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

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

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

Instructions to oil your hair {Hair Care}

So, I did talk about the intensive hair growth treatment I am currently on. So, there is particular routine I am supposed to follow (which I'm miserably failing at!!) and that includes a particular way to oil the hair. I just wanted to share it but let me make a disclaimer first: I am not spilling out any beans or secrets. So, lets get on with it. The routine is just a revisit to our old traditions. There is particular way to massage your scalp and that's what the routine incorporates in some ways.

Silver Utensil for Oil

The girl asked me to use either a silver or an aluminium utensil for pouring out the oil before starting to apply it. This is because both of these metals are really beneficial for hair. Now, how much is either of the metal going to affect the hair when simply used as a container is out of my understanding.

Anyway, the girl takes a huge bowl of silver (just like the ones in the dinner sets) and fills it up to half with oil and that's the amount of oil I am supposed to use every time I oil my hair!!! No, I don't use that much coz 90% of the oil is drunk by my pillow and by my skin and clothes. And, of course, the oil is pretty expensive, as well.

Cotton Ball to apply Oil

So, moving on, the next instruction includes the use of a cotton ball instead of fingers to apply hair on the scalp. I guess its coz of the long nails, some might have, which can tear and snag at the hairs. So, using a cotton ball is gentler on the hair. Dip the ball in the oil and rub it on the scalp. Now, while applying the oil on the scalp, run the cotton ball on the hair length as well on the section of hair in your hand to apply oil to the hair strands from root to ends.

Remember to lift the hair to directly apply it on the scalp and results are best if done with small sections of hair. Yes, it does take a very long time. Also, when you are running the cotton ball along the hair strands, it is difficult when done on own and you can actually see the number of hairs falling which is very disheartening.

All the weak hair falls from the scalp when you move the cotton ball along the hair length. That's in a way good as it allows the old hairs to shed and new hairs to grow. And, those old hairs would have fallen in due course, anyway.  Now, a very huge con to this method is that a lot of oil gets soaked by the cotton ball as well so I dip only a corner of the ball instead of the entire ball and I finish up my scalp first and then proceed on to oiling the hair lengths.

Head Massage Techniques

After finishing with all the oiling, it is the time to massage your scalp. Scalp massage is the actual action which helps stimulate the hair follicles and helps in hair growth. So, this is the most important step and the more the time you devote doing this, the better the results would be. And, this also helps the oil to reach the hair follicles to nourish them. So, move the scalp instead of the hair whenever you do a massage.

Try to keep the nails short or engage someone with short nails. Otherwise, you can end up scratching your scalp. Try to massage from the ears and proceed to the center of the scalp and similarly from front and back to the center using both of your hands. Always use finger balls. Be a little quick with the movements. After covering the entire scalp, take small sections of the hair and pull them very gently. That helps in hair growth. Also, it gets rid of the weak hair. Cover all the hair this way.

After this is over, take the cotton ball and rub it in circular motion where ever you desire hair growth. Do that for like 3-5 minutes continuously. That helps stimulate the area. By now, your scalp should be feeling warm. Now, all this done, you can see that there is a lot of oil in the bowl left which is supposed to be literally poured on the head. Yes, this is one of the ayurvedic techniques for relaxation and stimulation. Actually, I did mention about this long back in one of my posts. It feels amazing.

So, that's all the hair routine I have been instructed to follow but of course, I don't do all that and I kinda developed my own oiling routine which I shall share with you soon :)

Related Post:
How to massage your scalp?

Image Courtesy: howtomakeyourhairgrowfasterx.com

My Experience with Kamini Aunty

Well, you would all be wondering who the hell is "Kamini aunty"??? I came to know about her from Mehak's blog and on my recent trip to Delhi, I went to this lady who is supposed to be a miracle for hair. She can cure any hair problem apparently. She runs her hair clinic from her house in Safdarjung enclave. And, the clinic is just like a home parlour.

