Qasil is an ingredient that you most likely have never heard of before as it isn’t in any commercial skincare products on the market and can be difficult to find.
So what is it?
Qasil is a the dried and crushed leaves from the Gob Tree also known as Ziziphus Jujube in Eastern Africa. The result is a green powder that looks like matcha, smells almost like green tea and earthy and has small exfoliating particles. It is known as one of the best kept secrets in Somalia and amongst Somalian women.
Fun fact: The word ‘Qasil’ was derived from the Arabic word ‘Ghasil’ which means to wash or clean
Benefits
- Although Qasil doesn’t have extensive scientific studies just yet, for many years it has been a beauty ingredient for women due to its antibacterial properties and nutrients.
- It has natural healing properties & is full of antioxidants
- It helps to nourish, soothe and contains essential vitamins that aids in rejuvenating the skin such as Vitamin A and Vitamin E
- Qasil also contains Vitamin C which aids in regulating sebum, this helps to prevent and decrease any inflammation you may have. Due to the high content in vitamin C, this makes it a brightening agent.
- Suitable for all skin types
Uses
Face mask - Qasil powder used a face mask by itself creates a clay like texture when dried. It helps draw out impurities in a similar way but also has the added benefits below that mean you don’t necessarily need to add anything else to get a great face mask. If you do want to add any other ingredients it also makes for a great diy powder which can be mixed with floral waters or oil.
Cleanser - In a similar way to soapnuts, thanks to its natural saponin content Qasil becomes foamy and acts like a soap once it’s mixed with water. These saponins act as cleansing agent helping remove dirt in a similar way to what a normal cleanser would. The benefit of this being a powder means that you can tailor the texture of the cleanser to suit your skins needs that day. If you want a more deep cleansing then add less water and if you want a more gentle cleanser add more water.
Gentle exfoliating powder - Due to their being some small left over particles when the leaves are crushed, these act as a exfoliator. The key is to be gentle with your skin when using this as the firmer you rub the exfoliating particles the deeper the exfoliation. It can take a little trial and error to get the best results.
Hair mask - Similar to using Qasil as a face mask, this can also be used in the hair as a clarifying mask when you need to remove any product build up, giving you hair a great starting point for any conditioning treatments.
Shampoo - Now this use will take a little bit of extra DIY each time you want to so this as you will need to combine Qasil with water and blend both up for a few seconds until completely combined. This turn into a matcha tea like foam that still has cleansing properties due to the natural saponins.
Check out our Qasil Quartz Powder here which can be used in all the ways listed above. In addition to Qasil this is also formulated with skin soothing green tea, aloe and allantoin (comfrey), rose hip powder and finally a small amount of British kaolin clay