AYURVEDIC HAIR & SCALP OIL
Brahmi Thailam
Brahmi Thailam, the classical hair and scalp oil of Ayurveda, prepared with Bacopa monnieri in a sesame oil base.
Brahmi Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic hair and scalp oil whose name comes from Brahmi, the Sanskrit name of the herb Bacopa monnieri. Art of Vedas keeps its composition in the original form: Brahmi in a sesame oil base, cooked by the classical Sneha Paka method with licorice and a trace of camphor, and made for Shiro Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic head and scalp massage. This page sets out what the oil is, the classical tradition it belongs to, and the heavy-metal and microbiological test results recorded for every batch.
What Brahmi Thailam is
Brahmi Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic herbal oil, prepared by Art of Vedas as a hair and scalp oil. It is anhydrous, meaning it contains no added water: a sesame oil base carrying the extract of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), with licorice root and a trace of camphor, and no preservative needed. It is vegan, made in India under Good Manufacturing Practice following ISO 22716 principles, and not tested on animals. It carries a period after opening of 12 months and is offered in 200 ml, 450 ml and 1 litre sizes.
The full INCI list is short: sesame seed oil, the extract of Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, and camphor. Camphor occurs naturally here in a small amount and is declared on the ingredient list as a fragrance allergen; there are no other fragrance ingredients. The complete ordered ingredient list is given further down this page.
Brahmi Thailam in classical Ayurveda
Brahmi Thailam takes its name from Brahmi, the Sanskrit name of the herb Bacopa monnieri, one of the most celebrated herbs of the classical Ayurvedic texts. It is prepared by the classical Sneha Paka method, in which the herb is cooked slowly into a sesame oil base together with licorice, and finished with a little camphor.
In the tradition the oil is associated with Shiro Abhyanga, the practice of massaging the head and scalp with warmed oil, which the classical texts count among the practices of Dinacharya, the daily routine. The oil is warmed and worked into the scalp and hair with slow, even movement, then washed out.
Art of Vedas presents the oil within that classical frame, describing the practice rather than any outcome. The oil itself is offered as the classical Brahmi Thailam, kept in its original composition and tested with every batch.
Quality and testing
Tested with every batch
Every production batch of Brahmi Thailam is tested before it is released for sale. Two things are checked: heavy metals, by a laboratory method called ICP-MS, and microbiological safety, against the international standard ISO 17516:2014. The figures below are representative results; every batch is retested before release.
Heavy metals
Five heavy metals were tested by ICP-MS. Each one was within the permitted limit for products left on the skin. The right-hand column shows the maximum level allowed under German BfR guidance, so you can see the limit each result sits within.
| Metal | Result | Permitted maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | Within the permitted limit | max 2 mg/kg |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.1 mg/kg |
| Mercury (Hg) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.1 mg/kg |
| Arsenic (As) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.5 mg/kg |
| Nickel (Ni) | Within the permitted limit | max 5 mg/kg |
ICP-MS stands for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, a standard laboratory method for detecting metals. The limits shown are the German BfR guidance values for products left on the skin, in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).
Microbiological safety
Microbiological safety is tested against ISO 17516:2014. The overall counts of microbes stay within the limits set for products left on the skin, and the specific organisms that must not be present were each absent.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Aerobic Microbial Count | Within the EU limit |
| Total Yeast and Mould Count | Within the EU limit |
| Escherichia coli (E. coli) | Absent (not found) |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Absent (not found) |
| Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) | Absent (not found) |
| Candida albicans | Absent (not found) |
ISO 17516:2014 sets the microbiological limits; the thresholds for products left on the skin apply to this oil.
Further assurances
- Vegan: made entirely from plant-derived ingredients, with no animal-derived material.
- An anhydrous, water-free oil, so it needs no added preservatives.
- Made in India under Good Manufacturing Practice, following ISO 22716 principles; not tested on animals.
Full ingredients
The complete INCI list, given in order. The base is sesame oil, carrying the extract of Brahmi, with licorice and camphor:
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Bacopa Monnieri (Brahmi) Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor) Wood Oil, Limonene, Linalool
Brahmi Thailam contains a small amount of camphor, which occurs naturally in the formula and is declared on the ingredient list as Camphor, a fragrance allergen. There are no other fragrance ingredients. The oil is vegan and is not tested on animals.
Product details
- Net content: 200 ml, 450 ml and 1 litre.
- Period after opening: 12 months.
- Made in India.
Precautions
- For external use only. Do not use internally.
- Avoid contact with the eyes. If contact occurs, rinse with water.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- If irritation occurs, discontinue use.
- Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Brahmi Thailam: questions on quality, testing and use
- What is Brahmi Thailam?
- Brahmi Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic herbal oil whose name comes from Brahmi, the herb Bacopa monnieri. Art of Vedas prepares it as an anhydrous hair and scalp oil, a sesame oil base carrying Brahmi, cooked by the classical Sneha Paka method with licorice and a trace of camphor, in 200 ml, 450 ml and 1 litre sizes. It contains no added water and no preservative, and is made for Shiro Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic head and scalp massage.
- Is Brahmi Thailam vegan?
- Yes. Brahmi Thailam is made entirely from plant-derived ingredients: sesame oil, Bacopa monnieri, licorice and camphor. There is no animal-derived material and no animal-derived processing aid, so the oil is vegan. It is also not tested on animals.
- Is Brahmi Thailam tested for heavy metals?
- Yes. Every batch is tested for five heavy metals by ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic and Nickel were each within the permitted limit for products left on the skin, benchmarked against German BfR guidance: Lead max 2, Cadmium max 0.1, Mercury max 0.1, Arsenic max 0.5 and Nickel max 5 mg/kg.
- Is Brahmi Thailam tested for microbiological safety?
- Yes. Microbiological safety is tested to ISO 17516:2014. Total Aerobic Microbial Count and Total Yeast and Mould Count stay within the limits for products left on the skin, and Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans are each absent. The product is also made under ISO 22716 Good Manufacturing Practice principles.
- What are the ingredients in Brahmi Thailam?
- Four: Sesamum Indicum (sesame) seed oil as the base, the extract of Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root, and a trace of camphor. Camphor is declared on the ingredient list as a fragrance allergen; there are no other fragrance ingredients.
- How is Brahmi Thailam used in Shiro Abhyanga?
- In Shiro Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic head and scalp massage, a small amount of the oil is warmed and worked into the scalp and hair with slow, even strokes. In the traditional ritual the oil is left on for a time and then washed out with a mild shampoo. It is for external use only; avoid contact with the eyes.
- Does Brahmi Thailam contain a preservative?
- No. The oil is anhydrous, meaning it contains no added water, so no preservative is needed or added. The formulation is simply sesame oil, Brahmi, licorice and a trace of camphor.
- Is Brahmi Thailam tested on animals?
- No. Brahmi Thailam is not tested on animals.
ART OF VEDAS
Bring Brahmi Thailam into your ritual
The classical hair and scalp oil of Ayurveda, kept in its original composition and tested with every batch. See the sizes, the full details and availability.
Shop Brahmi ThailamResponsible Person and distribution
Responsible Person (EU): Svedica B.V., Herengracht 449A, 1017BR Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
EU Distributor: Authentic Ayurveda d.o.o., Slavka Krautzeka 51, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
Brahmi Thailam by Art of Vedas: the classical hair and scalp oil of Ayurveda, kept in its original composition and tested for heavy metals and microbiological safety with every batch.
