Fenugreek - An Ayurvedic Haircare powerhouse herb

Fenugreek (Methi)

Fenugreek haircare

INCI: Trigonella foenum-graecum
AKA: Methi, Chandrika, Madhika, Greek Hay Seed

Fenugreek is a well-known ayurvedic beauty secret used to improve health conditions and strengthen the hair. The seeds even have a sweetish, maple syrup like scent to it when boiled!

I’m starting to use Methi (Fenugreek) more and more on my hair because of its ayurvedic benefits. It is thought to promote hair growth and many people around the world have use the ground seeds with Coconut oil and/or sesame oil as a scalp massage.

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Some people use Fenugreek to make their hair stay shiny and maintain its color by grinding the seeds, adding water (or some type of other wetting agent) and using the mix as a deep conditioner. The added benefit of that is it helps prevent dandruff, according to online sources.

The alleged hair-strengthening properties of fenugreek are attributed to its great balance of protein and “hormone antecedents” which aid in improving dry, damaged hair. It has been used on the hair and skin in India for thousands of years. Yes, thousands.

Others say they boil the seeds, make a tea and use that tea as final rinse. I’ve started to use the tea (in a spray bottle) to keep my hair wet while I’m twisting it. For the past week, I have noticed less breakage…but it’s only been a week! 😛 I’ll know more as I use it more.

Fenugreek is also said to help prevent hair loss by making the hair stronger and thicker from the roots. Its extract is often used in moisturizers and conditioners.

Recipe: Fenugreek Hair Milk

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon Fenugreek Seed
2 Cups Water
1 teaspoon (or more) of Coconut Milk powder (not coconut cream powder)
2 teaspoons Vegemoist (or glycerin if you don’t have this)
Extracts and/or Essential oils (your choice; optional)
Fragrance

INSTRUCTIONS

# Add Fenugreek seed to water and boil for 5-10 minutes.
# Strain and add Coconut Milk Powder
# Make sure all coconut milk powder is dissolved and well-incorporated into the tea.Use a stick blender if necessary.
# Let cool completely.
# Add your VegeMoist (or glycerin) and/or any extracts, essential oils or other additives.

MY NOTES

# Waters and oils don’t mix by themselves. So I would skip adding any oils to this mix and apply the Fenugreek Hair Milk to the hair, then apply those oils directly to the hair
# You can get a little fancy by adding a few pinches of Guar Gum to your glycerin before adding it into the mix. This adds a little slip and conditioning to this mix
# As always if using glycerin when it’s humid or rainy outside, your hair could be very soft, but you may lose curl definition
# Refrigerate or use it all up THAT day
# You can skip the Coconut milk powder if Goat Milk Powder works better for you

Aside from the benefits for the hair, Fenugreek is said to have many health benefits. It is thought to boost iron levels and is often given to lactating mothers. It’s used to improve the general health of the body. Some people even use it to “ward off illness” and to help with soar throats.

It is used to improve skin conditions like eczema and acne because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

By the way, it’s also one of the ingredients in Curry powder!

A few products using Fenugreek (Methi) as an ingredient:

Mantra Herbal Solutions Fenugreek Hair Conditioner

Aaranyaa Nourishing Methi Hair Conditioner

Iraya Fenugreek Hair Conditioner