Natural tips for healthy hair

For Dandruff

• Massage the Scalp with pure coconut oil. This will also help growth of hair.
• Apply coconut oil which has been boiled with small onions for about 20 minutes. Wash it off with a mixture of green gram powder and water drained from cooked (boiled) rice.
• Apply a mixture of almond oil and gooseberry juice with finger tips on the scalp.
• Apply the warm mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and coconut oil. Do a steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes and wash the hair with a mild shampoo.
• Apply a paste of fenugreek and mustard to the scalp.
• Mix Shikakai powder with the water drained from the cooked rice and wash the hair with it.
• Crush  the leaves of five petal hibiscus flower and take the juice. Wash the hair with this juice.
• Heat oil with a little camphor. Apply the oil in the scalp and massage for 10 minutes. After 30 minutes wash the hair with a herbal shampoo. Do the steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes.

For Healthy and Shiny hair

• It is better to apply castor oil for a healthy growth of hair.
• Wash hair with tea once in a week.
• Apply besan in the hair and wash it with water drained from the cooked rice.
• Soak a handful of gooseberries in a cup of milk for two hours. Make a paste and apply on the hair.
• Apply the mixture of an egg white, 2 spoons of castor oil, 1 spoon glycerin, in the scalp and hair. Wash it after some time.
• Massage hair with warm coconut oil an hour before washing. Let it soak. Cover your head with a hot towel and wash your hair after an hour or so. 
• Boil a few hibiscus flowers in coconut oil. Filter and use this hair oil to control hair loss and thinning.
• Do a 'steam-towel-wrap' once in a while, if your cuticles are damaged, as this steaming opens out the pores and absorbs the oil.
• Soak 1 teaspoon fenugreek in curd and keep it for a night. Apply it in the next morning.
• Boil coconut oil with the juices of curry leaves, basil, hibiscus flower and gooseberry. Apply on hair, keep it for sometime and rinse.
• Take a cup each coconut and mustard oil. Soak half a cup of curry leaves in the oil mixture and keep it for a night. Next morning, heat on a slow fire till the curry leaves turn crisp. Remove from heat and add two to three camphor balls. Allow oil to cool and then strain. Apply oil to hair roots using cotton wool along the parting and massage in circular movements. Leave the oil overnight and shampoo the next morning. Repeat twice a week. 
• Add a lemon peel to a 'shikakai' and 'amla' mixture while washing your hair.

For Graying

• Take a little Mehandi , an egg, juice of  half a lemon, one table spoon of instant coffee powder. Mix it together and apply on the hair. Wash it after 45 minutes.
• Boil one cup of dried gooseberry with 4 cups of water. Add a pinch of sugar in it. Keep boiling till the quantity of the liquid reduces to one cup. Mix 2 cups of Mehendi, an egg, juice of a lemon and the gooseberry solution and apply on hair. Wash the hair after two hours.

Natural Conditioners 

• Henna is a herbal treatment with good conditioning abilities.
• Egg white is a good conditioner for hair. 
• Deep condition with curd, beer and egg. 
• Mix a little vinegar in warm water and rinse your hair with this solution. This will add bounce to dull and lifeless hair.

 

Hair Care Tips

The structure of hair is like the scales on the skin of a fish that has overlapping scales around a central core called the cortical. Smoother overlapping more shiny and smooth the hair looks. This also leads to easy combing while a tangled or roughed-up structure makes the hair look rough and dull.

Diet and lifestyle are two major factors that influence the health of the hair. Poor diet, illness and deficiencies of any particular vitamin and mineral affects the quality of hair and problems like dandruff, thinning, hair, balding, premature graying etc. spoil the hair.

In an individual the condition of the hair is a reflection of the complete constitution of him. If the person is not healthy then the health of the hair will be deplorable.

Example: If a person has vata constitution, the hairs are dark, dry, coarse, wiry or frizzy and tend to tangle easily, are prone to dullness, split ends and dandruff. The constitution comprising of Pitta has hair that is light brown, blonde or red and tend to grow gray or thin prematurely and are fine and silky with a tendency to become oily. Hairs are thick, wavy and shiny if the composition is of kapha.

Hair Tips

• » Clean and brush hair on regular intervals.
• » Rinse the washed hair with lemon in a cup of warm water for extra sheen.
• » Avoid using hair styling products with alcohol content.
• » Eat nutritious food for healthy hair.

Some common Hair Problems:

Dandruff

Dry skin flaking off the scalp and itchiness is referred to as dandruff. The aggravation of Vata generally causes this dryness.

