Best way to deal with Dandruff?? {DIY}

So, yes, I know most of you are facing this problem right now or would be in the coming subsequent months of August-September depending on when monsoons hit your town. So, be armed with this simple DIY to get rid of dandruff. 

Ingredients

• Apple Cider Vinegar / Fruit Vinegar / Vinegar
• Water

Method

Add 2 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a bowl and take a cotton and apply it to your scalp half hour before you shampoo your hair. To avoid dryness (vinegar is acidic so drying for scalp), you can apply this treatment on well-oiled hair. Do this every time you are going to shampoo. This helps with long standing issues of dandruff too. 

Remember the Kamini aunty treatment? Yes, it involves this ginger hair tonic which I had told you was ginger infused in vinegar. My mom has even prepared the dupe for it :D We are calling it dupe coz the actual treatment might have other additives. I shall share it soon :) Till then, let this treatment help ya!!

Image Courtesy:jdc325.wordpress.com

How to get rid of Dandruff? {Hair Care}

This has been a continuous requests on my blog but I couldn't really post on it because I have personally never suffered from this problem so I have no idea how to deal with it. But, again this week I got a request on this topic so I thought its a high time to do a post on it. But, think of this as a disclaimer, none of the remedies have been personally tried by me and may or may not work. I definitely shall try my level best to write only about the things which will not have negative effects in the short or long term.

[Source:hair-loss-alopecia.com]

What is Dandruff?

Dandruff is the flaky skin which is the result of shedding of the skin cells ont he scalp. Even the skin on the scalp gets replaced. Consequently, if the skin cells get replaced too frequently or quickly, the dead skin cells tend to accumulate on the scalp and create a flaky scalp. This leads to the condition of dandruff and the most common symptom is itchy scalp. [That reminds me that I had been having a really annoying time with my scalp lately!! It used to itch badly.]

How to treat Dandruff?

Dandruff, most commonly, occurs in people with oily skin and oily hair as opposed to the popular belief that dandruff is a symptom of dry scalp. Dryness is definitely a condition which encourages dandruff but it is an acquired dryness, not the naturally dry scalp, in general. So, instead of treating dryness, it is better to clean the scalp more frequently to remove the dead skin cells from the scalp which keep on accumulating on the scalp. 

• Wash hair Frequently. This might not sound as a remedy but instead look as a tool to worsening the condition but it is actually true. Washing hair more frequently ensures cleaner scalp and the removal of the older dead skin cells.Alternate days or once in three days should be sufficient if the problem is not severe. 

• Use mild products. This is extremely important since you would be washing your scalp more frequently. Milder products which do not dry out the scalp and hair altogether should be preferred.

• Hair Oils. Oils, if used in excess, can cause dry hair in the long run. And, oil is also known to have aggravated the problem of dandruff. So, either keep away from oils or use the oils which you know have been working for you since quite long.  

• Hot Water. Stay away from hot water as it can increase the dryness of the scalp and also induces itching.Try to wash your hair in colder water or water at room temperature, whichever is preferable and comfortable for you. 

• Nizoral. This is one medicated shampoo which I have heard works really well for every kind of scalp problem so one can definitely give this a try. Weekly usage of the product should be enough. I have personally used the product and I do like it except for its price. 

• Underlying Skin Conditions. Psoriasis, Eczema and other skin disorders or infections can also cause dandruff so it is best to take a dermatologists advise in such cases.  

And, when it comes to hair, everything takes time and diet is very essential so eat healthily and live happily and all would be well. Pin It

How to wash your hair with soapnuts (reetha)?

I had bought soapnuts (they are environment friendly and natural detergents) and shikakai a year back with the resolution that I would use only these things to wash my hair. Well, as you might have guessed, it never happened!! (till now) But, yes, I was successful in making homemade shampoo with soap nuts and shikakai and other ingredients. 

A few days back one of my friends informed me that she has bought soap nuts to wash her hair regularly. And, I remembered my long forgotten lot of soap nuts and shikakai. Now, the reason I could never use soap nuts was because I never knew how to use them. I had asked a lot of people and they told me correct procedure but still I could not bring myself to use them. So, there was no harm in asking one other person, right? I asked my friend how to use soap nuts to wash hair. And, she told me. Strangely, you have some people in your life who assure you of things without really doing so. She is one of them and I decided to follow here advice to the letter.

So, what did she advice me? Quite simple: Soak soap nuts and then use the liquid to wash your hair. When the liquid gets finished, use the soap nuts to lather a batch of water again and use it again and again as many times as you want. No details, nothing. But, still, I decided to go with it. So, what did I do? 

