Hair Types and their Hair Care Routine

Our hair has generally been categorized only in three types: Dry, Normal and Oily. But, have you ever thought that the hair can also be like skin. As skin has many types like dry, sensitive, normal, oily, combination; similarly, our hair can also be categorized in various types:

• Normal Hair
• Damaged (or Sensitive) Hair
• Dry Hair
• Oily Hair
• Combination Hair
• Dry Scalp with Oily body
• Oily scalp with dry body

Please remember that I am talking about the condition of hair not the texture of hair. And, the way we care for our hair should be customized depending on the hair condition.

Normal Hair does not require any special care. Normal routine of shampooing and conditioning will keep it in place.

Dry Hair needs a lot of conditioning and deep conditioning treatments. Avoid going into sun too much and do not let your hair get subjected to heat.Always keep your hair moisturized using a leave-in conditioner or aloevera gel. And, of course, do not forget the hot oil treatments for your hair weekly once or twice.

Oily hair does not need oil. It needs something which can soak oil from the hair and neutralize the oil production. For this, you can two things: one is using lemon on your scalp and another is using milk (without cream) or buttermilk on your scalp. Apply fresh lemon juice on your scalp before you shampoo your hair every time. You can also use tomato instead of lemon juice. It also has the same effect. You can also experiment with strawberry hair mask. And, you can use your clay masks as a hair mask also. After all, clay will absorb oil no matter where it is applied. Right!!

Combination Hair really needs a combination of oily and dry hair treatments but not so much in intensity.

- For dry scalp, you can massage a few drops of oil (coconut or olive) every time before you shampoo your hair. And, leave the hair body as it is. If your scalp is dry to the extent of being scaly and itchy, only then use hot oil treatment but use it just for the scalp. And, once in two weeks you can also go for deep conditioning treatments but make it only for the scalp (only if your scalp is scaly and itchy or if you feel a tightness in your scalp).

- For oily scalp, follow up the lemon juice or tomato treatment on the scalp and leave the body as it is. Follow up with a leave-in conditioner. You can also use your favorite conditioner to condition your hair. But, in no case, use hot oil treatments or deep conditioning treatments on your hair.

Keeping skin flawless and beautiful for the festive times {Skin Care}

Everyone is busy in Christmas and New Year preparations. So, how to prepare to look good in the celebrations. Follow the following tips and enjoy the holidays:

• Drink adequate amount of water, no matter what. People tend to drink less water in winters but it affects the skin more adversely. The winter winds dehydrate the skin anyways. You have to hydrate yourself to keep in balance. If you fail to do it, your skin will look leathery with all the make up on and no suppleness.
• Sleep properly and adequately. Finish your beauty sleep for minimum 7 hours. Do not take any drinks two hours prior to sleep. 
• Cleanse your face every night, no matter what. Otherwise, your skin will look aged on next day. 
• Before the celebrations begin, get yourself an appointment at the saloon well in advance. Remember this is a rush hour season and be on time. Get yourself pampered and indulge in expenses. You would love the result. Get a hair cut and highlights if you wish. They will look great. 
• On the day of festivities, give yourself appropriate time to get ready. Do not rush through it.
• Include body scrub, bath oils, bath salts in your bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can pour 2-3cups of milk and 2-3 drops of any essential oil of your choice in your tub and soak. Scrub with wash cloth afterward gently.
• While soaking, you can also apply any fruit face mask if you want and tea bags on your eyes to relax them and make them look brighter. Banana, papaya, orange brings an instant glow on the face. Apple makes your skin look clean and bright. Any fruit will do the job because of the natural ingredients present in it. You can also include milk cream or vegetable oils suitable to your skin while mashing the fruits to moisturize. Prepare a fresh batch every time.
• Wash your hair before you go for a soak. Do not condition. While you soak, apply honey on your hair and cover with a shower cap. While you are showering, wash your hair well and use any tea or vinegar as last rinse. It gives instant shine to your hair. Let your hair air dry if not in hurry. 
• When you come out of the shower, apply some perfume on the skin. Dab perfume on warm areas of your body like armpits, cleavages, inner thighs. Moisturize your body. Apply perfume again on the same spots you applied earlier or as per your choice. You can apply talc and then again apply perfume. Last layer can be put on the clothes you wear. Ensure the floral smells and buy a natural perfume which is non-irritating to your skin. Applying perfume in layers and warm areas ensures it to stay longer.
• When your hair is damp, style your hair. You can use shine serums to increase the shine or other hair products of your choice. Use products in moderation so as to not let your hair weigh down. Less is good.
• Before applying make up, do not forget your sunscreen in case your are going out in day time.
• At night, a lip gloss and mascara is enough to give the effect.  
• For people who are not product junkies and like to go natural like me, 2-3 drops of any vegetable oil would be enough to bring shine to your hair. When your hair is damp, take oil into your palms and finger comb through your hair paying special attention to the ends. This will seal the moisturizer into your hair. While finger combing, gently untangle your hair so that you do not need to comb or brush it. Simple finger combing can give great style to your hair. Try it out. Definitely, it depends a lot on the hair texture too. Wavy hair is the best bet. Or, if you still prefer combing, use a wide tooth comb. Do not forget sunscreen in any case. To be ready for a night out, a lip gloss adds a smashing effect. Making up the eyes is no harm but the least you can do is to apply kohl. They give an instant lift to your eyes. Wash your eyes with lot of cold water before that to make them look brighter. Buy good products. Do not worry about expenses. Cheap products are often not good for the skin but, again, do not judge by the brands. Go for products which suit your skin.

