If you’ve ever looked for all-natural hair care products at a regular store, you know how hard natural hair care products are to find. Though there are seemingly hundreds of choices on dozens of shelves, most everything is made with synthetic chemicals.
However, considering the long, successful history of natural hair care that dates back to ancient Egypt, it’s hard to believe that natural hair care products are now treated as an “alternative” to the mainstream chemical-filled shampoos, conditioners and styling products that actually cause more harm to the hair than good.
Do your hair a favor, and keep it naturally healthy.
Take care of your scalp. Its health determines the health of your hair. If your scalp is too oily, it clogs the follicles, “stunting” the growth of your hair. On the other hand, if your scalp has too little oil, it gets dry which makes your hair dry too.
For a healthy scalp:
Keep it clean with a nourishing, natural shampoo. Every strand of hair has a shaft that secretes oil to help protect the hair from the elements. This same oil collects dirt though, which why it’s important to use a nourishing, natural shampoo every day.
Wash your hair in lukewarm water, but rinse it with cool water. Cool water helps protect the hair by closing the cuticle. It also stimulates circulation in the scalp.
Massage your scalp with your fingertips once a day, from the nape of the neck to the forehead and across the hairline. If you have oily hair, massage gently. If you have dry hair, use more force. (The stronger the massage, the more you’re going to stimulate your oil glands.)
Condition, condition, condition. Use a nourishing, natural hair conditioner to lock moisture into the hair with a film of nourishing ingredients that soften and protect. If you have dry hair, condition every day after shampooing and consider trying a natural leave-in conditioner. If your hair is oily, you may try conditioning less often.
Eat healthy hair foods. Nourish your hair from the inside out by eating a diet rich in any or all of the following fruits, vegetables and grains:
Whole grain cereals, wheat bran, wheat germ and lentils
Get regular trims. Whether you’re trying to grow out your hair or simply maintain the same length, you need regular trims to get rid of split ends. Try a quarter inch every six weeks. Your hair grows about half an inch in just four weeks, so your hair will inevitably get longer, especially by getting rid of the “dead” ends that split and break.
Each strand of hair will stay on your head an average of two to seven years, so be sure to choose natural hair care products to keep your hair as healthy as possible.