Shikakai and Nelli in Coconut Oil

A herbal hair oil infusing shikakai and nelli into coconut oil, made by Adivasi women's collectives in central Kerala. This is the most traditional combination in Indian hair care and both plants come from the same forests the collectives work in. Shikakai — the pod of Acacia concinna — is naturally saponin-rich and has been the subcontinent's hair cleanser for centuries, gentler and far less stripping than sulphate shampoo. Nelli, Indian gooseberry or amla, is the other half of that tradition, valued for scalp health and for the deepening effect it has on dark hair. Coconut oil is the appropriate carrier for South India: it is one of the few oils shown to actually penetrate the hair shaft rather than sit on it, reducing protein loss during washing. Assessed on clean-label first principles rather than FSSAI. Coconut oil solidifies below about 24°C, which is normal. Herb ratios and extraction method are unpublished.