Take care of your skin regularly and you do not need any special vanity case to prepare for a party. Proper nutrition is important in skin care. But, indulge during festivities. Do not starve yourself of the enjoyments.

Wish you all a Happy Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Hair Care during and after Pregnancy {Pregnancy}

A normal, healthy person sheds about 50 to 100 (or up to 200 because of the lifestyle choices) strands of hair every day, and most of these hairs grow back. A healthy hair has a life cycle of about three to six years, depending on your termination length. Hair loss becomes a problem when the hair do not grow back or when hair sheds at an abnormally rapid rate (several hundreds hairs per day), the latter case generally seen during pregnancy.

A hair's life has three phases - growing phase, maturing phase (in which it stops growing and follicles prepare for resting phase) and resting phase. Thus, even the actively growing hair may go into the resting phase. This occurs because of an increased amount of estrogen (called happy hormones) in the body. Increased number of hairs enter the resting phase, disturbing the normal hair growth and loss process and causing more hair than usual to fall out.

During pregnancy, the body's resources are more necessary for the foetus development so the external functions of the body which are not directly related to the regulation of body functions are temporarily suspended. My experience was really weird during pregnancy. Even when I got my hands waxed, I couldn't see any growth for many months which was great but I also noticed hairs on my scalp were comparatively thinner.

So, I asked my husband for advice and I am sharing all of them with you.

• Improve intake of vitamin C : Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen which in turn supports hair follicles and keeps blood vessels in the scalp healthy.

• Improve intake of Protein : Hair is 95 percent protein and a diet too low in protein may cause hair loss.

• Step up your Silica intake : An adequate intake of silica is thought to prevent baldness and stimulate hair growth. Silica is present in substantial amounts in a wide range of foods, including strawberries, green and red peppers, miller, barley, wheat, cucumbers, oats, rice, bean sprouts, potatoes.

• Iron : Hemoglobin is needed for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the other tissues in the body, including hair. An undisrupted supply of oxygen is necessary for healthy hair. So eat more spinach & beet root which will improve your iron intake as well.

Since he is a doctor, his main focus is always a better diet to fulfil all the nutritional deficiencies. Hope this helps you all :) Do let me know how you like the post.

---

Thanks a lot, Punam, for this helpful post. Isn't having a doctor at disposal amazing? I do think so but she says its quite overwhelming sometimes because of the amount of obsession they have towards hygiene and health!! Well, that's also probably true. Do check out her review on Auravedic skin polish.

---

Related Posts:
How to deal with nausea?
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell
Importance Of Folic Acid
Using laptop and mobiles during Pregnancy
Pomegranate Health Drink for Pregnant Women

Shampoo on Dry Hair {Hair Care}

This is probably one of the really good tips of hair care. Basic chemistry states that oil and water do not mix together. So, this principle applies when wahing off hair as well. If you wet the oiled hair or even non-oiled hair (it has natural oils), the shampoo doesn't react well with it and the hair more or less remains dirty. 

