Ingredients:
1) Shikakai 1 kg
2) Bengal gram (chana dal) ¼ kg
3) full green gram (moong) ¼ kg
4) poppy seeds (khus-khus) ¼ kg
5) fenugreek (methi seeds) 100 gms
6) horse gram 100gms

Method: Make sure the 'Shikakai' is dry or else dry it in the sun. Take all the ingredients to a mill and get them ground. Store in an airtight container when cool.

Take 2½ tablespoons for 1 wash of long hair, 1½ tablespoons for shoulder length hair or 1½ teaspoons for very short hair and mix it with enough water to make a thick liquid of shampoo constituency.

Apply on wet scalp and hair and rub all over nicely. After 2 minutes rinse properly with lots of water and make sure no lumps are left on the hair or scalp.

Note: This quantity of shampoo powder lasts for 1 person (with long hair — 2 washes a week) for 3 months.
For best results never wash hair with this shampoo when hair is dry. Apply at least 1 tablespoon of oil on scalp and hair, before your bath.

Instant Shampoo: Soak as many freshly plucked leaves of the hibiscus plant as required, in lukewarm water for about ten minutes.

Rub the leaves with fingers to make a paste. Strain in a filter or fine sieve, and use this solution as shampoo.
You can actually get lather that will clean your hair and add a shine to it. This hair wash actually postpones graying of hair by many years.

Do you know of any such good homemade herbal stuff? If yes, please share it with all of us.

Radhika D. Shyam