Hibiscus leaves are widely used in hair care. Here in our place, we use it extensively in hair packs and hair serums. It helps promote hair growth and is an excellent hair cleanser. Many of us think that hibiscus leaves are only used for hair care but you will be surprised to know that hibiscus leaves have medicinal uses too.
What Is Hibiscus Leaf?
Hibiscus are flowering plants that belongs to the family Malvaveae. The genus contains several hundred species and are mostly found in temperate, tropical and subtropical regions. The genus includes both perennial and annual plants, small trees and shrubs like our common hibiscus.
The plants produce large brightly coloured flowers. Out of the different species, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis which is the red hibiscus flowers that are commonly found all over India is very famous and I am referring to it’s leaf here.
3 Top Uses Of Hibiscus Leaves:
3 Top Uses Of Hibiscus Leaves:1. Drug Recipient:
Natural gums and mucilages are increasingly used in medicinal formulations to help with slow drug release. Natural plant materials are cost effective and are free of side effects compared to synthetic polymers.
Hibiscus leaf mucilage is used for formulating tablets and it helps with sustained drug release for up to 24 hours. The mucilage isolated from the leaves of hibiscus is called Hibiscus -mucilage RL.
2. Helps Promote Hair Growth:
Hibiscus leaves have been used for hair care for centuries. But what really surprised me is that it is even more effective than hibiscus flowers for promoting hair growth! When we grind the leaves, it forms a gel and we use this gel to wash our hair and it cleans the scalp very well. We also grind the leaves and use it in hair packs to promote hair growth too.
3. Antidiabetic Properties:
Like the flowers, the leaves also have anti diabetic properties. In a study, the ethanol extract of hibiscus leaves was given to 2 rats with type 2 diabetes for 28 consecutive days at a dose of 250 mg or 500 mg per kg and it significantly improved their glucose tolerance levels. Though the leaves have anti diabetic properties, the dosage has to be correct so please consume it only under expert guidance.
Hibiscus Leaves Toxicity
In an acute toxicity study, a single dose of 2000 mg per kg was given to 5 rats at 48 hours intervals. In a sub acute toxicity study, mice were given 400 mg per kg and 800 mg per kg for 14 days. Though there was no mortality in high doses, it affected the kidneys and liver so internal consumption of hibiscus leaves should be closely monitored under medical supervision.
3 Top Ways To Use Hibiscus Leaves For Hair Care
3 Top Ways To Use Hibiscus Leaves For Hair Care1. Hibiscus Leaf Shampoo
Take 3 large or 4 small shikakai pods in a bowl. Add in 5 to 6 soap nuts too. Finally add in 1 tbsp of fenugreek seeds. Now add in a cup of water. Let this mixture soak overnight. The next day morning, collect five fresh hibiscus flowers, remove the petals and keep them separate.
By now the soap nuts, shikakai and fenugreek seeds mixture would have soaked well and will be soft to the touch. Add in the hibiscus petals and leaves to it. Grind the mixture to a fine paste and apply as a hair pack and wash it off.
2. Hibiscus Leaf Hair Growth Serum:
For making the serum, collect two hibiscus flowers and a handful of hibiscus leaves. Now take one and half cups of water in a pot. Add in the hibiscus flowers and the leaves. Add in a tablespoon of kalonji seeds also called as black seeds in English. Boil in medium flame till the water is infused with the herbs.
After a few minutes, the water would have reduced, the leaves would have wilted and the flowers would have lost their color, at this stage remove from the fire. Strain the liquid.
To the strained liquid, add in few drops of rosemary essential oil. To use, spray this water all over the scalp and massage it in gently. You can either leave this hair tonic overnight or you can wash it off after an hour. This is an amazing hair growth serum.
3. Hibiscus Leaf Hair Pack:
Collect a handful of tender curry leaves and hibiscus leaves. Wash to remove any dirt and then take them in a mixer along with 2 tbsp of curd and 1 tbsp of virgin coconut oil and grind to a smooth paste. The paste should be smooth without any lumps.
To use, apply this paste all over the scalp and hair. Wait for it to almost dry and then wash it off with a mild shampoo and condition your hair as usual. Regular use of this hair pack will strengthen hair follicles and promote hair growth, it will also help treat scalp problems like dandruff too.
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what kind of grinder do you use for this?
Use the regular mixer to grind it into a fine paste.
Hello mam, can we mix fenugreek paste along with this mixture?
Yes, fenugreek paste can be added along with this mixture too….
Ur site is like a bible for homemade remedy for me, for this recipe can I use any coloured hibiscus leaves or should it be only those 5 petal red ones
Thanks a lot Pavithra, your kind words mean a lot to me…The 5 petal red ones are the best for this recipe…
I only have pink hibiscus in my home =(Shall I leave the flower out or shall I add it??