Since commercial shampoos are filled with surfactants, they are strong enough to clean the hair but the SLS-free shampoos generally end up not cleaning the hair properly. So, how to use the shampoo on dry hair? Take a dollop or two of your shampoo in a small container and add just a fist ful of water to it. Dilute it nicely and shampoo your hair just as you would.

Always try to shampoo twice if your hair does get exposed to lot of sun and pollution. First wash only cleans the scalp partly and the second it to make the scalp squeaky clean. And, by squeaky clean, I don't really mean that it should squeak but a clean scalp and hair is very important for healthy hair. If you tend to stay inside more, one wash is generally enough and you can do it twice in once a week.

So, don't forget this tip next time you hop into the shower. It generally happens with me that I remember this when I pour water over my head so don't make that mistake ;)

Related Posts:  
Are you shampooing your hair the right way?
How to wash your hair with soapnuts (reetha)?
Turn your regular shampoo into a homemade herbal shampoo
Upside down or normal - How to wash Hair?

My Hair Diaries - August + September 2012

that's my hair after the hair spa...totally loving my curls :)

So, another month gone and we are fast approaching 2013. How time flies, right? Anyways, you might have noticed the missing hair diary of August. That was because I had completely ignored my hair in August and my hair was all rough and dry.

What I did in August?

Honestly, I am not able to recall what I did with my hair in August. But, I am pretty sure, I had completely ignored my hair. Anyway, I did go for hair cut on 31st August. And, I did finish off some left over products like Biotique Flame of the Forest and Kama Brigandi Oil. Had been using the Kamini shampoo only and finished the Dove Color Rescue Conditioner. Yup, I am not doing any DIY on my hair right now :(

What about September?

• I had to start with the Kamini treatment I was doing again because my hair was all rough and dry and I wanted it to be a little better. I had been more or less consistent with it.
• Got TWO hair spas done this month. Second one was way better than the first but still I think it was too much. But, yup, I am up for at least once a month pampering for hair. In fact, already planned a hair spa (and, the real spa) for this month :)
• No DIY again!!! But, one of the girls told me to apply egg every week on at least the scalp. So, guess, will be starting with that. 
• Oh, totally forgot to write about my another hair cut on 30th September. Got almost two inches off. My mom would be shocked :-o Had to trim coz there were a lot of splits. 

Products Used

• Kamini Treatment Oil + Tonic
• Soul Tree Shampoo (not yet decided about the product!!)
• Dove Color Rescue Conditioner
• Aloevera Hair Growth Gel DIY

Related Posts:

My Hair Diaries - June 2012

My Hair Diaries - May 2012

My Hair Dairies - April 2012

My Hair Diaries - March 2012

My Hair Diaries - February 2012

My Hair Diaries - January 2012

Is your scalp sensitive? {Hair Care}

Ohk, so, on Sunday, I went for another hair cut coz my splits were not eliminated in the August hair cut!! On an impulse, I also got a hair spa done. Yup, I know my last was probably two weeks back only!!! But, that was something which I didn't really enjoy but this was better and inexpensive as well (when compared to the previous one).

There, I asked the girl to observe and comment on the condition of my scalp so she replied that my scalp is sensitive. I asked her how did she come to know about that. And, this is what she said - 

If you touch your scalp and can feel it to be soft, it is sensitive. The scalp is not soft or supple like skin, in fact its generally hard, but you might feel it to be a little spongy, especially on the areas where you might have had excess of hair fall. You might want to compare your bald spots/hair fall areas to the areas where there is no hair issue at all. Also, if you ever felt that your hair hurts, you are sure to have a sensitive scalp.

I don't know if this test is actually genuine or not coz I did try to google it out but couldn't really find any leads on it but yup, there are soft spots on the scalp and hair hurting thing is very much valid. I just wanted to share this information as I found it interesting. So, what do you say? Do you find it creditable or is it just a way to lure the customers? And, did you try to find any soft spots on your scalp? Waiting for your comments so go down and write them away :)

Yay..my hair style stayed for an entire 5 hours!!!

