Brahmi (Bacopa) Powder for Hair & Scalp

How Hair Feels

Used as a mask, Brahmi usually leaves hair feeling softer, smoother and easier to manage and detangle, with a shinier look once it's rinsed and dry. It's a loose plant powder rather than a creamy conditioner, so the finish depends on a soft paste and a thorough rinse; condition your lengths if they need it.

Scalp Care

A soft paste worked along the scalp usually leaves it feeling fresh, comfortable and cared for once it's rinsed. Brahmi isn't a cleanser, so wash oily or product-coated roots with Shikakai, Reetha or your usual shampoo.

Who It Suits

Anyone who likes mixing their own masks, blending hair powders or oiling before washing. Fine, dry or easily weighed-down hair may prefer once a week with a shorter time. Dry, porous, bleached or curly hair is easier with a softer paste kept mostly on the scalp, the Aloe Vera Powder mix and conditioner afterwards. On very light, bleached or white hair, try it on a small lock first: fine plant particles can make it look dull until they're washed out. It's for hair and scalp only, not for your face or skin.

Before You Start

Patch test 24–48 hours before first use, and again when you add a new ingredient to the mix (see Care & Safety). You'll need 2–3 tablespoons of powder (less for short hair or a scalp-only pack, more for long or thick hair), comfortably warm water and a non-metallic bowl.

The Hair and Scalp Mask

1. Put 2–3 tablespoons of Brahmi Powder in a non-metallic bowl.
2. Add warm water gradually, stirring, until you have a smooth paste like plain yoghurt: soft enough to spread, thick enough to stay put.
3. Let it rest 5–10 minutes, then stir again, adding a splash of warm water if it has thickened.
4. Lightly dampen your hair and apply the paste in sections to your scalp and hair; keep it to the scalp and roots if your ends are dry.
5. Leave it on for 15–30 minutes, starting nearer 15 for fine, porous, bleached or very dry hair, or the first time. A shower cap keeps it moist.
6. Rinse thoroughly with warm water until your hair no longer feels gritty, finger-combing gently, and condition the lengths if they need it.
7. Use it up to twice a week.

Mixes

Amla or Bhringraj: 1 tablespoon of each (2 of each for long or thick hair), warm water to a soft paste, rest 5–10 minutes, then about 20 minutes on damp hair. Aloe Vera Powder: 2 tablespoons of Brahmi with 1 tablespoon of Aloe Vera Powder, to a runny-yoghurt paste, rest about 10 minutes, then about 20 minutes on wet hair. For a hair wash, use Brahmi in place of Bhringraj in the four-powder hair wash.

Homemade Oil

Warm about 1 tablespoon of the dry powder per 100 ml of coconut or sesame oil in a double boiler for 30–45 minutes without letting it smoke, let it cool completely, strain it through fine muslin into a clean, dry bottle and use a little 30–60 minutes before washing. Keep water out of it, make small batches, and throw it away if it smells off. Full method: how to use Brahmi powder for hair.

Tips

Don't leave the wet mask on overnight; longer doesn't work better. If your hair feels dry, coated or rough, use a softer paste, a shorter time or less on your lengths, and rinse in sections.

BACOPA MONNIERI LEAF POWDER (Brahmi) – 100 %

Warnings

For external use only. Do not eat or drink. Avoid the eyes; if powder, paste or rinse water gets in them, rinse with plenty of clean water. Don't apply to broken or irritated skin or scalp. Keep out of reach of children. Stop using it if irritation occurs.

How to Patch Test

Patch test 24–48 hours before first use, with the mix you plan to use. Put a little on a small area of clean, unbroken skin, leave it for 24–48 hours, then rinse it off; rinse it off straight away if it burns or itches. Don't go ahead if the skin burns, swells, blisters or turns red, or if it itches and the itch doesn't settle. Test again whenever you add something new to the mix. A patch test can't rule out a reaction later.

Using It Safely

Rinse the paste off and stop using it if your scalp burns or itches while it's on, or if you see redness, swelling, blisters or a rash. Keep the wet mask to 15–30 minutes and rinse it before it dries hard. Anything you add, such as yoghurt, carrier oils or essential oils, brings its own risk of irritation. If your face, lips or eyes swell, or you have trouble breathing, call 911. Pour the powder gently and mix close to the bowl, so you don't breathe in the dust.

Storage

Keep the pouch sealed in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat and direct sunlight, and use a clean, dry spoon. Don't put wet powder back in the pouch. It keeps for 2 years from the date of packaging. Throw it away if it has got damp, shows mould or smells unusual; small differences in colour and smell between batches are normal.