Simple Home Remedies for Healthy Hair

Your hair is actually an extension of your skin, and like your skin, is a direct reflection of your internal health. While topical treat­ments such as conditioners can smooth the surface of your hair and make it appear softer, true hair health begins deep beneath the sur­face in the hair follicles. A nutrient-rich diet is essential for creating strong, healthy hair. Stringent dieting and food plans that overly restrict fat and protein intake can cause dull, dry, and thinning hair. Make sure to eat enough protein (at least two three-ounce servings every day) and plenty of essential fatty acids (one table­spoon of flax oil and 240 milligrams of GLA supplements daily). Essential fatty acids are crucial for keeping your hair strong, pliable, and shiny. But even if you are eating a healthful diet, poor diges­tion and assimilation can wreak havoc with your hair, skin, and nails.

Women who experience thinning hair at midlife and beyond often have hormonal imbalances associated with the adrenal glands, thyroid, and reproductive organs. The Chinese herb Ho shou wu is also an excel­lent tonic to take if you are experiencing hair loss. It strengthens thyroid function, is a gentle energy-building herb, and enhances hair growth.

Good circulation is essential for healthy hair. Daily aerobic exercise stimulates circulation throughout the body, and inverted yoga postures such as the shoulder stand are especially helpful for increasing circulation to the scalp. In addition, yoga relieves emo­tional stress, which plays a role in hormonal imbalances and con­sequent hair loss.

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Natural Treatments for Beautiful Skin

Your skin naturally sheds dead cells every day, which helps to keep it smooth and fresh looking. But after the age of 35, the dead cells that make up the outer layer of your skin are not shed as rapidly as when you were younger. As dead cells accumulate, they make your skin look dull and dry and you lose the healthy, radiant look that characterizes youthful skin. You can greatly improve the appearance of your skin by regularly removing the top layer of dead skin cells, a process called exfoliation. Exfoliation is accomplished by using grainy scrubs that physically remove dead cells through gentle abra­sion, or fruit-enzyme skin peels or alpha-hydroxy acid skin peels, which dissolve the top layer of dead skin cells.


Natural scrubs are made from finely ground fibrous plant mate­rial such as oatmeal, corn meal, almonds, and apricot kernels. Be cautious when using grainy scrubs, because many are too harsh to use on the delicate skin of your face. For a gentle scrub that will not irritate your skin. Although many grainy scrubs are too abrasive to use on your face, they are perfect to use as an allover exfoliator for your body. Your body builds up dead skin cells just as your face does and benefits from a weekly exfoli­ating treatment.


Fruit-enzyme peels are made from fruit or vegetable enzymes that exfoliate the skin in approximately 20 minutes without scrub­bing. Many contain green papaya, which contains the protein­ digesting enzyme papain. Dead skin cells are composed primarily of protein, and enzyme peels digest the dead skin cells on the sur­face of the skin without harming new cell growth. Enzyme peels are gentle exfoliators and leave skin noticeably smoother and softer after only one treatment. They can be used as part of a weekly or monthly facial treatment and can even be used daily as part of a program to rejuvenate aging skin.

Alpha-hydroxy acids are natural exfoliators derived from foods such as citrus fruits (citric acid), sour milk (lactic acid), grapes (tar­taric acid), sugar cane (glycolic acid), and apples (malic acid). These gentle, natural acids work by loosening the "glue" that binds the outermost layer of surface cells together, which increases the shed­ding of dead skin cells and encourages the formation of new skin cells. The idea of using the natural acids found in foods to renew the skin is not new-Cleopatra bathed in buttermilk, and red wine has been used for centuries as a skin wash. Alpha-hydroxy acids improve skin texture and color, reduce fine lines and age spots, and make pores appear smaller. Although you will usually notice smoother skin after the first treatment, you'll need to use alpha­hydroxy acids on a regular basis for two months or longer to see a significant improvement in skin texture and diminishment of fine lines. There are a variety of natural products available, and most contain between 5 and 15 percent alpha-hydroxy acids. Products that contain higher percentages of alpha-hydroxy acids will create faster results, but often cause stinging or tingling sensations when applied to the skin. These reactions are not usually a cause for con­cern, but severe stinging or redness indicates an undue sensitivity or allergic reaction and you should try a different product with a lower concentration of alpha-hydroxy acids.

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Easy Home Remedy for Moisture Control of Skin

Many women find that their skin becomes drier after the age of 35.This may be a welcome change for those who suffered from oily skin earlier in life, but women with normal or dry skin may find that their skin appears flaky, tight, and lacks the lustrous appearance that moisture imparts. Skin dryness is caused not only by moisture loss from the skin's outer layer, but also from a lack of moisture moving upward from the underlying layers of the skin. Applying a moistur­izer softens and moisturizes the top layer of skin, but the effects are only temporary.

To have soft, pliable, moist skin, you need to lubricate your skin from the inside. Drink at least six glasses of pure water daily and eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits to keep your body tis­sues well-hydrated. Don't wait to drink until you are thirsty because by then you are already dehydrated. Instead, keep a container of water handy for sipping throughout the day. If you find plain water boring, try making unsweetened or lightly sweetened herbal teas such as linden flower, chamomile, or mint.
A moist external environment also provides moisture for your skin and helps to keep cells plump. Use a humidifier during the winter months to counteract the drying effects of indoor heating and also during the summer if you use air conditioning or if you live in a dry climate. Misting your skin frequently with pure mineral water or a facial mist containing floral waters and aromatherapy essential oils provides an immediate and refreshing boost of moisture for your skin throughout the day. Soaking in a warm bath is an effec­tive way of hydrating the skin of your entire body. Avoid exces­sively hot water, because it can remove protective oils from your skin. After a 15-minute soak, massage your body with an aro­matherapy oil while you are still wet from the bath, and then gently pat your skin dry with a towel. The thin layer of aromatherapy oil acts as a protective barrier that pre­vents the evaporation of moisture that your skin has absorbed from the bath.