I had mentioned long back that my hair is very ill-behaved and I am especially horrible in keeping hair styles for more than half hour. But, today for the first time, my hair really stayed in one hair style so that makes me soooooo happy :) No, it wasn't any intricate style. It was a simple side pony and my bangs were secured with pins so that they don't fly off in the auto!!! Still, it happened and then while watching the movie, my hair did get a bit spoiled due to rubbing with the seat back. Yes, I often sleep off in the halls :D No, I didn't sleep but I was irritated!!! But, my hair did get weighed down by the end of the day :( Gotta do something about that. Any ideas??? 

On a side note, if you are wondering which movie got me irritated, it was Heroine. Aaarghhh...I could kill MB for making such a movie and for the especially lame ending. May be it was befitting but I would have rather preferred a more ironic ending!!! First glitch was that all bits and pieces were borrowed from various movies and real life scandals and then woven into a script which was all broken and inconsistent. Second, the protagonist is weak, completely without a shred of backbone and determination, keeps on crying in the entire movie and not taking a strong footing at any point of time which is pretty irritating. Yes, I can imagine what she was going through but unfortunately, you can hardly feel as if you are involved in her story coz its too fantastic. Its not realistic at all like Page 3 or something which actually makes someone expect a lot from the movie. So, lets just say that watch it when it gets released on the television but definitely not worth wasting money to watch on big screen. The best part of the movie was Randeep Hooda who did a fantastic job (it can be called a guest appearance). Except for that, I guess the movie was loosely hanging. I often felt like it would break into the Mar Jawaan track from Fashion. Yes, its too close to fashion but the later was much better.

Did you watch it yet? Do share your views on the movie. And, of course, the hair style tips too :)

Spinach Banana Health Drink {Health Recipe}

the ingredients mentioned makes half a drink-sized glass

So, this is a long pending post. I had prepared this when I was at home in June. I won't say it was damn awesome or something but yes, it was definitely not bad. Let's check out the ingredients first. And, then, talk about it.

Ingredients

• 10 spinach leaves
• 1/2 banana
• water (just a bit)

Method: Blend them in a mixer. That's it!!

Taste: Ok, I am sure not everyone would like it coz it has that raw leaf taste of the spinach. But, I don't mind that raw taste so I totally loved it. But, mom said that spinach leaves are first blanched and then made into the smoothie so shall give that variation a try. You can try it out as well :)

Have you ever tried any such drink?

Related Posts:

Spinach - Lettuce Drink for Hair

Biotin Drink for Hair

How are Rich Feel products? {Your Opinion}

So, have you heard of the brand? Apparently, it is a herbal brand and as far as I can recall, I do think I have heard of the brand but can't recall. So, I want to ask you if you have heard any reviews of the brand or used them? Please do put in your views. 

The reason I am asking is coz I pampered myself with a hair growth hair spa today. And, they used the rich feel products. They were supposed to use L'Oreal professional but suddenly changed it to this one. I am skeptical about herbal products, no doubt!!! So, would love to hear your views :)

Image:Snapdeal.com

Soul Tree Travel Size Samples Preview

Before starting the post, I would like to state that this is just a preview post as I know many of you are waiting to hear my views on the Soul Tree shampoo. Also, these are only sample sizes which I have tried out so I am not doing a full review. So, let's start :)

Soul Tree Indian Rose with Cooling Vetiver Shower Gel

I totally liked it. It smells really nice in sort of a natural way. I don't think I really felt any cooling but it didn't leave my skin stretched or dry. The sample was small so I could get only 4-5 uses out of it. My dad also tried it once and said it was ok. Worth trying out!!

Soul Tree Triphala with Conditioning Henna Hair Repair Shampoo

I have a full size product of this so a detailed review will come sometime in first or second week of October. But, for now, I would say that it does leave the hair soft and shiny and doesn't let it frizz much. But, I think this shampoo is for oily or normal hair and not for dry. 

Soul Tree Licorice, Shikakai & Bhringraj with nourishing Coconut oil Shampoo

This I thought would be more suitable for dry hair. But, otherwise, pretty much the same. 

