Nature's Way - Hair Treatments

I struggled to find much information on hair treatments. It seems that the information is similar to that of a conditioner. If you know your ingredients and know what to avoid you should be safe. Most hair treatments have a similar cancer risk to conditioners and shampoos. One thing stood out though and that was the new research on Keratin based treatments. Keratin is the latest thing to get frizz free hair. It is found in our body naturally and is a family of fibrous structural proteins that make up the outer layer of human skin and is also the key structural component of our hair and nails. When the Keratin in our body is damaged it makes our hair and skin look dull which is why many people tend to have a Keratin treatment. 

   These treatments are made by taking the keratin from animals, like the wool from sheep, and making a mixture out of it. This mixture will be applied to the hair as a Keratin treatment to replenish the hair’s damaged Keratin. 

   Sadly this seemingly ‘natural’ treatment is not natural at all and several side effects such as excessive hair loss, deterioration of hair condition, allergic reactions and in some cases cancer has even been reported. As with all of these dangerous products, you hair will look great at first but after some time has passed you will begin to see the negative side effects.

   The Brazilian Blowout is another popular hair treatment at the moment but sadly reports of similar bad side effects have started coming in recently. Most keratin hair treatments use formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen.

   Why not stick to nature’s way. Rather than try the latest new product that has not been thoroughly tested, use something that has been around since the beginning of time, something like olive oil or yoghurt.

Nature’s Way Alternatives

Olive oil is the best treatment for hair. Olive oil nourishes and conditions your hair. It also improves the strength and elasticity of your hair. Unlike harmful chemical treatment, olive oil doesn’t just coat your hair but it actually feeds it. 

   Olive oil contains a wide variety of valuable antioxidants that are not found in other oils. In fact olive oil is known to protect us from certain types of cancer. It is also immensely beneficial in adding smoothness and softness to a dry scalp, especially during the winter months.

   All in all you cannot go wrong with olive oil.

Results:

• Healthy hair

• Save money

• Great shine

• Softer hair

• More manageable hair

• No harmful chemicals

Cautions:

• Take care to wash and rinse well or greasy hair will result.

NATURE’S WAY HAIR TREATMENT

Ingredients: Olive Oil

Method: Rinse your hair with warm water.

Warm one tablespoon of olive oil by rubbing it in the palms of your hands then gently massage the oil into your scalp. Make sure that you rub plenty of oil on the ends of your hair.

Place a plastic bag over your hair for half and hour.

Rinse extremely well with warm water and then shampoo as usual.

* You can also add fresh Rosemary to the oil as Rosemary is well known for its tonic effects and natural hair conditioning. Add a fresh sprig of rosemary to your bottle of oil and leave it there – it will add flavour to your cooking and will condition your hair.

More treatment recipes:

There are many other simple ways to give your hair a deep treatment using natural ingredients, here are some examples:

Yoghurt

Yoghurt has natural antifungal and antibacterial properties as well as many healthy enzymes along with natural oils. Using yoghurt in your hair stimulates hair growth and will also fight dandruff. The protein in yoghurt helps to strengthen and moisturise your hair.

Yoghurt Treatment

• ½ cup plain probiotic yoghurt

Mix the yoghurt well with a fork of put it in a blender for a couple of minutes. Part your hair and apply the yoghurt to your scalp until your entire scalp is covered with yoghurt. Then work the yoghurt through your hair with your fingers or with a wide toothed comb. Leave to soak for one hour and then rinse out well with warm water and wash as usual.

For extra strength and shine, beat an egg into the yoghurt and apply as above. Take care to rinse the yoghurt and egg treatment out with cool water as the egg will cook into your hair if you use warm water.

Caution:

I have found that the yoghurt can leave a terrible smell in your hair. Make sure you rinse very well and perhaps use an essential oil when washing your hair afterwards.

Now it's your turn.

If you have any hair treatment or hair care tips that work well, please share them with us.  Find out more about Nature's Way here.