If you aren’t sure whether your hair fall into dry and brittle category or not, here is a simple test for you:
- take one hair strand and stretch it (gently), hold for a few seconds and then release.
- If your hair bounced back to normal – congratulations, your hair is structurally strong and healthy!
- If it broke easily or got damaged your hair is in poor condition and we have some work to do.
Healthy hair contain about 10 percent moisture, however keeping your hair at this level is a real challenge for most of us. There is so many environmental causes and our own mistakes that contribute to hair damage. Here are some of the factors that could contribute to the problem:
- sun exposure,
- arid climate,
- salty water,
- chlorine in water,
- blow dryers and curling irons,
- hair coloring,
- shampooing too often.
Some may be surprised by this but sunlight has similar effect to blow dryers and curling irons, yet many do not even consider it. Hair dye can deplete moisture from healthy hair and bring it down to as little as two percent.
Protecting your hair from sun exposure, ensuring the quality of water, shampooing only when necessary, minimizing damage from blow dryers and curling irons and, if possible, avoiding hair coloring altogether are necessary steps to healthy and naturally beautiful hair. While these steps may seem like too much for some, consider this: your hair can only take this much and once you reach the tipping point when the damage is irreversible there will be nothing to style, curl or dye. There will be practically no hair at all!
If you already have some damage and are willing to work on restoring the health of your hair, do not despair – your willingness is all we need. Start by minimizing exposure to above-mentioned factors and consider some of these tried-and-proven home remedies. Fortunately, there is so many remedies to choose from so you will definitely find what appeals to you.
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Olive oil.
Olive oil mask for dry hair is my favorite and probably one of the easiest remedies out there. Gently rub a small amount of olive oil into your hair at least one hour before shampooing. As with other oil treatments, the longer you keep it, the better – if possible, keep it overnight. You can do this as often as you like, however remember to use only small amount of olive oil.
Almond oil.
You can do the same with almond oil. Both olive and almond oil are great for your hair, although almond oil is a little more expensive. Some suggest applying almond oil on moist hair. The reasoning behind this is that moist hair will absorb oil easier.
Coconut oil.
Coconut oil is another great alternative. Application is similar to olive and almond oil, however if your coconut oil is in solid state you might need to warm it before applying it on your hair. In addition, if you have very thin hair applying coconut oil on scalp will weigh it down and make it appear even thinner.
Jojoba oil.
Heat some jojoba oil and apply it onto damp hair. Once again, depending on length of your hair, you shouldn’t need more than 2-3 tablespoons. Keep for twenty minutes then shampoo your hair as usual.
Essential oils.
These can be awesome treatment for all kids of hair troubles. We have written about essential oils for hair here.
Mayonnaise.
I am not a fan of food in my hair (other than olive oil) but if you only can get over it you will love the effect! Use only full fat mayonnaise though, low-fat or fat-free types will not do the trick.
Honey.
Honey makes a great hydrating mask for dry and brittle hair. Simply massage about half a cup honey into your hair and leave for about 20 minutes. You can add a little olive oil to your honey to make application easier.
If your hair is very dry you can boost the effectiveness of this remedy by adding mashed avocado or egg yolk. You can do this once a month.
Yogurt, olive oil and hair conditioner.
To make your hair less frizzy and to add more shine mix your favorite hair conditioner with one spoon of olive oil and one spoon of natural yogurt. Apply the mixture on your hair half an hour before shampooing.
Avocado.
Avocado mask will give your hair vitamins A and B and help you get rid of dry and frizzy hair. Simply apply mashed avocado for twenty minutes before washing.
Finally remember to eat healthy. Healthy hair need foods that contain vitamins A, B and C, copper, iodine and iron.