Now, a small point on both shampoos which I am not yet clear of - the triphala one didn't remove oil at all when I used it for the first time but the trick I found out eventually is that leave the shampoo on for 2 minutes and it cleanses really well. Since they do not have SLS/SLES, the product probably takes a little time to cleanse the oil (totally my theory!!). So, if you are a beauty who loves to oil her hair regularly, make sure you keep the shampoo on the hair for 2-3 minutes before washing off. And, don't worry, that doesn't dry out the hair at all :) 

Rest of the details, you can ask in the comments section and I shall definitely try to put more detail and experience in my detailed review. This post has been put up only because I have finished up all the samples.

How to take care of gray hair? {Hair Care}

This has been a long pending post which had been requested by Smile. I am so sorry for the delay. To start with, I don't have much experience with gray hair as my mom also has only couple of them coming up now that she is 51. And, she is not interested in covering them up. I do tell her to get the hair colored but she flatly says no.

Hair Coloring

This should come up as a different post altogether but I think its imperative to mention it here. You can always get your hair colored. Remember to get salon treatment. Shell out money coz its your hair!! It definitely falls on an expensive side when you count in the maintenance costs.

Henna-ing

This is definitely the most common practice but it turns the white or gray hair into orange which people now a days absolutely hate. So, really doesn't do much of a job. Also, using Lush Caca Noir also doesn't work on gray hair. I had suggested it to one of my friends but she confirmed that it didn't work on gray hair.

Hair Science and Home Remedies

The hair which has already turned gray can never be turned black naturally. For that you will have to color the hair. But, you can always prevent new gray hairs from coming up. Also, gray hair is a lot of times hereditary so in such cases, its a little difficult to control. So, let me suggest some home remedies to PREVENT gray hair.

• Use mustard or sesame oil on a regular basis, like twice or thrice a week. A regular usage helps prevent the hair from growing gray. They also help with hair which has turned brown!!!
• Black Pepper and Yogurt mask
• Curry leaves are supposedly great for protecting the black color of the hair. So, infuse your oil with dried curry leaves. (learn how to infuse oil here)
• Other herbs which are amazing to prevent hair from growing gray are rosemary, thyme and amla (Indian gooseberry). They also help with hair growth. 

So, what's your best bet to deal with gray hair?

Image Courtesy:Google

Biotique Bio Flame of the Forest Fresh Shine Expertise Oil {Product Review}

Price: Rs 159 for 120ml

Ingredients

Pros

leaves hair soft and shiny

smells pleasant

gets washed off easily

My Experience

I have been meaning to try this oil since a long time and you might have seen this oil being mentioned in the hair diaries. I finally managed to finish the oil after using it on and off for a long time. The first thing to notice about the oil is its fragrance which is really pleasant.

The base oil is groundnut oil which is thick but even then, it gets washed off easily and leaves the hair really soft and adds a bit of shine as well. It did not give me any hair fall and whether it helps with hair fall or not is something which I don't know because I did not have hair fall at any time I was using this product specifically. 

Missing the cons? Well, I am not able to think any!! One more piece of information - "Flame of the Forest". It is a flower called "Palash" in hindi. It is supposedly amazing for dandruff and hair loss. The name of this flower is the only reason I got attracted to the product :) Have you tried it?

Other products I love or hate from Biotique:

Biotique Bio Almond & Cashew Fresh Repleneshing Hair Serum
Biotique Bio Honey Gel
Biotique Basil and Parsley Cleanser

Biotique Watercress Fresh Nourishing Conditioner

Biotique Bio Henna fresh Powder Hair Color

Biotique Mountain Ebony Fresh Growth Stimuating Serum

Biotique Carrot Protective Lotion

Biotique Avocado Body Massage Oil

Biotique Basil and Red Sandalwood Powder Talc

Biotique Kelp Hair Growth Protein Shampoo

Biotique Bio Pistachio Ageless Nourishing and Revitalizing Face Pack

Biotique Bio Musk Root Hair Mask

Winter Skin Care Lotions

Do all shampoos work for me? {Hair Care}

Yeah, I know. Its a weird post but this is in reply to a really funny comment I got one one of my posts yesterday. So, the anonymous writes:

All shampoos give u good results?? Dove also kamini also Pantene?

I thought many of you might have the same question so I would rather do a post on it. Well, actually my hair type, as I have mentioned countless times is, dry and fine and feels soft to silky depending on its mood. I have colored it once last year and that was a disaster. But, otherwise, my hair generally behaves nicely.

