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Spice it up for healthy hair
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In the search for the perfect product to help cultivate healthy hair, many natural hair wearers are unaware that simple, inexpensive ingredients lay right within their own spice racks.
For centuries the spices and herbs that we use to cook our every day meals have been used to prevent hair loss, combat dandruff and help keep hair fresh and clean. Big name cosmetic companies have ushered in the trend of infusing their products with herbal essences for the past two decades or more because they recognize the benefit to hair health. But you don’t need the likes of Clairol or Garnier to gain the advantages or herbs in your hair care regimen.
Rosemary stimulates hair growth, slows down or prevents hair loss and can work stave the grays! If dandruff is an issue, rosemary has been used to soothe and condition dry, flaky scalps and its antibacterial properties help to clear the hair and scalp of impurities. For use in hair care treatments, rosemary can be boiled into a hair tea solution using water or apple cider vinegar, or made into oil treatment by infusing one cup of rosemary leaves into a Mason jar filled with your carrier oil of choice. Jojoba is most recommended, but olive or coconut may work well too.
Sage is another great herb that works to strengthen hair, prevent hair. As strange as this may sound, using clary sage oil in between shampoo sessions has been known to help soak up excess oils, promoting a cleaner look and shine to hair. A ACV-sage tea solution can be used as a rinse to dye lighter shades, deepen darker shades and restore the natural color to gray strands.
Naturally rich in capcasin, cayenne pepper is yet another winner when it comes to hair growth. Known as a mild (or strong, depending on the amount used) irritant, the capsaicin in cayenne pepper stimulates the scalp and encourages increased blood flow, providing a rich diet for hair follicles. A daily regimen of cayenne pepper is also believed to be an agent that reverses the effects of alopecia and promotes the growth of new hair. To use, simply combine ground cayenne pepper to a quarter cup of olive oil, enough to make a paste. Apply the solution to your scalp using an application brush or bottle, or gloves fingers. Cover your head with a shower cap and allow the paste to set for ten or fifteen minutes.
Yet another herb that works to stimulate growth, prevent hair loss and treat dandruff is thyme. Whether used on its own in a tea with equal parts water and ACV, or used in tandem with the above herbs and olive oil, thyme can work wonders to keep hair growing long and thick and reducing the abundance of oils in the hair.
Oregano has been known to be a wonderful detangling agent, and because it contains thymol and carvacrol which makes it a strong antiseptic, it is also a great treatment for treating dandruff and itchy scalp. To use simply simmer a half a cup of fresh oregano leaves in one cup of water, and once the solution cools pour it into a spray bottle. To temper the smell of oregano and encourage shine to the hair, add one teaspoon of vanilla to the solution. Be mindful not to use vanilla extract due to the alcohol content, which can dry your hair out.
There are many more herbs on the market that can be used in lieu of expensive and possibly harmful commercial products, such as ginger, ylang ylang and and kelp, but the list above is of the most readily available spices that are easy to buy and use. Each of these can be used as standalone teas or oils for rinsing or hot oil treatments, or added to your favourite brand of shampoo and conditioner to help boost their benefits.
When using herbs it’s recommended to use fresh ones in order to make sure you’re getting the highest potency. If growing your own is not an option you can pick up a wide variety of fresh herbs from most grocery stores. Here in Columbus, Clintonville Community Market is a great place to find fresh, organically grown herbs to suit your needs, or you can order them online from Mid/West Foods Inc. If fresh is not easily accessible, dried herbs are an adequate, although "less" potent, substitute.
So the next time you feel your hair routine is in need of a bit of spice, take the term literally and you won’t be sorry.
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