Oil and Ginger Tonic

I went to her with my mommy. "Kamini aunty" looked at my hair and declared that its thin and she didn't really say much about my hair. I got her to check my mom's hair too and she declared that my mom has very dry scalp. And, she instructed the girl on what to use for our hairs and off we went in for the treatment. It consists of 3 things basically:

• Oiling - She has variety of oils of probably different grades. The girl attending me gave me instructions about how to go about my routine. And, she applied really a LOTTT of oil to my hair (around half a cup). It is supposed to have lots of herbs.

• Ginger Tonic - After the oiling was done, this was applied to my scalp only. Its basically ginger powder infused in vinegar. This is for aiding the hair growth since ginger stimulates hair follicles.Well, I do think other herbs might also have been there. It has to be left on for 30 minutes.  

• Hair Pack - After the ginger tonic, a hair pack is applied on the scalp and the ends of the hair and then, the hair is covered with a shower cap. This is made from many pulses and other ingredients and it smells strongly of dhania and it smells really warm. It also has to be left on for 30 minutes.

And, then, I am left for 30 minutes for the treatment to soak into the scalp. Meanwhile, I watch the whole procedure being followed on my mom and this is the first time she is getting any kind of a hair treatment so I was obviously enjoying it a lot :D And, then, I was taken for a hair wash which includes a shampoo and conditioner free of chemicals. Finally, my hair is blow-dried and my hair really felt so soft.

Shampoo and Conditioner

So, what's the treatment?
We are prescribed a shampoo, conditioner, hair oil and the ginger tonic. The treatment has to be done everyday for the first week in the same order as I have described above. And, after the first week, it has to be done on alternate days till you see the desired results. The hair pack has to be applied weekly once. I was told that I would see the new growth in two months.

How much does it cost?
Yes, it is expensive. Not overtly but still it is. Frankly, I wasn't prepared for the bill presented to me but my mom had already anticipated it. The shampoo and conditioner cost about 400, the tonic is around 800, hair pack is 600 and the hair oil is around 2500. To be just, even my dad said that the quantity given was good enough.

How am I liking it?
I went to her on 18th April. I have used the products around 5 times till now. Yes, I wasn't regular as I should have been in the first week and neither was I in the second but I hope I shall be from now on. But, strictly speaking, I would say that the treatment has brought out shine in my hair. And, it has definitely become more manageable with less flyaways.

Also, I love the shampoo a lot. Its free of chemicals and it smells nice and it seems to be a concoction of reetha and shikakai with orange fragrance. Its watery enough but not entirely watery and lathers well enough but not exactly generously but cleanses my hair nicely. And, I like the conditioner too. It lathers a lot and doesn't weigh down my hair.

Of course, none of the products ingredients are written as they are supposed to be a secret. And, whether I'll have a head full of hair, only time will tell. But, being a cynic, I do have a small doubt. If I follow the very same routine with regular products in the same time frame, will it yield results??? Of course, taking into consideration that I choose a SLS free shampoo and silicone free conditioner. What do you say??

How much oil do you apply? {Your Opinion}

I didn't know what to write for today so I thought I'll pose a question to you all today. The premise of this question is something which I shall reveal in the following week but this question has nagged me to no ends since long.

How much oil should be applied? And, where should the oil be applied? How long should the oil be kept? Should you cover it with a shower cap or not? And, also, how should one go about applying oil or massaging the scalp? I searched on this topic and I found out that some people apply oil only to the hair length!!! Well, oil has to be applied to the roots and massage din so that it reaches the hair follicles and nourish it.

For my part, I don't have any answers yet. And, I am confused on all accounts. So, hoping that you would solve my confusion ;) Adios!!!

PS: Do you watch Vampire Diaries? I am not, in general, a fan of VD but this season is undoubtedly the best and I am in love Klaus :)

Kama Brigandi Intense Hair Treatment {Product Review}

Price: Rs 625 for 250ml

Ingredients

Pros 

- makes my hair look shinier and feel softer 

- little amount is enough to cover entire length of hair 

- light in texture but extremely nourishing

Cons

- very expensive!!

