Every one secretively craves for gorgeous hair every time they see the shampoo ad flashed on the idiot box and then they convince themselves that its just the technical tricks they are using to boost the sale of their product. But gorgeous hair is easy with the right tools. Unlike your skin your hair cannot repair itself, that's why you need to care for it and protect it for the state of your hair reflects your internal health. To revive your hair's natural health and shine, follow the herbal way.

Do you suffer from hair loss, dandruff, or other scalp & skin problems? Most hair care and skin care products in the market use synthetic petrochemicals that are harsh and may have harmful long-term side effects on the hair and skin.

Natural & herbal ingredients have been used for centuries to effectively treat various hair and skin problems. They are also gentle on the hair and skin and better for the environment.

Some common hair related problems are as follows:

Dandruff:
Dry skin flaking off the scalp and itchiness is referred to as dandruff. The aggravation of Vata generally causes this dryness.

Remedies
Add 1 teaspoon of camphor to half a cup of coconut or neem oil. Store it in glass container. Dosage: Massage this oil into the scalp before bed.
Mix 1 teaspoon of castor, mustard and coconut oil each and massage into the scalp.
Mix one part of lemon juice with two parts of coconut oil. Massage into the roots of the hair regularly.
Dosage: Wash with warm water after three to four hours or leave overnight.

Hair loss:

When the amount of hair lost grows higher than the normal hair fall that takes place due to the change in environment, increasing age or growth of new hairs, it is referred to as hair loss problem that needs special care. Improper or poor diet, exposure to a lot of chemicals or cosmetics, hormonal imbalance, stress, anxiety and mental tension are some causes of hair loss.

Remedies
Massage the scalp gently with coconut or almond oil daily for 10 to 15 minutes.
Boil neem leaves in water. Cool, strain and rinse hair with it.
Increase green leafy vegetables, salads, milk, fruits and sprouts in the diet.
Take more proteins, milk, buttermilk, yeast, wheat germ, Soya beans, whole grains and nuts.

Premature Graying of hair:
Graying of hair is a natural process that happens with increasing age, but if the hair starts graying before the age of 35, it is termed as premature graying that occurs due to the aggravation of Pitta dosha. Excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, meat, fried, oily, greasy, spicy, sour, and acidic foods increases pitta and leads to graying prematurely.

Remedies
Apply a paste made from 2-Tsp. henna powder, 1-tsp. curd, 1-tsp. fenugreek seed powder, 1 tbsp. coffee, 2-tbsp. mint juice and 2-tbsp. basil juice. Apply this paste to the hair for two hours. For a darker color, leave this paste in for 3 to 4 hours. Wash hair with any natural shampoo.
Grate some fresh ginger. Mix with honey and place it in a jar. Eat 1-teaspoon everyday.

Itchy scalp:
Aggravation of Pitta dosha, stress, allergic reaction to shampoo, air conditioning, pollution and central heating lead to an itchy and red scalp, with tiny pimples or sores, dull and dry hair.

Remedies
Add 1 teaspoon of camphor to half a cup of coconut oil and store it in glass container.

• Dosage:
  Massage this oil into the scalp before bed.
• Grind some jasmine roots with lime juice. Wash the hair and scalp with it. The causes for these hair conditions are as follows:
• Excess of Pitta dosha in the body is the chief cause of hair problems.
• Excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, meats and excessive smoking.
• Eating too much fried, oily, greasy, spicy, sour and acidic foods.
• Intake of too many chemical medicines, low blood circulation, anemia, general weakness after disease, stress, anxiety and mental tension.
• Chronic diseases like typhoid fever, presence of dandruff or lice and hormonal imbalance.

• Use natural shampoo or soap to clean the hair.
• Use amla (embilica officinalis), Shikakai (Acacia concinna) for washing the hair.
• Enhance oiling and massaging of scalp.
• Use coconut oil or mustard oil at least three times in a week.
• Use medicated oils like 'Mahabhringraj oil', 'Amala oil' and 'Arnica oil'. Put oil on the scalp and massage gently in the roots of the hair.
• Maintain a regular bowel movement everyday.
• The diet should contain more green leafy vegetables, salads, milk, fruits and sprouts. Take more proteins, milk, buttermilk, yeast, wheat germ, soybean and vitamin A.
• Do regular physical exercise.
• A special Ayurvedic preparation made from Bhringraj (Eclipta elba), Amala, corals, iron and black sesame seeds is very useful and even stops the graying of hair.
• Rub the scalp vigorously after washing the hair. It increases the blood circulation, and activates the sebaceous glands.
• A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice is good to drink to induce hair growth. The juice of alfalfa mixed with that of carrot, and lettuce juice is also good to take.
• Daily application of coconut oil mixed with lime- juice on the hair is also beneficial. Applying juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also good.
• Washing the hair with a paste of cooked Urad dal (black beans) and fenugreek (methi) 2-3 times a week.
• A paste of licorice made by grinding it in milk can be applied in the bald patches. It induces hair growth. A paste of seeds of lemon and black pepper may also be applied on the bald patches.

