Today, AloEx invites you to discover the herbs that Lady Karakade used for washing her hair. Each herb has its own unique benefits. Some of these herbs you may have heard of before, but every single one of them is packed with properties that help nourish your hair and scalp. Curious to know which ones? Let's take a look together!
1. Bai Mee, also known as "Mee Meun," is a herbal plant native to the Lanna region, commonly found in Nan Province. In the past, people would boil or crush Mhee leaves and mix them with water to create a fragrant solution for washing their hair. Some households would also ferment the leaves by pounding them into a fine paste, mixing it with rice water, and applying it to their hair. This method resulted in soft, beautiful hair without dandruff, reduced scalp itching, decreased hair loss, and helped strengthen the scalp.
2. Henna, also known as "Tian King," was traditionally ground into a fine powder and filtered through a thin white cloth. The resulting liquid was used to dye hair, giving it a naturally dark and lustrous appearance while also nourishing the scalp and strengthening hair follicles. This herb is not only used in Thailand but is also popular in many other countries, such as India, where it is widely used as an ingredient in hair dye products.
3. Pra-kham Dee Kwai is a natural herb that can create foam on its own. In the past, people would crush the inner seeds and rub them with water to wash clothes or hair. Alternatively, they could crush the seeds slightly, boil them in about 1 cup of water, and use the mixture to condition or wash their hair. Additionally, it has excellent benefits, such as reducing hair loss and treating scalp conditions.
4. Kaffir lime: In the past, women would roast kaffir limes over fire, cut them in half, and rub the pulp directly onto their hair and scalp. Alternatively, they would squeeze the roasted limes to extract the juice and apply it to the scalp.
5. Butterfly pea: In the past, young women would crush it to obtain a blue color or soak it in clean water and apply it all over their hair. Some would mix it with kaffir lime juice or soap pod extract and use it as a shampoo to make hair thick and black and delay graying. Nowadays, there's also a belief that applying butterfly pea to eyebrows can make them thicker.
6. Sompoi (Acacia Concinna): In the past, women used this to reduce hair loss. They would take the pods, break them into small pieces, and soak them in water for about 30 minutes. Then, they would use the water to wash their hair instead of shampoo. This helps cleanse the scalp. Once the water turns a yellowish color, stir it to create a lather, and then pour it over your hair to wash it.
How are you all doing? For the Thai herbs that were used by our ancestors to care for hair and scalp health, who among you wants beautiful hair like Lady Karakade or wants to braid hair like in the drama? Don't forget to take care of your hair and scalp health to keep them strong, my dear. Otherwise, you might be cursed with weak, brittle, and falling hair, you know.
