By Shahnaz Husain
The rainy season undermines the beauty of the hair and leads to problems like sticky dandruff and related hair loss. Sweat and oil secretions attract dirt and pollutants, while the salt in our sweat makes the hair rough and robs it of body and shine.
Shampoo the hair more frequently during the Monsoons, using a mild herbal shampoo. Use less shampoo and rinse well with water. Half an hour before shampoo apply 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar on the scalp, using cotton wool. After shampoo, avoid creamy conditioners and have a hair rinse. Take used tea leaves and boil them again in 5 to 6 cups of water. The amount of water depends on the length of the hair. Strain and cool the water. Add the juice of a lemon and use it as a final rinse after shampoo.
In sticky dandruff, the scales, along with oil and sweat secretion, tend to stick to the scalp. Rich conditioners and hair styling products can also lead to a build-up on the scalp. Hot oil therapy is useful. Heat sesame seed oil or olive oil and apply it on the scalp with cotton wool, rubbing gently to dislodge the flakes. Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the hot towel around the head, like a turban. Keep it on for 5 minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap 3 or 4 times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. Leave the oil on overnight. Next morning, apply the juice of a lemon on the scalp and wash your hair after 20 minutes. Apply a non-oily herbal hair tonic daily on the scalp at night and leave on overnight.
Applying essential oil may also help. Add 10 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil to 100 ml water. Shake well and keep in an airtight bottle. Apply this on the hair, after shampoo and leave it on.
Five drops of Tea Tree Oil can be added to a mug of water and used as a last rinse.
Include fresh fruits, raw salads, leafy green vegetables, whole grains and curd in the daily diet. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. Drink freshly extracted juices of fruits and vegetables, adding enough water to them. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of water and have it first thing in the morning.
About Shahnaz Husain
Shahnaz Husain, pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement, heads the Shahnaz Husain Group, with a global network of franchise ventures and 375 Ayurvedic formulations. A Case Study at Harvard for Brand Creation, she is now a Harvard Subject for “Emerging Markets” She was honored with the Padma Shri Award and is the first woman in 105 years to receive the World’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur Award from Success, the U.S. business magazine. Indeed, Shahnaz Husain is a leading international beauty Icon!
