Hello Goddess!

Today’s recipe made me go back to shampoo after years of being poo free! It’s for anyone looking for an all-natural cleanser that is:

1. easy to make
2. affordable
3. effective
4. and perfect for our gorgeous natural hair!

Since it’s swim season, Team Lavish has been testing this recipe to see if it was as clarifying as our other favorites. We were looking for a shampoo that was:

• deeply cleansing
• removes chlorine
• won’t strip our hair
• moisturizing

Other than a few shampoo bars (and Curluxe’s Jojoba Mint Cleansing Tea) we haven’t used shampoo in some time. This new recipe had to bring it.Oh, and did I mention it must be chemical-free & allergy-free for the kiddos?

Easy peezy.

Enter Soap Nut Foam Clarifying Shampoo.

Soap nuts come from the Soap Berry Tree (Scientific Name: Sapindus). It’s one of several soap plants whose seeds and leaves are used to make cleansing goodness.

Western Soapberry Trees grow in clay soil and can be found in places like Missouri, Kansas, Arizona, Oklahoma, northern Mexico, and southern Colorado. This tree is often the hang out spot for turkey’s to roost¹!

The fruit of the soapberries (aka soap nuts), contain about 37% saponin². Saponinsare interesting plant-based glycosides (molecules containing a simple sugar and non-sugar component) thatform soap-like foam in water, especially when heated, shaken or stirred².

Saponins are also powerful protectors too. They’re:

• anti-inflammatory
• antimicrobial (bacteria, fungi)
• emulsifying
• a naturalsurfectant

This makes soap nuts a popular, eco-friendly alternative for products like detergents, shampoo and even shaving cream.

Using Nature’s Soap

In the category of soap plants, there are four major ones that have a high enough level of saponins to be considered a soap plant. They are⁴:

1. soapwort
2. mohave yucca
3. soapbark tree
4. soapberry tree (soap nuts)

Not all saponins are merely soap wonders. You’re probably going to eat some today! There are edible saponins found in legumes, foods, and herbs like:

1. Fenugreek²(you know how I feel about the greek)
2. Onions
3. Agave
4. Paprika
5. Ginseng
6. Alfalfa
7. Beans³
8. Tomatoes
9. Oats
10. Chickweed⁴

New research suggests edible saponins may even lower cancer risk and cholesterol³.

Soapnut Shampoo Bar Bust

I started using soap nuts a few years ago with a Red Raj Hennaorder from Henna Sooq. They included a free sample of a shampoo bar that was made with soap nuts.

I LUV Shampoo Bars. And this one did not disappoint — until it was time to re-order. This particular bar was all sold out. I had been no poo for years and this was before my water only hair washing transition. After a little naturalista research, I ordered some soap nuts and started making what looked like dishwater to wash my hair.

That was before I learned to foam!

Soap Nut Foam Clarifying Shampoo

This foamy cleaner is as cleansing as your favorite shampoo bar and all-natural shampoo. It fit our water only hair washing regime (1 year & counting:), and it would clarify our hair after swimming — which was a MAJOR plus.

It cleans and removes:

• dirt & debris
• chlorine
• environmental toxins
• it’s gentle, does not strip hair’s natural oils
• it’s antimicrobial properties keep funkiness from growing on the scalp, and make it an effective treatment for head lice

But enough chit chat.

Check out the original version of this recipe that comes from Henna Sooq’s Using & Foaming Your Soap NutsVideo.

The video below has my wet hair debut! See what it looks like when you apply it to your luscious locs. Don’t forget to subscribe to EricaKTV while you’re there!

Where To Buy Soap Nuts

You can find soap nuts online through Amazon.com or check with your favorite source for dried herbs and extracts. I bought mine ($8, 1 lb) from Mountain Rose Herbs,but look around.

Not into making this recipe yet? Try Henna Sooq’s Soapnut Shampoo Bar

Print

Soap Nut Foam Clarifying Shampoo

Product buildup got your hair down? Use this all-natural hair detox to remove chlorine, toxins, oils, debris, and all around scalp funkiness...and it only uses two ingredients!

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 soap nuts (deseeded)
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Simmer soap nuts for 2o minutes on low to medium heat.
2. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Strain soap nuts from liquid.
4. Add to your blender or food processor.
5. Blend for 30 seconds or up to 1 minutes. The mixture will begin to foam immediately
6. Apply to your hair.
7. RInse and repeat as needed.

3.5.3208

So Gorgeous Goddess, have you used soap nuts or other soap plants for any of your cleansing needs?

Sources

1. Billings, R. F., Grosman, D. M., & Pase III, H. A. (2014). Soapberry Borer, Agrilus prionurus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): An Exotic Pest Threatens Western Soapberry in Texas.Southeastern Naturalist,13(5), 105-116.
2. Sahellan, R. (2016). Saponin in plant-benefit and side effects, glycosides, and extraction. http://www.raysahelian.com/saponin.html
3. Saponins from edible legumes: Chemistry, Processing, and Health Benefits.http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/109662004322984734
4. Montgomery, K. (2010). All In A Lather, Herbal Soap Plants. The Herbalist, 76, 35-38.