There are a lot of products on the market these days that claim to give beautiful results, enabling your hair to be silky smooth or full of bouncing curls. These products are all well and fine, many of them doing exactly what they claim. They also can cost a fortune and only have a limited lifespan on how long they will work for.
The real way to ensure that your hair is always looking it’s best is to give it healthy natural supplements that provide the needed nutrients and essential minerals that your hair craves. Taking care of your hair from the inside out will allow you to see results that are consistent, so whether you’re waking up from a nap or getting off of a 6 hour plane flight, when your hair is at its messiest, it’ll still look gorgeous.
Believe it or not, you don’t need a whole lot to make your hair look great. It’s a matter of giving your hair what it needs and avoiding what hurts it. Simple as that.
What you don’t want in your hair
A big part of keeping your hair healthy is staying away from things that are unhealthy for it. There are a few key things that are possibly blocking your hair's potential to be the most luscious healthy hair that it could potentially be. Listed below are the most common examples of what to look out for and stay away from.
Sulfates
Most of the cleansing products people use for skin and hair contain sulfates, though they can be labeled as ingredients that “derive from” coconut in order to make them seem less harmful they are considered one of the most common skin irritants. Along with being a skin irritant sulfates are also hormone and endocrine (denoting glands that secrete hormones) disruptors. They are mainly used because of how cost effective they are and their ability to strip the hair of oil. Try to stay clear of any product using sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), ammonium laureth sulfate (ALES), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS).
Paraben
Paraben and its derivatives are preservatives and are one of the most prominent chemicals that is the most accountable for interrupting the endocrine (denoting glands that secrete hormones) system which can result in important hormones being out of balance. There are also studies that suggest that methylparaben when applied on the skin can react with UVB which leads to more aggressive aging of the kin and DNA damage. The most common forms of paraben are
Ethylparaben
Methylparaben
Propylparaben
Isopropylparaben
Butylparaben
Isobutylparaben
Water and water-based infusions
Also known as distillates or aqueous extracts are more often than not used as “fillers” and are just used to fill the bottle without using too much of the company's money. It is safe to say that most of these water and water-based infusions are prone to spoilage and which is why the paraben preservatives talked about above are used. The water used in these hair products is subpar at best most of the time regular old tap water is used meaning that the product contains chlorine and fluoride with many other toxins all not good for those who want natural healthy hair.
p-Phenylenediamine
This substance is frequently used in hair dyes, some henna dyes, many colored shampoos and even in hair bleach. There is much research and data suggesting this ingredient is a neurotoxin ( a poison that works on the nervous system) and causes skin rashes such as eczema. Many times if an allergic reaction happens and the side effect is a rash the culprit is the p-Phenylenediamine. There has been some extreme efforts to restrict the use of this ingredient in products because of the side effects but the corporations using it have won many times over again.
Healthy Habits for Beautiful Hair
Along with staying away from things that harm your hair and supplementing for what it needs there are also actions you can take to ensure you have the most luscious healthy hair that you could possibly have. Many things that we do day to day can have devastating effects on our hair.
All of the following have negative effects on hair:
Blow drying
Straightening
Curling
Excessive washing
Creating healthy habits for your hair can turn it from drab to fab and many times just implementing even one of the suggestions can get your hair back to the healthy state so many of us are wishing for.
Countless people use heat to style their hair, whether it’s blow drying, straightening, or curling your hair each one of these things damage hair. Many times people combined the styling tools to create the wanted effect which furthers the damage done to the hair.
Some healthy habits for those who use these styling tools include:
Letting your hair air dry the majority of the time
Air drying ensures the moisture your hair needs will stay in your hair.
Not using “wet to straight” utensils
These tools may claim to make your hair dry and straight even when your hair is wet but they hands down do the most damage to hair. By applying a massive amount of heat to the hair when it is still wet it essentially boils the hair from the inside out making it brittle and lifeless.
Waiting 48 hours before curling hair
Even with blow drying on average it takes up to 48 hours for your hair to fully dry which makes it much more easy to curl
Additionally, there are other things you can do to ensure the health of your hair and if you already don’t use heat to style your hair this section may help.
Some other tips for healthy hair that don’t revolve around using heating utensils as styling tools include
Wash your hair every other day (instead of every day) with natural products
Depending on your hair type it can be washed even less (straight typically needs washed more than curly or wavy hair) my washing it less and with natural products when you do it ensures the oils in the hair that are their to protect it stay and do their jobs while the dirt and grime gets washed away.
Hair Supplements That Will Leave Your Locks Looking Fabulous
Supplements are a great way to get any type of hair to bounce back from things like poor eating habits, damage done by styling utensils, hair color, or other hair products, and even reactions to climate or seasonal change. Whatever symptoms may arise the listed supplements have you covered.
Biotin
Biotin is a specific kind of B vitamin that helps our skin, hair and for an added bonus our metabolism too. Supplementing with biotin can aid in the reduction of hair loss as well as help nail growth both in length and width. Many physicians recommend biotin for those with type two diabetes, this supplement in combination with particular foods that contain chromium picolinate can help correct blood sugar levels along with the other awesome effects of biotin.
Fern extract
This supplement has been around for quite a while and in fact even before it was researched it was being used. Though the closest 20 years or so it is really made an impression with those suffering with hair and skin issues. Fern extract has been found to actually protect our skin from ultraviolet rays. It also has been effectively used to some skin conditions such as
Eczema
Psoriasis
Vitiligo
Swollen skin
Since many hair processes leave the scalp dry, swollen, or even flaky at times this supplement is always great to have on hand. This supplement is weighed out depending on the affected area so make sure to always talk to a physician before applying it.
