Considered amongst the top superfruits, Amla or Indian gooseberry has gained popularity for its high antioxidant and vitamin C content. Studies have shown a 100 grams of fresh amlas contains 20 times more vitamin C than an orange! Natively cultivated throughout Asia, especially in India where it is considered sacred due to its several culinary and herbal medicine uses. Indian gooseberries, growing to the size of a golf ball, are sour, bitter, and astringent in taste. In fact, the whole plant, including the fruit, leaves, and seeds form part of many ayurvedic formulations.

Importance Of Amla In Ayurveda

Derived from the Sanskrit word ‘amalaki’ or ‘The Mother’, amla usage dates back thousands of years and is one of the oldest, most revered, and widely used plants in the traditional system of ayurvedic medicine.^[1]Mirunalini, S., and M. Krishnaveni. “Therapeutic potential of Phyllanthus emblica (amla): the ayurvedic wonder.” Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology 21, no. 1 … Continue reading Ayurveda labels amala as “rasayana” due to its restorative properties. The amla fruit is particularly beneficial because it has a unique balance of sour, sweet, pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes, that balances all three of the doshas namely vata, kapha, and pitta.

This fruit truly lives up to being an ancient superfruit and has to be a regular feature in your everyday diet. Read further on how and why amla matters for the nourishment of our skin, hair, and overall well-being. 

Is Amla Juice Good For Hair and Skin?

Amla, usually consumed in juice form, helps ward off several ailments such as constipation, high blood sugar, common cold, etc. But is amla juice good for hair and skin? The answer is yes. Along with the other health benefits it brings, amla juice can also help treat skin and hair-related issues effectively. The abundant presence of vitamin C in amla juice makes it conducive for skincare and haircare. No wonder, over the years, amla juice has found a prominent place in the cosmetic industry as well. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the incredible benefits of amla juice for your overall health. Let’s explore the benefits of amla juice for your skin and hair health.

Benefits of Amla Juice for Skin

Amla is loaded with goodies that provide all-around skin benefits.

1. Combats Premature Aging

Amla juice is considered the elixir for youthful skin primarily due to the goodness of a natural antioxidant vitamin C. Free radicals can erode skin collagen leading to skin blemishes like pigmentation, wrinkles, fine lines, etc. Antioxidants in amla protect the skin from the harmful effects of these free radicals. Consume amla juice daily to fight premature ageing of skin leaving it soft and supple. The combination of amla aloe vera juice boosts the healing properties, adding years to your skin. 

2. Reduces Pigmentation

Our skin is bombarded with air pollutants, strong UV radiation from sun exposure, and the endless stress in our hectic, erratic lifestyle. These factors are projected on our skin in the form of spots, pigmentation, and other skin flareups that leave our skin tone uneven and dull. The antioxidant, Vitamin C, in amla naturally cleanses the skin which lightens dark spots and combats signs of hyperpigmentation. Amla is also a coolant and blood purifier flushing out toxins that cause skin problems. Consume amla in juice form or apply it externally to experience one of amla’s natural skin benefits.

3. Exfoliates Skin

Amla is a rich source of vital vitamins like Vitamin C, E, and A. These vitamins provide a healthy shield of antioxidants acting as a natural cleanser that exfoliates the skin by removing dead skin cells. It also helps tighten saggy skin and provides an even tone to your complexion. Treat yourself to fresh amla juice or apply it as a cleanser externally. Amla, in combination with another potent herb giloy, enhances the process of skin detoxification making your skin soft and supple. Try amla giloy juice every morning on an empty stomach for its extraordinary skin benefits.

How to Consume Amla Juice for Skin 

In juice form:

1. Dilute 30ml of amla juice in 30 to 50ml of water. Add sugar/salt/honey as per taste. You can consume this daily.

2. Make a powerful shot blended with lauki, amla, and honey for glowing skin. All you need is a 1/4 medium bottle gourd (skinned and grated), 4 amlas, 2 tbsp honey, a dash of lime, and 1 tbsp rock salt. Blend these together for a skin-friendly yummy drink.

Topical application as amla juice mix:

1. You can directly dab your face with some amla juice with cotton and rinse it off after it dries up. 

2. You can make a face mask by mixing aloe vera juice with amla juice.  

Benefits of Amla Juice for Hair

Amla has been used for centuries for its immense hair benefits.

