Archive for December, 2009

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How to Lighten your Hair with Lemon Juice,Honey,Chamomile

Friday, December 18th, 2009

There are a variety of commercial products for lightening hair color, but most of these contain chemical bleaching agents that damage the hair in the long run and make it dry and brittle. Thus, it is preferable to use natural products in order to make your natural hair color lighter.

Lighten Hair Naturally

  • One of the most popular and effective natural means of lightening hair color is lemon juice. You should mix 3 tablespoons of lemon juice with one tablespoon of water. Apply this mixture uniformly on your hair, put on a shower cap and sit in the sun for at least half an hour. Alternatively, you may also try this remedy indoors by applying gentle heat on your hair using a blow drier.
  • If your hair is naturally dry, you should add a tablespoon of olive oil to the mixture to counter the drying effect of lemon juice. Once the hair feels completely dry, you should rinse it thoroughly with water and use a conditioner. The acidic nature of lemon juice makes it an excellent bleaching agent and lightens your hair by a shade or two if used once every week.
  • For another remedy, moisten your hair with a little water, mix four tablespoons of honey with a teaspoon of your regular conditioner and apply it all over your hair. Leave it on for at least a couple of hours and then rinse it away with water. Honey contains free oxygen radicals that help make your hair naturally lighter in color.
  • You may also try using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and household ammonia on a few stands of your hair to observe the bleaching effect for a day, and then apply this mixture over the rest of your hair depending on the degree to which you want your hair to be bleached.
  • If you have naturally dark hair, you may also use some tea to lighten your hair. However, if you are naturally blond, it may have the opposite effect and turn your hair lighter. Thus, you must first try this remedy out on a small portion of your hair.
  • If you have naturally light hair, you should boil 4 tablespoons of chamomile powder in a cup of boiling water and allow the solution to cool down to room temperature. Now douse your hair with this decoction and wash it off after half an hour. You may substitute chamomile with lavender or rosemary blossoms if you have dark hair.

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Homemade Deep Conditioners for Curly Hair

Friday, December 18th, 2009

Conditioning your hair regularly is just as important as keeping it clean through regular shampooing. Commercial hair care products mostly contain harsh chemicals that rob the hair of its natural oil and moisture content, and over time can render your hair dry and frizzy. It is therefore useful to follow a few natural methods of conditioning your hair in order to replenish the moisture lost due to exposure to heat and pressure, especially if you use mechanical devices to perm your hair to get artificial curls.

Natural Ways of Conditioning Curly Hair

  • One of the most effective natural ways of conditioning curly hair is to massage it with olive oil at bedtime thrice a week and wash it off the next morning. This keeps the hair soft and well nourished.
  • You could also condition your hair by mixing together half a cup of mayonnaise with two eggs in a blender and applying this mixture all over your scalp and hair. Put on a shower cap and leave on the mixture for 30-40 minutes.
  • You may also use a blow drier to gently heat the hair for a while before taking off the shower cap and rinsing it thoroughly with water and a mild herbal shampoo.
  • For another remedy, soak your hair with a little amount of lukewarm water and then massage your hair with a generous amount of apricot or sesame oil. Cover up your hair with a warm towel or a plastic wrap and let the oil soak into your hair and scalp for half an hour.
  • Now apply a thin paste made by mixing fuller’s earth and water and let it dry a little for about 15 minutes and then rinse it off with water and a mild herbal shampoo. Follow this remedy once or twice a week in order to make your hair naturally lustrous.
  • You may also simply add a tablespoon of emu oil or jojoba oil into your bottle of shampoo and use this to wash your hair in order to keep your hair naturally well conditioned. The omega 3 fatty acids present in these oils are especially useful in bringing back a natural glow to dull, frizzy hair.
  • You may also use a mixture of clover blossoms grinded in two tablespoons of rosemary oil immediately after washing your hair in order to treat split ends that commonly afflict people with curly hair.
  • In addition, drink at least 10 glasses of water every day to keep the roots of your hair well nourished.

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How to Wash Hair with Conditioner

Friday, December 18th, 2009

Conditioner is usually a follow up after washing your hair with shampoo and helps smoothen out the hair and makes it easy to untangle it. After shampooing, wash out the shampoo thoroughly and take a little conditioner into the palm of your hand. Rub your palms together and smooth them over your hair from the scalp down wards. You can also massage the conditioner into your hair. Bu remember that the shampoo has to be washed off thoroughly as the conditioner, while moisturizing the hair has a tendency to lock down the remaining shampoo into the hair and scalp. The shampoo then becomes flaky and resembles dandruff and can be quite embarrassing.

Some hair care experts recommend the use of only a conditioner on the hair for leaving the hair shiny and glossy. This recommendation is popular because most shampoos contain a compound called SLS – sodium lauryl sulphate or SLES – sodium laureth sulphate which are actually detergents. They are excellent cleaners and work up a good lather but this is not a sign of it being good for the hair. Prolonged usage can aggravate conditions such as eczema of the scalp and seborrheic dermatitis apart from leading to a thinning of the hair and the damage of hair follicles. If your shampoo contains these compounds it would be a good idea to switch from them.

