Beauty and Personal Grooming

Check out this simple recipe for a rich hair- conditioner :

Both dry Scalp and damaged hair are very common problem these days. To maintain healthy hair one must have a healthy scalp, which is actually a little more difficult than it seems. Regular visits to the salon are not always convenient. Anti hair loss serum is one solution but oiling the hair and scalp is the best way to rejuvenate the scalp and achieve long, shiny hair, but the concern here is, which oil to use? Listed below are few organic hair oils that would help improve the damaged scalp and hair.

It's not a good idea to  drink alcohol anytime, anywhere, no matter what the research says. You may think that you are an occasional party drinker, but without your knowledge you may soon develop an addiction for it and the repercussions can prove to be disastrous. Instead, why not use rum and beer in your hair care routine? These are known to be very good hair conditioners and can impart bounce and shine to your hair.

Mitali asks: I had recently coloured my hair with streaks at a beauty parlour. I do not intend doing it again, as my hair has become dull and lifeless. How can I repair the damage at home? I have shoulder-length hair.

For some people winter means snow, Christmas, and hot chocolate. However, for a lot of other people winter just means rough and dry hair. The cold, dry air winter produces can easily give you more than one bad hair day. Dry hair makes it hard for you to style yourself because your hair is too frizzy and brittle.   You can even experience some split ends by sitting in the house with the heater on all day. You definitely need to learn how to protect yourself against the harsh weather winter brings along.

If you want to have beautiful looking hair then dry hair can really make you frustrated. People usually suffer from dry hair because there isn't enough moisture and oil in their hair to begin with. One of the main reasons most people don't have enough hair moisture is due to excessive sun exposure without protecting their head. Other things like excessive washing and using harsh chemicals can cause dry hair. If you like to utilize a lot of styling products like blow driers and hot curling irons on a regular basis it can cause your hair to become very dry also.

Sheila asks: My long hair fall up to my waist, but it is fine and straight. It gets tangled after a shampoo. It becomes difficult for me to brush or comb my hair while it is wet. What should I do?

Pollution and dirt leaves my hair dull, dry and damaged in the course of a week.  It's only during weekends that I can devote some time to hair care. Once in 15 days or whenever I find that my hair looks like straw, I use this DIY deep conditioning protein hair mask with eggs. It has proved extremely effective for me and it's much much cheaper than a keratin/protein deep conditioning treatment at a spa.

Just the other day, an over-ripe banana in my fruit-basket caught my attention. Since it didn't look good enough to eat (I don't like the taste of an over-ripe banana), I decided to whip up a DIY recipe for my hair . I had just returned from a place that had an extremely dry climate and all this had taken its toll on my tresses. So I was thinking of going in for a deep-conditioning hair treatment to rejuvenate my dried-up, dull & lifeless hair. To my thrifty self, a homemade hair pack appeared more viable than an expensive salon treatment. So I concocted an easy recipe with the minimum ingredients. Here's the  recipe:

Do you often find yourself pining over that gorgeous Herbal Essences model whose golden locks shine and flow like the gods? Have you tried everything in the books to tame your frizzy mane? If your hair falls under the categories of “dry” and “brittle ,” bad hair days may be more common than good ones. What can be done to turn every bad case of frizz into tumbling tresses forevermore? It may be easier then you thought. A simple change in your hair care methods may be all you need to make your hair and you happier. On closer examination, your hair, when at its best, appears smooth and soft. A microscope can easily reveal that chemically damaged, or dry hair looks cracked and tangled . The damaged strands of hair refuse to lie flat and become out of control. The key to taming your hair is conditioning . Conditioners, which re-hydrate your hair, are essential to rejuvenating your hair’s cuticle, or outer layer. This not only allows for the strands of hair to relax and lay down, but al...

Parachute Coconut Oil 200 ml oil. I simply adore pure, virgin coconut oil and pamper my skin with those luxurious oil-baths every winter . I also put a few drops in my bath everyday and find it extremely moisturizing on my skin. I’ve tried a number of homemade herbal hair-oils and loved them but by far coconut oil remains my favourite. Usually, I massage it on my scalp twice a week, by slightly warming it. Amongst the branded, store-bought coconut oils, I’ve tried Parachute coconut oil, and I’ve found it to be of a superior quality. Manufactured by Marico Industries, it is made of pure dried coconut (“ copra ”) and is packed in attractive blue plastic bottles with a tamper-proof seal to prevent duplication. It’s also available at Amazon ($4.95 for a 200 ml bottle). You may also purchase an extra large 1 liter bottle for $14.99. It smells nice and the plastic bottle can be slightly warmed by placing it in a container of lukewarm water to liquefy it after overnight freezing i...