1. Reduces Greying of Hair

Amla boosts blood circulation in the scalp which improves the delivery of vital nutrients necessary for healthy hair follicles. Vit C prevents premature pigment loss from your hair. It does this by oxidizing melanin, the pigment that determines the colour of our skin and hair. This stalls premature greying of hair and restores your natural hair colour. Amla also has cooling factors, it helps the hair rejuvenate as it neutralizes excess body heat.

2. Prevents Dandruff

Dandruff is caused by excessive drying of the scalp. This is aggravated by overactive microbial activity by Malassezia, a fungus present on your scalp. This fungus feeds on the oily secretion, called sebum, and dead skin cells leading to inflammation, irritation, and itching. Vitamin C in amla has anti-bacterial ad anti-inflammatory properties that gently cleanse, hydrate, and restore pH to normal levels. Reduction of itchiness and reversal of fungal overgrowth is one of amla’s main hair benefits.

3. Strengthens Hair

Stress, environmental factors, nutritional deficiencies, medical conditions, etc. can be the reasons for dulling and thinning of hair. Amla, flush with vitamins and minerals, improves overall blood circulation, including to your scalp. This leads to improved delivery of oxygen and other nutrients from your diet to nourish hair follicles. Regular amla juice consumption has been shown to stimulate and strengthen hair follicles.

4. Increases Hair Growth

Premature hair fall is everyone’s worst nightmare. Well, guess who is to the rescue again? Its vitamin C again! Protein is an essential building block for the hair required to replace dead cells with new ones. Vitamin C, present in abundance in amla, is vital for the production of collagen, an important protein that stimulates hair growth. In fact, it is known to strengthen hair from the root to the tip both in volume and thickness.^[2]Yu, Jae Young, Biki Gupta, Hyoung Geun Park, Miwon Son, Joon-Ho Jun, Chul Soon Yong, Jeong Ah Kim, and Jong Oh Kim. “Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that the proprietary herbal … Continue reading

5. Natural Hair Conditioner

Amla’s benefits for hair also include it being a nourishing hair conditioner. One amla can contain up to 80% of moisture which makes it a natural moisturizer and conditioner for skin and hair. 

How To Apply Amla On Hair

There are a couple of simple ways you can use amla juice’s potent hair benefits. 

1. Gently massage a mix of 1 tbsp amla juice + 1 tbsp lemon juice on your scalp for around 5 mins. Wash it off with warm water and mild shampoo after 10 mins. OR

2. Simply consume amla juice daily, early in the morning on an empty stomach. Dilute 30ml of amla juice in 30 – 50ml of water, add sugar/salt/honey as per your liking, and consume it. 

Common Mistakes While Consuming Amla

1. Consuming concentrated amla juice might cause acidity or heartburn due to the high concentration of Vitamin C. Make sure to dilute the juice as per directions on the label or as prescribed by your physician.

2. Consuming amla while on other medications might not be advisable. Please consult with a qualified medical practitioner before consuming amla.

Conclusion

There is definitely merit in amla being revered by traditional and conventional medicine as an all-in-one solution for overall health including hair, skin, and immunity. You can consume it raw, make a pickle, or juice it. You could also pick up Kapiva’s Amla Juice online which is the closest you can come to juicing it at home. You can also combine the power of amla with other ayurvedic herbs. Two healthful combinations are those of Amla + Giloy and Amla + Aloe Vera, each of which promotes hair and skin health. You can consume these herbs in a palatable form, by drinking Kapiva’s Amla Aloe Vera juice and Kapiva’s Amla Giloy juice. These nutritious juices can bring you a wealth of good health. Do try them out. 

Learn how Kapiva’s Amla Juice works wonders for your skin and hair in this video:

FAQs

Q: Does drinking amla juice help in hair growth?

Yes. amla contains Vit C, an essential building block in producing the collagen protein that stimulates hair growth. Drinking amla juice can strengthen hair from the root to the tip, leading to increased volume and thickness of hair.

Q: Does drinking amla juice makes skin fair?

Yes. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C present in amla juice, cleanses the skin of toxins, causing lightening of dark spots and fighting signs of hyperpigmentation. Regular consumption (or applying externally on the skin) reduces skin tans and whitens skin.

Q: Is drinking amla juice daily good for hair?

Yes. Amla juice contains potent vitamins and other vital ingredients that fight dandruff and premature greying. Regular consumption has been shown to prevent premature hair fall, strengthen hair follicles, and increase hair volume and thickness.

Q: Is amla good for hair and skin?

Yes. Amla is considered an elixir for skin and hair issues. It fights acne, suntans, dry skin, pigmentation while eliminating dandruff, premature hair greying, and other scalp infections.