Hair Care Tips

How to maintain healthy hair? See what grandma has to say.

Everybody wants beautiful hair. However, one should know about general hair care. Traditional way of hair washing, brushing and drying always has been better than using chemical shampoos, conditioners and hair dryer. When you see 1980’s advertisements that were talking about chemical shampoos and today’s shampoo advertisements one can see is a dramatic change in today’s ads. What methods and natural remedies were used by our ancestors has become our “new ” shampoos and conditioners ! Use of oil will help the scalp to keep away from itching and drying. Let us see what general care one should take and then traditional remedies for hair care.

General care of hair:

Do not brush wet hair. Wet hairs are more vulnerable for damages.
Use sun light to dry hair and cut down on blow dryers, hot curlers, straight iron and other hair styling products.
Apply oil previous day of washing hair.
Use wide toothcomb to detangle the hair.
Do not use chemical based shampoo or conditioner when your hair is going through dryness and damages.
Strengthen your hair with right food: Include foods that contain Biotin in your diet. Biotin is present in brown rice, lentils, sunflower seeds, walnuts, soybeans, walnuts. Include protein, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin C and selenium in your diet. Leafy vegetables that serve folic acid is good for hair health.
Do not use tight hair bands to tie your hair. This will cut hair and leads to unequal hair.
Wash your hair minimum two days a week. Do not forget to apply oil before washing hair. Massage your hair using good non-fragrant oil.

1. Fenugreek is very effective in preventing dandruff, hair fall and baldness.

Soak fenugreek seeds in water overnight and grind it into a fine paste the following morning.
Leave this paste applied on the scalp for 30 to 45 minutes and then wash it with a mild shampoo.
Do not allow your hair to remain wet for a long time. Leaving the scalp wet for a long time facilitates growth of dandruff.

2. Dandruff is a common scalp problem where white flakes are shed by the scalp and often causes itching. There could be many causes of dandruff

Fenugreek seeds or Methi: Methi is known as a common natural ingredient that can delay the graying of hair and is also the perfect antidote against stubborn dandruff.

Soak methi seeds overnight in water and then grind them into a paste. Apply this on your scalp, leave it for a few hours, and then wash your hair with shampoo.

Curd or Yogurt: Curd or dahi is in known to have health and skin benefits. Curd has anti-fungal properties which help banish dandruff and other hair and skin problems.

Mix curd with white pepper and apply on your scalp.
Keep it on for 30 minutes and wash off.

Here are 7 quick and easy ways to cure dandruff.

3. For silky hair: Healthy hair looks and feels soft. If your hair has become too dry and brittle, it has probably lost the natural oils that your hair uses to lock in moisture.

Olive oil :is not only good for health, but for beauty as well. It is known as a solution to various hair problems and stimulates hair growth too.

Mix a few drops of honey in your olive oil and then massage it well into your hair.
Keep it for half-an-hour before rinsing it off with a mild shampoo.

Curd or dahi: is also known as a natural conditioner for the hair. Here’s what you can do for smooth, silky hair.

Mix together curd and an egg yolk.
Apply on your locks and keep for 30 minutes.
Rinse off with a mild shampoo.

Hibiscus and shikakai powder: Boil hibiscus flower or tender leaves. Allow it to cool and add shikakai powder. Mix well. Apply this to hair and slowly wash your hair. Allow hair to dry naturally. It will help to get beautiful silky hair. Care should be taken not to open the eyes when using shikakai powder.

Castor oil: You may think that castor oil is very thick and not possible to remove from hair. Do you know castor oil gives you soft silky hair and also reduces grey hair? Apply castor oil once a week and wash hair after a day using good shampoo or shikakai powder to get silky hair.

4. Natural Hair Conditioner:

It is important that our hair needs to be conditioned after every wash. Homemade natural herbal conditioners are always better than the chemical ones. Dry and damaged hair needs to be conditioned regularly. There is a very good grandmas home remedy for dry and damaged hair – Hibiscus leaves!

Grind hibiscus leaves to a smooth paste and apply on the hair and leave for a few minutes. After half an hour wash hair thoroughly. Washing may be very difficult as the minute particles of the leaves cling to the hair. There will still be some small particles left on the hair even after repeated washing. These will fall off once the hair is dried and combed. The process may be a little tedious but it is worth it.

5. For black hair:

Curry leaves and amla powder: Grandma says try curry leaves and amla powder (Indian gooseberry) ! Yes, Indian curry leaves have such property. Do not throw curry leaves while eating your food. It has contents that support hair. Slightly warm sesame oil or coconut oil and add curry leaves and amla powder to it. Leave it for couple of days. Drain the oil and apply oil on hair once or twice a week.

Oil sealing:In India’s Kerala state, women follow oil-sealing method from centuries to keep their hair black, long and healthy. They seal the moisture in their hair with oil. Oil sealing is a method where oil is used as a sealant over wet moisturized hair. Preconditioned hair is with coconut oil, herbal oil, hair is washed with shikakai or mild shampoo and then 2 to 3 drops of oil is applied immediately over hair. Then allow hair to dry naturally.

Read more at: Healthylife.werindia.com