-to-use" and simply need to be mixed at home and transferred to containers.

The SRK brand of Shikakai and Arappu read-to-use powder is available in Mysuru (Karnataka, India). I am not a brand ambassador for them but this is the brand we have been using for a long time and they are a trustworthy brand. They even retail online at: (Click) There are several other brands available including the Shanmugananda brand in Bengaluru (Karnataka, India) and so on. 




It is important to not let go of traditional and natural methods that have stood the test of time. Agreed, that using them may not be as convenient as squeezing a dollop of shampoo but the benefits they offer in terms of safety and health far outweigh the small inconveniences associated with their use.



References and image credits:
1. Ediriweers S, et al. JAHM. 2014;2(7)14-17.
2. Ganesan S, et al. eJournal of Indian Medicine Volume 1 (2007–2008), 1–18.
3. Images: Shikakai pod: Available at: https://beauty.onehowto.com/article/how-to-use-shikakai-for-hair-wash-11713.html. Alice Marini. Last acessed: March 22, 2017.
4. Image of Arapu leaves: http://foodherbs.shopclues.com/arappu-powder-natural-hair-conditioner.html. Last accessed: March 22, 2017