Wash Hair with Conditioner

Conditioners are gentler than shampoos in terms of the chemicals present in them and it must be gently massaged into the hair and scalp. Leave it on for about fifteen minutes before washing it off. It might take a while for your hair to adjust to this and you may find that it appears greasy for about 6-8 weeks till your hair adjusts to the new programme. Use a boar bristle brush to spread the excess sebum that your scalp produces down the length of your hair. What appears as grease is then used to protect your hair and give it a natural shine. You may even wash your hair occasionally with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clean the hair and condition it as well. Braid your hair or use a bandana or a scarf or even a variety of hats to keep your hair from showing the grease. If you have to attend a wedding, or any other function or occasion, you may want to wait before you switch to only conditioning your hair.

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Tips on How to Manage Curly,Frizzy Hair

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Managing Frizzy, Curly Hair

Frizzy, curly hair can be extremely frustrating to manage, although you need not worry, as there are several ways of managing it.  Split ends are a bane to people with curly hair as it can lead to further damage and breakage. Trim your hair every two months or so to prevent the edges of your hair strands from splitting. Do not shampoo your hair every day as it only increases the frizz. Instead shampoo on alternate days and use a conditioner as well. Although most experts discourage the use of hot water on the hair, you can occasionally use lukewarm water after you have shampooed your hair. This will aid in opening the hair cuticles and enable your hair to absorb the hair conditioner better.

Ways to Prevent Frizzy Hair

  • Oiling your hair regularly is one of the best ways to battle frizz. For this you may warm a little coconut oil and massage it into your scalp. Make sure you apply the oil all the way down to the roots of your hair. Use oil to rub the edges of your hair as well as to strengthen it. This will help you avoid split ends.
  • You can also use almond oil or olive oil instead. After washing the oil off your hair, you may rub a little bit on after it has dried to keep down the frizz.
  • Cover your hair with a scarf whenever you step out to protect it from the harmful UV rays of the sun and from the wind, dust, and grime that can damage it.
  • Avoid using artificial hair colour as it can change the consistency of your hair and increase the frizzy nature of your hair.
  • Let your hair take its own time to dry out and do not use a blow drier on it at any cost. This will only weaken the hair follicles and increase the hair’s tendency to frizz out.Keep your hair wrapped in a towel for a bout ten minutes so that some of the water is absorbed by the cloth, then gently towel dry it.
  • Do not use a brush on your hair when it is still wet. Once it is almost dry, use a wide toothed comb on it to untangle the knots.
  • Shea butter is sometimes used to smoothen down the hair and it will leave it glossy and shiny without causing the hair to look greasy.
  • Drink at least 5-6 litres of water every day and eat a protein rich diet so that your hair gets the necessary nourishment from within your body as well.

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How to Stop Losing Hair Naturally

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Causes of Losing Hair

The loss of hair is a metabolic disorder wherein hair starts thinning, falling or just disappearing. Each follicle possesses what is known as a papilla which is responsible for producing hair when the cells present turn amino acids to the protein keratin of which hair is made of. Alternatively called protein building blocks, they determine the growth of hair and incidentally hair loss is more common among men than women. Hair loss is not symptomised by the mere loss of hair, but also by the hair thinning out a good deal. The major causes of hair fall are an improper diet and a lack of nutrition, the absence of certain vitamins in your diet such as Vitamin B6 and folic acid. Sudden shocks, undue stress and anxiety, poor hygiene, blood circulation that is poor, a long illness such as typhoid, influenza, anaemia, chronic cold and syphilis, and of course hereditary factors. If the hair loss is due to heredity there is very little once can do, although by taking care of it, you may be able to slow down the process a little.

Home Remedies for Losing Hair

  • At home, grind dried fenugreek leaves with water until it becomes a thick paste and apply onto your scalp by massaging into it gently. Leave it on for an hour or so and then wash it off with a mild herbal shampoo.
  • Onions are known to help with hair loss and you can rub the balding patchy areas with onions and then follow it up with an application of honey.
  • Mix honey with a well beaten egg yolk and apply onto the scalp. Wash away after 40 minutes and repeat shampooing if necessary to get out the egg smell.
  • You can prepare a home made shampoo for your hair by mixing 5 teaspoons of yogurt, two teaspoons of powdered raw gram, and the juice of a lemon. Apply onto the hair and scalp, and wash it off in half an hour.

Take care to not brush your hair when it is still wet as you will only risk losing more hair. Do not at any cost blow dry your hair, and it would be best to not use hair colour or a straightener on it. Make sure that your diet contains plenty of protein and iron, and supplement your diet with food rich in calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Increase your intake of green leafy vegetables and fruits, and remember to drink plenty of water so that the toxins accumulated in your body are flushed out.

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