- can weigh the hair down if applied in excess

My Experience

You would have seen the product mentioned in my monthly hair journal entries. I thought this is a good time to review it since I have been using the product on and off since more than 6 months. Its a strong smelled oil but that doesn't really bother me though it offends my friend's nose :D Yes, its strong. And, its a dark coloured oil as you can see in the pic.

I like the oil overall. It gives my hair shine and also makes my hair look darker. It has helped the hair texture to improve slowly. And, whenever I wash my hair after applying it, my hair looks shinier. And, the texture of my hair becomes softer. It gets washed off quickly and is a light enough oil to be used for oily scalp as well.

The product is definitely expensive. Yes, I would recommend the product and yes, I shall buy it again after my current stock of oils get over!!! 

Have you used this hair oil?

Which Oil should I use? {Hair Care}

[Source:waystomakeyourhairgrowfaster.net]

Hey Everyone
Welcome to my most favorite month of the year and this year makes it even more special because of its perfect 4 week month. I like February because it is the shortest month and also because today is my birthday :) No birthday cakes yet!!! But, you can always courier one :D Just kidding. Anyways, let us get on with today's post.

Very often, while reading articles online, I have come across stories that "this oil doesn't do anything to my hair" and so which got me into thinking more about hair care. Ultimately, everything about your hair is dependent on how well you understand your hair. So, identifying hair type and hair texture is very important before starting on a hair care regimen. As you know that both rough and fine hair need different products, similarly, they need different oils.

Rough Hair

It is thick and damaged in a nutshell. So, it needs nourishing oils which help improve the hair structure from the inside. Generally, all the heavy nourishing oils like coconut, almond, mustard, groundnut and other oils do well on rough hair because rough hair absorbs them better and doesn't get weighed down. 

And, in the long run, these oils actually end up improving the hair structure also making the hair smoother and softer. Even shea butter and cocoa butter and other butters do real good to rough hair so if you are looking for smoothing out your hair, try out the butters.

Fine Hair

It gets weighed down very easily so the prominent need for this kind of hair is a light oil which can give it some texture. You do not really need to focus on nourishment because fine hair is generally healthy and you can not make your hair thick by using oils. The only need for this hair is hydration and texture and volume. Oil doesn’t give volume so we can rule that out.

Make sure you use light oils like jojoba, sesame oil, olive oil, rice bran oil or any oil available in the market is light enough because it has already been heavily refined. These light oils leave a fine sheen on the hair and keep it looking healthy.

Custom Oil Blend

You can also mix and match the oils according to your hair needs. For example, if you have curly fine hair which is less in volume, mix almond, castor and any light oil. Similarly, you can use a nourishing oil for scalp and a light oil for hair strands. So, use your own experience of your hair and create a personalized oil blend for yourself. I have found almond oil is more of an all-rounder and does well both on fine and rough hairs.

This post is an inspiration of the incident when the mustard oil and groundnut oil did not work for my hair. This need not be true for your hair but does open up a possibility. The long and short of it is that if you are using heavy oils on fine hair, your hair may end up being limp even after washing and if you are not using nourishing oils for rough hair, it will look more frizzy after being washed. So, use appropriate oils for your hair depending on your hair texture.

Do let me know your thoughts on this observation :)

Oil before hair mask? {Your Opinion}

[Source: Google Images]

So, this question came out of one of the reader's queries. So, I wanted to ask you what you think - should you oil your hair before applying hair masks (homemade) or not?

Well, here is what I think. No. Why? Hair has a limited absorbing capacity and you would want your hair to absorb the nourishment you are providing the hair through the hair mask, whether it is an over-the-counter product or home remedy. And, when you oil your hair, the hair soaks in the oil because of which the hair's absorbing capacity reduces and it will not be able to soak in the entire hair mask's goodness. So, it is always better to apply a hair mask, any hair treatment or even oil on dry and, preferably, washed hair so that it is free from dirt, grime and its own oils.

