By Shahnaz Husain
Regular care is essential to keep your hair looking good and free from problems. The hair attracts dirt and pollutants, which settle on the scalp, causing hair problems. In your home and right there on the kitchen shelf are some of the most powerful natural ingredients for hair care.
* One such common ingredient that is available in the home is garlic, which is said to be beneficial for the hair and can actually control hair loss and help to promote hair growth. It contains important properties like selenium and sulphur, which stimulate hair growth and also strengthen the hair.
* You can make hair oil at home, which is infused with garlic. This can be done by chopping garlic cloves in small pieces and adding it to pure coconut oil or olive oil. Keep it in a jar and store it for seven to ten days in a cool, dry place. Or, you can mix chopped garlic with warm coconut oil. Massage the oil on the scalp half an hour before your shampoo.
* For dandruff and itching on the scalp, simmer Neem leaves in water and leave overnight to cool. Next day, make a paste of the Neem leaves and apply on the hair like a pack. Wash hair with plain water after 20 minutes.
* It is said that coconut milk promotes hair growth. You can apply coconut milk on your hair at night. Leave it overnight and wash hair the next morning. Coconut milk not only promotes hair growth, but also softens dry hair.
* Beat an egg with 2 tablespoons sesame seed (til) oil. Apply on the hair and again wrap a hot towel for 10 minutes. Eggs contain biotin, the vitamin which helps hair growth. They also contain protein and add body to the hair.
* Onion juice applied on the scalp is said to help hair growth, because onions contain sulphur. Or, mix it with aloe vera gel and then apply on the hair. It improves hair texture and also encourages hair growth.
* Methi seeds can be powdered and added to a henna pack for dandruff and lice infestations. Add 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs, one teaspoon methi seed powder and enough “tea water” to the henna powder, mixing it into a thick paste. Apply the henna on the hair and wash off after an hour.
Remember that a healthy scalp grows healthy hair.
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 honoured 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.
