Since brushing my dreadlocks out at the beginning of January (2015), I've been looking for ways to help repair my damaged hair, assist in making it grow since I had to cut off so much and also not only make it look healthy but actually be healthy.
It's important to note first though that how our hair looks, feels and grows is affected by varying factors. These include
- What we eat and drink (what is good for body will be good for hair)
- What we do (swimming in chlorinated pools and the sea, using hair dryer, etc)
- Quality of our shower water (You can use a shower filter for the best way to remove fluoride, chlorine, iron oxides ("rust water"), reduce harmful VOCs and other contaminants.)
- Genetics
- How much sleep we have nightly
- Our stress level
- Thyroid function
- and lastly, what we put on it (synthetic shampoos, conditioners, gel, etc)
It is commonly known that even with our access to clean, fresh drinking water very few of us actually drink enough of it.
Are you in this category with me?
Whilst looking at the list above think about what things you may need to do to give your hair it's best chance. It may be quite simply to drink more water, it may be something bigger like a complete diet overhaul, whatever it is take control today and do it!
Are you in this category with me?
Whilst looking at the list above think about what things you may need to do to give your hair it's best chance. It may be quite simply to drink more water, it may be something bigger like a complete diet overhaul, whatever it is take control today and do it!
Whilst we need to be concerned with what goes in, we also need to consciously think about what goes on to.
Did you know that the body's largest organ is the skin?
This means that what goes on, also goes in!
In January we made the decision to try and not put anything on our skin that we wouldn't also eat and I can honestly say I feel so much better for it, even though we haven't managed it 100%.
Did you know that the body's largest organ is the skin?
This means that what goes on, also goes in!
In January we made the decision to try and not put anything on our skin that we wouldn't also eat and I can honestly say I feel so much better for it, even though we haven't managed it 100%.
Did you know that most shampoos, hair and skincare products on the market contain synthetic materials that exasperate and even create many of our hair, scalp and skin challenges?
Here are a few examples -
- Propylene Glycol - may causes dry skin and skin irritation.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Laureth Sulfate - surfactant that may corrode hair follicles
- Oleyl betaine – may cause dry hair and scalp.
- Mineral oils - petroleum products clog your pores since the molecule is too big to be absorbed my the skin. With clogged pores your body cannot release it's vital nutrients and oils!
Go and check your labels!
If your shampoo has a pH between 4 and 6 and doesn't have synthetic compounds then you can be sure that it is supportive to healthy hair growth (and okay for the skin to absorb too!)
If your shampoo has a pH between 4 and 6 and doesn't have synthetic compounds then you can be sure that it is supportive to healthy hair growth (and okay for the skin to absorb too!)
If you find that your shampoo contains some or all of the no-no's above, then you may want to do some research to find natural hair products.
The first thing to say about this is that thankfully the internet has made researching this so simple.
There are great natural hair products on the market that contain essential oils including the shampoo that Young Living make - Bath & Body Products.
I now only use these products since I know the company is ethical and I can trust the ingredients in it - you can read more about Young Living's unique 'Seed to Seal' guarantee here.
The first thing to say about this is that thankfully the internet has made researching this so simple.
There are great natural hair products on the market that contain essential oils including the shampoo that Young Living make - Bath & Body Products.
I now only use these products since I know the company is ethical and I can trust the ingredients in it - you can read more about Young Living's unique 'Seed to Seal' guarantee here.
The range that Young Living have is really good, particularly the Lavender & Mint shampoo and conditioner. However, if you really want to make the most of using essential oils for promoting healthy hair then the very best thing to do is to use a base shampoo or conditioner and add the oils that are right for your hair type. I usually add a total of twenty drops to the bottle directly.
W H A T I S M Y H A I R T Y P E A N D W H A T O I L S A R E
B E S T ?
The list below contains information for all the hair types and the corresponding oils. Remember that your hair type can change over time. This may be because of environmental factors like some of the ones at the beginning of this post but pregnancy and ageing will inevitably change your hair type.
