Secrets to Super Soft Natural Hair

Many naturals spend a lot of time, research and money seeking out the perfect holy grail conditioner. This is the product that will give super soft hair and moisture for days. This is the product that will replicate the salon results. However, the truth is that salon products are often sold to consumers and many of these are really not dramatically different from store bought products. The real secret of super soft hair is more about technique and less about product. Yes, it is true that your hair may prefer a particular ingredient but it is possible with the right process to get your hair super soft regardless of the product. Here are the tips.

Do not skip shampoo

How does this create soft hair : No build up on the hair surface means you get a very smooth strand to the touch.

Hair conditioner is the first thing many think about when it comes to soft hair but applying hair conditioner to hair with a layer of oil and styling products really reduces its ability to work as intended. Find a mild shampoo that you like and always use it during your main wash. If you choose to co-wash between main washes, this is fine, but using a shampoo during your main wash will help fight build up and create a nice clean layer for your conditioner to work on.

Do not be heavy handed with conditioner – Unravel those twists or braids

How does this create soft hair : Hair conditioner coats hair with softening ingredients and the more hair you have in contact with the conditioner, the softer it will feel.

If you are washing your hair in large twists or braids, take the time to unravel each twist or braid and apply hair conditioner properly to coat each strand of hair. You do not have to be heavy handed with your conditioner, you just have to make sure you get every strand covered . Plopping a large amount of conditioner on hair and trying to squeeze it through each large twist or braid is not the way to go. However, do rebraid or retwist after the conditioner application, if you intend to control shrinkage.

Heat up your conditioner and keep it on for 20 – 30 minutes

How does this create soft hair : Increased heat and additional time (20-30 minutes maximum), increases the amount of conditioner that can deposit on the surface of hair. More conditioner on the surface equals more softness.

Often in a salon, you will either have your hair wrapped in a towel after conditioning and asked to wait or covered with a plastic cap and placed under a hooded dryer. At home, you can achieve the same effect by simply heating up your conditioner in a water bath and then keeping the heat in once the conditioner is applied by covering your hair with a towel. Heat increases the amount of deposits on the hair surface from conditioner (adsorption if you are in the know). Increasing your conditioning time to 20-30 minutes also increases adsorption but after this time period, there are no further increases.

Go easy with the leave in products and stretch your hair out to dry

How does this create soft hair: Using a minimal amount of leave in products allows hair strands to be able to move past each other and not be sticky. The lighter hair feels, the softer it feels. Also hair that is very kinky with small curls will feel softer when stretched compared to when allowed to fully shrink.

Leave in products are useful for maintaining moisture but using a large amount can reduce the softness of hair. Naturally if you prefer your hair to be coated with a product as it feels better, then that is ok for you.

If you have hair that clumps, please ignore this next tip, you should encourage clumping and allow your hair to dry unrestricted. If your hair has tight curls and multiple kinks, allowing it to shrink fully can create a very rough feeling texture (‘brillo pad’), regardless of whether you have followed the processes listed above. This is the reason why many stylists will finish hair with a light blow dry or twist out/braid out depending on time and client’s desire. Stretching out the hair increases the feeling of softness.

Finally, one additional tip that I can give for stretching hair at home is that if you are choosing to air dry your hair in twists or braids, you can get a very good stretch and hair that feels very soft by stretching in two cycles. First, apply your leave ins/oils to freshly washed hair and braid or twist to dry. In the second cycle, unravel the dry twists or braids, rewet lightly with water and reapply a small amount of leave in or oil once more. Retwist or rebraid and allow to dry once more to get to a really good stretch.

4 Tips to Keep Your Hair Straight all Day

1. Long Works Better Than Short

In case you want straight hair, it would be a good idea to let it grow a little longer. Short hair has more tendencies to curl up than long hair. Moreover, it is harder to make short hair stay the way you want it to be.

Don’t forget regular trips to a hair dresser, at least once in every three months, to get rid of those dead or split ends, because they are one of the reasons why your hair curls up. In any case, try to keep your hair as healthy as possible, not only for the sake of straightening it, but for the sake of having a beautiful healthy hair, straight or curled.

