Modern girls are accustomed to washing their hair with shampoo and applying a special balm to it, which makes combing easier and moisturizes.
The conditioner can be selected for any hair type and it is impossible to do without such a product.
But additional natural care never hurts, so we invite you to remember how our great-grandmothers maintained their beauty and try a hair rinse with herbs.
Benefits of Herbal Rinses
What factors destroy the structure and health of hair? There are many of them: polluted atmosphere, temperature changes, ultraviolet radiation, dry indoor air. Coloring and the use of styling products make a negative contribution.
Herbal rinses can be used to protect hair, treat it, or achieve a specific result, such as lightening or adding shine. Herbs support the health of the scalp, stimulate blood circulation in it, nourish the root follicles, thereby strengthening and stimulating the growth of healthy hair. The naturalness and environmental friendliness of such products ensures safe and gentle care, as evidenced by reviews from millions of women.
The variety of herbs with which you can rinse allows you to choose the recipe that suits you. For example, rosemary and sage are good for dark hair, and chamomile and calendula will highlight the charm of any blonde, lavender and verbena give a pleasant aroma, linden blossom is ideal for frequent rinsing, and nettle is great for dandruff.
You can wash your hair with infusions or decoctions of herbs, for the preparation of which it is better to use fresh plants, but if there are none, then feel free to take dried flowers, roots or leaves. It is better to wrap dried herbs in several layers of gauze so as not to wash out pieces of plants from your hair, or strain the resulting decoction.
Six dietary supplements that will turn dry, weak hair into thick and shiny hair
Women are ready to do anything for thick, silky hair And marketers use this passion: in pharmacies, whole rows of all kinds of dietary supplements and vitamins are piled on the shelves. Which ones are the most effective?
Experts unanimously say: the most important thing is what you eat, because hair is an indicator of the health of the whole body as a whole. Ideally, we should get the vitamins and minerals the body needs from food, but research shows that modern foods contain much less useful substances than half a century ago. This means that supplements are simply necessary. Here are the most important:
Biotin
Biotin, a B complex vitamin, is the most popular supplement for hair and nail growth. Dermatologists prescribed it back in the middle of the last century.
“With a biotin deficiency, people suffer from thinning and dry hair, brittle nails,” says Candidate of Medical Sciences, dermatologist Olga Tseytlina. “If you start having such problems, you should take a blood test to check for vitamin deficiency.”
Collagen
Collagen is the key to healthy hair and glowing skin. As we get older, the body's natural levels of collagen decrease. The solution is collagen powder.
“This protein breaks down into peptides, or short chains of amino acids, that can be absorbed by the body and used as building blocks for skin, hair, nails, joints, bones and the lining of the intestines,” explains Olga Tseytlina. The powder is usually tasteless, so it can be dissolved in any liquid - be it water or coffee.
Silicon
This mineral is often found both in nature and in the human body: in bones, tendons, aorta, liver and kidneys.
Silicon is involved in the development of connective tissue, the formation and mineralization of bone tissue, therefore silicon supplements are usually prescribed for the prevention of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
But they have also been shown to promote stronger, brighter hair and reduce hair loss. The exact mechanism of this has not yet been studied, but it is believed that silicon may interact with keratin, the protein that makes up hair.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights free radicals, reduces inflammation of the skin, and improves blood circulation in cells.
When blood circulation is established, rapid hair growth is stimulated in the follicles. The best part is that vitamin E is inexpensive and easily accessible.
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are oils found in foods such as fatty fish, egg yolks, walnuts, pumpkin and flax seeds, and seaweed. Biohackers all over the world rely on them: they have anti-inflammatory properties, strengthen the cardiovascular system, etc.
The effect on hair health from this supplement is not so obvious - however, according to Candidate of Medical Sciences Ekaterina Dudinskaya, head of the laboratory of age-related metabolic and endocrine disorders of the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education Russian National Research Medical University named after. N.I. Pirogov of the Russian Ministry of Health, some studies show that omega-3 fatty acids support healthy skin and hair when taken along with antioxidants.
They contribute to the preservation of collagen - the elastic basis of our skin, which is responsible for elasticity, hydration and prevents the appearance of wrinkles and acne.
Iron
According to trichologists, iron deficiency is the most common cause of dryness and hair loss in women. It is not entirely clear how this mineral affects hair, but hair follicle matrix cells are among the fastest dividing cells in the body.
With iron deficiency, hair follicles may not function properly, so when doctors hear from a patient about hair loss, the first thing they do is send for a blood test.
It is customary for us to determine the level of iron in the body by hemoglobin, but if the hemoglobin is low, this already indicates an extreme degree of iron deficiency. The main marker of the presence or absence of iron deficiency is ferritin. Ideally, you should try to maintain its value at the upper limit.
Iron supplements are not suitable for everyone - taking them can cause digestive and stomach problems, so they should be prescribed by a doctor. If necessary, IVs are given.
Universal herbal rinses
Depending on the problem you are faced with, certain herbs and their mixtures are selected. If you can't determine your scalp type, then start your rinse with universal herbs, which are equally good. Here are the most useful herbs for rinsing hair:
- nettle is the queen for the beauty of hair, as it accelerates their growth, strengthens it, stopping and preventing hair loss, stimulates blood circulation and saves from dandruff;
- burdock, or in common parlance burdock, is suitable for oily hair, treats hair loss, using the roots of the plant;
- sage is a wonderful remedy against dandruff and various irritations;
- calendula relieves inflammation, softens and nourishes, copes well with acne on the head;
- chamomile is considered a real find for the beauty of curls, has a calming, bactericidal effect, gives shine and a light shade;
- peppermint fights dandruff and makes follicles stronger;
- birch leaves are also indispensable if your hair is oily, in addition, they are combined with almost all other herbs;
- You can rinse your hair with basil for easy combing and rapid growth;
- Rosemary is one of the best herbs for rinsing, adding volume, shine and lushness.