Home Remedies for Dandruff

• • Add 1 teaspoon of camphor to half a cup of coconut or neem oil. Store it in glass container. Dosage: Massage this oil into the scalp before bed.
• • Mix 1 teaspoon of castor, mustard and coconut oil each and massage into the scalp.
• • Mix one part of lemon juice with two parts of coconut oil. Massage into the roots of the hair regularly.

Dosage: Wash with warm water after three to four hours or leave overnight.

Hair Loss / Balding

when the amount of hair lost grows higher than the normal hair fall that takes place due to the change in environment, increasing age or growth of new hairs, it is referred to as hair loss problem that needs special care. Improper or poor diet, exposure to a lot of chemicals or cosmetics, hormonal imbalance, stress, anxiety and mental tension are some causes of hair loss.

Home Remedies For Hair Loss

• • Massage the scalp gently with coconut or almond oil daily for 10 to 15 minutes.
• • Boil neem leaves in water. Cool, strain and rinse hair with it.
• • Increase green leafy vegetables, salads, milk, fruits and sprouts in the diet. Take more proteins, milk, buttermilk, yeast, wheat germ, soya beans, whole grains and nuts.

Premature Graying of Hair

Graying of hair is a natural process that happens with increasing age, but if the hair starts graying before the age of 35, it is termed as premature graying that occurs due to the aggravation of Pitta dosha. Excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, meat, fried, oily, greasy, spicy, sour, and acidic foods increases pitta and leads to graying prematurely.

Home Remedies for Premature Graying of Hairs

• • Apply a paste made from 2-Tsp. henna powder, 1-tsp. curd, 1-tsp. fenugreek seed powder, 1 tbsp. coffee, 2-tbsp. mint juice and 2-tbsp. basil juice. Apply this paste to the hair for two hours. For a darker color, leave this paste in for 3 to 4 hours. Wash hair with any natural shampoo.
• • Grate some fresh ginger. Mix with honey and place it in a jar. Eat 1 tea spoon everyday.

Itchy Scalp

Aggravation of Pitta dosha, stress, allergic reaction to shampoo, air conditioning, pollution and central heating lead to an itchy and red scalp, with tiny pimples or sores, dull and dry hair.

Home Remedies for Itchy Scalp

• • Add 1 teaspoon of camphor to half a cup of coconut oil and store it in glass container.

Dosage: Massage this oil into the scalp before bed.

Grind some jasmine roots with lime juice. Wash the hair and scalp with it. The causes for these hair conditions are as follows:

• • Excess of Pitta dosha in the body is the chief cause of hair problems.
• • Excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, meats and excessive smoking.
• • Eating too much fried, oily, greasy, spicy, sour and acidic foods.
• • Intake of too many chemical medicines, low blood circulation, anemia, general weakness after disease, stress, anxiety and mental tension.
• • Chronic diseases like typhoid fever, presence of dandruff or lice and hormonal imbalance.

Hair Treatment

• • Use natural shampoo or soap to clean the hair.
• • Use amla (embilica officinalis), Shikakai (Acacia concinna) for washing the hair.
• • Enhance oiling and massaging of scalp.
• • Use coconut oil or mustard oil at least three times in a week.
• • Use medicated oils like 'Mahabhringraj oil', 'Amala oil' and 'Arnica oil'. Put oil on the scalp and massage gently in the roots of the hair.
• • Maintain a regular bowel movement everyday.
• • The diet should contain more green leafy vegetables, salads, milk, fruits and sprouts. Take more proteins, milk, buttermilk, yeast, wheat germ, soybean and vitamin A.
• • Do regular physical exercise.
• • A special Ayurvedic preparation made from Bhringraj (Eclipta elba), Amala, corals, iron and black sesame seeds is very useful and even stops the graying of hair.
• • Rub the scalp vigorously after washing the hair. It increases the blood circulation, and activates the sebaceous glands.
• • A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice is good to drink to induce hair growth. The juice of alfalfa mixed with that of carrot, and lettuce juice is also good to take.
• • Daily application of coconut oil mixed with lime- juice on the hair is also beneficial. Applying juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also good.
• • Washing the hair with a paste of cooked Urad dal (black beans) and fenugreek (methi) 2-3 times a week.
• • A paste of licorice made by grinding it in milk can be applied in the bald patches. It induces hair growth. A paste of seeds of lemon and black pepper may also be applied on the bald patches.

Hair Care Tips

The following are some basic hair care tips that you can use to improve the health and look of your hair.

General
A healthy lifestyle will mean healthier hair for you. Excessive stress, smoking, not exercising and not eating nutritiously are not healthy for your hair.