You can add the pink hibiscus flowers too….
Hi Ramya! You've brought an amazing DIY to our notice.So a big "thank you" 4 that 😉 🙂 I have a question regarding the recipe-do you add the WHOLE flower or just it's petals 2 the mixture?
I remove the stigma and then grind the whole flower along with the leaves….
This is undoubtedly the "Best" hair treatment I have come across after so long 🙂 thank you Ramya! By the way, since the pack looks as if it can drip from one's scalp so I have thought of adding a few other ingredients… Do tell whether they will enhance its effectiveness or not…they are:- Fenugreek/methi powder,brahmi powder,jatamansi powder and bhringraaj powder! Thanks 4 paying heed 2 my concern 😉 🙂
Fenugreek treats dandruff, jatamansi calms the nerves, brahmi powder nourishes the hair roots. Adding these powders will definitely enhance the effectiveness. 🙂
i have tried by blending petals along with stigma…my hair fall has increased and dandruff too can u tell me whether my scalp is allergetic to hibiscus…how to find it
Hi Mani Manasa, Allergic to external application of hibiscus is very rare. Try to stop using hibiscus completely for a month completely and see whether your hair fall has stopped. I think that is the best way to find out, if you are allergic to hibiscus……..
Tq….and il follow ur instructions
Can u tell me a tip for my hair…since my hair s uncontrollable. ..I have dandruff,my hair is drybn frizzy…I have mild sinus too…plz help me out to get nice shiny n healthy hair
Mani Manasa, Since you have sinus, it will be difficult to apply hair packs, but try oil massage. Regular oil massage softens the hair well & strengthens the hair roots. Try the traditional oil bath recipe (in the blog) for doing the oil massage, it is perfect for treating dandruff and strengthening the hair roots….
How can I use green gram to wash my hair??? Is it effective for grey hair??
Hi, it is very difficult to use green gram for washing the hair, I would suggest trying the homemade herbal shampoo recipe from the blog….
Hi thanks for your excellent homemade shampoo recipe. Before taking head bath will use 3 types of oil thatt includes castor oil .so will Thi shampoo removes excess oil bcoz costor oil will b very sticky
This shampoo is very mild and since castor oil is very sticky, I very much doubt whether it will remove the oil effectively. But give it a try…..
Hi,Wanted to know if this shampoo will be effective in removing the curry leaf oil from the hair? Or do you suggest any other shampoo recipe of yours?
Hi,I've been using your curry leaf oil and tried this shampoo today. However it did not remove the oil after two washes and I had to use a shampoo.Wanted to know that do we use this shampoo only for unoiled hair?Or what other ingredient can we add to this to remove the oil?Also my shampoo did not turn into a fine paste even after grinding in the mixer continuously. there were some pieces of leaves left.Is that fine?Thank you,
We usually use this shampoo for babies and it works well for them. Removing oil using this method is very very hard for adults and the reetha- shikakai shampoo (recipe in the blog) will be more appropriate. But you can use this method for unoiled hair and few un ground pieces are fine…
Hi Ramya,Can we use this shampoo for 2 months old baby's hair? Will the baby gets cold on applying this as hibiscus has the cooling tendency ?Thanks & Regards,Kanjana Vasudevan
Hi, you can apply this hibiscus shampoo for 2 month old baby and it won't cause cold. But when using for the first time, give the bath in the afternoons and dry the hair immediately after the bath….
Hi, thanks for this great shampoo idea ! Any special reason as to why we shouldnt add the stigma with the hibiscus petals ?
I have always used only the petals for all my preparations as they grind smoothly into a paste fast…..:)
Hi,I have iswd this hibisucus shampoo.after washing my hair is very much sticky..and i mnot able to manage my hair…my hair is very dry…what can i do??i have to add any other ingredients along with this ??..
This paste is for young babies. I would suggest you try the homemade shampoo using reetha and shikakai from the blog….
hi ramya, your blog is very helpful and i have tried some recipes. thank you. i have a doubt, i applied curry leaf oil and then applied egg white pack. after 1 hour i washed it with hibiscus leaf, aloevera, and shikakai decoction.is it the right way to do.shikakai decoction:shikakaisoapnutfenugreekdried amlaall soaked overnight and simmered for 30 mins and strained
Can I use shikakai, fenugreek,amla and soapnut decoction with hibiscus leaves and aloevera. I just blended them and it gave a fine paste. Is it good
Hi Priya, hibiscus leaves and Aloe Vera will do no harm to the hair so I am sure it is good…
Can I add oil and use regular shampoo after ward?
Hi RamyaI have sinus. Can I use reetha – shikakai for washing my hair?
Yes, you can. It does not aggravate sinus infection. But to be on the safer side, when you are using it the first time make sure to sun dry your hair for a few minutes.
Can we use hibiscus leaf for body wash?
Author
Yes