Reetha Shikakai Shampoo and Rice Water: Recipe, Pros and Cons

Ten dried reetha shells, ten shikakai pods, a small handful of dried amla and half a litre of water. That’s the whole recipe for a traditional natural shampoo, and the smell of it simmering (earthy, a little sour) is something many South Asian families remember from childhood. Here’s how to make a reetha shikakai shampoo properly, how rice water fits in, and where they fall short.

Prefer to listen? This post as a 5 min video · Watch on YouTube

What each ingredient does

For more on amla itself, see our amla guide.

Buying and storing

• Reetha: buy whole, dry, brownish-golden shells. They should feel sticky and slightly leathery. Very dark, mouldy or powdery ones are old. Crack them and remove the hard black seeds; only the shell is used.
• Shikakai: dry, brown, wrinkled pods. Avoid damp or musty-smelling ones.
• Amla: dried pieces should be brown and hard, smelling sour.
• Powders: ready-ground reetha and shikakai powders are convenient but can be stale or mixed with fillers. Whole pods are easier to judge.
• Storage: airtight jar in a cool, dry cupboard. Keep out of children’s reach.

Reetha shikakai shampoo recipe

Makes about 350 to 400 ml, enough for 2 to 3 washes of shoulder-length hair.

1. Crack 10 reetha shells and remove the seeds.
2. Break 10 shikakai pods into pieces.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of dried amla pieces if you have them.
4. Put everything in a steel pan with 500 ml of water. Soak overnight, or at least 6 to 8 hours.
5. In the morning, bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the reetha shells are soft and the liquid is brown.
6. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely.
7. Mash the soft pieces with your hands or a spoon to squeeze out more foam.
8. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin cloth into a clean bottle. Discard the pulp.
9. Store in the fridge and use within 3 to 4 days. It turns sour and cloudy after that; throw it out.

How to wash with it

1. Wet hair thoroughly with lukewarm water.
2. Pour about ½ cup (around 120 ml) of shampoo liquid over the scalp, in sections.
3. Close your eyes. Massage with fingertips for 2 to 3 minutes. It won’t foam as much as shop shampoo; that’s normal.
4. Rinse very well with lukewarm water, keeping your head tilted back.
5. Repeat once if hair was oily.

It works nicely to wash out oil after a mustard oil champi, though very heavy oiling may need two rounds.

Rice water: what it is and how to make it

Rice water is the cloudy, starchy water left after rinsing or soaking rice. Many people find it makes hair feel softer and smoother. It isn’t proven to grow hair.

1. Rinse ½ cup (about 100 g) of uncooked rice once quickly to remove dust. Discard that water.
2. Add 2 cups (about 500 ml) of clean water to the rice.
3. Soak for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Strain the cloudy water into a clean jar or bottle. Cook the rice as usual.
5. After shampooing, pour 1 cup of rice water over your hair and scalp.
6. Leave for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with plain water.
7. Store the rest in the fridge and use within 24 hours.

Fermented rice water (left at room temperature for up to 24 hours) is popular online. It smells strong, and fermented liquids can irritate some scalps. Don’t leave it out longer than a day, and discard it if it smells bad or looks slimy.

Three variations worth knowing

Reetha only, for very oily scalps

Simmer 12 deseeded reetha shells in 500 ml of water for 15 minutes after soaking overnight. Without shikakai it foams more and cleans a greasy scalp well, but it can leave long hair tangled, so follow with a conditioner on the ends. Same eye warning, even stronger.

With methi for dry hair

Add 1 tablespoon of methi dana to the overnight soak along with the pods. It makes the liquid slightly slippery, which helps comb-through. If you like that feel, our methi for hair guide goes much further with the seed.

Hibiscus for a softer rinse

A few dried gudhal (hibiscus) flowers, about 5, added in the last 5 minutes of simmering give the liquid a reddish colour and a gentler feel. Petals can stain a white towel pink.

Switching over from bottled shampoo

People who switch often say their hair feels strange for the first two or three washes. Hair used to strong detergents and silicone conditioners can feel rough or waxy when those coatings wash away. Give it a few weeks before deciding. Some tips that make the change easier:

• Don’t swap everything at once. Alternate one herbal wash with one regular wash each week to start.
• Comb hair only when it’s soaked with a light conditioner or a few drops of oil on the ends.
• If the scalp starts itching or flaking more than before, go back to your usual shampoo. Not every scalp suits it.
• Rice water rinses once a week are enough. If hair feels crunchy, stiff or snaps more, cut them back to once every two weeks or stop.
• Hair washed with herbal liquids should still be dried thoroughly; a damp scalp under a dupatta all day can itch.

If you colour with mehndi, these washes pair well because they’re gentle on the dye; see our mehndi for hair colour guide.

Honest pros and cons

What people like

• No added fragrance, dyes or synthetic detergents
• Gentle enough for many to wash more often
• Cheap, and the pods are simple to find in a pansari shop
• Hair often feels less stripped than with strong shampoos

What’s hard

• Eye stinging is serious and common
• Short shelf life; needs regular brewing
• Doesn’t foam or detangle like commercial shampoo
• Shikakai can leave some hair dry or tangled, especially curly or bleached hair
• Rice water used too often can leave hair stiff or brittle for some people
• Won’t sort out dandruff, lice or hair fall on its own

If hair fall is your concern, start with our hair fall home remedies guide. For flakes, see our dandruff guide. More natural care is in Desi Remedies.

Questions about natural shampoo