Hair Care Tips

Hair Care Tips

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle which includes proper diet and nutritionis a major key to Hair Care Tips beautifulhair. But, unfortunately, we do not always have proper eating habits.

By using hair nutrients and following some general guidelines, youcan keep your hair in great condition.

Last Updated - 7th October 2005

General Hair Care Tips

As much as possible, use natural and organic hair-careproducts. Many commercial shampoos, conditioners, and rinses containchemicals that in the long run can damage the hair. Daily or regularshampooing, rinsing, and conditioning with natural products can helpkeep hair healthy and beautiful. Look for hair care products withwheat germ, jojoba, and/or coconut oil, keratin, vitamins such asbiotin, panthenol, vitamin A, E and essential oils.

When applying shampoo, be sure to massage the scalp,as this activates circulation and energy flow, and stimulates hairat the roots. As much as possible, avoid using electric hair dryers,hot curling irons and let the hair dry naturally.

Healthy Hair

Good hygiene is important for healthy hair. This includesbrushing the hair properly and washing it with a mild shampoo. Goodnutrition (a well - balanced diet of fresh foods and lots of water)not only helps one to have beautiful - looking hair but also improvesit's texture.

Wash your hair daily or every other day. The extracirculation provided by the shampoo /message stimulates the oil glandsto work more efficiently and brings natural oils into the hair. Thisapplies to all types of hair.

Use shampoo that is pH balanced and that is designedspecially for you hair type (dry, oily, etc.). Ask your hair specialistto assist you in selecting the right shampoo for your hair type. Alwaysrinse with cool (not hot) clean water for extra shine.

Allow your hair to air dry naturally whenever possible.

Never brush soaking - wet hair, as the hair is quiteelastic at this time and can be pulled and stretched to the breakingpoint. A wide - toothed comb is best for wet hair.

Give your hair a good brushing before bed. This shouldbe done by bending forward from the waist, head down, brushing fromthe back to front. Brush at least fifty to one hundred strokes. Thiswill help remove dirt, pollutants and damaging particles from thehair in addition to stimulate circulation which will increase naturaloils for added sheen and oxygen to the hair and scalp.

Once a week massage jojoba oil with one to two dropsof rosemary oil for dry or oily hair and tea tree for hair that showsigns of dandruff into the scalp. Leave on over night, wash out thenext day.

Hair Type Tips

Dull hair without hair damage in most cases can bethe result of a build-up of shampoos, conditions, and hard-water particles.These build-ups can deprive your hair of the bounce and sheen forwhich you bought the shampoo and conditioner in the first place.

Clean your hair thoroughly to rid it of hair - careproducts and residue.

Try a shampoo specially designed to remove build-up,or you can use a solution of plain apple-cider vinegar and water.This procedure will restore the acid mantle, which is essential toa healthy scalp and clean, shiny hair.

Rinsing your hair after shampooing with the apple-cidersolution of apple-cider vinegar and water (half and half mixture),massage in well, then raise out.

Now apply your conditioner. This should be done everytwo weeks. This is very important if you wash your hair consistentlywith hard water, which has more metal ions.

When combined with soaps, these metal ions leave aresidue that when left on your hair will make it dull and dry.

Natural Highlights

Chamomile oil and/or lemon extract are the strongestnatural highlighter. Just comb the chamomile oil or lemon extractthrough your hair and let the sun do the rest. When using essentialoils and/or extracts, always mix them with jojoba oil. Never applyessential herbal oils or extracts directly on hair or skin.

For a milder, overall lightening, use chamomile tea(brewed in hot water and cooled) and/or lemon juice, and rinse yourfreshly shampooed and conditioned hair with it, then go out into thesun and let dry.

For reddish highlights, use a rinse mixed with a bitof lemon juice and brewed red zinger tea. With the sun's help youwill have natural red highlights. Both teas can be found in healthfood stores.

