To bring out the natural shine, start with your shampoo. If you have less than two ounces of shampoo left in the bottle, try adding a teaspoon of baking soda, which removes any residue from your hair without stripping too much natural moisture.
If you are happy with the result, buy a bottle of inexpensive organic shampoo (aim for a basic formula without bells and whistles) and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda per 2 ounces of shampoo. Shake well and sit for about an hour before using. Don’t expect soda crystals to dissolve completely. You will get a softening, mildly scrubbing scalp cleanser that you can use once a week to keep your scalp healthy and itch-free.
The simplest rinse to boost shine is apple cider vinegar. Dilute one-half cup of organic vinegar in one cup of water and use it as a final rinse after a thorough shampooing. Lemon juice mixed with water in the same proportion can also be used as a last rinse to give your hair a shiny and bouncy look. But beware: both mixtures should be applied carefully, with your head tilted back, so they do not get into your eyes!
If you have dark hair and would rather not experiment with bleaching lemon juice, try bringing up extra shine with coffee. Brew a cup of strong organic coffee, let it cool, and use it as a hair rinse.
Finally, the simplest recipe for shiny hair: after shampooing, just rinse your hair with cool water to close the hair cuticles. Don’t use cold water, though: this can restrict blood vessels too much, resulting in a headache.
Solutions for Increased Hair Volume
If you have a few minutes of spare time and a head of limp, lifeless locks to deal with, try blending up a quick volumizing conditioner at home. Here’s what you will need.
Cool Hair Milk
1/2 cup witch hazel.1/3 ounce vodka, cognac, or brandy.
3 drops peppermint essential oil.
Yield
4 ounces
1. Blend all the ingredients in a stainless steel shaker. Don’t try to sniff!2. Apply as a hair rinse, keep on for a few minutes, and rinse off. The smell will soon evaporate, leaving a faint herbal scent.
To boost circulation and make your hair follicles strong and perky, you will find a weekly scalp massage a blessing. For an invigorating rub, pour two drops of lavender oil and two drops of rosemary oil onto your fingertips, rub them together to warm up the oils, and then massage in strong circular motions. Massaging with essential oils boosts the blood flow to the scalp and encourages strong hair growth.
Sweet and Sour Oily Hair Conditioner
1 cup jojoba oil.1/2 cup lemon juice.
2 teaspoons brown sugar.
5 drops rosemary essential oil.
5 drops sage essential oil.
5 drops tea tree essential oil.
Yield
4 ounces
Brown sugar works as a mild soothing agent. For dark hair, you may substitute apple cider vinegar for the lemon juice because it can be mildly bleaching. But if you do want to lighten your hair a little bit, go ahead and use lemon juice!1. Combine all ingredients in a glass container and shake well to dissolve the sugar.
2. Apply the blend to dry, unwashed hair, starting at the roots and massaging the oil into the scalp. Rub the oil into the hair in a downward motion away from the scalp to seal the hair cuticle. Scalp massage encourages the penetration of active essential oils and helps prevent pore clogging with dry sebum and dead skin cells.
3. Comb the hair through. Follow with a mild shampoo. Massage the shampoo into hair, slowly adding water as the oil dissolves. Lather as usual and rinse.
Solutions for Dry and Damaged Hair
Coloring, highlighting, perming, straightening, air-conditioning in the summer, heating during the winter, too little sleep, too many chemicals in your shampoo—all of these can dry out hair and make the scalp itchy and flaky. This should not be mistaken for dandruff, which is usually accompanied by a greasy scalp.While conventional conditioners simply coat the hair and scalp in silicones and mineral oil, providing instant results that are gone before the end of the day, natural solutions work slowly but the effect remains longer.
Shampoo your hair with plain egg. It may sound ridiculous and feels even worse, but the effect is completely worth it. Eggs won’t lather and will try to sneak through your fingers. Be prepared to waste a few eggs down the drain until you master the technique. The trick is to carefully separate the yolk and use it on your hair; save the egg white for a tightening, nourishing mask or a quick salt scrub for your face. If you prefer your shampoo to lather, make a simple egg shampoo by blending one egg yolk with one tablespoon (or two squirts) of castile soap. Blend them briskly in the palm of your hand and rub into your hair immediately.
