Hello Glams and Geeks! Hope everyone enjoyed yesterday’s
post, and as mentioned, today will be focusing on treatments that will cater to
all of your hair needs and concerns.
Every day, our hair endures so much damage during our
styling processes that eventually, it starts to show. From excessive heat
contact, to being slathered in chemical-filled hair products like gel and hair
spray to maintain our looks. Our tresses are always feeling the effects of
these drying products and styles. So today, we are going to focus on how we can
give back to our hair, feed it the proper nourishment it needs to keep doing its
job in helping us achieve gorgeous hairstyles, and how we can continue to
prevent these effects from taking over our hair.
Before we begin, I wanted to mention that for the DIY
sections of this post, I have tried most of them, and tried the ones that didn’t
pertain to my hair type on my mom who has thick, naturally curly hair. So, I know
how well each one works, and have listed them here due to their effectiveness.
I also wanted to mention that when it comes to natural hair care, the
essentials that everyone should try and keep on hand are honey, apple cider
vinegar, avocados for their endless benefits in fighting frizz, adding
moisture, preventing breakage, promoting hair growth, etc., and the following oils
for their amazing properties: Castor Oil, coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil,
olive oil, jojoba oil, and tea tree oil. These are oils that really can work
miracles for your hair when used, so I encourage you to find the purest form of
these oils possible, and at the best price for your budget. I purchased mines
at Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods during sales and always keep them on hand. Also,
with all of these masks and rinses, I encourage you to massage them into your
scalp and ends for a few minutes to help the ingredients penetrate your hair. Now,
let’s get started!
DRY/DAMAGED HAIR
Dry hair can come from many different things, including
excessive styling and heating, over washing your hair, and the environment
(harsh, dry weathers). When looking for hair products, try avoiding those
containing alcohol and try not to choose clear-based shampoos as they contain
harsh ingredients that can lead to extreme dehydration in your strands.
Instead, opt for creamy shampoos, as they help retain moisture in hair. So, let’s
take a look at two options for treating this hair type:
To Buy: Neutrogena’s Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair
Mask. It retails for about $4.99 and can be found at your local drugstore. It
contains Olive Oil, Meadow foam Seed, and Sweet Almond Oil, each one acting
together to restore each and every hair strand from the inside, out.
To DIY: Damage Repairing and Vitamin Replenishing Avocado
Hair Mask- This mask is packed with vitamins, loaded with moisture, and contains
fatty acids (from the avocado) that will repair and restore your strands,
making your hair feel new again!
What You’ll Need: 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½ ripe
Avocado, 2 oz. of water, a mixing bowl, a wide tooth comb, and a shower cap.
What to Do: Begin by mashing the Avocado into a soft paste.
It should not have any clumps in it, as these clumps can be difficult to remove
from your hair. Once you have your avocado paste, whisk the two eggs and mix both
ingredients together into a bowl. Now, add the olive oil and water, and blend
until the water and oil has dissolved into the paste. Once your hair mask is
ready, apply to dry hair, ensuring that each strand is coated in the mixture. I
recommend using a wide tooth comb to make sure the mix spreads evenly from root
to tip! Massage into scalp and ends. Then, apply a shower cap and leave this
mask in your hair 10-20 minutes, followed by thoroughly rinsing out the mix. Shampoo
and condition your hair, and style as you normally would. Your hair should look
and feel soft and silky and super shiny! This treatment can be done every other
week or as often as you see fit!
FRIZZY HAIR
We’ve all been here: Those annoying strands that we can’t
seem to tame no matter what. Frizzy hair is the number one reason behind our
bad hair days. It’s caused by our environment (humidity), dehydration (frizz
occurs when our hair’s cuticles open up, trying to absorb moisture from the air
into our strands), and from using chemical filled products in our hair (alcohol
based products like gel and hairspray). For my frizzy haired glams and geeks,
worry no more! I have found two treatments to help you banish your bad hair
days for good!
To Buy: Got 2B Glossy Anti-Frizz Shine Serum. It retails for
about $6 and can be found at your local drugstore. It is intended to be applied
to hair while damp, so during and after styling or air-drying, your hair will
take in the moisture from the product, rather than open up and try to hydrate
itself from the moisture in the air. So, now you can achieve your desired style
without having to fight off those stray strands!