As to all shampoos suiting me, mostly my answer would be yes. My hair doesn't react easily and result in hair fall. Yes, my hair does get dry and the scalp also feels dry but no shampoo has triggered any allergic reactions and I don't have any history of dandruff which needs taking care of. When talking about shampoos, let me start with ones I used this year.

Dove Nourishing Oil

It was drying for my hair but initially it was fine. The conditioner does a good job of preventing the dryness. But, why I said it worked was because of my lack of experience with better products. Now that I have used Kamini's shampoo, I know how some shampoos can be non-drying. So, yes, this shampoo is not for dry hair but it did not dry out my scalp excessively and my hair behaved decently when I was using it.

Pantene Total Damage
Yes, it suited my hair because it did not cause my hair to get dry really soon. And, no itchiness either. Its, in fact, a good shampoo and the conditioner is even better.

Dove Color Rescue
Definitely drying!!! And, I have recommended it for only oily hair.

Kamini Shampoo
Yes, it suits me but it does dry out my scalp and hair sometimes. That is why I am searching for some shampoo whose ingredients I am aware of and is natural as well.

Those were the shampoos I tried out in my recent memory and more or less, I did like all of them. But, one thing I would say is that whatever shampoo you use, never ever skip on conditioner. Its very essential even if you have oily hair.  

Find products which suit your hair type but never skip on the essential routines. 

Also, please note that a person's reaction to a product changes over time and may not remain same always whether the person is a blogger or a reader :)

Image Courtesy:omgdaily.com

Use SLS-free shampoo for hair growth {Tip of the Day}

This is a tip from a lady I came across recently. She told me about her hair story - how she had excessive hair fall and she consulted two doctors one after another and had been on various medicines and nothing worked out for her. And, finally, she simply changed her shampoo to Meera hair powder and her hair is now a lot healthier than it was. She also said that since she has switched, her hair has grown out a lot on its own. So, is it that may be the SLS shampoos are actually impeding the hair growth? Sounds too paranoid!!

Anyways, I have ordered the Soul Tree shampoo. I am yet to receive it. I did place quite a large order this time and shall be sharing it when I receive the products!! And, I am desperately waiting for the products to be delivered. The Kamini shampoo is good but I don't really appreciate the fact of not knowing the actual ingredients. And, also, that shampoo dries out my hair  and scalp sometimes. So, I would like to switch to a more comfortable brand. I am just hoping that this would be the shampoo for me :)

Image Courtesy:copperlotuscosmetics.com

Dare to Change: Close laptop an hour before you go to bed

Third Challenge for the month is relatively easy for me but I do know that its really difficult for the people who are addicted to gadgets. But, not to over-estimate myself, I do like sitting on laptop till the last possible moment. 

"Switch off all gadgets an hour or two before going to bed."

Why?

If you have read about my post on how to get undisturbed beauty sleep, one of the carnal rules of deep sleep is that you should be peaceful when you go to bed and this process should start a little earlier, almost after dinner. So, try reading a book (not e-books) before going to sleep instead of attending to comments and posts :) Bloggers do have a difficult life :D

Second Challenge Progress

I kept this week's challenge easier because I am really having issues with the second challenge (getting up at 7) :( I am trying. Ok, probably not very hard or honestly!! Its really difficult for me to get up so early but I am also happy to report that since the sun begins to shine in my room early enough, I do get up once at around 6:45 almost everyday. 

First Challenge Progress

Did slack up in between but I have started again very seriously (since only two days) :D But, I did check out that I have to climb 6 and not 5 floors!!! One extra floor in between and I am really afraid of supernatural creatures so taking the stairs at night is almost impossible :D

But, I am definitely trying. How are you doing?

Image Courtesy:mahira29.wordpress.com

Related Posts:

Use Stairs
Get up 15 minutes early

My Hair Diaries - July 2012

This month's hair!!

As I had mentioned in my last month entry that I am discontinuing the treatment I was on and going through the same routine using over-the-counter products. Lets see how did it go?

When I looked at the above snap, my initial thought was that my hair is not looking that bad but when I compare it with my during-treatment hair, I was shocked!! And, felt a sharp pang of disappointment and exhilaration too. Disappointment that I left the treatment and exhilaration that the money was worth it :) Yay!! Oh btw, I need to go for trimming as well.

