Tips to use hair wash powder

​Hair wash powder is different from shampoo, here are few tips to help you use the hair wash powder.

An average shampoo contains many ingredients that are designed to give you a convenient easy wash. Many times these ingredients are harmful. They can in the long term cause hair fall, dandruff, damaged hair, and some chemicals that are linked to diseases like cancer, reproductive disorders, and other issues. Natural ingredients are mild and gentle and need your patience to care for your hair. It can take a few washes for you and your hair to get adjusted to the hair wash powder.

1. If you are finding that the powder is not removing oil, keep it applied in the hair for 5-10 minutes. Make sure you apply thoroughly on your hair and scalp and massage well.
2. If you want a slight foam in the paste, you can make a paste with hot water and leave for 15-30 minutes before using it.
3. It is in powder form to avoid adding any preservatives or chemicals in the product thus it may feel different to use. It is important to wash thoroughly with water. If any powder is left after your hair dries just shake it off the hair.
4. Make sure you store the powder dry and moisture-free. Use dry hands when taking the powder. This is important for long shelf life of the product
5. It's recommended to use hair oil on a regular basis along with the hair wash powder. 
6. If you feel the hair wash powder is drying out your hair, you can add any conditioning ingredients in the paste - Soaked fenugreek seeds paste or fenugreek powder, Gooseberry powder or fresh, Curry leaves fresh or powder, hibiscus flowers and leaves fresh or powder are some ingredients. Note I can customize a hair wash powder to suit your needs too!

Happy chemical-free hair care! Do connect with me for any feedback or doubts. 

Why and How to use toothpowder

Toothpaste has many harmful chemicals. How can we put something non-edible ingredients in our mouth? The chemicals, when put into our mouth, are absorbed via swallowing and sublingual absorption. Sublingual, meaning 'under the tongue'. From our mouth cavity substances are rapidly absorbed via the blood vessels into our bloodstream. This method is used in medical procedures also, like first aid for heart attack. We are allowing chemicals to enter our bodies through our digestive system and bloodstream. 

Traditionally toothpowder or tree twigs were used to maintain oral health and it is the time we also switch to these natural methods. So buy a natural toothpowder or make your own! It's very important to keep the toothpowder dry and moisture-free. Make sure to take the toothpowder with dry hands.

How to use toothpowder: In your palm take around 2 pinches of powder, use your finger or toothbrush and gently brush your teeth for 2-5 minutes. Rinse your mouth well. 

Some concerns around toothpowder are

1. It can abrasive as its a powder form  - It's important to use a very fine toothpowder. The best way to brush is to use your finger to brush, massaging the toothpowder on your teeth and gums. However, if you do use a brush, brush gently. When using toohpaste we brush vigorously but when we brush with toothpowder we should be gentle to make sure it's not abrasive.

2. Teeth are yellow - I have been using toothpowder for the past 3 years and I have not visited the dentist even once, because I have healthy teeth. My teeth are slightly yellow but are healthy. So I question this concept of white sparkly teeth. Has the media influenced into believing that white teeth = healthy teeth? Of course for a few people, yellowing teeth could also be some medical issue, and that should be addressed but otherwise, I don't see an issue with my slightly yellow teeth. There are natural remedies and ways also to gain white teeth like salt. Some ways are to use salt water to brush your teeth, oil pulling,  gently rubbing the inside of a banana peel on your teeth.

3. Teeth become sensitive when using toothpowder - If you are using a toothpowder that has a citrus element like amla or lemon then you can experience sensitivity in your teeth. It's then advisable to take a break from the toothpowder regularly, like for a week every month and use a not citrus toothpowder. 

4. Tooth decay or cavity - Believe it or not your teeth have the potential to heal itself. It is called the remineralization of teeth. Your saliva is the way your teeth remineralize. Your diet affects the nutrition content in your saliva and its potential to heal the teeth. Good to have vitamins and minerals in your diet. Also, a good oral hygiene is important for healthy teeth and teeth remineralization so brush regularly, cleans your tongue and rinse your mouth after eating. For cavity, some ingredients to add in toothpowder are Guava leaves, Mango leaves and Banyan aerial bark powder. 

What does Natural mean to me @ Dhanak

The word natural has many different perspectives. Each individual understands natural personal care, sustainable living and eco-friendly differently. In my journey of exploring eco-entrepreneur, I have explored what does natural products at Dhanak mean to me.

There are many degrees of natural products. Either you can use plant-derived materials or direct plant materials. Either you can use natural, safe chemical preservatives or you can use no preservatives. Chemicals are not bad, water is after all a chemical compound. However, some chemicals are harmful to us and that why we need to move away from those ones. For example, Sodium Laureth Sulphate(SLS) is a very harsh chemical that not only stirps our hair/skin from its natural oils but has been linked to diseases like cancer. Not all ingredients are bad but there are some that we need to watch out for in the ingredient list. That's why is very important that whatever product you use, read the label, research about the ingredients and know what you are using. There few harmful chemicals have led me to switch to natural personal care.

There are different shades of natural ingredients. Broadly can be categorized as

1. Purely Natural: 100% Natural denotes only ingredients that are purely derived by botanicals with minimum processing (only powdering, drying, or extracting through heat mechanisms). Ex: Shikakai powder, essential oils, kokum butter)
2. Naturally derived: Naturally derived denotes that the ingredients have been sourced from botanicals but have gone through a chemical process to get them to the state they are in. They may or may not use preservatives, maybe chemically altered, and artificially colored. Example: Commercial Aloe Vera Gel, Vitamin E Capsules
3. Natural identical: Pure synthetic preparations where the end product resembles what may be naturally occurring on Earth. Example: Flavour oils, Citric Acid Powder
4. Chemical / Synthetic: Purely synthetic ingredients which may not have anything like it resembling in nature. Example: SLS in soap, Artificial Fragrance

Every ingredient, in all the 4 categories have its benefits, has its uses and properties. There is no right or wrong, no black and white when it comes to natural ingredients or Natural products.
I personally in my own life and at Dhanak want to create products that fall in the first category. I want to use Nature in its pure form for my formulations. This has its limitations but my values are very important to me.
I deeply also believe in Natural Beauty. Everyone is beautiful/handsome just the way they are. Whatever colour/size/shape, whatever lines/spots/styles are there in the body are perfect. My products also reflect that. I want to create natural products that will care for the body and support the body, keeping its natural beauty. Of course, Natural personal care also is in harmony with nature because you are not hurting the planet by using the products or making the products.

Of course, I am not perfect, I make mistakes, I make compromises, I experiment and am on the journey of understanding the world of natural personal care!