Eesha Kulkarni

Mira Kapoor is an ardent follower of all things Ayurveda and sustainable beauty DIYs definitely seem to be her forte. Kapoor’s radiant skin and glossy hair has always been her mainstay, and she highlights it as the base of all the beauty looks she shows off—on Instagram and IRL. The mum of two recently shared a recipe she’s been using on Instagram stories, with ingredients you can easily find at home—or in your garden. This age-old recipe is all you need to help you achieve thick luscious locks.

One cannot imagine an Indian household without a plethora of DIY home remedies and Kapoor’s home is no exception. No matter what skin or hair concern you have, there is a solution for it lying in the pantries of our homes. Hair oils are touted as one such example for all our hair woes, be it dry, frizzy hair or oily, limp locks. Trust your mother’s or grandmother’s oil champi to release stress and maintain that glossy mane.

Kapoor has been a vocal supporter of Ayurvedic wellness and occasionally shares her simple DIY recipes for skin and hair, which include homemade face masks among others, and this magical hibiscus concoction. The ingredients in this oil, like methi and curry leaves, work to nourish and condition your hair. Here’s a step-by-step-guide of this homemade hibiscus hair oil.

While sharing the recipe of this growth-boosting hair oil, Kapoor wrote, “I used the entire flower except the top half of the stalk that contained the pollen. Next time I think I’ll add neem and moringa leaves too. It really depends on what’s available and in season. I kept aside a tablespoon of the hibiscus pulp to make a hair mask.”

Mira Rajput Kapoor’s Hair Oil Recipe

1. Take two hibiscus flowers except the stalk, and around eight young hibiscus leaves, along with a little coconut oil. Grind the ingredients together to create a smooth paste. You can also use this mix as a pre-wash hair pack with aloe vera and yoghurt. Hibiscus is an age-old ingredient that has various benefits and has been touted to condition your hair, prevent premature greying and hair loss. Hibiscus contains amino acids that aid in strengthening your hair. For the scalp, it works as an exfoliating agent and maintains its pH levels.
2. In a pot or pan, heat some coconut oil and add the hibiscus paste. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is said to prevent loss of hair protein, called keratin and penetrates the hair shaft. It can also reduce flaky scalp by sealing the moisture in your skin.
3. Add a teaspoon of methi or fenugreek seeds to the mixture. Fenugreek is highly beneficial for skin and hair and contains rich amounts of iron and protein. Due to the presence of flavonoids and saponins, it can treat low to moderate hair loss and help boost hair growth and thickness.
4. Add a teaspoon of amla or gooseberry power and a couple of curry leaves. Topical application of amla is said to prevent premature greying, increase hair growth and boost volume because of its essential fatty acids, amino acids and vitamin C. Curry leaves contain antioxidants, beta-carotene and amino acids, which help in strengthening hair follicles.
5. You can also add neem and moringa leaves to the oil. Neem has anti-bacterial and antifungal properties that help to maintain scalp health and prevent dandruff and itching. Moringa contains omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamin A, C and E which help in overall nourishment of hair.
6. Bring the mix to a boil to infuse all the ingredients well, then take it off the heat and allow it to cool down. Strain the mixture and store it in a glass jar or bottle. You can apply the oil and leave it on for a couple of hours before washing your hair or can even let it do its magic overnight and rinse it off the next morning.

It makes sense, because hibiscus lends itself to hair oil, hair masks, face masks and even a body scrub. For skincare, the flower is rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which fight off free-radicals that help prevent skin ageing and decrease inflammation. It also has natural surfactants (called saponins) that cleanse the skin in the process. Due to the slightly exfoliating effect of the organic acids found in it, it also improves cell turnover. On the scalp, hibiscus has the same deep-cleansing, exfoliating effect that creates a balanced environment for hair to grow.