2. Use of Products

Buy hair products that are labeled as “smooth”, “sleek”, “straight” or anything similar, wash your hair with a straightening shampoo and always apply conditioner. After you wash your hair, dry it a little with a towel, but don’t be too harsh. Apply some kind of straightening mousse, gel or any other hair straightening product on wet hair.

Don’t ever brush your hair while it’s wet, although brushing can help make it straight, your hair is weakest when it’s wet and brushing damages it. It’s also a good idea to apply some heat protector, since you’ll be exposing your hair to heat next.

3. Blow Drying and Flat Ironing

You can now choose to either blow dry your hair or to straighten it with a flat iron, or both. If blow drying, take a wide brush and straighten your hair as your hair stylist would do. Watch out not to turn the blow dryer on maximum heat and not to keep it too close to your hair.

If you decide for a flat iron, bear in mind that a good flat iron costs good money. Take small sections of your hair and clip the rest of the hair with hair clippers so that it doesn’t get in your way. Work your way from the back of your head to the front, leaving the hair sections closest to your face last.

4. Keeping it Straight

Now that you’ve made your hair straight, the idea is to keep it straight the whole day. You can do this best by applying either hairspray or even better a small dub of anti-frizz serum with silicone. Try to avoid warm and humid places since they will probably make your hair curly again.

Always keep a couple of things in mind – first of all buy good hair products. Flat ironing and straightening your hair in any other way does a lot of damage, so you need best quality products to give your hair the care it needs.

Second, and even more important – give your hair a break once in a while. You look perfectly good with curls, and no matter how “in” straight hair is right now, try not to damage your hair too much and leave it curly now and then. Guys like it wavy and curly anyway.

Foods and Natural Remedies For Healthy Hair Growth

Hair loss affects both men and women. While genetics plays a role, there are other factors, including hormonal imbalances, an underactive thyroid gland, nutrient deficiencies and insufficient scalp circulation. In addition, there are many foods that offer vitamins and minerals that support healthy hair.

Here are the top 11 foods and natural remedies that can help boost healthy hair growth.

1. Get Enough Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids are specific fats that are critical to the proper function of your body. Your body is not able to produce these fatty acids on its own, so it is necessary that you eat foods containing them.

Essential fatty acids from walnuts, flaxseeds, fish and avocado are great foods to eat for healthy hair.

2. Ramp Up Collagen Production With Vitamin C

Collagen surrounds the hair strands but as we age collagen breaks down, causing hair to be more vulnerable to breaking.  The best way to boost collagen is not through some expensive medical procedure, it’s by getting more vitamin C. 

Foods high in vitamin C include: citrus fruits, strawberries and red peppers.  Supplementing with 250 mg daily can help boost collagen production which has the added bonus of reducing wrinkling.

3. Boost Bioton

Biotin, a water soluble vitamin of the B complex, encourages hair and scalp health.  Dietary sources of biotin include nuts, brown rice and oats.

4. Boost Keratin Production with MSM

Methylsulfonylmethane aids in the production of keratin (a protein in the hair) while doing double-duty to strengthen hair follicles.  In one study 100 percent of people who supplemented with MSM showed reduced hair loss and increased growth in only six weeks.

Leafy vegetables, such as Swiss chard, cabbage and watercress, contain a small amount of MSM. Raw vegetables contain a higher amount than cooked vegetables because heat causes some of the msm to volatilize. However, you still receive some when you eat cooked asparagus or beets. Those who like to eat alfalfa also receive MSM when ingesting its nutritious leaves.

5. Eat Iron Rich Foods

Iron is also essential for hair growth and can be found in blackstrap molasses, green leafy vegetables, leeks, cashews, dried fruits, figs, and berries.  To help your body absorb iron, you’ll need enough vitamin C.

6. Give Your Hair A Mineral Boost

 The minerals silica and zinc are also critical for hair growth.  Take 500 mg of silica two times daily and 30 mg of zinc once daily. Food sources of silica include cucumber, mango, green leafs, beans, celery, asparagus. Natural Organic silica is also found in horsetail herb. Among some of the foods high in zinc are pumpkin seeds, fresh oysters, brazil nuts, eggs, pecans.