To DIY: Olive Oil Hot Rinse Treatment- Olive Oil is known
for is super moisturizing abilities when applied to hair, so this is perfect
for this hair type! Your hair will be frizz-free as your strands soak in the
moisture from the oil. It also delivers multiple benefits such as dandruff
prevention, boosts shine, promotes hair growth, and softens the cuticle to
maintain manageable hair.
What You Need: ½ Cup of Extra Virgin or Virgin Olive Oil, a
mixing bowl and a shower cap.
What to Do: First, measure the amount of olive oil needed
for this treatment. Then, put the oil into a microwave-safe bowl or cup, as you’ll
need something that will be easy to pour the oil into your hair. Microwave the
oil for no longer than 20-30 seconds. This should feel warm enough that it is
still comfortable to the touch, otherwise you could experience burning on your
scalp! Once it’s warm, find a place where you can tilt your head back and pour
the oil into your hair. I usually do this in the shower, tilting my head as far
back as possible, and also making the clean-up process super easy. Once the oil
is in your hair, ensure that all of it is coated in the oil, and massage into
your scalp and ends. Twist your ends lightly to release any excess oil and clip
it up, followed by applying a shower cap. Leave the oil in for 30 minutes to an
hour, then shampoo and condition. Whenever I do this, I shampoo my scalp twice,
making sure not to rub the second dose of shampoo into my ends as I want to
keep the left over oil in my ends. For the conditioner, I recommend doing only
your ends. This treatment can be done once a week or as often as you see fit!
BREAKAGE
Breakage is so common now with all of the heating and
chemicals in products, as I’ve mentioned before. But breakage can also come
from the way you brush. Here are a few tips to help! To prevent breakage in wet
hair, never use a bristled-brush as it tends to pull on hair, causing wet hair
to snap. This happens because wet hair is too soft to prevent itself from breaking
when a bristled brush passes through it. Try using a wide tooth comb, as I’ve
recommended in each of the treatments above. It’s very gentle on hair,
detangling as it combs and separating knots without tearing the strands. With
dry hair, try a boar haired bristle brush. Unlike plastic bristles, boar hair
bristles are gentler and snag less on the strands, while delivering shine and
distributing your natural oils throughout your strands. Here’s a second tip: Whenever
you are putting hair into a pony tail, I recommend hair ties that do not have
little metal pieces holding the tie together. Preferably, look for ones that
are metal-free or ones that have cotton material, like the scrunchies from the
90’s! These are great for bed time and do not tug on hair while you sleep. Also,
try not to tie hair too tightly, as your hair can break while in a ponytail
much faster than when hair is worn down. Now, onto the treatments!
To Buy: Organix Anti Breakage Keratin Oil Instant Repair
Spray. It retails for about $8 and can be found at your local drugstore. The
oil is infused with Keratin Oil, which strengthens the strands preventing
breakage, and Argan oil, softening and conditioning your hair, and adding
shine. It is meant to be applied to damp hair, preventing breakage as you comb
and style. This is part of my hair routine as I have very fine, breakage-prone
hair, and since I started using this a few months ago, I can see a difference
in the strength of my hair.
To DIY: A Coconut Milk, Honey, and Avocado Hair Mask.
Coconut Milk’s high protein content works fast to restore strength and moisture
in hair while Avocado’s fatty acids start to deliver moisture to your hair.
Honey, as sweet as it is, has some sweet benefits for your hair, such as
infusing your strands with high shine, and acts as a natural humectant to keep
your hair frizz-free while absorbing moisture from the air.
What You Need: ½ cup of Coconut Milk (preferably unsweetened),
½ peeled Avocado, 2 tablespoons of honey, a mixing bowl, a wide tooth comb, and
a shower cap.
What to Do: Start by mashing Avocado into a paste in your
mixing bowl. Make sure there are no clumps of avocado as they can be difficult
to remove. Once it’s completely mashed, add the coconut milk and honey into the
paste, and mix until it appears well blended. Apply this paste to dry hair,
ensuring that hair is completely coated in the mask. Use a wide tooth comb to
completely distribute in hair. Massage into scalp and ends. Once done, put on a
shower cap and let the mask saturate your hair for 20 to 30 minutes. Follow
this by thoroughly rinsing, then shampoo and condition hair. This treatment can be done once a week or as
often as you see fit!