• I put 3 soap nuts and 2 shikakai fruits (vary according of the length and thickness of your hair, my friend said it is very less, she has shoulder length hair - shorter than mine and she used 10 soap nuts so you can go for 15 too if you have waist length hair) in a cup and covered them with boiling water and left them overnight. I deseeded the soap nuts before soaking them. You can throw away the seeds or grow your own soap nut tree.
• In the morning, during my shower, I shook the soap nuts in the water and then put them in little water in another mug. (Do not throw away the soap nuts.) 
• Now, I took the liquid (it has very less foam in it) and applied on my scalp and started massaging. It does not lather at all in the starting. So, you have to just work your way through your hair very thoroughly. Then, I dipped my hair strands into the liquid and shampooed them as well as I could. Yes, the whole procedure is a lot more messier than using a shampoo. And, it might tangle your hair. (There is a surprise there!!) Then, I rinsed it off. 
• Now, I took the other mug in which the soap nuts were transferred and used that liquid for the second round and simultaneously, transfer the soap nuts into the first cup in some water. Shake the soap buts a bit to bring out the lather. Again follow the same routine. This time your hair might lather. Mine did not because I had oil in my hair. The time soap nuts will take to lather depends on the oiliness if your hair so it might lather for you int he first time also if your hair is not very dirty and free of oil. 
• So, this way, I followed the shampooing of my hair six times though I could have probably stopped at third or fourth. Well, that would come with experience.I would aim for less times the next time I shampoo.
• I did not condition my hair. I wanted to see the results without the effect of any conditioners and such.

The results: 

• Soap nuts are also washing agents. Though they are natural, they also clean your scalp. So, excessive washing is not recommended. If you do try this, stick to three. That is enough to clean the oil from your hair also. I overdid in my naivety.
• My hair was shinier and softer without using any conditioner.
• Now comes the surprise!! There was minimal tangling of the hair which was easily resolved in a minute which is really less as compared to ones I get while using a normal shampoo. 
• There is no frizz in the hair even though I overdid my shampooing.
• Manageable hair.
• There was less hair fall in the bathroom as compared to using shampoos.

Advantages: 

• Completely natural and non-toxic.
• Soap nuts and shikakai condition the hair very well and promote hair growth. They also help stop hair loss and treat scalp infections and dandruff.
• If you use organic soap nuts, I think the results would be even better.
• Do not throw away the soap nuts after your hair wash is over. There is a lot of lather left in them. So, use them to wash your utensils or put them in a cotton bag and throw in a cycle of laundry. You can give your detergent a miss. Clothes come out really clean and bright if you use soap nuts.

So, I have decided that I would use soap nuts whenever I do not have to rush anywhere. I will keep a bottle of shampoo for emergencies. You really need time to wash your hair with soap nuts. Be careful not to get the liquid into your eyes or it stings the eyes pretty bad. I'll give an update the next time I'll wash my hair. 

Onion for hair growth

[Source:indianapublicmedia.org]

So, has anyone heard of using onion to combat hair growth. Well, its true. And, I can assert this because I have tried it on myself. Onion is rich in sulfur which is one of the essential nutrients in promoting hair growth. So, if you are facing a lot of hair fall problems or have developed any bald patches on your head, try onion. It stimulates hair growth. It is also beneficial for people who want to increase the length of their hair. But, putting onion on a very healthy hair would really not show much difference. Onion is also useful for treating dandruff and other scalp infections like dry scalp or itchy scalp. For any major infections, you should definitely consult a doctor. Onion is not a medication.

The easiest way to do is to collect the outer peels of the onion which are to be discarded (while cutting the vegetables) and blend them. Put them in a sieve cloth and extract the liquid. Apply the liquid on your scalp. You can also apply the blended onion paste directly too. The smell would be stinking so you have to wash your hair after that. Keep it on for half- hour or as long as you can and then wash off with a mild shampoo. Do this as many times as you can in a week and you will see results within a month or two. You have to be consistent with the treatment. You can also add fenugreek paste to condition your hair simultaneously. Try to be innovative. Add eggs, honey, fruits, oils or anything else you are in a mood for.

Another advantage of applying onion on your hair is it will give you hair a nice coppery shade. It makes your hair look glossy. But, if you want to maintain the natural color of your hair, mix the onion blend with adequate amount of mustard oil. The oil will prevent the color lightening caused by onions. And, you can increase your daily consumption of onions for a beautiful hair.

Do give this a try. Pin It

PS: I have closed the comments on this post because it is not showing the new comments!!! In case you wanna post comments, you can post them on this post.

Is Mustard Oil good for skin?

I have read about so many oils being good for the body but never heard from anyone about the usage of mustard oil on the body. But, when I 'googled' it, I found so many references for its usage on skin. Ok, lets talk first about its use on hair.

