Hair benefits from deep conditioning as it helps to keep locks soft, shiny, and more manageable. Natural home hair mask treatments are easy, effective and useful methods to remedy dullness, frizz and dandruff.
Benefits of Home Remedies
Homemade hair masks are cheap and help to repair damage from excessive styling. Selecting
ingredients for the specific hair type means the tailor made treatments work faster and address any specific problems. To keep hair in good condition it helps to protect it from too much sun, heat styling and chemical treatments. Read Natural Dandruff Remedies: Hair care at Home if scalp dryness or dandruff is a problem.
Boosting Effectiveness of Conditioners
To ensure that a hair mask works effectively make sure hair is washed no less than twenty four hours before applying a hair mask. Applying a mask to overly dirty hair means that the dirt can block the mask and reduce its effectiveness. Reduce use of heat after using the mask as excessive heat negates the strength added from the treatment.
Hair is more fragile and susceptible to damage when wet so do not brush or comb hair when using a hair mask. Roughly drying wet hair with a towel can also harm the cuticle and weaken hair so blot hair gently with a microfiber towel.
Conditioning Home Remedies
Dull, dry hair will benefit from an oil treatment, and frizzy hair benefits from a treatment that adds weight. Here are three conditioning hair treatments that can be done at home:
Lush Henna Hair Treatment
Henna has a long history of being used to condition and colour hair. Lush sell solid blocks of henna called caca, and it comes in four shades noir (black), brun (brown), marron (chestnut) and rouge (red). The henna colours can be mixed to create a subtle shade. It is recommended to do a strand test first before using henna and is essential if you have grey or chemically processed hair.
- Two blocks of Lush caca henna
- Two saucepans
- Heatproof bowl
- Water
- Tablespoon of olive oil
- Non-metal spatula
- Break up the henna by placing inside two plastic bags and bashing with a rolling pin.
- Place the henna in the bowl and cover with boiling water.
- As the henna absorbs the water, use spatula to stir the mixture until it becomes the consistency of yoghurt. Start boiling water in the larger saucepan.
- Place the second saucepan inside and place the bowl of henna inside to heat.
- Heat the henna for three to four minutes and turn off heat.
- Remove the bowl from the saucepan and the henna is ready to be applied to hair.
- Leave on for at least three hours for optimal results.
- Stand under a shower until water runs clear then shampoo and condition hair as usual.
Avocado Hair Mask for Split Ends
Avocado is perfect for dry hair and helps to smooth rough hair cuticles and add weight to hair.
- One small ripe avocado (peeled and pitted)
- Tablespoon of soy yoghurt
- Teaspoon honey
Combine ingredients and mash together with a spoon. Apply the mask mixture generously to hair and scalp, massaging to ensure all hair is covered. Cover hair with a shower cap to let the mask penetrate into the hair and leave for twenty minutes before rinsing. Shampoo and condition as usual.
Herbal Oil Conditioning Treatment
This oil treatment helps to combat damage from heat, over-cleansing and chemical treatments using aromatherapy oils. Tablespoon almond oil 4 drops sandalwood oil 1 drop lavender oil Combine oils together in a small glass container. Dampen hair with warm water and use fingertips to massage the oil treatment into scalp and hair. Wrap hair in a towel or shower cap and allow the oils to penetrate the hair for at least thirty minutes. Shampoo and condition as usual.
Homemade hair masks can be useful treatments to strengthen, soften and nourish dry, frizzy or damaged hair. Benefits of regular deep conditioning include a healthier scalp, more shine and strength. Read Hair Loss Solutions – A Diet for Healthy Locks to find out what foods are necessary for healthy hair.
Sources
- Vukovic, Laurel, 1001 Natural Remedies, Dorling Kindersley, 2003
- NaturalElixer.com. Hair Care (accessed May 15, 2010)
Priya Chauhan - A designer, topic editor and feature writer (for Hinduism) and all round experimenter of healthy living; Priya enjoys being creative, and ...
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