Natural Shampoo Review: Shikakai Powder Shampoo

Disclaimers: I have in no way been influenced or paid to endorse these products. All recommendations are my own.

I am not a medical professional. Talk to your doctor before attempting any treatments that may affect your health.

My mother in law knows how much I enjoy trying new products and so gifted me some natural shampoo options to try for my birthday. One of them was shikakai powder and the other was a natural solid shampoo bar which you can read about here.

What is Shikakai Powder?

Natural shampoo alternatives are becoming popular these days, as people are turning to a more natural, greener lifestyle and ‘no-poo’ options. I had never heard of shikakai powder, so before using it, I spent some time researching it. Pronounced ‘she-ka-KAI’ (which sounds like a lyric from a Shakira song), it comes from the Acacia Concinna tree, a climbing shrub native to Asia. However, it is very common in India and is traditionally used there as a shampoo. The fruit pods, leaves and bark are dried and then ground into a powder which is referred to as shikakai powder which translates as ‘hair fruit’.

Shikakai powder is becoming a popular natural shampoo as it’s low pH levels means it is gentle on hair and does not strip away its natural oils. Most people find that they don’t even have to use conditioner. Also, it does not contain sulphate which is great if you have a sulphate allergy or eczema. However, if you are used to using traditional shampoos that contain sulphate, then it may take some getting used to shikakai powder, as it produces very little foam (the saponins from the bark do help it to foam a little). At first it can seem like your hair is not getting as clean, but this is simply not true. Once you get used to it you will find that your hair can get just as clean. Sulphate free shampoo is also great for people with hair prone to frizziness like me. I have curly frizzy hair, so I love shampoos with low or no sulphates.

Purported Benefits of Shikakai Powder

The purported benefits of shikakai powder include:

• Vitamin E which helps to moisturise hair
• Gentle PH, doesn’t strip natural oils which means you don’t need to use conditioner
• Promotes hair growth and strengthens the hair
• Natural conditioner and detangler
• Clears dandruff
• Antioxidants that lessen the rate of hair thinning and encourage hair growth
• No transition period when changing to this from synthetic shampoos

How to Use Shikakai Powder as a Shampoo

There are four ways that you can use shikakai powder to wash your hair as listed below.

Squeeze Bottle or Jug Method

This is the method I have mostly been using as I’ve found it the easiest.

Place 1-2 tsp of the shikakai powder into a squeeze bottle or jug. Once you are in the shower and ready to wash your hair, mix it with the warm shower water and give it a good mix (or shake if using the squeeze bottle) and then pour it over your head. I used the squeeze bottle to better direct it onto my scalp.

Gently massage your scalp and leave it sitting for 1 minute before rinsing out. Give your squeeze bottle or jug a good rinse after using.

Shikakai Paste Method

Use 2 tsp of shikakai powder mixed with water to make a thick paste.

Shampoo paste

To use this paste as a shampoo in the shower, gently massage it onto the scalp and hair before rinsing.

Paste Mask

Alternatively, you can apply the paste to your hair and scalp as a mask. Leave it on the hair for 30 minutes before rinsing out.

Shaker Method

If you prefer to add the powder directly onto your hair, then add the shikakai powder to a spice shaker pot and sprinkle it over your hair whilst in the shower. Gently work it into the scalp and hair before rinsing out.

Shikakai Tea Method

Add 2 tsp to a cup of hot water and leave it to steep overnight. In the morning, add another cup of hot water and gently work it into the scalp and hair before rinsing out.

My Experience Using Shikakai Powder

The shikakai powder I used came from the All Natural Soap Company who source their powder from India. I loved the packaging as it was fully recyclable and resealable which I found super handy. It came with a 9cm long, birch measuring spoon which is manufactured from sustainable wood sources and home compostable.

Shikakai powder is brown and very fine. It is very similar to ground cinnamon but has a faint earthy kind of smell. My mother in law was also kind enough to order me the re-usable squeeze bottle which they sell alongside the shikakai powder. Although there are several methods for applying the shikakai powder, I personally found using the squeeze bottle the easiest. The bottle is made out of plastic but is recyclable. The way I see it, this is less impact on the environment as since the bottle is reusable, I only use the one bottle, compared with traditional shampoos where I’m continually buying new bottles.

At first, I thought it was going to be rather onerous to have to prepare the mix each time I used it, but it wasn’t really that bad. I kept the powder in the bathroom with a spoon and just added it to my squeeze bottle before jumping in the shower. This literally took me seconds to do. However, one of the down sides of using shikakai powder was the mess it made in the shower. Just imagine it – brown liquid splashed all over the shower – let’s just say it looked rather suspect! I had to splash around a lot and use some fancy foot work to get it all washed away.

After washing my hair with the shikakai powder, it did not feel as clean as when I normally shampoo it, but once dry it did feel clean, just not as light and fluffy as it usually is (which wasn’t a bad thing). I found I did not need to use conditioner after washing with shikakai powder. I have frizzy, dry, curly hair so at first I was worried about not using conditioner, so for the first few washes I still applied it. However, after I began getting used to it, I made the bold move not to condition, and my hair actually felt OK. I even stopped using the leave in conditioner I apply before styling.

I personally did not find any reduction in hair fall, nor did I notice any difference in hair growth or on my dandruff. In fact, over time I seemed to get a greasy build-up on my scalp, so I ended up adding some aritha powder to the Shikakai to help to clear up the scalp build up. Aritha is a natural cleanser and is commonly used in conjunction with Shikakai, as is neem powder. To treat the dandruff, I used my natural dandruff treatment.

Conclusion

Overall, my hair did feel soft and clean after using the shikakai powder, but at the same time I don’t think it made any miraculous improvements. I did take before and after photos of my hair, but to be honest I couldn’t tell any difference between the photos, so haven’t bothered posting them here. However, I did feel a difference. Usually when I wash and condition, my hair feels really light and fluffy, however, the shikakai left it smoother. However, I did find that I needed to wash my hair more regularly. I’m usually an every third day kinda gal, but using shikakai, I needed to shampoo every second day. Obviously, for those of you that are every day shampooers, this won’t be an issue.

If you find you get some scalp build up like I did, then try using shikakai powder in conjunction with other herbal powders that are natural cleansers including Amla, Brahmi, and Aritha (also known as soapnut) powder to provide a better clean. In fact, you can buy these powders as a multi pack. Mix 1 tsp of each together and use the paste or squeeze bottle/ jug method outlined above.

Overall, I would recommend shikakai powder for those of you looking for a gentle natural shampoo alternative. However, if you like the idea of using shikakai powder, but are not ready to move towards using it solely as your regular shampoo, then try buying a shampoo that contains shikakai such as the Shikai Natural Volumizing shampoo.

FAQ’s

Do I need to use conditioner?

Depends on your hair type. I have quite dry, frizzy hair and I didn’t need to use my usual conditioner or my leave in conditioner.

Can shikakai be used on colour treated hair?

I can’t comment on this as I don’t dye my hair, but because of the brown colour of the powder, I would be cautious about using on very light blonde hair. However, I never noticed any issues with my naturally blond highlights. Patch test first if you are concerned about this.

Is there an adjustment period?

With a lot of these natural shampoo alternatives (e.g. the baking soda and vinegar method) there is often a transition phase where people may experience oiliness or dryness. However, I never experienced an adjustment period with Shikakai powder. It just took me a few weeks to get used to the different feel of it compared to normal shampooing.