Natural Hair Care with Essential Oils
6:17 AM Posted by jo
The condition of the hair is affected by what we eat and by what we put on our hair. We are pretty much like the animals that loose their sheen on their coats when they don’t feel well.
If the 17 amino acids which make up the keratin, don’t receive their blood supply, the hair becomes greasy or dry, the ends split, and it looses its bounce. We need the same things for our hair as we need for our skin, since the outer layer of the skin is also made out of keratin.
If we eat a whole some diet with plenty of fresh food, cold pressed oils and unsaturated fatty acids, and increase the dosage of B-Vitamins the quality of the hair shall improve. It is also important to cut down on stimulants such as coffee, tea and get a full nights sleep.
The hair products people use are like a chemical cocktail.
Even products that claim to be natural sometimes contain synthetics. They can cause scalp itching, dermatitis, dry hair, dandruff, allergic reactions and they are toxic when absorbed through the skin.
Below are some tips on how you can treat your hair naturally without any harsh chemicals.
The quickest way to make your own shampoo is to use liquid castile soap and to add your own essential oils that suit your need. You need 80 drops of essential oils to an 8 oz. bottle of unscented shampoo.
Dry hair
Dry hair
The essential oils of basil, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, geranium, yarrow, and sandalwood have historically been used for dry hair.
According to Valerie Ann Worwood you can mix 1 tbl of cider vinegar and 3 drops of essential oils to half a pint of water for dry hair. Add this blend to a bowl and run it through your final rinse when wash your hair.
Oily hair
The essential oils of elemi, lemon, mandarin, orange, petitgrain, tangerine, rosemary, birch, lavender, cypress and yarrow have historically been used for oily hair.
Worwood also recommends to use 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar with 1 drop of essential oil for oily hair and to use the same way as the vinegar rinse above.
Vinegar
Vinegar has been used in skin and hair care since the Victorian era and is historically known for removing oil and shampoo residue from the hair. Witch hazel can also be used in this way.
Use herbal infusions
According to Valeri Gennari Cooksley, you can also use herbs to add high lights and shine to hair. If you want to hide gray hair you can use strong herbal infusions.
Use rosemary and sage herbs for dark hair as well as to cover gray hair.
Use calendula and madder rose for red and auburn hair.
Use chamomile and fresh lemon juice for light hair.
Before you leave:
I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.
Check out my safety page to make sure you are aware of any contrindications before you use essential oils. Some oils are not suitable when suffering from certain conditions. Also, Read this Before You Start Using Essential oils. Some oils should not be applied prior to sun exposure so make sure you check this list before spending time in the sun.
Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:
- Topical Application
- Inhaling Essential Oils
- Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?
- How to Dilute Essential Oils
- Vita Flex Technique
If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.
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