7. Add The Herb Saw Palmetto Into Your Diet

A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reported that saw palmetto (serenoa repens) may increase hair growth in men.  Hair growth improved in men taking 400 mg of a standardized extract of saw palmetto and 100 mg of beta-sitosterol (from saw palmetto) daily.  Historically, saw palmetto has been used by herbalists for hair loss in both men and women.

8. Address A Possible Underactive Thyroid Gland

 Hypothyroidism can cause thinning hair. Add sea vegetables like kelp, nori, dulse, kombu and wakame, all of which are rich in iodine may be helpful to balance this condition. 

Avoid drinking tap water since it typically contains fluorine and chlorine, two chemicals that inhibit iodine absorption.  You may also want to supplement with 100 mg or 1 mL of the herb bladderwrack (focus vesiculosus) daily.  Work with a qualified holistic health care professional if you suspect a sluggish thyroid gland.

9. Rejuvenate Hair Follicles With B-complex Vitamins

100 mg daily of a B-complex supplement that includes biotin and vitamin B6 can reduce hair thinning by increasing scalp circulation and rejuvenating hair follicles.

10. Prevent Breakage With Vitamin E

Vitamin E is required to nourish damaged hair and to prevent breakage.  It aids the body’s ability to manufacture keratin within hair strands to reduce breakage.  Supplementing with 400 IU of vitamin E can be helpful to restore locks.

Some foods high in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, pine nuts, dried apricots, cooked spinach and olives.

11. Boost Scalp Circulation With Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil has been traditionally used to increase circulation to the scalp.  Add a few drops per dollop of shampoo or, better yet, add a few drops of rosemary or coconut oil and massage your scalp regularly.

Hair Masks for Dry and Dull Hair

Battling dry and dull hair? Here are ten super rich hair masks made out of natural ingredients completely. Try them at home and flaunt your long, lustrous and envious tresses with delight!

The traditional henna pack: Soak henna mixed with black tea overnight. In the morning, add two beaten eggs, four teaspoons of curd, juice of half a lemon and one tablespoon of coconut or olive oil. Leave this mask on for at least two hours before washing it off with cold water for best results. Use a mild shampoo.
Protein-rich hair mask for dry and dull hair: Mix one egg yolk, one tablespoon of castor oil, one tablespoon of honey and cover your hair from root to tips. Put on a plastic shower cap and wrap your head with a towel. Wash off after half an hour and do a final rinse with apple cider vinegar. Using this mask thrice a week gives excellent results.

The banana mask: Mash two ripe bananas till smooth. Add two tablespoons of mayonnaise and one tablespoon of olive oil. Apply and leave on hair for an hour. Wash hair with lukewarm water. Since bananas are known for their softening effects on the hair, this mask is excellent for ladies who have dull and rough hair.
The potato hair mask: Remove the skin of one large potato and grate it. Squeeze the juice into a bowl. Mix two tablespoons of aloe vera gel to this. Stir well till the mixture becomes smooth in texture. Massage onto the scalp for fifteen minutes and then leave the mask for two hours before washing off. This mask helps in hair growth and combats hair fall.

Coconut cream mask: Take out all the cream at the bottom of a tender green coconut. Put it in a dish and warm it a little. Slowly massage it into your hair from root to tip. Wrap your hair in a warm towel and leave it for an hour. Wash with a mild shampoo and let your hair dry naturally. If done regularly, this pack helps regain your hair's lost shine and also makes it bouncy.
The coveted avocado mask: Mash avocado pulp and add mayonnaise in the ratio 1:2. Because of thick and heavy texture, avocado is one of the best smoothening natural remedies 

for dry and dull hair. Apply the mixture through your hair. Wash off with tap water after thirty minutes.

Methi anti-dandruff hair mask: Soak methi seeds in water overnight. Grind into a paste the next day and massage into scalp and hair. Leave on for 20 minutes before washing off. You can also use the water as the last rinse after you shampoo.
Protein-rich gram flour pack: Soak three tablespoons of black gram overnight and grind it to paste next day. Mix it with one beaten egg, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one cup of yoghurt. Apply to hair and leave on for half an hour before washing off with cold water.
Hibiscus hair pack: Take a cup full of red hibiscus petals and soak it overnight. Make a paste of it and add olive oil to it. Apply it on your scalp and wash off after an hour for lustrous tresses.