SPLIT ENDS
After long, harsh winters, or scorching, hot summers, our
ends take such a beating that it’s impossible for our strands to stay intact.
Some common knowledge to treat this hair catastrophe is to get your ends
trimmed every 8 to 12 weeks. But in between trims, it is possible for ends to
become fried and damaged, so how to do maintain your ends healthy in the meantime?
I have found two alternatives for this hair concern that will help your ends
stay nice and strong!
To Buy: Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Split Ends Mender.
It retails for about $6 and can be found at your local drugstore. It contains
coconut oil, silk, and keratin proteins to repair split ends, while coconut
milk and egg whites repair damaged cuticles and retain frizziness. Perfect for
frizzy, dry, and damaged hair types as well.
To DIY: 30 Minute Hair Repair Rinse- A combination of Honey,
Almond oil, and Apple Cider Vinegar to restore your ends! The Honey moisturizes
the hair shaft, preventing further breakage, while almond oil strengthens and conditions
the hair shaft and ends. The Apple Cider Vinegar is great for mending the hair’s
cuticle while the acids in it cleanse the scalp of build-up and oils. This
treatment is great for the overall health and restoration of your hair.
What You Need: 2 tablespoons of Honey, 1 tablespoon of
Almond Oil, and 1-2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar (depending on hair
length and thickness), a mixing bowl, and a shower cap.
What to Do: Pour ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir
until well blended. Apply mixture to hair over a sink or in the shower,
ensuring hair gets soaked in this rinse. Massage into your scalp and ends.
Twist ends lightly to rid of excess liquid in hair, clip it up and put on a
shower cap. Leave this in your hair for 30 minutes to let the ingredients
saturate and restore your hair. Rinse thoroughly with water, then follow by
shampoo and conditioner. This treatment can be done once a week or as often as
you see fit!
FINE HAIR
I have fine hair myself, so I know just how to care for the
very limited strands that I have. Fine hair does not mean that you have less hair than other people. It just means that your individual hair strands are thinner, and that's okay. It's best for people who have thin hair to focus less on trying to thicken their hair, as this isn't possible to expand each individual strand and follicle, but to learn how to take care of your fine, delicate hair. The most important thing to keep in mind is that this hair type can become oily very fast, as
well as fall out very easy. I recommend using sulfate-free shampoos, as ones
with sulfate cause fall out, and steer clear of alcohol based products as they
dry up and strip hair of their moisture and nutrients. The best products for
fine hair are ones that are oil-free or that absorb oil, while delivering
volume to your roots. Here are my recommendations for fine hair:
To Buy: Suave’s Volumizing Mousse. It retails for $3 and can
be found at your local drugstore. It gives great volume to your hair and leaves
hair soft and bouncy, unlike most volumizing mousses’ that leaves your hair feeling
crunchy and stiff.
To DIY: Banana, Egg, Castor Oil, and Olive Oil Hair Mask.
This mask will not only give you extreme shine and moisture, but volume as
well, while giving your strands strength and promoting hair to grow. Banana has
some great benefits for hair, such as softening, boosting shine, and restoring
hair. Eggs have protein which help to strengthen the hair. Castor Oil is like
magic for promoting hair growth due to the amounts of vitamin E, omega-6, and
other essential nutrients that it contains. The olive oil helps to bring
moisture to your hair, while providing an easy removal process later on, when
trying to get the bits of banana out of your hair.
What You Need: 1 Banana, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of Castor oil,
and 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil, a mixing bowl, a wide tooth comb, and a shower
cap.
What to Do: Start by mashing the banana into a paste. Make
sure it does not have any clumps as these can become very difficult to remove
later on. Once you have your paste, whisk your egg, and add it into the mix.
Now, you can add both the castor and olive oils, and blend this into the hair
mask. Once it’s ready, you can proceed to apply it to dry hair, making sure it
gets distributed throughout your entire head. You can use a wide tooth comb to
spread it evenly. Then, massage into scalp and ends. Clip up your hair, and
apply a shower cap. Leave mask on 15-20 minutes to let it deeply saturate your
hair. Rinse thoroughly, then follow with shampoo (which I recommend to do this
twice), then condition ends only (to prevent greasy scalp). This treatment can
be done once a week or as often as you see fit!
