I believe in natural hair care, and have acquired my own natural hair care routine. Keeping hair natural by using natural ingredients makes your hair healthy and they remain in a good condition even when you age. There are hundreds of ingredients found in nature that can be used in hair products or alone, but we never know which ones actually work. Here are some tried and tested ingredients to look for in natural hair care products:
HIBISCUS
Hibiscus provides many benefits for hair due to its vitamin C and amino acid rich composition. I have a hibiscus plant in my gallery that give me continuous supply of hibiscus flowers. You can use the hibiscus flower either fresh or dried and also their leaves. These can be used to make oil, shampoo or just hair mask. There are a lot of commercial shampoos too that contain hibiscus as an active ingredient.
BANANA
In my no-shampoo journey, I have used a lot of kitchen ingredients on hair, banana being one of them. It is the rich source of the vitamins like A, vitamin B and it is the rich source of potassium, magnesium, and zinc. Banana makes hair soft and smooth and keeps it frizz free. You won’t find a lot of hair products containing banana (except The Body Shop ), so you can use it in the form of hair mask.
HONEY
Honey has strong antioxidant, germicidal and fungicidal properties as well as natural wax, making it great for conditioning hair, removing dandruff and stopping hair loss. Honey can be mixed with water to be used as hair rinse, added in various hair mask recipes and the products containing honey as an ingredient can be opted.
AMLA
Amla can do wonders for your hair just like it does for your skin. There are a lot of hair products that contain amla (hair oil, shampoo, mask etc.) but it is best used alone as hair treatment. To nourish your hair from root to tip, mix a little amla powder with water and keep it overnight. The next day, apply this paste to your hair, leave on for a few hours and wash with a mild shampoo.
METHI SEEDS OR FENUGREEK
The methi seeds are known to be used in a number of hair problems including dandruff, rough, and dry hair. I have used methi for hair a lot of times and it really works amazingly in making hair dandruff-free and thick.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary oil is long known for hair growth. When rosemary essential oil is applied over the scalp, it helps stimulate hair growth and also keeps it dandruff-free. People also claim that it can prevent baldness or hair loss, slows greying, and can be used to treat dandruff and dry scalp.
CARRIER OIL
Carrier oils are a popular hair care ingredients. It has the power to make your hair shinier, thicker, smooth and silky! You may try using one part castor oil, and one part of another oil such as argan, avocado, coconut or jojoba oil. Apply this on the scalp and hair and wrap your head using a warm towel. Best carrier oils to use for hair care >>
BHRINGRAJ
There are a lot of organic brands like kama Ayurveda, forest essentials etc. that have products containing bhringraj oil as an active ingredient. Bhringraj oil prevents hair fall, prevents greying, strengthens hair follicles, prevents split ends etc.
NEEM
Neem is a well known remedy for dandruff, itchy scalp and head lice. For dandruff treatment, you can boil neem leaves in water and use it as hair rinse. If you have head lice, you need make neem paste, add little apple cider vinegar to it and apply on scalp. Keep it for 1 hour and wash off.
GINGER
Ginger is rich in minerals and essential oils that make hair stronger, free of dandruff and other scalp problems. It contains anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial action that keeps scalp clean and clear. There aren’t a lot of hair products available commercially that contain ginger as an ingredient, so you can use it in natural hair remedies.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential oil not only makes hair healthy, but also adds a subtle sweet fragrance to it. These oils can be used with carrier oil like coconut oil before using. Take little amount on your palms and use it to massage your scalp. Keep it for 1 hour before hair washing. There are also a lot of commercial hair products containing lavender essential oil that can be used. Best essentials oils for healthy hair >>
VINEGAR:
The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar will remove residue from product buildup and help you get shiny, lustrous locks.
GREEN TEA
Few green tea hair products are available in the market; you can use the green tea alone too. It contains a high amount of antioxidants as well as enzymes, amino acids, and phytochemicals like polyphenols. It also has B vitamins, foliate, manganese, potassium, magnesium and caffeine to improve hair health. DIY green tea hair products for hair growth >>
COCONUT MILK AND OIL
Coconut milk and oil has been demonstrated to help with flexibility of the hair by penetrating the hair and improving hair strength. Coconut oil or milk itself can be used as hair mask alone. Apply oil or milk on hair and scalp, keep it for 2 hours and wash off using mild shampoo. There are tons of coconut hair products that you can probably give a try.