'Lather, rinse, repeat' is no longer the mantra to shiny, silky hair. The 'No Poo' movement has taken the West by storm, with everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow to Robert Pattinson and Adele ditching the shampoo.

Believing that chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate in shampoos adversely affect the scalp and hair, more and more people are choosing to wash their hair with plain water or baking soda. As the phenomenon seeps into India, women here too can find their own substitutes for shampoos — the magic potion for beautiful tresses may just be in your kitchen.

Chamomile tea

We've all heard how chamomile tea is good for our health. Turns out, it's just as good for hair too. Chamomile is known to prevent the scalp from drying and also softens hair, making it a good hair cleanser. Pour strained chamomile tea over wet hair, massage the scalp and rinse it off with water. And yes, it smells wonderful too!

Amla (Indian gooseberry)

Remember how your granny sneered at the fancy shampoos in the bathroom closet and trusted her homemade amla paste instead? Well, she was right. Amla contains vitamin C that prevents scalp infections and even boasts of deep conditioning properties, which leave hair smoother. Wash your hair with amla twice a week and your hair won't miss shampoo.

Lemon

Given the pollution in our country, lemon is a good alternative for a hair cleanser. It has anti-bacterial properties that help in keeping the scalp clean and non-greasy. Dilute the lemon juice with water. Apply the lemon rinse on your scalp and massage well. Leave on for a few moments and rinse.

Beer

You may curse it for your beer belly, but beer is a miracle worker in the shower. Not only does it act as a cleanser, but also adds volume to the hair. The carbohydrates in beer are believed to hydrate hair, while the wheat proteins strengthen it. So next time, pour the beer bottle over your hair instead of chugging it down.

BDST: 1359 HRS, SEP-16, 2014