Soapnut powder — it cleans, it does not lather

Radico Organic Ritha Fruit Powder is milled from certified organic Sapindus mukorossi fruit, the soapnut, and contains nothing else — no fillers, no synthetic preservatives, no fragrance, no sulphates.

Reetha cleans through sapindosides, saponins that carry no electrical charge. Sulphates carry a negative one, and so does hair's own surface at washing pH, which is part of why hair can come out of a sulphate wash feeling rough. Radico's published pH reading is 4.54 to 4.90 — inside hair's own range of 4.5 to 5.5. It carries no pigment.

Cleaning and foaming are two different things

Reetha produces a thin, short-lived foam at best. If you are coming from a conventional shampoo it will feel as though nothing is happening — that impression is the commonest reason people give up on it, and it is worth knowing beforehand. Dishwasher detergents are engineered not to foam and clean perfectly well.

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 with warm water at about three times the powder's weight in millilitres. At that ratio it pours rather than forming a paste.
3. Work it into damp hair at the scalp, then through the lengths.
4. Leave two to three minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Keep it out of your eyes

Reetha stings the eye noticeably more than ordinary soap does, and because this is milled fruit rather than a dissolved detergent, fine particles can lodge and keep working after the water is gone. Tilt your head back and keep your eyes closed while the wash is on. If it gets in, flush with plenty of cool running water well past the point it stops hurting, and do not rub — rubbing works a particle further in. If irritation persists after a thorough flush, see a doctor.

What's in it

100% organic reetha fruit powder (Sapindus mukorossi). Made in India. Net weight 100 g.

Despite the common name soapnut, Sapindus mukorossi is not a tree nut — it sits in the Sapindaceae family. Patch test on the inner forearm 48 hours before first use 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

Why doesn't it foam?
Saponins clean without producing lather. Foam comes from synthetic surfactants, which this powder does not contain.

Reetha or ritha?
Both. They are transliterations of the same word for the same fruit. The NZ pack says Ritha; Radico's US pack says Reetha.

Is it safe if I have a nut allergy?
The soapnut is not a tree nut despite the name. If you have any doubt, patch test first or speak to your pharmacist.

What's the difference between this and shikakai?
Reetha washes and nothing else, at a pH inside hair's own range. Shikakai is far more acidic and softens as it cleans.