Long beautiful hair is a sign of health and vitality. Every woman yearns for a thick and lustrous mane that they can show off to the world. But due to unhealthy eating habits, irregular sleep and pollution- 80% of the population suffers from some form of hair damage. Dandruff, thinning air, eczema, split ends, greasiness, oiliness, premature greying and dullness are some common hair ailments that can crop up at any point in life. If not correctly addressed, it can lead to permanent hair loss or baldness.
With our hectic and busy life, it is not always easy to maintain long beautiful tresses. Weather conditions and pollution don’t help either. Most of the products that we use, including shampoos, conditioners, hair gel, hair masks and hair styling products are made from harmful chemicals that do more damage than good. These expensive products claim to give you healthy hair but in reality, they are the root of most of your hair problems.
Luckily there is an alternative to the market products. Instead of using chemical laden hair products, you can make your own hair products at home from completely natural ingredients. Ingredients derived from nature don’t harm the scalp and have no side effects. Also, they don’t cost much. Most of the ingredients can be obtained from local markets. Here are a few hair care recipes made from natural ingredients that you can use instead of the commercial ones-
- Natural hair mask
Just a few basic ingredients are enough to give you the thick long mane you always desired. Honey is an excellent moisturiser and so is yoghurt. Mix them together and you get an excellent pre-wash hair pack that you apply before shampooing. Add an egg to the mixture to give your hair a boost of protein. If the concoction feels too runny, mix some Indian gooseberry powder (commonly called amla) in it. A banana mash hair mask is another great choice if you have lifeless hair. After mashing two bananas, smear it on your hair thoroughly. Keep it on for thirty minutes and wash off thoroughly. Continue with shampoo and conditioner.
- Natural shampoo
Castile soap is the basic ingredient used in the making of a natural shampoo. To that you can add honey, lemon and essential oils of your choice. Homemade coconut milk works great with this mixture. If you have dry hair, then you can use baking soda instead of the castile soap. Any form of tea liquor can be used as a part of the shampoo. But if you want to go all natural, there is nothing better than reetha or soap nut. As the name suggests, it is a natural soap that can work up quite a lot of lather. Keep a handful of them soaked overnight in boiling water. Strain the water and apply to hair. You will notice lather forming. You can also use the pulp of reetha as a shampoo. You will notice a great bounce to the hair that you never had before.
- After shampoo rinse
Only two ingredients are required to make this 100% natural after shampoo rinse. In 500ml water, mix a spoonful of honey. After shampooing, wash your hair with this liquid. Don’t rinse off. Wrap your hair with a towel and keep it for five minutes. When the hair dries, you will find your hair much softer and tangle free. The honey can also be replaced with apple cider vinegar which gives a natural sheen to the hair.
- Natural conditioner
A leave in conditioner is a must have for every woman. Whenever your hair feels dull or lifeless, just spray some of it on your hair and voila, you have gorgeous hair again. To make a natural conditioner all you need is about 150ml of distilled water. Mix it with a spoon of coconut oil and keep it stored in a bottle. Whenever you feel your hair drying, spray some on. For shine, replace the coconut oil with apple cider vinegar. There is also a great recipe for a natural conditioner that tackles dandruff. To the distilled water, add a few drops of tea tree oil and lemon. This is an excellent remedy for dandruff. If you have very dull dry hair, a good idea is to pop a vitamin E capsule to the solution. Prick the capsule with a pin and let the liquid combine with the water.
- Natural hair gel
We have come to our last homemade hair solution- a natural hair gel for styling unruly hair. Boil one cup of water and add a teaspoon of gelatine in it. Put in a few drops of rosemary essential oil. Mix it thoroughly. Keep this mixture covered in a jar for five hours to set, preferably in a fridge. Use it like a normal gel. Aloe Vera alone can be used as a gel separately.
With so many natural homemade cures for the hair, why buy expensive hair products from stores that damage your hair? The chemicals used in store-bought products are not only harmful for your hair, but the environment as well. Always choose the safe, healthy and natural way.
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