Dry Hair:
Massage well with herbal oil at least twice a week. Follow a diet rich in zinc. Use a mild herbal shampoo and avoid harsh ones since the chemicals in them can strip hair of its outer protein layer, further drying the scalp. Do not use electric curlers and hair dryers.

Oily Hair:
Wash hair every alternate day and rinse out with lemon. Use oils and shampoos rich in neem and henna. A head massage with herbal oil helps maintain the pH level of the scalp. Avoid oily foods and binge on green leafy veggies and fruits.



An Oil Massage To Strengthen Your Hair
India’s ancient tradition of oiling one’s hair is still a great way to nourish and condition hair prior to a shampoo. Value addition in the form of steam and a massage nourishes the roots and helps spread the hair’s natural oils, making it silky and shiny. When the scalp is relaxed, blood is able to flow freely and feed the roots. This increases blood circulation, strengthens hair roots and promotes healthy hair.

An oil massage is essential to:
• Stimulate release of endorphins from the brain that elevates the mood.
• Increase blood circulation to the head, shoulder and scalp thus improving the overall health of hair.
• Enable the dispersal of painful knots in the muscles of the neck area.
• Relax muscles, relieve tension and improve joint mobility.
• Improve skin and muscle tone.
• Improve concentration.
• Slow down breathing, heart rate and reduce blood pressure.
• Create a feeling of balance and vigor.
• Drain the lymph away from face and head.
• Calm the nerves soothe the body, mind and soul.

How to choose the correct hair oil:
There is no direct correlation between hair type and the kind of oil used. Regardless of hair type, oil should be light in weight, so that it easily penetrates through the hair and scalp. Coconut, almond, gingerly and sesame oil work well for Indian hair texture.

The right way to apply oil:
The right massaging technique is a combination of movements incorporating different styles of massage, which may be divided into pressure points, slow and gliding movements, and finger rotation. It’s important not to use excess oil on the scalp, because the excess oil leads to vigorous shampooing which will in turn cause dryness.

Alternative massage ingredients:
You can also massage your scalp with coconut milk, which promotes hair growth. An aloe vera mask applied on the scalp smoothens the scalp and gives a cooling effect. To promote thickening of hair there are specially formulated treatments used on the scalp. While conditioning the scalp and hair shafts, a deep acupressure point massage, with aromatic oils and conditioning mud, releases stress and tension. It enhances relaxation and strengthens dry, sensitized and sun damaged hair.

Suggestions On Hair Rinsing For Shine And Fragrance

We always want the hair which is fragrant, soft and shiny. Our hair experts have wonderful and natural methods of leaving your hair quite beautiful. Here are some homemade rinses you can concoct in your kitchen. Each has been tested for its effectiveness so if you try one and follow the directions right, the results should be clearly marvelous.

• Eucalyptus rinse: Chop one large stalk of eucalyptus and boil it in two cups of water. Cool and refrigerate. Next time you wash your hair, use it as the final rinse. It helps in keeping your hair fragrant and shiny and yet preventing it from getting greasy.

• Lemon juice rinse: Add the juice of half a lemon to a cup of cold water. Stir and they pour over damp hair. Leave for three minutes. Rinse with cold water. Add super gloss to all hair types.

• Cucumber rinse: Blend a whole cucumber till it turns into a paste. Apply to towel dried hair after you shampooed. Leave it for ten minutes and then rinse it of with cold water. With this your hair doesn’t get oily too fast.

• Nourishing rinse: Add one table spoon of crushed fenugreek, one tablespoon of tea leaves and the juice of half lemon to a cup of water. Boil it and then apply it for 10 minutes and then rinse it off. It will give the extra bounce to your hair.

• Thyme type: This is a quick cure for dandruff. Boil four tablespoons of thyme in two cups of water for 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Pour one cup over damp shampooed hair. Make sure the liquid covers the scalp. Massage in gently. Don’t rinse again. This helps in reducing dandruff.

• Rosemary rinse: Boil four tablespoons of rosemary in two cups of water for ten minutes. Pour a cup over damp hair and massage your scalp and ten rinses with cool water. Rosemary is a stimulant that helps bring health back to dull and lifeless hair.

• Apple rinse: Apple juice mixed with equal parts of malt vinegar makes an excellent hair rinse to get a temporary golden tint to the light hair. Add a spoon of tea liquor if you have a dark hair.

• Chamomile rinse: If you’ve gone blonde and your hair’s started to resemble a straw hat, use this rinse. Put 10 chamomile tea bags in four cups of water. Boil it for 10 minutes. Let it cool. Use as final rinse. Makes enough for four rinses.