Changes in my Hair

• I can definitely see difference in my hair volume, especially, on the bald spots (not exactly bald but really less hair and I guess its genetic) on the two sides of the head. Thanks to this oiling routine so I do recommend this to everyone facing hair fall and don't have good hair growth!!

• Since I have left the treatment products, hair is definitely less on shine!!So, yeah, that's definitely not encouraging :(

• I need an SLS free shampoo!! Probably would give Soulflower or organic surge a try!! Let's see. 

• Similarly, have to get rid of the stock of conditioners. Any ideas??? Nah, can't put them on sale coz most of them are PR products or I got them for free and they are all tubs mostly so hygiene issues as well!!! Btw, if anyone in Hyderabad is interested, drop me a mail :)

• I have not been following the oiling routine since like two weeks!!! Have to start following it again. Also, I can say that it is different from the regular oiling even though it takes a lot of time comparatively because using cotton stimulates the scalp better and also, the cotton method applies oil to the hair and scalp in a good quantity so the hair is softer and deep conditioned every time I oil my hair.  

• Before I forget, I did face or rather saw many hairs falling during this month. Its due to the monsoons. Rainy season always causes hair fall so don't really worry about it and check out this post on hair care tips for rainy season. But, that's not exactly serious and will be fine within a month or two. Also, the major hair fall I saw was when I ignored washing my hair. 

Products Used

• Aloeveda Herbal Hair Oil 
• Dove Color Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner 

Related Posts:
My Hair Diaries - June 2012
My Hair Diaries - May 2012
My Hair Dairies - April 2012
My Hair Diaries - March 2012
My Hair Diaries - February 2012
My Hair Diaries - January 2012

Tips on How to use Bath Oil? {Five Series}

---

Yes, as you can discern from the post title, I am starting a new series called the Five Series. I shall be covering all the topics as much as possible in which 5 points on the topic would be covered. You can send me the post requests too!! I shall try to keep these posts short and quick so that you can read them easily.

---

Massage and Moisturize

The regular use of oils is as a moisturizer. Aromatic bath oils are amazing for massages as they are extremely relaxing for the body and mind.

Aromatic Baths

This is my fav of all of the ways. I love to tip the bath oils into my bath water and add 5-20 drops depending on my mood and enjoy my bath. Yes, I smell amazing after that and can forgo moisturizing if I am feeling lazy. Great for hot baths as warm water releases the scent better (yes, a beauty sin!).

Facial Treat

Drop 5 drops in steaming hot water and steam your face. This relaxes your senses. Also, add it in your Pedicure and Manicure routines as well. 

Perfume 

Apply the bath oil on your pulse points and enjoy the aroma.

Hair leave-ins

Yes, these bath oils are generally light so you can take a drop or two in your palms, rub them together and pass them through your hair concentrating on the ends.

Dove Color Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner {Product Review}

Shampoo

Price: Rs 130 for 200ml

Ingredients

Pros

- not very harsh on hair

- does clean the hair really well in even one go

Cons

- has SLS

- can be drying for dry hair types

My Experience

The product is pearly white and cleanses very nicely. It removes all the oil in almost one go unless your hair is dripping with oil. Its not exactly harsh on hair and I found it to be less drying than Dove Nourishing Oil shampoo. What else should I say?  

Conditioner

Price: Rs 72 for 90ml

Ingredients

Pros

- very light so doesn't weigh down the hair

- makes the hair soft

- adds a bit of shine

Cons

- probably doesn't really do anything for the hair except for making it shiny

My Experience

As I mentioned above, the consistency of the product is light and very creamy so it spreads easily on wet hair. If you keep it less than a minute. it doesn't really do anything for the hair but around even a minutes is enough to make the hair soft and shiny. 

Don't know how much it does for the colored hair coz its not exactly a deep conditioning or damage repair product (colored hair is dry and might be damaged in some cases). Also, I don't think it really made my year old colored hair glowing or soft. 

Overall Verdict

But, then, to do justice to the product, my hair color is pretty old and I have done a lot of things to my hair since then as part of various treatments. Overall, the range is worth a try.

PS: Product sent as a part of Indiblogger promotion.