Falling Out and Thinning Hair

Avoid using stiff nylon brushes, rollers, pony-tails,and other hairstyles that put great pressure on the hair.

Avoid rough scalp massages and towel dying, permingand hot blow drying (these weaken the hair shaft even more). Let hairdry as naturally as possible or if you must blow dry, use low to mediumheat only. Hold the blower at least 6 inches from your scalp.

Use a de-tangle and a wide-tooth comb to untanglethe hair. Minimize use of a brush on wet hair. Do not wear hats orwigs on a regular continues basis. Hats and wigs can cut off circulationand oxygen, causing possible further hair loss.

Lightly massage your scalp with the tips of your fingers,always using a circular movement for five minutes when shampooing.This is good for blood nourishment to the scalp.

After shampooing, rub a few drops of a blend of essentialoils such as tea tree, jojoba oil, and rosemary into your hair andscalp and message in; do not rinse out unless your hair is oily.

Dry and Brittle Hair

A through brushing of the hair using a slow, gentle,even strokes to minimize pressure on the split ends every day keepsit free from unwanted particles and helps to bring the natural oilsfrom the scalp to the hair split ends. This will make your hair lessdry and brittle and will help it to look silky and lustrous.

Avoid sun damages, chlorinated swimming pools by wearinghats and swimming caps.

Avoid shampoos that are extremely alkaline or thatcontain alcohol.

Keep split ends or dead hair cut. In most cases youcannot repair the damage by treating hair from the "outside-in."Hair has to be repaired from the "inside-out." Keeping thehair healthy and free of dead and/or split ends will help new hairgrow faster.

Use the jojoba oil and rosemary mixture on your haironce a week. This can be applied overnight (wear a cap or use a oldpillow case) or use as a hot oil treatment under the hair drier

Hair with no Body

The problem with lack of body in your hair is that it leads to threeother problems: less elasticity, less flexibility, and less strength.Look carefully at your hair. Does it look limp and flat shortly afteryou've washed and groomed it? Hairspray can weight it down and makeit look flat and limp so use very little. If you use a commercial conditionerthat contains a fabric softener such as stear-alkonium chloride or someother quaternary ammonium compound, it will make the hair look flatand limp. It will destroy the body your hair naturally has. Choose ashampoo and conditioner that has a pH of 4.5 to 5.5, that is naturaland contains protein. Use a protein pack that contains horsetail and/orsage once a week, or you can add four to five drops of sage to a proteintreatment pack.

Dandruff

Dandruff appears in many forms, such as common dandruff,psoriasis, neurodermatitis. Dandruff itches and when scratched fallsaway easily. Psoriasis is a more difficult disorder where the scales,silver-white in color, cling tenaciously to the scalp. Neurodermatitisis a condition confined to the area at the base of the scalp, characterizedby extreme itchiness and common among menopausal and post-menopausalwomen.

Research indicated that dandruff becomes evident whenchemical reaction in the body causes the normal shedding of dead cellsto increase, thru making the peeling process, normally imperceptible,much more apparent. Evidence suggest that this chemical change isassociated with one or a combination of factors, namely a dietarydeficiency, stress, and ill usage of hair preparations. It goes withoutsaying that dandruff is obvious is Nature's cry for help!.

Avoid fry foods, animal fats, nuts, avocado and dairyproducts. Eliminate refined sugars from the diet.

Use a gentle shampoo and dilute it before using Commercialanti-dandruff shampoos are too harsh can dry out the hair. Besidesthese shampoos will only take care of the symptoms not the problem.

Use an natural shampoo with tea tree oil and/or rosemaryoil. Lightly massage your scalp with the tips of your finger, alwaysusing a circular movement for 5 minutes. This is good for blood nourishmentto the scalp.

Massage a blend of essential oils of jojoba oil, teatree, and rosemary oil into your scalp with your finger tips for 5minutes at least once a week and leave in overnight (use a old pillowcase)