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Home Remedies for Perfect Hair Straightening

Most of us long to have shiny, smooth and straight hair. Straight strands are in trend, these days. Of course, permanent hair straightening gives you the expected results for one year. But, after one year, you will end up with even more bad conditioned hair with split and hardened ends. Well, there are some ingredients in your kitchen, which can straighten your hair, naturally and permanently. Natural remedies cause no damage to your hair. So, get ready to have shiny, healthy and straight hair at home without spending a huge amount of money from your pocket.

1. Lemon Juice & Coconut Milk

Lemon juice and coconut milk are great ingredients for straightening your hair naturally. If mixed with lemon juice, coconut milk will work as a cream conditioner and help to straighten the hair. All you have got to do is mix coconut milk and lemon juice and apply the cream. Wash your hair with lukewarm water after a few minutes. If you repeat this home remedy twice a week, you will clearly notice the difference.

2. Milk & Honey

Milk and honey also works as a natural straightener. Take a cup of milk and add 2 tablespoons of honey to it. Add some freshly mashed strawberries in this mix. Put it onto your hair. Keep it at least for 2 hours. Rinse thoroughly with a mild shampoo.

3. Eggs & Olive Oil

Take 2 eggs and add olive oil and mix them together. Massage your scalp with this mix. Keep it for like 1 hour or so. This will not only soften and condition your hair, but will also straighten your hair, naturally.

4. Castor Oil

Take castor oil and heat it. While the oil is still warm, apply it on your scalp and massage it. Wrap your hair with warm towel (soaked in warm water). Wash off after 30 minutes. Castor oil helps in straightening the hair, naturally.

5. Rice Flour & Egg Mask

Take an egg white and add 5 tablespoons of rice flour along with 1 cup of fuller’s earth. Mix it and apply it onto your hair. Comb your hair and leave it for an hour. Then, rinse thoroughly with shampoo. Apply this hair mask once in a week, for a few months.

6. Banana Hair Mask

Take 2 overripe bananas, mash them up with a fork and put 2 tablespoons each of honey, natural yogurt and olive oil in mashed bananas. Mix it till you make a fine paste. Apply this hair mask on your hair and wrap it with a shower cap. Wash after ½ an hour. All the ingredients in this hair mask will make your hair healthy, shiny, and straight.

7. Aloe Vera Gel Mask

Aloe vera is a wonderful herb for your hair. All you have to do is take ½ cup each of warm oil and aloe gel. Put them together and apply it like a hair mask. It looks like a hair mask but works as a conditioner. Wash off after 30-40 minutes. This will make your hair really shiny and straight.

8. Milk Hair Mask

Fill some amount of milk in a spray bottle. Comb hair after shampoo. Spray milk on your hair and rinse after 30 minutes. Spray your favourite perfume on the comb and then, comb your wet hair with this. This will vanish the smell of milk, but do not use too much perfume as it contains alcohol, which will dry your strands.

9. Celery

Take a bunch of celery and extract the juice of it. Store it in a bottle and leave it overnight. Apply this juice from root to tips of hair, the next morning. Comb your hair and cover them for half an hour. Wash and allow them to dry.

10. Banana & Papaya Hair Mask

Take banana and papaya in equal proportion and mash them well. Add 1 tablespoon of honey in it and mix it all, once again. Apply the hair mask on your strands. Let it dry completely. Wash off and see the difference in your hair.

11. Eggs

Take eggs and whip them till they turn smooth. Apply it on your hair and scalp. Leave it for 20-30 minutes.  Wash off your hair using a mild shampoo.

Note: You can also mix yogurt if the smell of eggs irritates you.

12. Vinegar

Vinegar also contributes in straightening of hair. After washing your hair, add a few drops of vinegar in water-filled mug and rinse your strands with this water. Finally rinse with clean water. This will make your strands straight, adding an extra sleeky shine.

13. Soybean Oil

Mix 1 tablespoon of soybean oil and 2 tablespoons of castor oil. Heat the mix. When the oil mixture becomes cool, apply it onto the scalp and hair (from root to tips). Massage and leave it for 30 minutes. Then, rinse your hair using a mild shampoo.

