Nowadays, the market for hair care products is as rich as ever. Whether our hair is curly or smooth, thick or not, a deep black raven or a bright blonde, it does not matter, we will be able to find the right product for us. From healing shampoo to the most delicate one, from hair-loss products to those that can make our hair shiny and healthy. It must be said, however, that many of these products contain substances that, apparently make the hair shiny, soft to the touch, docile at the crease but that can damage it, in the long run.
So, let us take a look to some healthy and natural alternatives.
Greasy hair
When dealing with greasy hair, if the scalp produces too much sebum, we usually tend to use extremely aggressive products, thinking this can be the solution to this problem. This stance, actually, leads to nothing but to stimulate sebaceous secretion even more. So, what can we do to take care of this type of hair?
In addition to following a balanced diet, plants with sebum regulating properties, such as lavender, nettle, thyme or rosemary, which also possesses antiseptic action, can help us.
Here is the recipe for an all-natural mask we can prepare at home.
What we need:
- green clay: 4 spoons
- lavender or rosemary hydrolate: 2 spoons (rosemary is also an excellent ally against thinning hair)
- jojoba oil: 1 spoon
- lemongrass essential oil: 3 drops
Mix the ingredients together until you get a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Apply to damp hair and leave for 20-30 minutes; proceed with the shampoo. Rinse carefully.
Last tip: add half a glass of apple vinegar to the fresh water you will use for the last rinse, the hair will be brighter.
Thin hair
When dealing with thin hair we always try to find a way to give more volume to the hair, which, due to the very structure of the hair, less rich in keratin, easily tends to flatten. The stem is thinner than a normal hair and tends to break more easily. It is therefore good to use extremely delicate products to treat this type of hair, as well as try to strengthen its structure, using highly nutritious substances.
We can use: plant proteins, such as wheat, flaxseed and chia; rich in amino acids useful in keratin formation.
There are many supplements on the market based on these substances, which, if taken consistently, can help from within our body. But we can also use some for topical preparations.
With chia seeds we can prepare, for example, an extract to spray on damp and clean hair.
What we need:
- chia seeds: 1 spoon
- distilled water: 1 glass
- chamomile essential oil: 5 drops.
Bring the distilled water with chia seeds to boil and let it boil for about three minutes. Then, let the decoction stand for further five minutes; filter and, once cooled, add the five drops of chamomile essential oil. Transfer the decoction to a spray bottle and vaporize on washed and dabbed hair, at least twice a week.
Important: this recipe does not contain preservatives, so I advise you not to exceed the doses. Prepare the strictly necessary amount from time to time. Otherwise, a preservative, such as vitamin E, should be added to the mixture.
Dry and brittle hair
Those who face with this type of hair have to deal with a definitely “indomitable” hair every day, this because, unlike what happens with the greasy one, dry hair is not quite “protected” by sebum, which, produced in quantities less than necessary, can not cover the whole stem, thus losing its armor function. In this way the hair is porous and, as a result, it is exposed to pollution and absorbs the moisture present in the air, becoming unmanageable (the hateful frizzy look we all want to get rid of).
In this case, it is necessary to act by deeply nourishing the hair, mainly providing it with the lipid component of which it is most deficient.
Green light to the use of butters and vegetable oils then, such as shea butter, olive oil, coconut or avocado.
Let’s see how to prepare a super-nourishing mask for dry hair.
What we need:
- coconut oil: 1 teaspoon
- honey: 1 teaspoon
- white yogurt: 2-4 spoons
Coconut oil, despite its name, is found, at room temperature, in solid form. It should then first be heated to a bain-marie to make it melt. Once the coconut oil has melted, add the honey and, only when the mixture is homogeneous, the yogurt. You may want to add a few drops of essential oil, for example lemongrass, to give a scent to the mixture (but it is not an essential requirement), which you will apply to washed and dabbed hair. Carefully massage the scalp and lengths and leave on for about 20 minutes. Rinse and dry.