Get enough sleep.

Hair Products (Gel, mouse, hair spary...)
Avoid using hair styling products with alcohol which dries out hair.

Avoid puting hair styling products directly on your scalp; if you put it on your scalp you'll clog the pores on your head.

Swimming
Before entering a pool, wet your hair so your hair will soak up the initial water instead of the chlorinated water.

When swimming where a cap to protect your hair from chlorinated water, if you choose not to wear a cap make sure you shampoo and condition your hair right after you are done swimming.

Drying
Hot air can be damaging to your hair so when using a hair dryer use the cool setting.

Don't leave the blowdryer in one spot for more than a few seconds, keep it moving and at a good distance away from your hair.

To speed up the drying process, pat your hair dry with a towell and let the remaining moisture in your hair dry naturally.

Gently use your fingers or a pick to untangle any knots while your hair is drying.

Combing/Brushing
Use a brush whose bristles are made from natural animal hairs, it is softer and more flexible, which means less damage will be done to your hair.

Hair is most fragile when it is wet so avoid brushing or combing when it's wet, or else it will cause breakage. Wait until your hair is almost completely dry before brushing it.

Use brushes/combs with widely spaced bristles/teeth and smooth tips. Sharp tooth combs can damage your hair, cause split ends, and scratch your scalp.

To keep your brushes and combs clean, wash them weekly using soap or shampoo.

Comb your hair to remove any tangles before brushing it.

Begin by combing your hair gently at the ends to get any tangles out and work your way up to the base of your hair.

Always brush/comb with a downwards stroke.

Avoid using plastic brushes/combs which create static electricity

Shampooing and Conditioning
Buy shampoos & conditioners that match your hair type. Trial and error is the best way to find out what specific hair product is best for your hair.

Shower with warm water; hot water can dry and/or irritate the scalp.

It is important to wash your hair; shampooing removes dirt, dead skin cells, hair oils, any hair products you may put into your hair.

When shampooing, rinse your hair out before applying any shampoo to remove any dust, dirt, and any other foreign items, then apply the shampoo onto your scalp and massage it gently with your finger tips and work your way outwards. After you are done make sure that you thoroughly rinse out your hair to remove any shampoo residue that may be left. Shampoo residue may dry your scalp/hair and or attract dirt. It is recommended that you only lather once to avoid drying your hair out. If you have oily hair, lathering again may stimulate your oil glands to create even more oil than normal.

You should wash your hair as often as you feel necessary to keep it clean but a general rule for oily hair is that you should wash it every day or every other day and for dry hair only wash it 2-3 times a week.

Try rotating the shampoo and conditioner periodically, your hair responds differently to different products.

Use a conditioner after shampooing; it'll moisturize your hair, give it extra protection, add shine, reduce static, and makes it easier to untangle.

Use a leave in conditioner; it'll hydrate and protect your hair. A leave in conditioner on your hair is the equivalent of moisturizer on your face.

When conditioning your hair, try to spread conditioner evenly through out your hair and leave it in for a couple of minutes before rinsing out your hair.

Put the conditioner in at about an inch away from the scalp, the roots of your hair contain the most oils and usually don't need the extra conditioning.

Be gentle when shampooing and conditioning. Don't use excessive force rubbing your hair, remember hair is most vunerable when wet.

 

How to Make a Homemade Hair Treatment

You can create several hair care treatments from ingredients found in your kitchen. Homemade hair treatments are often as effective as salon treatments and cost you considerably less. So take a minute and mix up a recipe to make your hair look healthy and shiny.

Instructions:

1. Create a rinse for shiny hair. Beer, lemon juice and vinegar can all be used to bring out the shine in your hair. Mix one of these products with water and apply after shampooing.

2. Use baking soda to make a hair treatment. Mixing a small amount of baking soda into your shampoo will assist in removing excess grease and dirt.

3. Blend almond oil, honey and hair conditioner to create a treatment for frizzy hair. Leave the mixture on the hair for 20 minutes and then rinse it out.

4. Make your own hot oil treatment. To deeply condition your hair, use a homemade hot oil treatment at least twice a month. Warm olive oil and soybean oil and place on your hair. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes and then shampoo the mixture out.

5. Put eggs in your homemade hair treatment. Eggs provide the hair with protein that is essential for healthy hair. Eggs and honey can be blended together to encourage healthy hair growth.

Tips

• You should always use the homemade hair treatments immediately after making them. The food products will go bad if they sit out for an extended amount of time.
  
  

  Warnings

• Do not use any homemade hair treatments that contain ingredients that you are allergic to.