Iron
Good ol’ iron, this supplement is very essential to all hair growth and strength. In fact in the absence of iron hair becomes dull, thin and dry. As with hair too nails become brittle and much more susceptible to breakage. Another amazing effect of iron is it’s ability to activate B vitamins (such as biotin talked about previously) often times resulting in that “natural glow” many women have about them. Too much iron is not necessarily a good thing and can even have the opposite effect than is desired so do make sure to speak with a physician about dosage.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
This supplement has been quite popular with skin and hair health for the remarkably fast results many people see. Omega 3 fatty acids actually defer our skin's aging process which then avoids wrinkles. In the past decade there was a study done showing that EPA (a specific kind of omega 3 fatty acid) aids in blocking the release of ultraviolet-induced enzymes which end up demolishing skin's collagen. This in turn causes sagging of the skin as well ask deep and fine lines. Using this supplement can also make your hair vibrant and shinier, prevent hair from drying out and even keep your scalp flake free.
Vitamin C
If there was a triple threat of hair care supplements this very well might be it. This supplement does vary based on gender greatly so depending on your pronouns you may need more or less. The recommended daily dose for women is around 75 mg daily while men only need to take about 19 mg a day.
Vitamin C is an amazing hair supplement that can:
Boost hair growth
Combat dandruff
Thicken hair
Stop hair loss
Moisturize and tighten skin
Vitamin C also increases how much iron we absorb in a given day which for most of us is a good thing, but with those that have hemochromatosis (a disease which results in an excess of iron) a consultation with a physician is critical.
Vitamin E
Men that deal with unsightly balding have hope for naturally growing their own hair back, vitamin E is proven to help men grow more hair than without any intervention. It is strongly suggested to take vitamin E as a gel capsule for the most adequate supplementation because it is a fat soluble substance and is more easily absorbed in gel form. This antioxidant also helps in the fight against free-radicals which cause fine lines and wrinkles.
Annoying hair issues are in the past with these natural remedies and topicals...
There are some simple yet essential things you can do to help hair any stage in its life. Listed below are some common ailments may be making you hate your hair followed with some suggestions on how to combat these issues. After trying these suggestions you may even forget what it was like having the ailment in the first place.
Dry, flaky and itchy scalp
Climate, bleach and many other things can make our scalps dry, flaky and most annoyingly itchy. A touch of rosemary or pine essential oils can do wonders for these ailments. Just a few drops massaged into your scalp can make all the difference. Each of the oils have antibacterial and antifungal properties to them making them a great topical for every hair type and style. Another great topical to bring up for this issue is peppermint essential oil which cools an irritated and inflamed scalp while keeping the itch away.
Brittle and Flat Hair
This issue is very common in those with straight and/or processed hair (processed hair being hair that has undergone any chemical treatment e.g. colored, dyed, bleached, relaxed ect.). Brittle hair can almost instantaneously bounce back after a good coconut oil hair mask, where you drench the hair in coconut oil and let it soak in for a good 35-55 minutes.
To add strength and body to hair oat straw is a herb that is packed with nutrients and proteins that help hair be light and fluffy without skimping on strength. Another great herb that is great for strength is horsetail which has silica that in turn helps with hairs resiliency and supports the hair against breakage.
Lifeless and Dull Hair
Rosemary essential oil was brought up before for scalp health but the most common reason it is used with hair is its ability to bring dull hair back to life. Rosemary actually has an antioxidant that is proven to conserve a protein in our skin and hair (HSP70). What this protein is supposed to do is reduce the impact that stress, free radicals, and many different toxins do. By reducing the impact all these things do it makes hair stronger in a way that makes it smoother, shinier and more reflective.
Breakage and Split Ends
The key to stopping breakage and split ends is in jojoba oil. This topical is full of lipids and peptides which almost effortlessly absorbed into the hair and a little goes a long way with this oil just a smig applied to dry hair or the ends of hair gives it a jaw dropping glow. Another great topical is the ever popular argan oil, this oil has almost no critics and with just a few dabs applied you can see why. Running it through hair you can immediately see the difference in split ends when closely looked at.
Excessive Dandruff
For noticeable dandruff the most swarn by thing helps with hair as well as scalp, and was even brought up earlier. It’s coconut oil, the lauric acid that’s in coconut oil actually has a good amount of antibacterial and antifungal properties that are used to aid in the fight against dandruff. Massaging a 3-4 tbsp (or more depending on hair type) directly onto the scalp can greatly improve dandruff. Leave it in for a couple of hours and repeat 2-3 times a week correlating with the severity of the dandruff.
Treat Your Hair Well and See Results
Your hair condition is largely representative of how you treat your hair. Provide your hair with supplements and treat it well, and you will see that the base health improves. Healthy hair is the best looking, often easier to style and is stronger than unhealthy hair. When you want your hair to look the best that it can, start with the basics.
If you have damaged your hair and are looking to bring it back to better times, be patient. Hair supplements can take up to 60 days to fully effect the quality of new hair growth.
The power to a magnificent mane is in your hands. You now know what to give your hair and what supplements that you should choose to have the hair you want. Additionally, remember to include additional hair fortifying supplements if you participate in activities that intensely damage your hair.
Photo by: Instagram.com/kellzatlstylist