Hair-care Tips

Comb your hair regularly. Combing helps spread the natural oils through hair, making it look shinier and healthier.

Massage scalp regularly to increase oil secretion.

Always wash your brush and comb when you shampoo your hair. Avoid lending your brushes and combs to others.

Don't wash you hair in soaps or harsh shampoos. They are highly alkaline and will upset your hair's natural pH balance.

Avoid sratching scalp with finger nails or fine combs, because damage to scalp causes damage to hair.

Leave your hair untied for atlease four hours a day. This eases the pressure on your scalp and gets blood circulation back.

Finally, follow a healthy and balanced diet. Nothing promotes hair growth better.

Basic Hair Care

We recommend that you follow the suggestions listed below to help you to get your hair into a good condition.

Cleansing
Your should wet your hair with warmish water and using only a little amount of shampoo get it into a lather in your hands and then apply it onto your hair.

The choice of shampoo should reflect you own type of hair and how you wish to present yourself.

Conditioning
After you shampoo your hair it is important to use a conditioner on every occasion as a conditioner will help the hair cuticle cells and help to get them to lay flat. it will also allow the hair when dry to be more easily looked after.

The conditioner that you use is very important and there are different formulas for dry hair and for hair that is more greasy.

It is essential that you make regular trips to a hairdresser every six to eight weeks otherwise there is a danger of getting split ends in your hair.However, by keeping your hair clean and conditioned following the plan above you will be able to ensure that your hairdresser is able to really get the best look and shape to your hair.

Healthy Hair

Healthy hair responds to what you eat in the same way as your skin and the whole of the rest of your body.

Iron deficiency is the biggest problem for non genetic hair loss amongst women in Britain.

For iron to be absorbed in the body Vitamin C and Lysine acid needs to be taken. If you do not eat alot of red meat then it could be difficult to absorb enough iron, so it is advisable to consider using a supplement. It is very important to look after your digestion by eating vegetables and fruit on a daily basis. It is also important to eat the following foods on a regular basis.

Salads, Figs, Almonds, Dates, Peas, Beans, Lentils, Sesame seeds, Salmon, Tuna, Sardines.

It is also important to drink alot of water and keep your caffeine content down to a minimum by drinking very little tea or coffee, chocolate or any cola drinks.

Unlike your skin your hair cannot repair itself. That's why you need to care for it and protect it - for the state of your hair reflects your internal health. To revive your hair's natural health and shine, follow this:

Keep your scalp clean and cool.

Nutrients are the key to healthy hair, but to be effective, they must reach the roots. So, whatever you use, you must learn to massage it in well, using the pads of your fingers.

Tension in the scalp or fatty deposits block blood circulation, drying the sebum and thus starving the hair roots. So, message scalp with a god oil to improve circulation and free the hair roots of dry sebum.

Make a pre-shampoo conditioner with natural herbs like henna, 'shikakai', neem, sandalwood, 'amla' and 'brahmi' and add curd and eggs to it. Apply to scalp to beat dryness and lend bounce to otherwise limp and dull hair.

Follow a balanced diet rich in minerals, proteins and vitamins, the essentials for healthy hair. Especially good are iron, sulphur, zinc-B complex and vitamin C.

Treat specific hair conditions the herbal way:

Dry hair
Message well with a herbal oil at least twice a week. Follow a diet rich in zinc. Use a mild herbal shampoo and avoid harsh ones since the chemicals in them can strip hair of its outer protein layer, further drying the scalp. Do not use electric curlers and hair drayers.

Oily hair
Wash hair every alternate day and rinse out with lemon. Use oils and shampoos rich in need and henna. A head massage with a herbal oil helps maintain the pH level of the scalp. Avoid oily foods and binge on green leafy veggies and fruits.

Dandruff
Message scalp with essential oils like rosemary, cedar, lemon and eucalyptus to reduce flaking and itchiness of the scalp. 'Methi' seeds are also helpful in fighting dandruff. Soak them overnight, grind the next morning, mix in the juice of need leaves and apply on the scalp. Avoid fatty foods and red meat.

Hair fall
A diet lacking in zinc, minerals, proteins, vitamins and B-complex. Excessive body hat, stress and tension, hormonal imbalance, thyroid imbalance, prolonged illness and excessive medication. The chemicals used in perming lotions and hair colourants. They are all responsible for hair loss. The remedy: Change your diet to include healthy food; massage hair with essential oils and treat hair to nourishing packs.

Greying
With age, the middle layer of hair loses its pigment, resulting in grey hair. Besides, excessive body heat and the heat generated by constant mental activity can lead to premature greying. And, of course, perming, colouring and bleaching work to promote greying, too.

If you want to colour your hair, try doing it naturally. Use henna along with other herbs like 'amla', 'shikakai' and brahmi'. Add coffee for that dark brown colour. Those of you with no option but to use a dye, remember to keep the scalp nourished with vegetable juices.