Haircare essentials

By : Alen Lew

A regular hair care regimen is essential for beautiful healthy hair. It is important to follow a hair care schedule because once hair is damaged, it cannot be repaired.

A good shampoo, conditioner and hair oil are necessary to cleanse, moisturize, protect and nourish your hair. You can make a complete range of home care products out of natural ingredients. These products will not contain the harsh dyes, perfumes and other chemicals that are commonly found in cosmetic shampoos.

Shampoo:

Shampoos are an integral part of any hair care regimen. It is important that your shampoo is both gentle and effective. A harsh shampoo will leave your hair very clean but it will also damage your hair and leave it brittle.

You can make your own home made shampoo with either soap nuts or Acacia Concinna as a base. Soap nuts contain natural surfactants which make them effective cleansers. They also have gentle insecticidal properties and so they prevent lice infestations.

Acacia Concinna is extremely mild and will not strip the hair of its natural oils. You can use either one of these natural cleansers or a combination. If you have oily hair increase the amount of soap nuts used in your preparation and if you have very dry hair you can skip the soap nuts completely.

Add other natural ingredients like chamomile flowers, honey and lemon juice to your homemade shampoo just before you shower. This shampoo will leave your hair clean and nourished. 'Shampoo's for your hair type'

Conditioner:

A conditioner provides the hair with fatty acids and keeps the hair moisturized and therefore softer and smoother. Make sure that you always use a conditioner suited to your hair type. Most cosmetic conditioners however, contain perfumes, dyes, thickening agents and other chemicals that can damage your hair in the long run. You can use your own homemade conditioner to nourish and fortify your hair naturally. 'Conditioner's for your hair type'

If you have oily hair, mix equal quantities of orange juice and lemon juice and use it as a conditioner. If you have medium to dry hair, mix ½ a teaspoon of full-fat milk powder to ½ a cup of apple juice and soak your hair in it for at least 5 minutes before you rinse it off. If you have very dry hair, mix one spoon of fresh coconut milk in a cup of freshly blended avocado paste and leave this conditioner on for at least 15 minutes before you rinse it off.

Hair oil:

It is important to oil your hair regularly to prevent your hair from drying up and becoming brittle. Hair oil also helps to nourish your hair and scalp and provides your hair with essential fatty acids which help to prevent breakage.

Coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil and almond oil are good hair oils. You can mix more than one of these oils together and use the blend to massage your scalp. Make sure that you also apply the oil to your hair as well. Comb your hair well after you oil your hair as this will ensure that the oil spreads evenly throughout your hair.

Oil your hair just once a week if you have oily hair and about thrice a week for dry hair. It is advisable that you oil your hair before you go to bed and rinse it off the next morning.

In addition to these basic hair care practices, you can also use a hair mask made out of fruits like bananas, berries and apples as well as vegetables like, carrots, tomatoes and pumpkins. Use this hair mask at least twice a month to deep condition your hair and provide it with essential nutrients. It is important to keep in mind that when it comes to hair, prevention is definitely better than cure!

So why not try out 'Purepact organic hair care products' today - Caroline Yeoman - Marketing Consultant.