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Learn herbal hair & skin care

Twelve single-ingredient powders, explained properly. Start with an ingredient, pick a routine, or search everything we have written.

Start with an ingredient

The twelve powders

Each one has a full reference page: what it is, the science, the benefits, the safety notes, and every article we have written about it.

Glossary A–Z
Aloe VeraAloe barbadensis MillerAloe Vera Powder is a concentrated, dehydrated form of the succulent Aloe Barbadensis Miller. Read the guide AmlaPhyllanthus emblica (Indian gooseberry)Amla Powder is the dried, finely milled fruit of Phyllanthus emblica — the Indian gooseberry, and one of the most celebrated pl... Read the guide ArithaSapindus mukorossi (soapnut)Aritha Powder — also called reetha, or soapnut — is the dried, milled fruit shell of Sapindus mukorossi, the soapnut tree. Read the guide BhringrajEclipta prostrata (syn. Eclipta alba)Often referred to as the "King of Hair" (Kesharaj) in Ayurvedic tradition, Bhringraj is a creeping herb belonging to the sunflo... Read the guide BrahmiBacopa monnieriBrahmi Powder is the dried, finely milled herb of Bacopa monnieri, a small creeping plant of wetlands and riverbanks across India. Read the guide HennaLawsonia inermisHenna Powder is a plant-based permanent hair colourant made from the dried, milled leaves of the Lawsonia inermis shrub. Read the guide IndigoIndigofera tinctoriaIndigo Powder is a natural, plant-based dye derived from the crushed leaves of the Indigofera tinctoria shrub. Read the guide Multani MittiMultani Mitti — Fuller's Earth — is the one mineral among Spierb's twelve ingredients: a soft, naturally occurring clay, mined,... Read the guide NeemAzadirachta indicaNeem Powder is the dried, finely milled leaf of Azadirachta indica — the neem tree, known across the Indian subcontinent as the... Read the guide Orange PeelCitrus sinensis (sweet orange)Orange Peel Powder is the dried, finely milled peel of the sweet orange — the zest, turned into a cosmetic powder. Read the guide ShikakaiAcacia concinnaShikakai Powder is the ground fruit pod of Acacia concinna, a thorny climbing shrub of South and Southeast Asia whose name is u... Read the guide Walnut ShellJuglans regia (common walnut)Walnut Shell Powder is the finely ground shell of the common walnut, Juglans regia — the shell, not the nut. Read the guide

Start here

New to plant-based colour and care? These four cover the ground most people need first.

Covering greys with hennaWhat plant-based colour really does to grey hair, and what it will not do. Your first henna, step by stepA beginner method for copper-red, from mixing to rinsing, with real timings. Henna and indigo for brown hairThe one-step mix, the simpler of the two routes to a natural brown. Safety and patch testDo this 24 to 48 hours before the first use of anything, every time.

Browse by kind of question

Guides 10 Outcome-led routines for one concern at a time. How-to 19 Single-task recipes, measured and step by step. Myths 3 A claim, a verdict, and what to do instead. Troubleshooting 9 Symptom-led fixes for when it has already gone wrong.

Latest from the library

How-to25 Jan 2026 The Scalp Detox: How to Use Aloe Vera Powder for Dandruff Control Struggling with persistent flaking or a heavy feeling of product buildup? A healthy head of hair starts with a clean ... How-to25 Jan 2026 The Aloe Refresh: How to Use Aloe Vera Powder for Curly Hair Definition Struggling with thirsty coils or curls that lose their shape by mid-day? Standard products often lead to heavy buildu... How-to25 Jan 2026 Adding Aloe Vera Powder to Henna: The Secret to a Moisturizing Hair Dye Struggling with brittle, straw-like hair after your color treatment? While henna is incredible for strength and pigme... How-to25 Jan 2026 How to Use Aloe Vera Powder for Hair Growth & Thickening Struggling with thinning strands or a stagnant growth cycle? You aren't alone. Traditional Ayurvedic wisdom offers a ... Troubleshooting22 Jan 2026 Help! My Henna Turned My Roots Neon Orange Don't Panic. We know the shock of rinsing out Henna and seeing your grey roots glowing like a traffic cone. Take a de... Troubleshooting22 Jan 2026 Help! My Hair Turned Green After Indigo Don't Panic. We know it looks scary in the mirror right now, but seeing a green tint immediately after rinsing is not...