Bhringraj

Bhringraj (roughly "bring-raj") is a small leafy herb, Eclipta prostrata, that has been part of Ayurvedic hair and scalp care for generations. Spierb Bhringraj Powder is the dried leaf, finely ground and triple sifted, with nothing added. You mix it fresh with warm water into a hair and scalp mask, blend it with other hair powders, or warm it into a carrier oil to use before washing.

Where does Bhringraj come from, and what is it called in English?

Bhringraj grows in damp ground across tropical and subtropical regions and belongs to the daisy family. In English it's called false daisy. Botanists name it Eclipta prostrata; older books and many labels say Eclipta alba, an older name for the same plant. You'll also see it spelled Bhringaraj or Bringraj, called Karisalankanni in Tamil and Maka in Marathi. Spierb's powder is made from the leaves and comes from India.

In Ayurvedic hair care, Bhringraj is traditionally called Kesharaj, usually translated as "King of Hair". It's a traditional name that shows how central the herb has been to hair routines, not a description of what the powder does: it doesn't make hair grow.

Which type of Bhringraj is best for hair?

Go by the botanical name, not the color name. "White Bhringraj" usually means Eclipta prostrata, the plant with small white flower heads that Spierb uses. "Yellow Bhringraj" is often a different, yellow-flowered plant (Wedelia or Sphagneticola), so a pack sold under that name may not be the same herb at all. Check the label for Eclipta prostrata; Spierb uses the leaves.

Bhringraj also gets mixed up with other names. It isn't Brahmi, a different hair herb, and it isn't rosemary; Bhringraj vs rosemary, castor and onion oil compares them. Mahabhringraj is usually a multi-herb oil built around Bhringraj, not a stronger grade of the powder, and "Bhringraj oil" is a carrier oil with the herb infused into it.

What is Bhringraj useful for?

Bhringraj is a care powder for hair and scalp. Used as a mask, it usually leaves hair feeling conditioned, softer and easier to comb once it's rinsed and dry, and the scalp feeling fresh and cared for. Spierb Bhringraj Powder is one ingredient you mix yourself, with no added fragrance, color or preservative, so you decide how much goes on and where. There are four ways to use it:

• A hair and scalp mask: 2–3 tablespoons mixed with warm water, left on for 20–30 minutes, up to twice a week.
• A scalp pack: the same paste, applied mainly to the scalp and roots, for dry or easily tangled lengths.
• A mix: with Amla, Brahmi or Aloe Vera Powder in a mask, or with Shikakai and Aritha in a hair wash.
• An infused oil: warmed gently into coconut or sesame oil and used before washing.

Bhringraj was traditionally used as a fresh plant paste; the dried powder lets you make a paste whenever you need one. The steps are in how to use Bhringraj powder for hair, and the oil method is in how to make Bhringraj oil at home. Which Ayurvedic hair powder should you use? compares it with Amla, Brahmi and the hair washes.

What to expect, and what it won't do

Most people judge Bhringraj after the first mask by how their hair feels: it usually comes out softer, smoother and easier to detangle. Hair that's less rough and tangled is easier to handle gently, so combing is less likely to snap strands. That's breakage from handling, which is different from hair falling out at the root.

Bhringraj powder doesn't make hair grow, regrow or thicken, and it isn't a treatment for hair loss. The research people quote has mostly used concentrated extracts in the lab, not a powder mask at home; can Bhringraj regrow hair? goes through it. It isn't a hair dye either, and it won't turn gray hair dark: for plant color, henna and indigo are the powders that color hair.

Can I apply Bhringraj powder on my face?

We don't give face directions for it: Spierb Bhringraj Powder is made for hair and scalp, and every method on our pages is for hair. For a face mask, choose a powder made for skin, such as Fuller's Earth (Multani Mitti) or Aloe Vera Powder.

Before you use it: patch test, and who should skip it

Patch test 24–48 hours before first use: mix a little paste and put it on a small patch of clean, unbroken skin. Don't go ahead if the skin burns, swells, blisters or turns red, or if it itches and the itch doesn't settle. A patch test can't rule out a reaction later, so rinse the paste off and stop if your scalp burns, itches or turns red during any use.

Skip it if you know you react to Bhringraj or other Eclipta plants, and wait until a broken or irritated scalp has settled. It's for external use only: don't eat or drink it, and keep it out of your eyes. The common problems, and what to do about them, are in Bhringraj side effects.