In ready-made shampoos for dry hair, look for ingredients such as jojoba oil, aloe vera, cucumber and licorice extracts, milk and soy proteins, vegetable glycerin, and panthenol (vitamin B5). Keep plain jojoba oil in your shower and massage a handful of oil into your scalp at least once a week. You may also add a few drops of jojoba oil to your shampoo as you work it through your hair, but make sure to rinse thoroughly. Desert Essence sells a generously sized bottle of organic jojoba oil (Desert Essence Jojoba Oil for Hair, Skin & Scalp) that you can use as a facial cleanser and a nutritious mask for dry hair.
Diet matters, too. In the winter, when many people suffer from drier hair and scalp, introduce more oily fruits and vegetables, such as avocado and broccoli, in your diet. “Your lifestyle has a synergistic effect on your health and appearance,”. “A diet rich in organic raw fruits and vegetables is extremely beneficial for the condition of your hair. Olive, avocado, and fish oils will help keep hair healthy and shiny.” Pure plant oil is the best conditioner for dry hair.
Here’s a recipe for a nutritious preshampoo conditioner that infuses your hair and scalp with much-needed moisture.
Shine Liquid Hair Mask
1 apple, peeled and cored.3 tablespoons neutral henna.
1/2 cup light beer.
1 tablespoon baking soda.
Optional:
1 drop lemon essential oil.
1 drop hops essential oil.
Yield
4 ounces
Apples provide vitamins, malic acid gently exfoliates scalp and hair follicles. Beer also is a time-tested shine booster. For best results, use flat beer with no bubbles.1. Puree the apple in a blender. Add the henna, beer, and baking soda and mix thoroughly. Add the essential oils, if using.
2. Apply the mask on freshly cleansed hair, leave on for five minutes, and rinse off with tepid water. You can store this mask in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Tip
If your hair is fragile, make it a rule to shampoo half as often as you are used to. If you are going into the swimming pool or ocean, soak your hair in fresh water first and seal the cuticles with a light mist of jojoba oil so your hair won’t be exposed to moisture-drenching salt or toxic chlorine.
Always remember to wear a hat in the sun or windy, cold weather. Hats prevent damage from UV radiation and dehydration from wind and frost.
Hair Butter
3 tablespoons organic virgin olive oil.2 tablespoons avocado oil.
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour.
1 teaspoon organic spirulina extract.
10,000 IU vitamin E.
2 drops lavender essential oil.
2 drops bergamot essential oil.
2 drops chamomile essential oil.
Yield
4 ounces
Use daily before shampooing for maximum results. This hair mask will last for one week of daily treatments.1. Blend all ingredients in a small bowl, making sure the essential oils spread evenly.
2. Massage one tablespoon of the treatment into wet hair and scalp, concentrating on split ends
and areas of itchiness. Leave on for ten minutes for intensive conditioning.
3. Rinse thoroughly and shampoo as usual.
Use a leave-in conditioner that doubles as a styling aid. Look for soothing and calming ingredients such as aloe vera gel, oat, soy proteins, and other amino acids. Too much oil in your leave-in conditioner can weigh your hair down, so save oils for a conditioning mask or an oil massage.
If you can pull off a “bedroom hair” look, or disheveled, carelessly pinned or twisted hair, go for it. For corporate types, it’s still possible to skip every other shampooing by adopting chic ponytails on long hair. If you have short hair, you can refresh your look by dabbing a bit of cornstarch into the scalp followed by blow-drying on a low setting.
Air-dry your hair whenever you can. Frequent blow-drying can damage the hair, causing split ends. If you must blow-dry, make sure that your hair is thoroughly towel dried first. I have found that organic cotton towels absorb more moisture than conventional ones, perhaps because the fibers aren’t damaged by chlorine bleaching.The green beauty guide
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