14. Olive Oil & Rosemary Leaves

Take ½ cup of olive oil and heat it. Put ½ cup of dried rosemary leaves in the hot olive oil. Strain the mixt and allow it to cool down. Massage on the scalp with this oil. Leave it for ½ hour. Then, wash off with mild shampoo. Wrap your hair with warm towel and let them dry naturally.

15. Milk & Egg Face Mask

Take 1 egg and beat it. Add 2 cups of milk in it and beat the mixture, one more time. Apply this mix on your strands and leave it for 15 minutes.  Then, wrap your hair with a bath cap or a plastic bag. After 30 more minutes shampoo your hair and apply a good conditioner.

16. Almond Oil

Even your regular conditioners can do wonders, if applied with a proper technique. Make your regular and ordinary conditioner a little greasy by adding 3-4 drops of sweet almond oil to it. Apply this conditioner like you always do and your hair will not only appear to be gorgeous, but also got straight, if repeated thrice a week.

By homeremedyshop.com

Yogurt Benefits for Beautiful Hair Naturally

You know how good yogurt is for your health, but did you know it has hair-saving benefits too? Boosting hair growth, providing nourishment, strengthening roots, stimulating blood circulation – yogurt packs a punch when it comes to hair.

Help for healthy hair
Use yogurt to help massage the hair adds a lot of nutrients for healthy hair. Yogurt is rich in minerals such as potassium and calcium. Besides, yogurt also provide other nutrients such as protein and vitamin B. One of the most important components in protein natural yogurt is pretty good for the hair. While protein is a vital force for healthy hair, the lactic acid from the blood circulation which helps to encourage hair growth.

Nourish Hair
Yogurt nourishes the hair and promotes hair growth. It also increases the luster of the hair. Moreover, yogurt is a natural way to deal with bad hair. If you want to grow hair fast using yogurt to incubate hair or scalp massage and hair to help hair grow fast and beautiful with time.

Silky hair
Yogurt makes a soft hair naturally without having to use shampoo. Yogurt also has the ability to clean the hair to help clean out dirt and dandruff. You can use yogurt thinning hair incubated for 20 minutes for soft silky hair.

Dry hair and split ends
Yogurt quite useful to deal with the situation and split ends, dry hair. Formula yogurt mixed with mashed papaya for composting will help avoid hair dryness and split ends hair in a long time. Or you can apply yogurt recipe with egg yolk incubated 10 minutes trpng hair is also very effective.

Fight dandruff
Yogurt and lemon juice is a good combination for hair can help to get rid of dandruff and scalp itch fast. Or can use frozen yogurt and black pepper and apply on the scalp helps to remove dandruff.

Add hair's luster
 Yogurt components essential elements such as Zinc, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 and lactic acid. Yogurt used to blend with many different types and for different effects. It is mixed with honey, eggs, orange juice or lemonade ... Massage hair with yogurt mixture to bring different benefits to the hair off dandruff, empty silky, shiny hair than ...

Benefits of Coconut Oil for Hair

Coconut oil is very popular and frequently preferred as hair oil worldwide. Before you start using this oil for its many beneficial, functions, perhaps you should find out what makes it so special, and why millions of people choose to use it.

Coconut oil is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals which are good for the human body. However, coconut oil is not limited to hair; it is used in the preparation of cosmetic soaps and creams, and in Asian countries, it is also used for preparing various kinds of food and salads.

Coconut oil has been in use as hair oil for thousands of years, and it has shown remarkable results. Certain components in it keep the hair strong, nourished and protected from the effects of premature aging, like baldness and excessive hair loss. Let’s see what some of those benefits to hair are, and what components of coconut oil are responsible!

Hair Loss: Coconut oil has been used since ancient times in India for grooming hair. Various remedies were prepared using herbs and coconut oil to prevent hair loss. One such remedy can be prepared in modern times by boiling sage leaves in coconut oil. This mixture can be applied to the scalp for the improvement of healthy hair, and its use will also prevent hair loss.

