When should you wash your hair? {Hair Care}

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Many say that you should wash your hair only once a week or twice a week or alternately depending on your hair type. But, is that really a correct thing? Well, I would say that one should wash their hair when necessary. And, that necessity may come from everyday to once in two week also. Everyday if you subject your hair to extreme dust and pollution and two weeks if you are sitting at home enjoying tv and not going out at all and your hair is not greasy with natural oils. The need is to keep your hair and scalp clean to encourage healthy hair growth. And, that can be done in many ways. 

If you do not go outside and just sit at home, it is better to use hair masks to wash off all the gunk in your hair rather than going for shampoo-condition ritual as your hair and scalp don't get so dirty that you need to use harsh chemicals to wash it off. 

But, if you go into dust and pollution everyday, it is very important that you clean your scalp of all the gunk that settles on it while you are outside. And, to prevent excess dirt in your hair, it is better to resort to protective methods like using a scarf on your hair or avoiding public transport (which is frankly not possible for everyone!!!) or avoiding heavy traffic hours (arrive a little early and leave little early to avoid heavy traffic hours). These simple adjustments in your timings can affect your lifestyle and health a lot. Of course, it is not even advisable to breathe in so much of pollution :( So, listen to the needs of your hair and treat it accordingly.

Now, a special case crops up here for people who work out heavily. If you are a light exerciser who likes to go for a walk or do yoga instead of the strenuous aerobic and cardiac exercises, then you need not worry but otherwise your hair has to be taken care of after every work out routine. Scalp also perspires heavily so washing hair becomes imperative on the days of the workout or everyday. The one thing which one can resort to is a cowash which cleans the scalp and keeps the chemicals of the shampoo away from hair. Or, you can resort to a mild natural shampoo or turn your shampoo into a milder one by this method.

Or, there is yet another alternative if you have ever heard of castile soap. Castile soap is a very mild soap produced through cold process and is made from olive oil and exceptionally gentle but cleanses very well. And, this works not only for skin and hair. Unfortunately, it is not available in Indian stores so one has to order for it online. If I ever do, I shall surely share more about this soap.

Oil and Hair {Hair Care}

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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.

How to Deep Condition your Hair?

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As I have repeatedly stressed on the point of Hair conditioning, it should come as no surprise if I embark on a really elaborated ritual of homemade deep conditioning treatment. This is a variant of the regular egg or yogurt mask only. Just that there is one more ingredient - Honey. Nothing great about this recipe itself. You are well aware of the properties of egg and honey for the hair.

Dry Hair needs protein treatment so use egg and if you have oily hair, you would do better with yogurt or milk. Apply the conditioner and keep it as long as you can (as long as you can stand the smell of egg) !! Now, before applying the mask, prepare your hair a little just like you would prepare your face for a face mask.

• Comb your hair and get rid of all the tangles. 
• Brush it once or twice to make sure it is free flowing.
• Now, steam your hair. Take a bowl of water or the appliance/ saunas available for taking steam for your face. I know its kind of difficult to direct steam to your hair so you have to juggle a little with the appliance. If you are using a bowl of water, juggle with yourself or you would end up burning. Carefully, direct steam to all parts of your head. You can even divide your head in 5 parts: top, back, left, right and middle. Middle is the most difficult to get your steam to. For back and middle, bend backward on the bowl or sauna. So, place the bowl/sauna at a comfortable position. And, remember, steam is very hot and you would not be able to bear it more than a few seconds on the more sensitive portions of your skull so keep the steam time to a minimum. Once you try this, you would get used to it. Do this for at max 15 minutes. That would be enough to let the scalp absorb the mask well. Switch off the fans and AC in your room or you will end with a headache due to the temperature differences.
• After opening the hair follicles a bit, apply the mask by massaging it into your scalp. Start from one side and end with the other or part your scalp in 5 parts again. That makes easy application of the mask. After covering the scalp, part your hair along its length and dip them into the mask and spread it evenly. Keep maximum at the ends. 
• After whole of the hair is covered in mask, massage it a little for 10-15 minutes and cover with a shower cap.
• If you have a drier, set it to warm setting and direct the flow of air evenly on your scalp to provide warmth for better absorption. Or, wet a towel and heat it in microwave for 30 seconds and wrap it around the head. You can repeat the towel wraps as many times as you want reheating it after it has cooled. 
• Now, wait for as long as you can. Preferably, do this treatment in the evening because there is more to come.
• Go and rinse your hair after your tolerance is over. Do not shampoo or condition. Just rinse with lukewarm water and get all the egg out of your hair. Egg tends to stick to hair. 
• Come out of the shower. I know you are smelling nasty !! So, let your hair air dry first. 
• Now, comb your hair and untangle it. Now, take a cup of your favorite oil and warm it a little so that oil is tolerably hot to touch. 
• Apply the oil to your hair and massage well. Yes, a hot oil treatment after a homemade deep conditioning treatment. Massage your scalp gently but firmly for 30 minutes. It really helps.
• Leave the oil overnight and wash off with a mild and nice smelling shampoo the other day. You would not even need to condition it but you can apply a little to the ends if you want. 

Tips:

• Use any hair mask in place of egg+honey mask. You can even use the commercially available deep conditioning treatments.
• Use a strong smelled oil for hot oil treatment so that it will mask the smell of egg. Coconut is great for that but only unrefined. 
• You can add vitamin E or Evening Primrose Oil supplements to the mask and oil as well for extra nourishment and shine. 
• You can also use a homemade herbal shampoo which is just a variant of your favorite shampoo.
• You can end this hair pampering session with one of your favored hair rinses too. They would give extra bounce to your hair. 
• Do this once a week to counter the effects of the whole week abuse of your hair. 
• Results: Hair would be softer and shinier for days together. This treatment will take care of your hair till the next treatment :)

Multani Mitti (Clay Mask) for Oily Hair {DIY}

A great tip for reducing oil in your hair.

Apply the clay mask (multani mitti) on the scalp and hair strands section by section. Let it stay for and hour or till it dries up completely and then wash off. You do not need to shampoo. Its up to you.

The clay mask has the same effects on hair as it has on skin: it soaks in the oil, keeps the hair moisturized and soft. Another advantage is that it straightens your hair naturally.