OILY HAIR
This also qualifies as my hair type, as I mentioned before,
fine hair has a tendency to become oily. The reason for this is because the
hair is so thin, that is absorbs what it can, and the rest sits on the scalp,
giving your roots a moist or sleek appearance. Thick hair, on the other hand, absorbs
everything that the scalp produces, and sometimes needs more, giving thick hair
a dry or coarse appearance, as it constantly requires moisture. So, now that we’ve
learned a bit about this hair type, let’s look at some alternatives to help
these hair types look less oily.
To Buy: Suave’s Volumizing Dry Shampoo. This product retails
for $3 and can be found at your local drugstore. This product is pretty awesome
because it doubles as a volume-booster and an oil absorber, making your hair
look amazing! It does not leave a powdery look to hair as some dry shampoos
tend to do, and it’s easy to blend into your roots, so it goes undetected.
Also, this can be applied to clean hair after it is styled, preventing the oils
from being released throughout the day.
To DIY: Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice and Water Rinse- This
rinse is great for preventing oils from being
released too soon or throughout the day, and keeps your hair cleaner, for
longer periods of time. The acid from the vinegar eats up the oils and build up
on your scalp while the acid from the citrus temporarily closes the pores on
your scalp to prevent the production of oils. Now, the acids in this
combination can be dehydrating, which is why water is recommended to dilute it.
Also, bear in mind, if this treatment is done too frequently, your hair can
lighten in color. I recommend doing this once a month to prevent this from
happening.
What You Need: 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider
Vinegar, and the juice from ½ lemon, a mixing bowl, and a shower cap.
What To Do: Start by getting the cup of water, then add the
vinegar to it. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the mix, ensuring
seeds don’t fall in. Stir until well blended. This mix should be applied to
shampooed hair, so wash first, then run rinse through your clean, towel-dried
hair. Ensure that the rinse is evenly distributed to your hair, and massage
into roots and ends. Let the mixture sit in hair for 20 minutes, followed by a
cool water rinse, and condition ends (optional). This treatment should not be
done too frequently, so ensure at least a month has passed before repeating
this treatment in hair.
DULL HAIR
Dull hair can happen to anyone, at any time, and from
anything. It could be the weather, it could be your shampoo, it can even come
from needing a haircut. But don’t be too quick to run to the clippers. I have
two coconut-based solutions for your dull hair that will make you feel brand
new!
To Buy: Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Instant Repair Treatment.
It retails for about $7 and can be found at your local drugstore. This deep conditioning
treatment is intended to revive lifeless, dull hair, and nourish it back to
health with its coconut oil, coconut milk, and whipped egg white ingredients.
To DIY: Coconut Hair Revival Mask- This mask, made with
coconut oil, coconut cream, egg whites, and honey, will revive your tired
strands with its fresh ingredients and its penetrating oils. The coconut cream
coats the hair with all of the vitamins and minerals that coconuts are best
known for while the coconut oil seeps into your strands to deliver even more
nourishment, and works on restoring the inside of your hair follicles. The egg
whites strengthen your strands with protein while the honey softens your hair
and boosts shine
What You Need: ½ cup of Coconut Cream (Canned or Bottled), 2
tablespoons of virgin Coconut oil, 2 whipped egg whites, 2 tablespoons of honey,
a mixing bowl, and a shower cap.
(Note: If you cannot
find/use coconut cream, that’s ok. It is intended to add a fluffy, conditioning
base for this mask. If you wish to do this treatment without the coconut cream,
use 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, 3 egg whites, and 3 tablespoons of honey.)
What to Do: Start by putting coconut cream into a mixing
bowl and use a whisk to fluff it a little. Once it starts to look fluffy, pour
in the coconut oil and honey. Mix in until it is well blended into the fluff.
Now, take both eggs and pour in egg whites into a separate bowl. Throw away
yolks. Whisk the egg whites until it starts to turn into a froth. Now pour the
egg froth into the coconut fluff and blend together. Apply this mix into
washed, towel-dried hair, and blend in, ensuring it coats hair evenly. Massage
into roots and ends. Clip up hair and apply shower cap. Let this sit for 20-40
minutes, followed by rinsing and conditioning ends.
