Add water and it turns to gel

Radico Organic Methi Seed Powder is milled from certified organic Trigonella foenum-graecum seed — fenugreek — and contains nothing else. No fillers, no synthetic preservatives, no fragrance.

Stir it into warm water and within a minute the mixture goes slippery. That is galactomannan, a soluble polysaccharide the seed is unusually rich in, the same class of molecule as guar gum. None of the other Radico powders does this, and everything methi is used for follows from that one physical property: it has slip, it holds water, and it leaves a film that washes out. Radico's published pH reading is 5.61, just above hair's own range.

It carries no pigment, so it will not colour hair or shift a plant colour already in place.

Allergy warning — please read

Fenugreek is a legume. Trigonella foenum-graecum sits in the Fabaceae family alongside peanut, chickpea, lentil and soy, and cross-reactivity between fenugreek and other legumes — peanut in particular — has been reported. If you have a legume or peanut allergy, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before using this powder, and do not use it if you are unsure.

How to use

1. Weigh 15-20 g for short hair, around 30 g at shoulder length, or 50-60 g for long or thick hair.
2. Mix at one part powder to five parts water by weight — nearly twice what the leaf powders need. At the usual one-to-three ratio methi comes out like peanut butter.
3. Wait five minutes, then judge the consistency. It keeps thickening as the polysaccharide hydrates.
4. Apply through the lengths and ends, where dryness usually sits, then to the scalp if you want it there.
5. Cover, leave 30-45 minutes, and rinse thoroughly — the gel is slippery and likes to linger at the nape.

What's in it

100% organic methi seed powder (Trigonella foenum-graecum). Made in India. Net weight 100 g.

Patch test on the inner forearm 48 hours before a full application and stop use if irritation develops. This is a cosmetic product for external use on hair and scalp. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition.

Questions

I'm allergic to peanuts. Can I use this?
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist first. Fenugreek is a legume and cross-reactivity with peanut has been reported. Do not use it if you are unsure.

Why does it need so much more water?
The galactomannan absorbs far more than milled leaf does. Mix at 1:5, not 1:3, and give it five minutes before judging.

Does it smell?
Fenugreek has a distinctive savoury, maple-like smell that some people notice for a wash or two. It fades.

Scalp or ends?
Ends first. Methi is chosen for dry lengths; neem, brahmi and bhringraj are the scalp herbs.