N O R M A L H A I R
Normal hair is neither greasy nor dry; it has not been permed, coloured or damaged; it holds its style and is usually shiny. This is the optimum hair type. The oils in this section will promote growth and help to maintain shine.
These oils are best for normal hair:
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Rosemary Essential Oil
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Geranium Essential Oil
- Cedarwood Essential Oil
- Thyme Essential Oil
- Clary Sage Essential Oil
As with any essential oil combination it is best to try one or two at a time to see if they work for you. Essential oils work differently for different people so make sure you keep a note in your oily journal of what works and what doesn't work for you.
D R Y H A I R
Dry hair looks dull, tangles easily and can become easily split at the ends. Using essential oils that stimulate the sebaceous glands so that more natural oils are secreted is important for this hair type.
Use these oils:
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Rosemary Essential Oil
- Sandalwood Essential Oil
- Geranium Essential Oil
O I L S F O R O I L Y H A I R
Oily hair is caused by over production of sebum by the sebaceous glands, this makes the air appear greasy. The essential oils needed for this hair type will help normalise and balance the glands and as a result the hair.
Try these oils:
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Rosemary Essential Oil
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Peppermint Essential Oil
- Cypress Essential Oil
C L E A N S I N G T H E H A I R
Cleansing the hair and scalp is a great way to kick-start your journey to healthier hair. If you currently have 'normal' type hair then skip straight to step 6.
Remember though that your hair type can change and so you ma need to do a cleanse in the future.
Remember though that your hair type can change and so you ma need to do a cleanse in the future.
- Use a base shampoo without essential oils. Wash the hair only ONCE; wash, rinse, repeat is not necessary! Using this will help to remove the buildup of chlorine, grease, chemicals and other secretions on and in your hair and scalp.
- Pick several essential oils from your hair type category to use for shampooing. REMEMBER: You may need to experiment with several oils until you find what you like. It is better for this beginning phase to add the base shampoo and oils to a small pot instead of putting them straight in to the bottle.
- Continue to use until you feel there is improvement. You do not need to wash your every day. If your hair is used to this then you may feel it needs it, this is because when using synthetic shampoos the hair and scalp are stripped so the body works harder to produce more oils, this then leads to you wanting to wash it more. Two to three times is the optimal recommended times. If you are a prolific hair washer work your way slowly to this optimal recommendation by starting with every other day.
- Brushing is an important part of promoting healthy hair. Brushing helps to take the oils produced from the scalp to the very ends of the hair. A natural bristle brush is the best type of brush to use - my personal favourite is a boar hair brush.
- Keep this routine going even after you see improvement.
- Now you can add oils to promote hair growth - these are the oils in the 'normal' category. I do this with a D.I.Y. leave-in conditioner. Here's my recipe:
F L A K Y S C A L P ?
As we know essential oils are useful for so many ailments so it is no surprise that may be very effective in minimising occasional flakiness.
It is best to add these to the leave-in conditioner above and ensure you massage them well in to the scalp. This can be repeated daily until the flakiness disappears. To maintain a flake-free scalp add the oils that work best for you to your leave-in conditioner for promoting healthy hair growth - you may notice that some of them appear in both categories...
- Basil
- Cedarwood
- Cypress
- Lemon
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Melaleuca Alternifolia - A.K.A. Tea Tree
Don't forget to go on over to the Facebook Page and let me know how you get on with these.
Do you have any tips or tricks for using essential oils to promote healthy hair growth?
Do you have any tips or tricks for using essential oils to promote healthy hair growth?
If you are interested in starting your oily then check out WELLNESS TOOLKIT and CONTACT ME with any questions.
You can also see the new hair growth I have had from using essential oils in this video (Please subscribe to the All in a Drop channel to see new content uploaded)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK2hE-T3vGw[/embed]
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