Mustard Oil is considered extremely good for hair growth. Using it regularly will keep your hair from going gray. Yes, if you want a proof, you can ask your grandmothers and ladies of the same age who have been using mustard oil since years and still have dark hair. Of course, it also depends on your diet. But, instead of dying, you can saturate your hair with mustard oil every night before you shampoo your hair and enjoy the benefits. Mustard Oil does not allow fungal growth making it useful for avoiding scalp infections. The oil is considered to be highly beneficial in treating dry and damaged hair. It is known to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. You can couple the mustard oil with castor or coconut oil to massage on your hair for beautiful shiny smooth hair. And, you may even infuse the mustard oil with various herbs as instructed in the Hair Oil recipe for Faster Hair Growth for better results.

Coming to skin care with mustard oil, its a very debated topic that whether it should be used on skin or not. Actually it depends on how the mustard oil has been produced or extracted. The cooking oil is produced by simply pressing the seeds and extracting the oil where as the essential oil is produced by mixing the seeds with water which produces a compound Allyl Isothiocyanate which irritates the skin. So, if you are planning to use mustard oil on your skin, go for the cooking oil which is available in the general stores. Make sure that you do a patch test before using the oil. If your skin is sensitive and hypoallergenic, its best not to use the oil.  You should stop using the oil immediately if you suffer from any skin reaction. Always prefer a cold pressed mustard cooking oil. Though mustard oil has been used for centuries for massaging purposes, I would advise you not to use this oil on children and babies or you can perform a patch test before you use it on them since their skin is much more sensitive than ours. One thing to consider is that if you feel warming sensations after applying the oil, it is not the skin reaction but the increase in blood circulation which is a good thing and surely not a reason to stop using mustard oil.

And, I surely invite your opinions on the usage of mustard oil on skin.

Lakme Vital Indulgence: Review

[Source: biotinhairgrowthresults.com]

I recently received a booklet of Lakme coupons for free and the coupons gave good bargain prices. So, I went to Lakme Salon a few weeks back to make use of the coupons. Vital Indulgence had struck me particularly so I opted for the service. I thought it must be a luxurious kind of a facial but instead it turned out to be a hair loss treatment. I, nevertheless, decided to go with the service as I have thin hair.
The treatment started with a hair wash using a hair fall control shampoo from Schwarzkopf, a German company. Then, the lady attending me blow dried my hair and gave me a high frequency scalp treatment. A high frequency (violet rays) current was powered with the help of a vacuum (pipet look-alike) tube. The power of the current was adjusted according to the body tolerance and the tube was moved along whole of my scalp for 5 -7 minutes. This high frequency treatment is believed to kill the bacteria on the scalp. The scalp infections or bacterial growth on the scalp is one of the main causes for hair loss and thin hair. The bacteria inhibit the healthy growth of your hair. The high frequency current also stimulates your hair follicles and helps in detoxification process of the follicles.

After that a hair growth serum, again from Schwarzkopf, was applied thoroughly on my scalp directly from the nozzle by partitioning my hair in different sections. This took around 10 - 15 minutes on me. And, I got a good massage starting from my scalp to the end of my back for around 15 - 20 minutes. It was pure heaven. After the massage, I was given an infrared radiation therapy for 5 minutes. The infrared light heats up the scalp and is able to penetrate to two inches in our body. This gives a deep conditioning treatment to the hair to ensure the complete absorption of the hair growth serum. And, finally, my hair was nicely styled.

And, if you are thinking about the potential effects of the high frequency current or infrared radiation therapies on the body, I can assure you that they are most commonly used therapies to eradicate scalp infections and promote hair growth. They do not possess any dangers to the human body. Infrared radiation, unlike the ultra-violet radiation, is used in the daily lives in forms of thermal radiation and is not cancerous. So, the Vital Indulgence treatment is perfectly safe and I can venture to say useful for people suffering from severe hair loss. I have taken only one sitting till now. And, it costs 800 Indian Rupees. The results may be visible after a certain number of sittings depending on the quality and condition of the hair.

Olive Oil for Hair Growth

Olive Oil is an extremely useful product not only in culinary purposes but also in skin care and hair care. We have already talked about the role of Olive Oil in Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). We will talk today about the benefits of olive oil in hair care. Olive oil is extremely light and does not easily grease the hair. It makes hair smooth and shiny and is easily absorbed. 

Method of application: Warm a little of olive oil and massage it into your scalp. Keep massaging your scalp for 20-30 minutes. This will ensure better absorption. You may steam your hair after that or put hotel towels on your hair just like in hot oil treatments. You can do this at night and wash off on the next day. A regular application of olive oil would kill all the bacteria and get rid of all scalp infections. And, it would promote healthy hair growth. 

You can use 2-3 drops of olive oil to moisturize your hair instead of using a leave-in conditioner. This would not weigh down your hair and keep it healthy and free from split ends.