“Rain rain come again” and here rain comes. But the humidity gives you gifts like hair damage. These are the months when your strands tend to stay unnaturally frizzy, have a distinctive lack of shine, and seem to have their own set of mood swings. Hair gets frizzy in the rain because the hair shaft likes to soak up moisture in the air, which swells the cuticle so it doesn’t lie as smoothly. If you really want to avoid the urge of chopping your mane off because of the sticky monsoons, you need to know which hair care tips to adopt, and what to stay away from.
No fancy-schmancy salon products necessary — what’s in your pantry and fridge is powerful enough to make homemade frizz-fighters. Don’t let the season be a reason for your damaged hair! Follow these tips religiously.
- The basic DIY shampoo recipe is: 2tbsp baking soda in 500 ml water. However, it can leave different hair types in different states of array, some very greasy, dry, or tangled. So you can add ingredients like coconut milk, Vitamin E oil, essential oils, and olive or almond oil (for dry hair). Combine all ingredients in a jug and stir until the baking soda is mixed. Scrub thoroughly into the scalp and all the way to the tips of your hair.
- For conditioning, just apply apple cider vinegar. Yup, That’s it! And enjoy the soft goodness that it’ll bring to you.
- Combine ½ cup water, ½ cup castile liquid soap, 1 tsp glycerine (omit if you have oily hair), and a few drops of your favorite essential oil, mix well. Use a palm-full of this shampoo, then rinse with warm water. This homemade shampoo won’t suds as much, but will eliminate grime and oil just as well as the over-the-counter stuff.
- For a naturally scented shampoo, substitute ½ cup strong herbal tea like chamomile, lavender, and rosemary for water in the above recipe.
- Right before you wash your hair with your homemade shampoo, beat 1 egg yolk until it’s frothy, add ½ tsp olive oil and beat again, then add ¾ cup warm water gradually while beating. Pour this mix through wet hair, working it in with your fingers. Let it sit for a few minutes then rinse with lukewarm water.
- If you want to use a dry shampoo, this is for you. Mix 2 tbsp of arrowroot powder, 2 tsp of curry leaf powder, 1 tsp of amla and shikakai powder. Apply it directly onto your scalp and wash with plain water. It acts as a good cleanser and also gives better hair growth results.
- Add a handful of fresh or dried marigold flowers to 3 cups of hot water and allow it to stand for an hour. Strain and cool the water and use it as a final rinse to benefit oily hair.
Your hair follicles struggle to over produce oils after each stripping of store-bought shampoo. Realize your scalp will need to “relearn” how much oil to make, so you will go through a greasy period of 1-3 weeks. After your scalp adjusts, these shampoos work great.
- Opt for deep conditioning dry or damaged hair once a week, using any of the following in combination or alone: olive oil, coconut oil, beaten egg, yogurt, mayonnaise, mashed banana, or mashed avocado. Massage this into wet hair, wrap it all up in an old towel for 20 minutes and rinse well.
- Mix 1 cup of honey, 1 cup of almond oil, and a cup of ground chamomile leaves. Massage this gently on your scalp and leave it for an hour then wash with mild shampoo. This reduces hair fall and you get thick, conditioned hair.
- Looking to rejuvenate your limp hair and want to make them more alive? The solution is — Add juice of 2 lemons to crushed hibiscus leaves and mint paste. Apply this on your scalp, leave for 30 minutes, and wash it with a mild citrus-based shampoo.
- Mix 2 tbsp of coconut oil, 2 lemon’s juice, and 1 orange. Rub it on your scalp and wrap a warm towel. Wash after an hour. This removes the dullness from your hair and makes them evergreen, nourished.
- To prevent hair from frizziness try this one. Mash 3 bananas into a bowl and add honey to make a consistent paste. Apply this hair pack on your scalp, leave it for an hour, then rinse it off with cold water.
- Add 2 spoons of curd, some lemon juice, and a few drops of honey to 2 eggs. Apply this mix on the scalp and tips, let it stay for 30 minutes then wash with mild shampoo to lock in moisture.
- The best way to treat your hair with the goodness of Amla is to mix it with a few tbsp of lemon juice and leave it overnight. Follow this process twice a week to get rid of dandruff and hair fall.
- Another remedy for dandruff and lifeless hair is overnight soaking fenugreek seeds in water and using this water for hair wash. You can also make a paste of these seeds, fuller’s earth, and mint. Add lemon juice and water to it and use it as a shampoo for lustrous hair.
- Apply a few tablespoons of onion juice to the scalp before shampooing. Surprised? Don’t be. This can do wonders for hair fall problems, improves the scalp’s blood circulation, and reduces inflammation in the scalp.
Other DOs include:
- Drink plenty of water
- What you eat shows on your body. Follow a protein-rich diet with milk, soya, fruits, leafy greens, and eggs to keep up with healthy hair.
- Oil your hair at least once a week (But keep in mind that during monsoon, the scalp anyway gets oily, so oil two hours before washing)
- Use wide-toothed comb
- Don’t tie your hair when it’s wet
This monsoon not just get wet, feel the rain with natural products. Have fun trying new, green things! They’re good for you and the environment. Let the beauty of the rain play with your mind, not with the hair!