Experts say that the sebaceous glands in the scalp which produce oil to lubricate the hair are less active in cold weather. They also slow down with age . So you should get them working by stimulating your scalp; this can be achieved by brushing your hair few times in a day. Furthermore, the frosty winter air and dry indoor heat can also leave hair frizzy and split . To get it back into shape they recommend an intense conditioning treatment. This can be done as follows. Comb in a conditioner from root to ends. Then slick hair into a ponytail or pile it under a cap and head out for a walk or run. The conditioner will penetrate your hair as your body heats up. Related: Winter hair care Oil massage for your hair Aparna’s winter skin and hair care routine (Guest Post by RJ)

Coconut oil, due its high saturated fat content was branded as unhealthy and artery-clogging which could cause heart diseases. This claim has been widely disproved by the scientific community and it is now being hailed as one of world’s healthiest cooking oils. Though it may take time, perceptions are slowly changing as people are beginning to realize its tremendous benefits. Coconuts and coconut oil have always been a part of the cuisine in tropical countries like India (South) and Sri Lanka and even today coconut is indispensable in their diet. For now, let’s leave aside the health benefits and focus our attention on the beauty uses of this wonderful oil. South Indian women swear by it. They attribute their dense, long, raven black hair and a flawless , clear complexion to good genes and the liberal use of coconut oil in their diet and beauty regimen.

Are you losing sleep over hair problems like premature graying , excessive hair - loss and split ends ? Raving and ranting over your misfortune or indulging in self-pity isn’t going to take you anywhere. As a matter of fact, constant worry, stress and its byproduct insomnia can worsen your problems. Instead, work towards finding a solution the herbal way. For centuries, several herbs, flowers and herbal oils have been used successfully to restore the grandeur of the crowning glory . Quite a few of these herbs and flowers are in fact, right in front of you and staring at you from your garden just waiting for your green signal to offer their invaluable service. Go and grab them. Amla (gooseberry), for instance is proven to work wonders in preventing and treating premature graying of hair. Aloe-oil promotes hair growth and prevents split ends. The herb ‘ Brahmi (Asiatic pennywort) ’ has a cooling effect on the scalp and prevents hair-loss. If you are losing hair excessively, then...

More than any other type, it is dry hair that needs a thorough conditioning after shampooing . You just can’t afford to skip conditioning and oiling in your hair care routine, especially, if you have dry hair. Dry hair also tends to develop split ends – an oil massage , twice a week with this homemade aloe-oil will nourish your dry strands and prevent split ends. You need not buy expensive conditioners when you can easily prepare some of these recipes yourself – these are quite effective in giving a luminous shine and body to your tresses. Here are 2 such easy-to-make conditioners for you to use after shampooing your hair. Lavender-treated conditioner for dry hair Ingredients: 1 egg yolk or ½ cup of aloe gel ½ cup coconut milk 1 cup papaya pulp 2 drops lavender oil ½ cup whole milk Method: Whip all ingredients in a blender till the mixture is thick. After shampooing and rinsing, part your hair into small sections and apply conditioner from hair roots to the ...

When those over-publicized, fancy-packed hair-oils can’t do the trick and you end up losing your hair, it’s time to open grandma’s age-old recipe book for answers. These home-made, cheap and harmless potions are a perfect choice when you deal with something as important as your crowning glory . You simply can’t afford to make wrong choices. Take the case of split ends in the hair , for instance. You just can’t ignore it and leave it to its fate. If left untreated, it leads to poor hair-growth and hair - loss . So make an effort to get rid of split ends with alacrity. Read all about it here . You could also try your hand at this easy-to-make aloe hair oil . Applying this regularly on your hair will help you tackle this problem of split ends effectively. Hair tends to split when the natural sebum oil fails to reach the ends of the strands. So a proper massage with this aloe oil will nourish your hair and prevent the ends from becoming brittle and splitting up. Don’t let procras...

Oil massages , before washing the hair and regular brushing are indispensable if hair is to be kept healthy. Most women postpone or overlook this part of hair-care, with the excuse of being too busy for such schedules. Oil-massage should be followed meticulously, however busy one may be. Take a few minutes off for a thorough oil massage, the night before you intend washing the hair , or at least two hours before it. Don’t harbor prejudices like – “It is wasteful to apply oil just to wash it off!” Oil application actually helps dry , damaged hair and controls dandruff flakes . Warm oil is the best for this purpose as it is easily absorbed into the scalp. Part the hair in several places, apply oil with your finger tips in a circular motion, taking care to cover every inch of the scalp area. The choice of oil is a personal matter. Some of the oils commonly used are coconut, amla (gooseberry) oil, gingelly (til) and mustard (rai) oils. Castor oil, being heavy-base oil, is e...

Of the many problems that affect the hair, split ends is the most common one. Split ends make the hair look frizzy and untidy. A common idiom is that they make the hair look like broomsticks-dry, dull and lifeless. However there are ways and means to take care of your hair so that they do not develop split ends.   Causes: One of the main reasons why hair splits is their becoming excessively dry . The tip of the hair splits first, and, if untreated, even the roots of the hair get affected. Other reasons of hairsplitting include regular bleaching or coloring, too much use of hair dryer and roller, back combing, combing of wet hair, excessive hot air or too much exposure to the sun, regular use of dirty combs, perming, use of too much hair spray, bathing in the swimming pool or the sea, stress and lack of nutrition for the hair.

Dry hair looks dry and lacks smooth shiny look. Split ends are its main problem. They are brittle and break easily because of dryness. Dry hair needs combing frequently, as they start looking unsettled very soon. This type of hair needs a lot of care. If you have dry hair follow these simple steps to maintain them.