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Know Your Herb
Seeyakai (சீயக்காய்), also spelt seeyakkai or sheekakai, is the Tamil name for shikakai. It is the dried pod of Acacia concinna, and in English it is sometimes called soap pod.
Before shampoo bottles, this was the Sunday oil bath in many Tamil homes: warm oil, then seeyakai to wash it out. It still works. It just feels very different from shampoo, and that is where most people give up too early.
Why it does not foam
Shampoo foams because of added surfactants. Seeyakai and reetha have natural saponins, which clean with far less lather. So a low foam does not mean it is not working. It is just normal for a powder wash.
How to wash your hair with seeyakai powder
Mix
Stir 2 to 3 tablespoons with warm water into a thin paste.
Wet your hair
Wet hair and scalp fully. It spreads much better this way.
Massage
Work it into the scalp with your fingertips, then down the lengths.
Rinse well
Rinse longer than you would with shampoo, until no grit is left.
Repeat weekly
Use it 1 to 2 times a week.
Keep your eyes closed while rinsing. Seeyakai stings if it gets in them.
What to expect in the first few washes
Coming off shampoo with silicones, your hair may feel less slippery, and a little dry or tangled at first. That is the coating gone, not damage. A wide tooth comb helps, and oiling before the wash helps more. If your hair still feels too dry after a few weeks, wash less often or try a different routine. Not every hair type loves it.
Single seeyakai or a blend?
Plain seeyakai powder is fine, but many families mixed it with other herbs to make it gentler. That is the idea behind ours, so to be clear, it is a blend and not pure seeyakai. It contains shikakai, reetha, green gram, Albizia amara, amla, fenugreek, tangedu flowers, black cumin, hibiscus leaves and flowers, curry leaves, calamus root and vetiver.
Shikakai Hair Wash Powder, 13 herbs, 100gFrom ₹299.00Shop now →
Going deeper? Read how to use shikakai powder step by step or our herbal hair wash powder guide. For a full wash-day routine, try karisalankanni as the pack before it.
Questions people ask
What is seeyakai called in English?
Shikakai, or soap pod. The botanical name is Acacia concinna.
Can I use seeyakai every day?
We suggest 1 to 2 times a week. Washing more often can leave hair feeling dry.
Does it remove hair oil?
Yes, that is its traditional job after an oil bath, though very heavy oil may need a second wash.
Is it safe for coloured hair?
It has no sulphates or silicones, but we cannot promise how it will behave with every dye. Test on a small section first.
Can men use it?
Yes. It works the same way on any hair.
