Amla, reetha and shikakai for hair: what each one does

Short answer: Reetha and shikakai are natural cleansers. Both contain saponins, plant compounds that foam and lift oil, and lab tests show reetha cleans more gently than the sulphate in most shampoos. Amla does something different: it doesn't clean. Its reputation for hair growth rests on lab studies of cells, not trials in people.

This guide covers what each herb is, what the evidence shows, how to use them at home, and when a ready-made shampoo is the easier choice.

What each herb does, at a glance

	Reetha (soapnut)	Shikakai	Amla (Indian gooseberry)
Plant	Sapindus mukorossi	Acacia concinna	Phyllanthus emblica
Main job in a hair wash	Cleanser	Cleanser	Not a cleanser; added for its traditional benefits
Active compounds	Saponins (natural surfactants)	Saponins	Vitamin C and polyphenols
Strength of evidence	Lab tests of cleaning and foaming	Lab tests of foaming and surface tension	Lab studies on cells only; no human trial for hair loss

Reetha: a real cleanser, and a gentle one

Reetha is the dried fruit of the soapnut tree. Its shell is rich in saponins, molecules that are part water-loving and part oil-loving, which is how any cleanser works. In a lab study in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, the shell held 14.2% crude saponins.

The same study compared a 0.5% reetha extract with 0.5% sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), a common shampoo detergent:

Reetha produced 65% of the foam that SLS did.
Reetha removed 60% of the test sebum (scalp oil); SLS removed 90.4%.

So reetha cleans, but more gently. That is good news for a dry or easily irritated scalp, and it is why a very oily scalp may need two washes. A 2021 study of soapnut extracts found they kept working in ordinary tap water. They were mildly acidic (pH about 4.6) in distilled water and close to neutral (about 7.1) in tap water.

Shikakai: the traditional partner

Shikakai pods also contain saponins. A 2014 study in the Journal of Surface Science and Technology found shikakai extract strongly lowered the surface tension of water and foamed well, two signs of a working cleanser. It is traditionally used with reetha to wash and detangle hair. The detangling part is tradition: we found no study that measured it.

Amla: what the studies show

Amla is the herb with the biggest claims and the thinnest human evidence. Two lab studies are often quoted:

A 2011 study found amla fruit extract made human dermal papilla cells (the cells at the base of a hair follicle) multiply up to about 2.7 times faster in a dish.
A 2018 Korean study found amla extract reduced 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme linked to pattern hair loss, in cultured cells.

These results are promising. But cells in a dish are not a scalp, and we found no clinical trial showing that amla on its own reduces hair fall in people. If someone promises amla will regrow your hair in weeks, they are going further than the evidence.

Does less foam mean less cleaning?

No. The reetha researchers point out that foam "has little to do with the cleansing ability" of a detergent, even though people like it. Herbal washes often foam less than sulphate shampoos and still clean the scalp. If your hair feels oily after one wash, wash a second time rather than using a much bigger amount.

How to use them at home

Soak a small handful of each herb (reetha shells, shikakai pods, dried amla) in water overnight.
Boil for a few minutes the next morning, let it cool, then strain through a fine cloth so no bits stay in your hair.
Massage into a wet scalp, leave for a minute or two, and rinse well. Keep it out of your eyes.
Make small batches. Reetha extract stopped one common bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus) in lab tests, but not E. coli or mould (Yang et al.). A homemade mix with no preservative can spoil, especially in summer.

If your scalp itches, turns red or stings after a wash, stop and try a small patch on your inner arm before using it again.

Powder at home or a ready-made shampoo?

The homemade route is cheap and simple, but it takes soaking, boiling and straining, it doesn't keep, and the strength changes from batch to batch. A ready-made herbal shampoo keeps the same idea (gentle, sulphate-free cleansing) with a consistent formula, a preservative, and no grit. Choose the one you will actually use 3 to 4 times a week.

When to see a doctor

Heavy hair fall, or round bald patches: a cleanser won't fix the cause
A red, scaly or very itchy scalp that doesn't settle in a couple of weeks
Burning or a rash after using any herbal wash

Where GulStyles fits

Amretha is our sulphate-free shampoo made with amla, reetha and shikakai, for dry, damaged or frizzy hair. It gives you the herbal trio without the soaking and straining. We don't publish ingredient percentages, so we won't claim it matches any study above. What we can say: it cleans without sulphates, and you use it like any shampoo. Massage into wet hair, rinse well, follow with conditioner, 3 to 4 times a week.

Amretha sulphate-free shampoo with amla, reetha and shikakai

Amretha Sulphate-Free Shampoo, 400ml · Rs 950

Amla, reetha and shikakai in a ready-to-use, sulphate-free shampoo.

See ingredients and how to use

Common questions

Does amla stop hair fall?

There is no human trial showing that. Amla extract changed hair-related cells in lab studies, which is a reason to keep studying it, not proof. If your hair fall is heavy, look for the cause first: shedding after an illness, low iron, thyroid problems and pattern hair loss are common. Our guide to hair fall causes and tests helps you work out which one fits.

Can I use reetha every day?

Reetha is a gentler cleanser than SLS in lab tests, so many people can wash with it often. If your hair or scalp starts feeling dry, wash less often or follow with a conditioner.

Will reetha and shikakai lighten my hair colour?

We found no study on this. If you colour your hair, test on a small hidden section first.

Sources

Written by the GulStyles team. Last updated 4 October 2026. Researched from the studies linked above; drafted with AI assistance and checked by the GulStyles team. This article is general information, not medical advice.

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