We see so many TV adverts and posters with women showing off their beautiful, sleek and shiny hair – they toss it over their shoulder and it ripples with light and glows with health. If you’re anything like me, you’re no doubt sitting there watching them in envy and wondering how to make your hair look so damn good.
Hair dye, curlers, straightening irons, harsh shampoos or over shampooing, perms, over-exposure to the sun, blow dryers, wind, pollution and chlorinated water are just a few of the things that can contribute towards hair drying out, losing it’s shine, becoming brittle and, in short, making you look less like a hair model and more like Cousin It. Just because your hair is suffering now however doesn’t mean it can’t look lustrous and silky once again however – and regaining your luscious look doesn’t have to come at the price of an empty bank account after undergoing expensive salon treatments either. There are plenty of things you can do at home to help your hair look gorgeous and moisturised once again. Read on to find out the ten best home remedies to revive damaged, dry hair…
1. Use An Overnight Conditioner
If you’ve had dry hair for a while there’s little doubt you’ve already been layering the conditioner. That’s great – it’s the perfect starting point for reviving dry and damaged hair as it helps to lock in moisture and makes your hair silky smooth. If you’re reading this article however I guess it’s safe to say normal conditioning wasn’t enough to fully restore your hair. Don’t count out this trick just yet however, there’s still a lot to be said for a good old condition. For example, have you tried an overnight conditioner? No? In that case you really should! They’re a perfect way to restore your hair quickly and simply. All you need to do it lather your hair in it, pop on a shower cap and go to bed. When the morning comes simply rinse off the conditioner and already you should notice a change in your hair. It works because the conditioner has more than just a quick couple of minutes to do it’s magic, it’s simple really!
2. The Egg Treatment
No doubt you’ve heard at some point or another that eggs are great for giving you healthy, strong hair – and no I don’t mean eating them. If you’ve heard that egg mixtures are great for hair you may have thought it was a myth but I assure you it’s not. In fact it’s one of the oldest and most effective treatments for try hair there is. Egg mixtures are great for your hair as eggs are a great source of lecithin and protein, both of which strengthen and repair your hair. Egg mixtures add shine, moisture and texture to your hair and begin battling dry hair after only one treatment. There are lots of different egg mixtures that you can use but here’s one I personally recommend…
Beat together 2 eggs, 11 table spoons of almond oil and half a cup of full-fat yoghurt. Stir the mixture until it turns creams then massage the mixture into your hair making sure you get plenty on your scalp. With the mixture still in place, cover your hair with a towel or a shower cap and forget about it for roughly half an hour. Then, simply shampoo your hair as usual using warm water and rinse it all out. Voila! Your hair will be shiner and also smelling lovely instantly.
3. Hot Oil Treatments
Hair care professionals have lots of different suggestions when it comes to treating dry and damaged hair and the majority of them differ from salon to salon. One thing professionals can agree on however is that hot oil treatments are great for repairing your hair. You can buy a number of over the counter products which you leave on your hair for 15 to 20 minutes (read the packaging for more instructions as they differ from product to product) and then rinse off. Look for a product that is rich in natural oils such as almond, corn, coconut or olive oil for the best results – these are great for adding extra shine and restoring moisture to brittle hair.
4. Use Less Heat
Chances are, your hairdryer, straighteners or curlers are some of your best friends but trust me your hair hates them. It doesn’t matter how good for your hair a certain make of these products claims to be, they’ll always do more harm than good. Hair hates heat and a lot of us are using it on a daily basis to style our hair. Try going for the natural look more often and only use heat to style your hair for special occasions and if you simply have to use these tools daily then be sensible about it. Set your blow dryer on a lower heat and strength and turn your curlers and straighteners down slightly. And whatever you do, don’t brush your hair while using them as this is a guaranteed way to tease your hair apart and dry it out. When you use heat on your hair it shrinks the strands of hair while brushing your hair pulls at them and the two opposite effects have adverse effects on your locks.
5. Raid Your Fridge
Similar to the egg mixture treatment, you can also raid your fridge for a bit of mayonnaise. It might sound crazy but layering your hair in mayo actually does wonders for it. Make sure you’re using full-fat mayo then simply add half a cup to your hair and massage it in gently, cover it with a shower cap or a towel then forget about it for half an hour while you go and make yourself a cuppa. When the time’s up simply hop in the shower and rinse the mayo out with lukewarm water. The result will be shinier, softer and overall healthier hair.