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Secrets of Youthful Skin

Like your other body organs, your skin begins to slow down its functions as you age. As levels of estrogen and progesterone decline, skin becomes drier, thinner, and secretes less oil. Circula­tion decreases, and wrinkles appear when collagen and elastin, pro­teins in the skin that provide elasticity, break down. The rate of cell production and turnover decreases, and cells grow thicker and more tightly packed together. Common signs of aging skin include unevenness of skin texture and pigmentation, wrinkles, and "age spots," the brown patches caused by accumulated sun damage that appear on the face, chest, and the backs of the hands.

However, most of the skin changes that are blamed on aging are primarily the result of long-term exposure to the sun's ultravio­let rays. Compare the skin on the underside of your arm (which rarely is bared to the sun) to the skin on your face. If your facial skin had never been exposed to the sun, it would probably not look much different at age 50 than it did at when you were 20. Sun dam­ages not only the top layer of skin, but the underlying supportive layer of collagen and elastin as well, which causes wrinkling and sagging.
Fortunately, it's never too late to begin improving the condi­tion of your skin because skin cells have the ability to repair at least some of the damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays. Studies show that women who use a sunscreen daily experience significant improvement in the condition of their skin after only six months. Obviously, the degree of improvement is related to how much sun damage you have incurred, but the important point is that avoiding further sun exposure will help you have better-looking skin. Use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher every day, even during the winter and on cloudy days, and make sure that the sunscreen you are using blocks out both UVA and UVB rays. While using an SPF 15 sunscreen allows you to stay out in the sun 15 times longer than you normally would be able to without burn­ing, the best way to prevent sun damage is to avoid direct sun expo­sure when the sun's rays are the strongest, which is usually between the hours of 10 A.M. and 3 P.M. If you are outdoors during those hours, make an effort to stay in the shade as much as possible, and use physical barriers such as tightly woven long-sleeved clothing, sunglasses, and a broad-brimmed hat.

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Tips for Greasy Hair

Greasy hair quickly looks lank and limp. No matter what you do, your flip' flops, your waves wilt, your long hair turns to frizz!!! Your hair probably looks good the day you wash it. But the next morning you have the greasies. Your hair sticks together in unattractive strands.

I suggest:
Frequent washing - even every day if you have to. The old myth of harming hair by frequent shampooing is hog wash. Instead, specialists have now proved that it can be harmful to your skin if you leave greasy, oily hair unwashed.

Choose a lemon-based shampoo. It helps make your hair squeaky clean.

A simple easy-to-set hair style is most practical. Think of how many hours you'll have to spend on your hair if you have an elaborate head of curls! Go to the best hair-cutter your money can afford, and get yourself a good no-nonsense cut. Also invest in a good hair-dryer - it can be a tremendous time-saver.

Banish fatty and fried foods from your diet. Concentrate instead on green vegetables, liver, fish, and cheese.

* To a pinch of borax add one dessertspoon of ammonia and two quarts of warm water. Use this mixture as a final rinse after shampooing.

* Beat the whites of two raw eggs till they are stiff. Apply to scalp with a toothbrush. You might wrinkle up your nose in disgust, but this is definitely worth a try. Let dry, then brush your hair thoroughly.

Do avoid over-brushing of hair. You can't afford further to stimulate your sebaceous glands.

Make sure you keep your brush and comb absolutely clean.

Ideally you must wash them each time you shampoo your hair. The best method of cleaning them is to swish them in a mug of tepid water to which a little ammonia has been added. You can, however, use bicarbonate of soda or powdered borax instead of ammonia.

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Special Indian Beauty Recipes for Dry Hair

Mix a little hair oil with Fuller's earth (Multani mitti). Massage this paste into the scalp. Leave on for an hour.

Then shampoo well.

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Tips for Dry Hair

Dry hair is usually fine. It splits or breaks easily, and soon gets a fly-away look.

You must brush your hair well to stimulate the flow of natural oil from the sebaceous glands.

An oil pack is one way of helping too-dry hair. Instead of olive oil suggested by old-fashioned recipes, try a poly unsaturated oil (e.g.: corn oil). This permeates into the hair shaft more effectively than olive oil.

It helps if you warm the oil to body temperature and. then massage into your hair.

Shampoo off after a couple of hours. You may need two or three lathe rings to remove all traces of oil. Remember, according to today's concept of beauty, nothing can be as unattractive as sticky strands of oiled hair.

Don't forget to use your conditioner.

This treatment should initially be taken twice a week. Later, reduce to once in every two weeks.

If you are averse to keeping oil on for a couple of hours ­perhaps you just do not have the time - steam your oiled head by pressing hot towels on it. You can now shampoo an hour after your oil message.

Make sure you use a mild shampoo. Avoid hot water. Try not to, expose your hair to extremes of temperature.

Remember that hair spray aggravates dryness. Avoid frequent use of it. Also avoid perming and backcombing.

Try a dry scalp-massage. Using your finger-tips, massage firmly but gently, moving the scalp, not your fingers. Repeat process at different parts of your scalp.

Shampoo your hair at least once a week. Don't forget to use a conditioner. Rinse off thoroughly to avoid stickiness.

You must be very careful about your diet. Your protein intake should be high.

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Homemade Flat Beer Hair Setting Lotion

Flat because the chemicals in it have dissipated. Put some in a mist-spray bottle and spray lightly on damp hair. This gives excellent body to the hair. The smell of the beer will soon disappear.

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