Other products from Dove:

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Range

Aloe Veda Herbal Hair Oil {Product Review}

Price: Rs 125 for 200ml (pretty decent)

Ingredients

Absolutely love the ingredients!!! Sesame oil is one of my fav oils for hair as its not very thick and heavy and is extremely nourishing and also prevents gray hair. A little information about Allantoin:

Allantoin is also used in medications for dermatological conditions including acne, impetigo, eczema, and psoriasis. Allantoin is moisturizing and keratolytic, meaning that it causes keratin in the skin to soften. This property helps skin to heal more quickly and to bind moisture more effectively, making products containing allantoin useful for dry skin and for healing wounds, burns, and scars. It is also effective against sunburn, chapped lips, cold sores, diaper rash, and similar skin irritations. (Source)

Pros

- made of amazing ingredients

- gives a bit of shine to the hair

- isn't a heavy hair oil

Cons

- smells too sweet for my nose

- has some green color added to it perhaps

My Experience

I have been using this hair oil since almost a month after I have left the treatment. I have talked about this in my June hair diary. So, to start with its a green colored oil which has a really sweet smell. I am not a fan of strong smells and I am not a fan of this either.

Moving on, I have applied this with the help of cotton as well as I have mentioned here. Incidentally, the usage on the website talks about the same method.

For best results, oil your hair with Aloe Veda's Herbal Hair Oil at least twice in a week. The best time to oil your hair is in the night. Leave the oil overnight and wash it next morning as this allows deeper penetration. If possible use heated oil as hot oil penetrates scalp better and carries the active ingredients to the hair roots. If done appropriately using a cotton ball directly on scalp this can give amazing results. To ensure that you do not damage the properties of the hair oil place the bowl over boiling water to heat the oil. It is advisable to apply oil in the night and leave your hair oiled overnight. Massage your scalp for few minutes even while shampooing and finish off with a light conditioner. Regular application stimulates the scalp and activates the hair follicles which leads to better hair growth.

it comes in a flip top bottle

So, I can say that yes, it does give shine to the hair. But, to be honest, the shine is less compared to the treatment I was on which really strengthened my belief in the treatment. I did not face any major hair fall or any other problem while using this oil.

One thing which I would say is that it seems to have some green color added to the oil. Why? I apply the oil from a silver bowl so there is always some quantity of oil which remains in the bowl and I don't wash it unless I apply the ginger tonic as well (which is generally next morning, I apply oil at night). And, I always noticed some green color spots on the place where oil was present.

As to how much it helps with hair growth, I am not really sure coz its too early to say something like that. Overall, I found it to be a decent hair oil which gets washed off easily and doesn't weigh down the hair!!! It leaves the hair shinier and softer if you haven't used a better product than that.

Availability

Online - Aloe Veda Websites

PS: Product sent by brand for consideration. 

Other products from Aloe Veda:

Aloeveda Moisturising Bathing Bar Indian Khus with Kewda Extracts

Aloe Veda Chocolate Vanilla Lip Butter

Hair Spa for Dandruff {Hair Care}

The reason I am doing more posts on dandruff these days is because I have ignored this issue for long as I never faced it and these days I am getting more inspirations on the issue. So, I was talking a few days back with a girl and she told me what helped with her dandruff. She has had an issue of severe dandruff since she was in 10th and she has taken numerous treatments, none of which had worked. 

So, as a last resort she went for L'Oreal Hair Spa. And, she has taken around a month of the sittings. The L'Oreal Hair Spa was used with the dandruff treatment ampules. But, she initially did not see any improvement. But, after one month of no change and after leaving the treatment, she gradually noticed the changes in her hair and scalp and found that the entire dandruff issue had disappeared. 

I wanted to share this in case if anyone has the issue and is tired of going through all the treatments, they can give the L'Oreal Hair Spa treatment a try. The entire service costed my friend around 8k (the whole package, not each sitting) with every sitting lasting about an hour to hour and a half. She, in fact, asked me to get a hair spa done for my hair as it really helped her hair (even the texture) and she is using the L'Oreal range of products only (meant for dandruff).

Image Courtesy:all-informationz.blogspot.com

Related Posts:
Some Remedies for Dandruff
How to get rid of Dandruff?
Aloevera Scalp Gel for Hair Growth
Hair Tips for Monsoon
Best way to deal with Dandruff??
Essential Oils for Hair Growth