Did you know that a nut might hold the secret to gently cleaning your hair? It sounds strange at first, but when you hear that it’s called a soap nut, then it’s not so odd at all.

Soap nut is also known as reetha, and it’s been a traditional favorite for skin and hair cleaning. In fact, it’s an Ayurveda medicinal herb that’s used to treat hair and skin issues. Soap nut contains saponin, which is a natural cleansing agent that foams when mixed with water. It’s gentle and incredibly effective.

Why use soap nut for your hair

Recently, people have discovered that over-washing your hair regularly is not a good thing for the health of your hair or your scalp. Especially when you use many of the most well-known shampoos that you find in grocery and department stores. These shampoos use harmful chemicals to strip the hair and scalp of natural oils that are essential for lush and lovely locks. 

As the no poo movement began to make waves and get people excited about having healthy hair without using shampoo or by using a co-wash method, other people still longed for the comfort of lather. They felt that their hair wasn’t really clean without those scrubbing bubbles. 

This is where soap nut, something that’s long been used for cleaning, comes into the picture as the perfect solution. It’s gentle and safe for your hair and skin, and it creates a soapy texture that people like. Not only is soap nut safe, but it loads your hair up with nutrition that will help your hair’s health and appearance.

The history of soap nut and its many uses

Soap nut comes from trees that naturally grow in India, China, Southern Asia, and parts of Central and North America. It’s been long known that soap nuts have cleansing properties due to a concentration of roughly 10% saponins. 

The origin of using soap nut for cleaning is not known; in fact, it may have occurred in several places simultaneously. There is mention of it in several ancient texts, including an Indian document from somewhere between 300 BC and 1900 AD.

What we do know about soap nut is that it has many different cleaning uses, including the following:

♦ Laundry detergent

♦ Dish soap

♦ Jewelry polish

♦ A natural and safe pesticide for gardens

♦ Household cleaner

♦ Skincare

♦ Shampoo

♦ Dandruff control

Soap nut haircare

Let’s dive deeper into the idea of using soap nut to supplement your current hair cleaning method. 

Soap nuts are packed with antioxidants that come from essential oils. Together this is a powerful one-two punch that works to combat odors and revitalize your hair. 

Soap nuts are naturally hypoallergenic, so they’re a great option for people who have allergies or sensitivities to chemicals, certain plants, fragrances, and dyes. This underscores their gentle nature and makes them an easy choice, even for people who don’t have these concerns.

They’re also naturally antibacterial and antifungal, meaning they can combat dandruff and possibly even prevent it in the first place. They have the ability to cleanse your hair and scalp while not disturbing the natural sebum your body uses as protection. 

More reasons soap nut is better for your hair

When comparing soap nut shampoo to traditional shampoos, the benefits are quite amazing. Not only do you have a product that’s naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial, antifungal, and loaded with antioxidants, but they are also:

♦ Paraben-free

♦ Phthalate-free

♦ Sulfate-free

♦ Phosphate-free

♦ Formaldehyde-free

♦ Petro-chemical free

♦ Chlorine-free

♦ Bleach free

♦ Perfume-free

♦ Dye-free

Using soap nut as a shampoo

So how do you use soap nut as a shampoo? There are DIY soap nut shampoo recipes, and one we like comes from Cosmopolitan Magazine. 

♦ Boil two soap nuts in a cup of water for 30 minutes, crushing the nuts at about the 15-minute mark. 

♦ Remove the nuts for a second batch.

♦ Mix one tablespoon of the soap nut liquid with a quarter cup of water (store the remaining soap nut liquid for later).

♦ Massage mixture into hair as you would a traditional shampoo.

While this is a great DIY recipe for soap nut shampoo, it doesn’t give you the full benefits of soap nut. To do this, you need to use a powdered version of soap nuts.

Why use powdered soap nut

Using powdered soap nut is even more effective than using a liquid version as it gives you a lightweight clean that adds texture and body to your hair. It also lets you avoid all of the downfalls associated with wetting your hair and the resultant breakage.

That said, one exciting way to use soap nuts is in a dry shampoo. This gives you the option of wet cleansing your hair a couple of times a week while also extending the time between cleanings with a healthy dry shampoo that uses soap nut.

Hair La Vie Dry Shampoo

Hair La Vie has harnessed the power of the soap nut in an innovative way and turned it into a dry shampoo that you can rely on to get incredible results and healthier hair. 

All of the natural benefits of soap nut, along with a few other all-natural ingredients, work together to give this dry shampoo powerful cleaning properties with a gentle nature. In keeping with Hair La Vie’s promise to only give you products you can trust that improve the health of your hair, adding soap nut to your weekly regimen will help you grow the hair of your dreams.

Final thoughts

Soap nut has long been known to be an effective, safe, and natural way to gently clean hair, skin, clothing, and more. Unfortunately, the soap nut is often overlooked as people and companies turn to harsher chemicals for cleaning. 

That’s about to change. Hair La Vie has studied the benefits of the soap nut and discovered that it is the perfect ingredient for an all-natural dry shampoo that effectively cleans your hair and leaves it even healthier after the process. 

Harness the power of soap nuts for your own use to reveal how truly magnificent your hair can be. Take it a step further and explore how this incredible plant-based cleanser can also clean your laundry, dishes, and home without toxic chemicals.