We all want healthy and beautiful, shiny hair, but we can’t all afford those expensive hair care products on the market today. With those salon shampoos costing anywhere from $15-50 per bottle, colorings costing over $50 bucks in the salon, shiners and glossers costing about the same, hot oil treatments, collagen gels, and on and on…
But when it comes right down to it, you don’t need all of those expensive salon products to have beautiful, shiny, soft and luxurious hair. To start with, let’s talk about things you can do for your hair besides applying products that will automatically help your hair be healthier:
Don’t wash your hair every day
Unless you have a very oily scalp or work out or sweat during the day, your hair is most likely not dirty enough to need to be washed every single day. In fact, hair will often set better and hold a style better when it is not freshly washed.
Don’t blow dry your hair
Whenever possible, and time permitting, let your washed and combed hair dry naturally. Blow drying your hair adds both heat and friction, and those both bad for your hair.
Don’t use styling sprays or hair spray
These will dry out your hair, make it brittle, and cause split ends. Your best bet is to find a stylist to cut your hair in such a way that it needs minimal styling and preparation.
Get your hair trimmed regularly
Yes, only a woman would know that to grow your hair, you must cut it. Trimming your hair regularly and properly will get rid of the drier ends and keep them from splitting, which damages your hair.
Okay, now on to the products you can use, all natural, and many found right in your kitchen cabinets.
Rosemary
Rosemary stimulates hair follicles and has been shown to help prevent baldness. Rosemary oil is best for this, and can be found in most any health food store or in hobby stores for making scented items. Lightly heat the oil and massage into the scalp for several minutes, then let sit for several minutes, and then down the hair shafts before rinsing with warm clear water.
Avocado
Avocado not only contains natural oils, but it also contains vitamins B6 and E, often found in the more expensive hair care products on the store shelves. Crushing avocado, and mixing with one or more of the ingredients mentioned here will make a great paste to deep condition your tresses. Leave on for at least 20 minutes for maximum effect.
Mayonnaise
Mayo has fatty acid and fat, or oils in it, that will deep condition your hair. Don’t not rub it into your scalp, because it is very oily and hard to remove. Mayo is best applied from below the ear down, and will deep condition those drier split ends. Mayo is good for mixing with avocado and is used the same way.
Eggs
For really soft hair, whisk a couple of eggs in a bowl, apply to your hair, let it dry and then rinse it all out. Follow this with a light vinegar rinse, and you will strips any residual egg product from your hair and be left with clean and soft, conditioned hair. Egg can also be mixed with other ingredients listed here with the same effect.
Vinegar
Did you know that even your shampoo can cause buildup on your hair and eventually make your hair dull and dingy? One way to combat that is to use a vinegar rinse on your hair about once a month. Using three parts water, one part vinegar, you can spray or soak your hair in this solution to remove any chemical, pollution, or shampoo and conditioner buildup and you will find that your hair is much easier to manage and style.
Yogurt
Use plain yogurt in much the same way you would use mayonnaise on your hair. This can also be mixed with avocado or eggs and oils. Yogurt provides a similar effect to mayonnaise, but is good to use for people who don’t like the smell of mayo or who may be allergic to eggs (an ingredient in many mayonnaises.)
Hot Oil
Forgot the $5 bucks for a small tube of hot oil. You can make your own! Canola oil is the best, because it is all natural and contains no additional ingredients. While you can use vegetable oil, it is not recommended, because vegetable oil doesn’t seem to rinse as clean as canola oil does. Mineral oil is a good choice too, provided it is all natural with no fragrances. Baby oil is not recommended, because it contains fragrance, in the form of alcohol, and will actually make your hair drier, not conditioned. Warm the oil by placing it in the microwave for a few seconds, but be sure not to get it too hot and burn yourself or your scalp.
Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
If you have a very oily scalp, “Dawn takes grease out of your way.” You don’t want to use this more than about once per month, but for those times when your hair and scalp are extra oily, Dawn dishwashing liquid will clear that oil right up and leave your hair ready to condition.
Peaches, Watermelon, Cucumber
Fruit for your hair! Seriously, crush any of these items and rub them into your hair or mix them with the thicker more substantial items and not only will your hair be conditioned, but it will smell fantastic too!
Word of warning…Many people have claimed that using beer on hair is a good option, and while it will strip things from your hair, much like the vinegar will, beer actually contains alcohol (who would have thought that!) and alcohol dries your hair out. Beer is not a good option for conditioning or managing hair.
This is just a list of a few normal households items you might find in your own kitchen that can help you have a luxurious head of healthy hair while saving big bucks on the more expensive products that actually contain things that are bad for your hair along with these good things mentioned here. Give some of them a try – you won’t be disappointed!
