Problem Hair

Natural Treatments For Problem Hair
By M.S. Beltran

Is your hair dry and brittle? Is the color dull and lackluster? Forget expensive commercial products that can do more damage than good to your hair; treat your hair yourself, using all-natural ingredients found in your own kitchen.

DO-IT-YOURSELF CHOLESTEROL TREATMENT

Would you believe that most commercially bought cholesterol hair conditioners contain alcohol� the very thing that dries out hair? Instead, grab a cup full of mayonnaise, some plastic food wrap and throw a couple of towels in the drier on high.

Work the mayonnaise into your hair, starting by massaging it into the scalp and roots. Then draw it through to your ends until your hair is thoroughly coated. Pile the hair on top of your head. Take a couple of feet of saran wrap and wrap it around the top of your head to contain the mayo.

Take a pre-heated towel from the dryer and wrap it around your head over the saran wrap. The heat will aid with deep conditioning. After about 10 minutes, change to another heated towel and leave that on for another 10 minutes.

Remove the towel and plastic wrap and shampoo your hair as usual. Done once a month, this cholesterol treatment will keep your hair soft and shiny.

* Tip: if your hair ends are very damaged from chemical treatment, you can do this once a week. If your scalp is naturally oily, you might want to only add mayo to the hair ends for weekly treatments.

QUICK SOLUTION FOR OILY HAIR

If your scalp is naturally oil, you probably have to shampoo your hair daily to keep it from looking greasy or stringy. If, however, you are running short on time or need a quick lift in the middle of the day, grab a box of cornstarch and a large, clean blush brush.

Pour some cornstarch out onto a dish and dip the brush into it. Then, with a comb, part your hair in the center and brush the cornstarch onto your scalp and roots. Make another part 1/4 to inch off-center and repeat. Continue this method down one side of your head, then from the center and down the other side.

Go about your business for about 10 minutes while the cornstarch soaks up the excess oils in your hair. Then, take a brush and brush out your hair, ridding it of the cornstarch flakes.

FOR A COLOR ENHANCER:

If your own natural color, or your color treated hair, begins to look drab, all you need are a few ingredients from your garden or local produce store to brighten it up.

Begin by boiling one quart of water. In a piece of doubled cheesecloth, add the following:

• for brunettes: a handful fresh rosemary sprigs (bruise by crumpling in your hand)
• for blondes: a handful of dried chamomile
• for "orange tone" redheads: a chopped-up carrot
• for "berry tone" redheads: a chopped up beet

Tie up the ingredient in the cheesecloth and toss into the boiling water, removing it from heat. Let steep for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the cheesecloth bag. Shampoo and rinse your hair as usual. Then, pour the warm (not hot) color-enhancing rinse over your hair. As a final rinse, use a quart of cold water. Once a month treatments will keep your hair color vibrant.

BUILD-UP REMOVER

Often the culprits of drab coloring and lackluster hair are all the styling products that we regularly use. They begin to build up and dull the shine and tone of our hair.

Get rid of the build up by mixing 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 gallon of distilled water. This can be stored in a cabinet or the refrigerator and used every couple of weeks to keep hair squeaky clean. To use it, wet hair with warm water, or shampoo and rinse as usual. Then pour 2 cups over the scalp and let mixture saturate the hair. Finish up with a cold-water rinse.