6. Use Vinegar As Conditioner
It turns out that vinegar isn’t just great on your chips – it’s actually an amazing hair conditioner! Simply add one table spoon of vinegar to your hair as you rinse it to improve cleanliness and shine, it really is that simple. Or you can soak your hair in a basin with a mix of vinegar and water before shampooing if this sounds less of a hassle to you. Either way make sure you massage the vinegar into your scalp and don’t forget to soak right down to the roots. The best vinegar you can use for this is full strength apple-cider vinegar.
7. Mash Up Avocado And Banana
This is by far my favorite treatment on the list and, in my mind, also the weirdest. Avocados contain loads of healthy nutrients that will nourish your hair and bananas are amazing at repairing and preventing split ends, making them the perfect duo to revive damaged hair. Simply mash together one ripe banana and one avocado and add a teaspoon on almond oil and massage the mixture into your scalp and cover all of your hair with it. To protect the mixture, cover it with a shower cap and then leave it on for between half an hour to an hour before hopping in the shower and rinsing it off thoroughly.
8. Go Easy On The Shampoo
No doubt you think that clean hair is healthy hair, and you’re right…to an extent. But did you also know that shampooing and washing your hair too much can actually damage and dry out your hair? I’ll admit, I didn’t have a clue until I researched this article so I guess it’s a common misconception. The reason too much shampooing can be bad for your hair is that lot of shampoos have harsh chemicals and cleaning agents in them which actually strip away your hair’s natural oils which help to hold in moisture.
To avoid this, you can look for shampoos which will be kinder on your hair – ones with a pH of between 4.5 and 6.7 are perfect – but the best thing you can do to stop your hair drying out is to stop washing it daily. Cut back to washing it every couple of days instead and within a week you’ll see the shine and lustier you thought you’d lost returning. It is worth noting that it’s also not good for your hair to go more than 3 days without being shampooed either however. While a lot of shampoos are harsh on your hair they also stimulate the oil glands if you don’t use them too often which helps revive your shine.
9. Treat Your Hair With TLC
There are lots of simple and effective ways to make your hair healthier and it all starts with a little tender love and care.
- Avoid shampoos with harsh chemicals in them.
- Look for hair products with moisturising agents, especially aloe vera.
- When you wash your hair, massage it with your finger tips and not your finger nails as it’s gentler on your hair.
- Brush your hair gently. Rough brushing will cause your hair to split and break, if not fall out completely.
- Only brush wet hair with a comb as it’s gentler on it. If possible, avoid brushing wet hair completely as it’s prone to tangling and therefore you have to be rough on it to make it smooth again.
- Don’t overexpose your hair to the sun or wind. Wherever possible, wear a hat when you’re in these weather conditions.
These are such simple things but they’ll make a huge difference to your hair. If you pay attention to all of them you’ll find your hair repairing itself and less prone to damage or dryness in future.
10. Diet Is Everything
You probably already know that a healthy diet means a healthy you but you may not have realised that a healthy you includes healthy hair. A good diet can add moisture, shine and all round health to your hair and, as an added bonus, it will help you feel better, look more radiant, sleep well and be healthy all round.
Specifically, eating plenty of seeds and nuts will help your hair glow by supplying it with essential omega-6 fatty acids. When you’re choosing what yo eat, look for foods with vitamin C, vitamin E and omega-3 as these are great for your hair and all the rest of you too. If you find you’re not eating enough foods with these ingredients in then perhaps consider a dietary supplement to boost your intake. A good diet with lots of fruit and vegetables will work wonders for your hair – the various vitamins are exactly what you need to keep your hair healthy and shiny.
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water (8 glasses per day!) too. Water helps to expel harmful substances and toxins from your body which can be bad for your hair and all the rest of you too. Plus, water helps to keep you hydrated which is exactly what you need to combat dry hair.
If you’ve got dry hair or are prone to it then any of these tips will work wonders for your hair. Not all of them work perfectly for everyone so try giving a few a go to see what works for you and remember that they’re not miracle cures, be sure to give them a couple of tries before you discount them completely. How well they work really does depend on how dry your hair is to begin with. Once your hair is back to it’s shiny, sleek self you can also use these tricks now and again to make sure it stays that way. This will help to ensure your hair stays looking beautiful and you looking as though you could be one of those hair models we all envy so much! Have fun experimenting and don’t forget to let me know what treatments you loved or loathed!
(All images sourced via pinterest.com)
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