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Monthly Archives: January 2012

Hair Horrors: Hibiscus Flowers to the Rescue

17 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Ayurveda, Beauty, Essential Oils, Floral Beauty, Flowers, Haircare, Oils, Organic, Rituals

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Much as I love mommy dearest, travelling to see her in Delhi is a surefire recipe for hair disaster. No! That’s actually not got anything to do with mom as such (yeah, I know you are reading this mom!) – the blame lies squarely with the city’s terrible aquatic supply, which pushes through hard water that leaves a terrible shine-dulling residue on my strands and makes the scalp flake quite unattractively.

So, this time when I got back from Delhi, I decided it was time to dig into the recipes of the past and see whether there was any way of restoring shine and vitality back to my lifeless hair. The solution was as simple as it is ancient – red hibiscus oil.

Red Hibiscus Flower

The red hibiscus (known as Jaswand in India) is a sacred flower, known most prominently for its associations with Goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha. But hibiscus is more than just a floral offering to the divine – it has numerous cosmetic properties and health benefits that have been used since ages to treat ailments and as vital ingredient in beauty products. In fact, the flower is mentioned in the Atharva Veda and is a part of Ayurveda for healing ailments. And that’s not all – even science backs up the claims, asserting that:

  • The oil from red hibiscus petals creates a hydro-lipid film that gives a silky smoothness to even the most brittle strands.
  • It has hydroxy acids that restore the balance of cellular division, hence treating dandruff.
  • It is rich in antioxidants that restore vitality and neutralise the effects of environmental pollutants.

Dried Red Hibiscus Petals

Armed with this knowledge, I turned to a simple recipe that grandmom used to use with an almost religious fervour – take 8-10 flowers and dry them for 4-5 days. Then powder the petals and mix them with coconut oil – one teaspoon of powdered petals to one teaspoon of oil is a good ratio. Massage this concoction into the scalp once a day for at least a week – I did it at night, then washed it off in the morning since greasy locks are even worse than dry and brittle ones as a fashion statement. The results take 3-4 days to start showing but when they do – va va voom!!!! My hair has honestly never looked so glossy. Delhi, bring it on! I am prepared for any hair turbulence now!

Of Skin-Protecting Saris and Royal Beauty Rituals

04 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Ayurveda, Beauty, Organic, Rituals, Royalty, Skincare

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Jaipur's Maharani Sari

This time in Jaipur (Rajasthan), I discovered one of the most traditional royal textiles, which not only look stunning but have therapeutic benefits as well. Known as the ‘Maharani Sari’ (which mean’s ‘Queen’s Sari’), this golden-beige precursor of ‘Ayurganic fabrics’ is still worn by Rajasthan’s royal women during festivals like Makar Sankranti and Vasant Panchami. What’s unique about this sari is that it is dyed with multiple coats of multani mitti and ‘power washed’ by the waters of Jaipur’s Jaigarh Fort.

Multani mitti deposits

Multani mitti is a mineral-rich clay that originated in the city of Multan (which now lies in Pakistan) near the Cholistan desert. Also known as Fuller’s Earth, this highly absorbent composition of volcanic ash and ancient plant material is particularly beneficial during the hot season of the Indian sub-continent. Through generations, Indian women have passed down homemade beauty recipes based on multani mitti to their daughters.

The royal Maharani saris work the benefits of multani mitti into the very pores of the fabric that drapes your body through the day

Multani mitti

However, the Maharani saris take it a step further by working the benefits of this powdered clay into the very pores of the fabric that drapes your body through the day. According to local intelligence, these saris shield the skin from pollution and UV rays, absorb excessive greasiness, draw toxins from entire body and allow skin to breathe. Multani mitti is also scientifically proven to be bacteriostatic against gram positive bacteria – another benefit that’s carried through to the fabric.

These saris shield the skin from pollution and UV rays, absorb excessive greasiness, draw toxins from entire body, allow skin to breathe and guard against gram positive bacteria

Kalamkari work on the sari

Traditional pallav border

The saris are available in a variety of natural cottons and silks, but for the most authentic version, try the raw silk or cotton-silk versions. Averaging at about Rs. 2,000 (US$50), they are embellished all over with beautiful kalamkari and the pallav is woven with traditional patterns. Another unique quality? If you want to wear the sari in a stiff, starched version, just dry it in the sun; if you want to wear it loose and soft, dry it in the shade.

Not prone to wearing a sari at all? These five metre lengths (that’s how much an average sari measures) are perfect for shaping into a variety of other clothes – like tunic tops and sarongs.