hair growth

My Hair Diary – October 2015

Swathy · November 2, 2015 · 9 Comments

Wow. We are two months to a brand new year and we will all be one more year older! I think with age people do come to appreciate life more. This year has been very enlightening in that way. And, I can proudly say I shall be entering my 30’s. Now, I can relate to why people say 30’s are very liberating. You appreciate yourself, your thinking changes and you become evolved more than ever!

Anyways, coming back to the post, I did not write about how my hair did last month because by the time I was settled and ready to click pics, it was almost mid-October. The whole of October just went off in the anticipation of Mr. P’s cousin’s wedding and the chronic fatigue becoming a part of life again. It is funny how one can just go on continuously ignoring their health and advising others to not do the same!!

All the travels I have been doing since August has been taking toll on my hair. I have avoided washing my hair except just one place. I think Delhi has hard water because my hair never does well over there! So, the first thing I always do after coming back from lots of travelling is, no not getting a hair spa (I am sure that would be quite lovely and quite expensive as well!), getting a hair spa at home. This has been my routine for the past couple of months, precisely June since it is when I started taking care of myself again! And, it really works for me!!

Hair Spa

Aah..it is nothing special. Just shampoo, rinse twice. No vinegar this time because it would ruin the hair color, if you have any! I have to make sure to wash my hair once every 3-4 days. No, I am not really that diligent. I do get lazy. But, not washing my hair for 4-5 days in a row makes my hair fall because of the dirt so I try not to do it.

After the hair wash, I apply a generous quantity of Schwarzkopf Color Freeze Hair Therapy hair mask. And, sit for anywhere between 15-30 minutes.

Now, I always have one question – How much quantity of conditioner and hair mask is enough? I asked my stylist the same and he actually said a 5 rupee coin sized dollop which I can easily say is not that generous. Then, he added we can add an extra of another half dollop and that would be perfect.

I did try to follow his advise in the beginning and then I started getting bored of the products. So, started scooping a bit more. On second thoughts, I realize now that I am wasting the product unnecessarily and they do not come cheap! So, in case you have the same doubt, you can try this method and see if it works for you.

Infused Herbal Oil to promote Hair Growth

Nayantara Karnik · June 17, 2015 · 12 Comments

The other day, I was shopping at Spar and saw some wonderful fresh basil and thyme and picked up a packet each. Unfortunately, when cooking for one, there’s only so much you can use. After making some pasta with basil and avocado sauce, a couple of other dishes and a toner with thyme, I was wondering what to do with the remainder while it was still fresh.

It struck me that I could try making an infused oil with them along with other things I had at home. My goal was something that would stimulate hair growth and combat hair loss. Unfortunately, Bangalore has been mainly cloudy of late, plus I don’t have any sunny window-sills or terraces, so I realized I couldn’t use the usual method of infusing for weeks with the help of the sun. Besides, when using fresh herbs, they need to be dried first or else the oil will develop mold from their moisture content.

Also Read : How to infuse herbs in oil?

I’ve seen many people heating the herbs in a base oil directly in a iron wok or kadhai, but I wasn’t sure about the herbal contents withstanding the heat, as some of them produce volatile extracts. I looked up the kashayam process commonly used in Ayurveda to make herbal oils. But that process involves first boiling the herbs in water and then heating the extract in oil. While this does have its benefits, I decided to shorten the process by directly infusing the herbs in the oil as many people do, but using an oven instead. I have a gas oven at home with reasonably accurate temperature controls, and I checked the lowest temperature setting on mine is around 70-80 deg C, which is not too high for this purpose. Some newer models may have even lower settings than that.

For those concerned that heating oils reduces their efficacy, what you need to be concerned about is the smoke point of the oil used. It is only after an oil has exceeded its smoke point that is begins to break down. For sesame oil, which I used, the smoke point is approximately 232 deg C/ 450 F. If using cold-pressed oils, the smoke points are lower. For those interested, you can easily find sites on the net listing smoke points of various oils.

Natural way to bring Shine to your hair #FromtheArchives #OneMonthtoHealthyHair

Swathy · March 26, 2015 · 10 Comments

This blog is dedicated to being natural and make the most of the natural resources.

Now, a question to ponder upon; how much do we really make use of the nature around us like sun, water, food or wind? They are the best nourishment you can give to your body and yes, today’s post is dedicated to some of these nature’s forces and their benefits on hair.

Walking in the Sun

Have you ever been on a walk out in the early morning at sunrise? If you have, you would know how serene, soothing and calm it feels. The breeze is relaxing and the sun invigorating. You do not need to exercise. You can just take a walk and enjoy the sun and wind. And, while taking the walk, open your hair and let your hair also feel the sunlight and wind.

Fresh air and sun in mild amounts are very beneficial to the health of the hair and its growth. Let every strand of your hair get sunlight and the air and see the difference in your hair. Your hair would also feel rejuvenated and lively. It will shine with all its health.

Air Dry in Sunlight

Next time you get out of the shower, let your hair air dry your hair in direct sunlight till it becomes just near to damp and finger comb your hair while you are at it. This would contribute to increasing the shine of your hair.

But, always remember, do not over do it. Sun in excess quantities is really not good for hair or skin so keep it mild and enjoy the benefits. It also helps to promote hair growth.

Using Cold Water to rinse Hair

Well, the water just has to be as cold as you can bear. No need to dump ice cubes on your head!

A cool water rinse locks up your cuticles and leaves your hair shiny. Also, it helps your hair be have more bounce rather than just falling flat!

Do you also like to air dry your hair in sun light? How do you like it?