Herbal decoctions should be applied at the end of shampooing to clean, damp hair and do not use balm after that.
Professional express hair shine products.
Special sprays are considered the most effective express means for adding shine to hair. Their main difference from other products is the imparting of a superficial, visual shine, which quickly disappears.
Most sprays of this type include surfactants that create a protective film that smooths out defects in the structure of the hair and fills the voids between keratin scales. But don't be fooled: shine sprays do not have a healing effect, although its use protects your hair from negative environmental factors.
Spray to add shine is applied to the finished hairstyle from a distance of 30 centimeters. Make sure that the spray does not form droplets. When choosing, give preference to professional brands. Don't forget that hair spray is an excellent express product for adding visual beauty and well-groomed hair. But its use does not at all eliminate the need for hair care, which provides natural shine to the hair.
Recipes for blondes and brunettes
Whatever color a girl’s hair is, she wants to highlight her favorite hair color, make it brighter and more natural. This will be helped by rinsing with certain products that can lighten or, on the contrary, intensify dark shades. The table will allow you to choose the desired recipe and try it in practice, and you can post feedback on the results of application in the comments below.
Brunettes | Blondes |
Black tea + nettle + rosemary | Chamomile flowers + lemon juice |
Sage + rosemary | Calendula + chamomile + vinegar |
Horsetail + nettle + oak bark | Rhubarb root + lemon juice |
Linden twigs + strong coffee | Hop cones + horsetail + chamomile |
Conditioners for dry and lifeless strands
What decoctions can you wash and rinse your hair to give it a bright shine? We offer several options.
Pour water over chamomile flowers, cook for 10 minutes, then let sit for 10 minutes and strain. Use the infusion to add shine and light lightening, and to make the effect more noticeable, you can add lemon juice to the infusion.
Prepare a decoction of 1 liter of water and 2 tbsp. l. rowan, you can wash your hair with it two or three times a week. To make your curls shine and shimmer in the sun, you can rinse them with a decoction of bay leaves at the rate of a tablespoon of the plant per 0.5 liters of water.
Pour 4 tablespoons of birch leaves with a liter of water and leave for 30 minutes under the lid; you can wash your hair with this product every other day. This rinse will help maintain a healthy scalp, make strands soft and give them a silky shine. Do not use this recipe on blonde or gray hair as it may make it darker.
Sage helps moisturize the head and promotes healthy skin; use a decoction of the plant to rinse every other day for three weeks. Peppermint and hop cones are also good for dry scalps.
Herbal vinegar is also very useful, which is prepared as follows: pour two glasses of apple cider vinegar over crushed fresh leaves of nettle, mint and chamomile flowers, let stand in a dark, cool place for 10 days. When rinsing, you need to wash your hair with a solution of 4 tablespoons. spoons of the resulting herbal vinegar in a liter of warm water.
Mask recipes
Let's look at the most effective mask recipes that will give your hair healthy shine and beauty. To prepare them, you will need the simplest ingredients.
Oily
For those with dry, flaking and brittle hair, masks made with oils are suitable.
- Three oils. To prepare this mask, you need to take three oils in equal quantities: almond or peach, olive and castor. Afterwards, you need to warm them up, apply them to the strands, paying special attention to the ends, and insulate your head with a hat and a towel.
After 40-50, you can wash off with warm water using a large amount of shampoo.
- Banana. Grind the banana pulp until a smooth puree is formed. To do this, it is not enough to mash it with a fork - you need to rub it through a sieve or beat it in a blender. Banana puree should be mixed with a large spoon of yogurt (without any additives, including sugar). The third component is olive oil, you need 20 ml.
You should use the hair shine mask with banana in exactly the same way as the previous one, but keep it on your head for less - 20-30 minutes. This product can also be used for normal hair.
By the way, we recommend banana hair masks for those who have damaged hair.
- Italian recipe. Take a few tablespoons of olive oil and add lemon essential oil: 5 drops per 20 ml of olive oil.
Use in the same way as a three-oil composition. If desired, you can leave it overnight.
Gelatinous
Depending on what components, besides gelatin, are included in the homemade shine mask, it can be used for dry or oily hair.
- For dry hair. Pour a large spoonful of gelatin into 60 ml of cool water, let it brew for 20 minutes, stir. If the gelatin has not dissolved, heat the composition in a water bath. Add 5 drops of peach, lavender or rosemary oil.
Apply the composition to clean, still damp hair, put on a polyethylene cap. After half an hour, rinse with cool water (without shampoo).
- For normal hair . This hair mask is prepared for shiny hair at home, just like for dry curls, but without adding oil. Instead of water, you can use decoctions of medicinal herbs: nettle, chamomile, burdock root.
- For oily hair . The recipe for this mask differs from the previous one only in that instead of a decoction of herbs, the juice of any citrus fruit is taken.
Egg
The yolk is famous for its moisturizing properties, its ability to moisturize curls and straighten hair shafts.
- With juice . Squeeze the juice from one lemon, mix with two egg yolks, apply to dry hair, distribute through it. Put on a plastic cap. After half an hour, wash off. The water should be lukewarm to prevent the egg from curdling. For redheads, it is better to replace lemon juice with carrot juice (50 ml per 2 yolks); for brunettes, it is better to replace it with strong natural coffee (2-3 tablespoons per 2 yolks).
- With honey . For one yolk you need to take a teaspoon of honey and olive oil, grind everything thoroughly. After applying to your hair, you need to wait 20-30 minutes, then rinse with warm water. This mask is not suitable for oily hair.