chocolatesis said:
I was wondering....what does the Amla do?
If you go to catherine's website hennaforhair.com she explains what amla does for the hair but just in case you can't access the website here is what it says...
"Emblica Officinalis, Amla powder, is tan, with an acidic astringent smell like a combination of raw cranberries and oak tree bark. The paste is an excellent conditioner which makes hair glossy and silky, enhances waves and curl, and leaves a clean, healthy scalp. When you scrub your face with the paste, your skin feels firm and tight.
Use for Skin:
Amla paste is an excellent exfoliating, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial astringent scrub for your face, without the alcohol or chemicals found in commercial products. Amla has high levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which breaks up the top layer of dead skin cells, and bits of amla seed, which gently exfoliate the skin. Mix a spoonful of amla powder and enough hot water to make a paste about the consistency of yogurt. Let that sit for 15 minutes. Scrub your skin with the paste, and wash the paste off after a minute.
Use for Hair:
Mix amla powder with indigo powder when dying hair black with indigo to add gloss and curl to indigo dyed hair.
Mix amla powder with enough hot water to make a paste the consistency of yogurt, and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Then, section your hair and the paste to the hair and scalp. After a few minutes, rinse it all out."
Amla contains a high content of Vitamin C, so I'm going to use it in my mix, instead of orange juice to release the dye. So it will serve as the acid necessary to release the dye, as well as getting additional conditioning properties. I like the fact that it enhances curls/waves and makes hair glossy. I will be doing it for the first time mixed with henna next weekend. Hope this helps.