It is often said that hair conditioner should not be applied on dripping wet hair. Why? Because, hair is already soaked in water so how will the conditioner be able to act on the hair except for simply coating it. Well, this is my opinion and I would definitely love to know yours. And, one thing I would like to make clear is that there is no hard and fast rule for hair or skin care. It all depends on the logic and a little understanding of how the skin and hair work and what works best for one.

What do you think? Pin It

Don't forget to register your opinion on:

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Hair Mask first or Conditioner?
Budgeting on Shopping
Face Mask Sheets or Face Masks?

Oil and Hair {Hair Care}

[Source: Google Images]

I'll now mention one thing which I have seen is a habit of many people especially of the old school. Many people commented on my hair saying that since I had not been applying oil after washing my hair, it has lost its volume. Well, the insinuation here is that many people prefer to apply oil after washing their hair and leaving it like that till the next wash. I, personally, find this method is wrong. Not because your hair looks sticky or something but I have tried this and know that it doesn't really do anything for the hair. Instead, if you keep your hair oiled and go out, your hair will becomes dirty faster and scalp will attract a lot bacteria. Oil is one of the major causes of dandruff too. Extra oily and extra dry scalp both breed dandruff so keeping the scalp healthy and clean is one of the important points of hair care.

Parachute Advansed Cooling Oil {Product Review}

Well, since it is a cooling oil, it really cools.

Price: Rs 45 for 100 ml

Ingredients

Amla (135mg), Gandha Purva (135mg), Brahmi (54mg), Tail Patra (108mg), Nagar Motha (50mg), Chandan (50mg), Dalchini (100mg), Kaddu Seed (100mg), Bhringraj (100mg), Jatamansi (27mg), Kapur Katcheri (50mg), Loung (100mg), Khus (27mg), Sugandhibala (15mg), Rosemary (250mg), Kulanjan (27mg), Devdar (100mg), Menthol (3000mg), Tulsi (10mg), Camphor (500mg), Vach (54mg), Coconut Oil q.s

My Experience

green colored and smells awfully strong of something I am not able to put finger on!!!

It smells really strong. And, it is damn cooling from the moment you apply. That might actually get irritating after a while but 3000mg of Menthol does do the job well so it might be helpful in summers but do not think about using it in winters. It might just bring headaches or cold. It feels cold even when you pour warm water on your head while taking head bath. So, yup, a really good cooling oil. As a hair oil, it is fine. Nothing great but nothing bad either. Keeps hair soft.And, btw, it was this oil along which I got the head massager I reviewed long back. 

My Recommendation

Yes if you need a cooling oil.

Svaztha Neelini Natural Hair Oil {Product Review}

Svaztha is a ayurvedic brand. Check out their website here. They have a whole range pf products and are widely available in Kerela. I used this hair oil when I went to my relatives house and I have used it just twice but it was just so awesome that I have to write about it. I don't know about the price.

Ingredients

Indigofera tinctoria (400mg), Aloe vera (400mg), Hebiscus rosa (100mg), Eclipta alba (650mg), Emblica officinalis (350 mg), Azadirachta indica (100 mg), Cow milk (1ml), Seasamum oil (1ml), Pongamia pinnata (3.75mg), Psoralea corylifolia (3.75mg), Terminalia belerica (5mg) - from the website

My Experience

Since I have used it only twice, I don;t know whether it promotes hair growth or not but one thing which is noticeable immediately is that it makes the hair really soft. I mean it literally. It made my hair unbelievably soft. And, it did not induce any hair fall which happens sometimes with some of the products when used for the first time. My hair is definitely a lot softer even after a week of using the hair oil and that does mean something, right?? So, if you are planning a visit to Kerela, do check out the brand and its products. Don't worry about the availability. They are present in every shop. 

My Recommendation

Do I really need to say anything???

PS: The best part of this oil is that it was able to soften my hair which had got really rough when I had colored my hair two months back. And, now my hair is soft again!!! Yay!!!!!