Sige Kayi and Chigare Pudi- Ayurvedic Shampoo and Conditioner

Posted: May 22, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Ayurveda, Health | Tags: , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Sapindus Emarginatus in Hyderabad- Creative Commons

A slight deviation from food, this particular entry will delve into a shampoo substitute, known as Seege Kayi (Kannada) or Acacia Concinna. This is an Ayurvedic, medicinal plant, that is grown in central and South India. The fruit pods,
leaves and bark are dried and ground into powder. It is available in powder form in India.

It was only a few years ago that I discovered this substitute while on a visit to Bangalore. My cousins use this concoction for their hair instead of shampoo. In fact, Sige Kayi is known as ‘fruit for hair’. People buy the powder, then make it into paste. To get some lather, people mix Albizia Amara powder (Kannada: Chigare Pudi) with Sige Kayi and apply this solution to their hair. Sige Kayi has low pH levels, making it mild. It also contains no chemicals, making it a safe option for hair.

According to Ayurvedic physician, Indu Narayan, Sige Kayi, or soap nut, belongs to the Sapindus family. She says it acts as an anti-bacterial, is also good for treating dandruff and also acts as mild detergents.

Soap nut powder can be combined with another powder commonly known as Ritha. These two in combination act as shampoo and conditioner for hair

I spoke to Aditi Sarovar, who lives in Bangalore, India. She said she uses Sige Kayi instead of shampoo because it gives her hair bounce and shine without injecting the chemicals present in shampoos.

For best results, I use Sige Kayi after applying castor oil to my hair beforehand. It makes my hair super soft and conditioned. I also noticed that Sige Kayi has gone commercial so I bought a body soap bar that contains it. I tried the soap and it made my skin super soft.

I think this has inspired me to try this chemical-free alternative to shampoo and conditioner. I’ll try it and see what happens!