Us girls like to look our best. In fact, we spend millions of pounds every year on various lotions and potions for our hair, skin, nails and other bits. The secret none of them really want you to know is that you don’t need all those expensive brand name concoctions – nine times out of ten they’ll be a natural remedy that will do the job just as well, if not better, for a fraction of the cost. The other good thing about homemade beauty remedies is they don’t result in all that plastic and packaging that ends up in landfill.
Shampoo – when was the last time you saw a bottle of shampoo that said it just got your hair clean? Exactly, they all promise to revive dry hair, repair damaged hair, make blonde hair glisten and brunette hair shine etc. etc.
If you want to bring out the blonde in your hair add a few drops of lemon juice and leave it in for a few minutes before washing it out. For brunette or darker hair use vinegar or cider vinegar instead.
The best way to stop split ends is to actually cut them out. Split ends travel up hair and by leaving it they just travel further. Make sure you’re getting your hair trimmed every eight weeks in the duller winter months and every six weeks in the brighter summer months.
There’s nothing quite like a deep conditioning treatment for your hair, it gets in there and leaves your hair looking so silky and shiny right? In most cases it’s psychosomatic; you think it looks better so you see better looking hair. Save yourself the expense and rub some olive oil into your hair, avoiding the roots, wrap it in cling film, leave it for an hour and rinse it out.
Dandruff is never a desirable affliction but it is really common. The more you wash your hair and the more you play with it, style it, run your hands through it, the more likely you are to have dandruff. There are plenty of anti-dandruff shampoos on the market but rubbing some diluted vinegar into your scalp and leaving it in overnight will do more good than any fancy shampoo.
So many shampoos and conditioners claim they’re designed for greasy hair but the fact of the matter is, if you have greasy hair you want less chemicals not more chemicals on it. Start by only washing it twice a week, it might feel horrible but the natural greases are great for your hair. Don’t wash it every day ever, it’s just doing damage you can’t see yet and leave it alone. Tie it up and keep your hands away from it.
Dry shampoo can be a girl’s best friend when you don’t have time to wash, dry and style your hair but it’s too greasy to be let out as it is. You really don’t need it though; a little talc in your hair will soak up any excess grease. Obviously you don’t want to tip white talcum powder onto dark hair so use a tumble dryer sheet instead, no frizz and a lovely smell.
Every now and then your hair needs a treat; it needs some time off and a well-deserved rest. Start by mixing an egg and olive oil mask and leaving it in your hair for about half an hour. The egg will help make it stronger and the oil will help condition it. Just remember not to use hot water to wash it out otherwise you’ll be washing scrambled egg out your locks.
It’s not just chemicals and packaging that’s bad for the environment, excessive use of energy is too and it’s bad for your hair. It doesn’t like being clamped between a couple of 200 degree ceramic plates and it doesn’t like having intense hot hair blasted at it when it’s just been washed. Try and give you hair at least one week a month ‘off’, just let it do its own thing. Beach waves and bed hair are sexy and your hair will thank you.
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