Alternative Option: Pour coconut oil and honey into a mixing
bowl. In a separate bowl, add egg whites to bowl. Throw away egg yolk. Whisk
egg whites into a froth and pour into coconut oil and honey mix. Blend all
three together until well blended. This should be applied to dry hair and
should be poured into hair over a sink or in the shower for easy clean up. Massage
into roots and ends, and twist ends lightly to remove excess oil. Apply shower
cap and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Follow with shampoo and conditioner.
Either option can be done once a week, or as often as you
see fit.
DANDRUFF/ITCHY SCALP
Dandruff is caused by dry skin on the
scalp from lack of moisture on the scalp and hair follicles. This is a tedious
skin problem to get rid of, but with the following two options, you are on your
way to a flake-free scalp!
To Buy: Head and Shoulders Shampoos and Conditioners. They retail
for about $5 and can be found at your local drugstore. The brand is known for
its abilities to successfully remove and prevent flakes from occurring.
To DIY: We have two options, choose which you prefer:
Tea Tree Oil Treatment-
Unlike the masks and rinses we’ve discussed, this one is quite simple. Just
soak cotton balls with tea tree oil, and dab onto your entire scalp and massage
it in. Let it sit for 20 minutes then rinse, followed by shampoo and
conditioner. Or you can add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo, wash
as you normally would, and rinse. Followed by regular conditioning.
The second option is an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. This
rinse works to remove any build up on the scalp while removing flakes. This
works fairly quick, and results can occur within the first rinse.
What You Need: ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar, ½ cup Water, a cup
or mixing bowl.
What to Do: Mix both the vinegar and water into a cup or
mixing bowl. Stir until the two are completely mixed. Apply this rinse to
clean, towel-dried hair and pour rinse in hair over a sink or in the shower for
easy clean up. Massage into scalp and ends and twist ends lightly to release
excess liquid. Clip up hair and let sit for 20 minutes, followed by a cold
water rinse and conditioner. This treatment can be done once a week or as often
as you see fit!
GROWTH
We all desire gorgeous, long, shiny locks of hair, but we
know how long it takes for our hair to get there. Here are two alternatives to
give your growth process a little boost!
To Buy: Baby Face Pure Protein. It retails for $21 and can
be purchased on Amazon.com. I have been using this myself for the last 2 months and
am very pleased with the results. My hair has grown an inch and a half since my
first treatment, which is a lot for me as my hair grows very slowly. It leaves my
hair super soft, and very shiny! It also is very potent, so it should be mixed
with a moisturizing conditioner prior to application.
To DIY: Hair Growth Oil Blend. This is a blend I use myself between
treatments from the product mentioned above. I did some research on oils that
promote healthy hair growth and purchased them, mixing them together and putting
the blend into a spray bottle. The oil blend is packed with vitamins and
nutrients that are necessary for hair growth, to prevent breakage and fall
outs, to restore the hair shaft and follicles, and to seal in moisture to
prevent split ends. The mix requires Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Almond
Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Argan Oil. This may seem like an over load, but each one
has a specific purpose, and are safe to be mixed and used together.
What You Need: 2 tablespoons of each oil, a mixing bowl, and
a shower cap. (This is enough for one use. If you wish to make a long-term
supply, triple the measurements for each oil).
What to Do: First, start by measuring and pouring each of
the oils into your mixing bowl. Once each one is measured and in your bowl,
stir the contents. Now, apply the oils into dry hair. Ensure your hair is
completely covered in this blend and massage into scalp and ends. Twist ends to
release any excess oils. Clip up hair and put on a shower cap. Leave this blend
in for an hour, or overnight (the hair can fully absorb the nutrients and
vitamins while you sleep, allowing for full saturation of these oils in your
hair). Follow with shampoo and conditioner. This can be done once a week or as
often as you see fit!
I hope I covered each and every hair concern possible, and
hope you found this super helpful and informative. I thank you sincerely for
reading, and encourage everyone to ask any questions they have, to share any
tips they may have regarding hair care and their favorite DIY treatments, or if
you have any requests for hair care, to please leave them in a comment below
the post. Thanks again and stay tuned for tomorrows post on Color Maintenance
and Other Alternatives to Coloring your Hair!
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