Applying a mixture of lime water and coconut oil can also provide relief from hair loss, as does the mixture of coconut oil and gooseberries. Boil the gooseberries in coconut oil and then apply it on the hair.

Hair Damage: The use of coconut oil on hair helps to reduce protein loss in both damaged as well as undamaged hair. Coconut oil rich in lauric acid, has a high affinity for hair protein, and easily penetrates inside the hair shaft, which is due to its low molecular weight. It can be used for pre-wash or post-wash hair grooming.

Cooling Properties: The application of coconut oil on the head and scalp also has a cooling effect. It can cool and soothe people with hot heads, or those who suffer from severe scalp sweating.

Moisture Retention: Coconut oil has a high moisture retaining capacity, since it is not easily broken down nor evaporated, being very stable. It does not let moisture escape, thus keeping hair moist and soft, which prevents breakage of hair.

Hair Conditioning: Coconut oil is a better conditioner for hair than any synthetic one available in the market. Use of warm coconut oil helps in keeping hair shimmering and soft. Apply some warm oil at night and wash your hair the next morning. This can be repeated every few days for healthy, strong and conditioned hair.

Anti-Dandruff: The various fatty acids present in coconut oil serve as very good anti-dandruff agents and are far better than any anti-dandruff shampoo. Regular application of coconut oil can help you get rid of dandruff forever. Coconut oil mixed with lukewarm water and castor oil can also be effective in treating dandruff. Massage the scalp and hair with this mixture for ideal results.

Another home remedy for dandruff can be prepared by mixing coconut oil with sesame oil. Apply this mixture for about 30 minutes and then shampoo the hair.

Styling: Coconut oil can be a good styling oil for hair as well, as it melts on heating and then condenses when cooled. Therefore, when you apply it on your hair, it thins and spreads evenly due to the heat of the scalp. Soon afterwards, as the hair comes in contact with air, the oil on the hair condenses, thus working as a styling gel or cream.

Lice Protection: Lice are a very common pest found in the hair and can cause embarrassment for anyone. They also have a tendency to come back again and again. There are many chemical products available for the treatment of lice, but unfortunately, they can also damage the scalp and hair due to their strong chemical components. Combing wet hair with a fine comb is a good remedy for getting rid of lice but this may also damage the wet hair. However, if one coats the wet hair with coconut oil, it becomes much easier to comb and subsequently remove the lice.

Hair Care for Dry Hair: For people with dry hair that is rough and thin, taking good care of your hair is a big concern. However, using strong hair care products for cleansing, toning and conditioning may lead to a dry and flaky scalp. Coconut oil can be effective in taking care of this sort of dry hair.

Hair Toning: Coconut oil also helps in the toning of hair, especially dry hair. Apply a warm mixture of coconut oil and lavender essential oil on scalp at night, then wash and rinse your hair the next morning. You may repeat this as frequently as you want until you see your desired results.

Hair Conditioning:  Hair conditioner can be easily prepared at home using coconut oil. It is not only effective; it also does not have side effects.  Mix some henna with coconut oil and warm milk to make a paste. Apply this to the hair for 20 minutes and then rinse hair properly. This hair conditioner is very effective, particularly for dry hair.

Boils: Some people experience the condition of boils on the scalp, especially during the winter. This may also happen if exposed to heat or sun for a long duration. It is important to keep both the hair and scalp clean, and occasional massaging of the hair with a mixture of coconut oil and olive oil may provide relief from the uncomfortable and unsightly problem of boils. However, if the problem persists, it is advisable to contact your health care specialist.

Split Ends: If you have a lot of split ends in your hair, it is generally advised to cut them, but in case this problem appears on a small number of your hair strands, then you can use simple home remedies to solve the problem. Massage your hair with a mixture of coconut oil and almond oil for a few minutes; this will help in minimizing the split ends and joining them back together.

Gray Hair and Baldness: Coconut oil is also beneficial for preventing baldness and gray hair. Try mixing Bhringraj or Eclipta Alba leaf juice into coconut oil and apply this on the scalp and hair.

Coconut oil is widely available in the market. Many people choose an odorless variety, use it for any and all hair conditions, and reap all the benefits of a healthy head of hair!

From organicfacts