Professional Documents
Culture Documents
8 Homemade Hair Treatments
8 Homemade Hair Treatments
8 Homemade Hair Treatments
Eggs, yogurt and honey are, at first glance, all components of a tasty breakfast—but they also
happen to be hair treatment ingredients, and affordable, all-natural ones at that. And they're not the
only ones. Did you know, for instance, that the oils in avocados more closely resemble our own
skin's oils than any product in the beauty aisle does? Or that the mild acidity in lemon is an effective
—and gentler—alternative to chemical-laden products? Next time your locks need a lift, save money
by using one of these kitchen fixes.
"The [raw] egg is really the best of all worlds," says Janice Cox, author ofNatural Beauty at Home.
The yolk, rich in fats and proteins, is naturally moisturizing, while the white, which contains bacteria-
eating enzymes, removes unwanted oils, she explains.
To Use: For normal hair, use the entire egg to condition hair; use egg whites only to treat oily hair;
use egg yolks only to moisturize dry, brittle hair, Cox says. Use 1/2 cup of whichever egg mixture is
appropriate for you and apply to clean, damp hair. If there isn’t enough egg to coat scalp and hair,
use more as needed. Leave on for 20 minutes, rinse with cool water (to prevent egg from “cooking”)
and shampoo hair. Whole egg and yolks-only treatments can be applied once a month; whites-only
treatment can be applied every two weeks.
Photo by Shutterstock.
To Use: Massage 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt into damp hair and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse
with warm water, followed by cool water, then shampoo hair as you normally would. Treatment can
be applied every other week.
Photo by Shutterstock.
To fight flakes—brought on by poor diet, stress and climate, among other factors—try a lemon juice
and olive oil mixture in your hair. "The acidity in lemon juice helps rid your scalp of any loose, dry
flakes of skin, while the olive oil moisturizes the [newly exposed] skin on your head," says Cox.
To Use: Mix 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp water, and massage into damp
scalp. Let mixture sit for 20 minutes, then rinse and shampoo hair. Treatment can be applied every
other week.
Photo by Shutterstock.
To Use: Mix 1/2 cup flat beer (pour beer into a container and let it sit out for a couple of hours to
deplete carbonation) with 1 tsp light oil (sunflower or canola) and a raw egg. Apply to clean, damp
hair, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water. Or add flat beer only to a spray bottle and
spritz onto dry hair. "When the liquid evaporates, the remaining protein residue (from the wheat, malt
or hops) continues to strengthen and structure hair," says Belkin. Treatments can be applied every
other week.
Photo by Shutterstock.
Whatever your hair-dehydrating demon—hard water, sun overexposure, your trusty flat iron—
nature's sweetener can help. "Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and locks in
moisture," says Cox.
To Use: Massage approximately 1/2 cup honey into clean, damp hair, let sit for 20 minutes, then
rinse with warm water. You can also add 1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil to loosen the honey for easier
application. For extremely sun-damaged hair, trying mixing honey with 1 to 2 Tbsp of a protein-rich
ingredient, like avocado or egg yolk, which will help replenish the keratin protein bonds that UV rays
attack. Treatment can be applied once a month.
Photo by Shutterstock.
For Oily or Greasy Hair
"Used properly, [cornmeal or cornstarch] is an inexpensive way to remove oil and grease," says
Belkin.
To Use: Pour 1 Tbsp cornmeal or cornstarch into an empty salt or pepper shaker and sprinkle onto
dry hair and scalp until you’ve used it all. After 10 minutes, use a paddle hairbrush to completely
brush it out. Treatment can be applied every other day.
Photo by iStockPhoto.
Home beauty experts swear by avocado—and not just to repair damaged hair. Its oils (which are
light and moist like our own natural skin secretions) and proteins boast the best combination of
nutrients for smoothing and weighing down unruly hair, explains Cox.
To Use: Mash up half an avocado and massage into clean, damp hair. Let sit for 15 minutes before
rinsing with water. Amp up moisturizing power by combining mashed avocado with 1 to 2 Tbsp of a
hydrating ingredient, like sour cream, egg yolks or mayonnaise. Treatment can be applied every two
weeks.
Photo by Shutterstock.
To Use: Mix 1 to 2 Tbsp baking soda with small amounts of water until a thick paste forms. Massage
into damp hair and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with water, then shampoo hair. Treatment can be
applied every two weeks.
Photo by Shutterstock.
Photo: © iStockphoto
What’s the name of your daughter’s teacher, and where did you put your keys again? If you’ve ever
wished you could do some simple things to sharpen your memory skills, you can. We’ve talked to
the experts and compiled the latest thinking on improving the muscles in your brain associated with
memory.
6. Go to yoga class.
What can a downward-facing-dog pose do for your memory? A lot, says Gina Norman, a yoga
teacher in New York City. “A new study out of the University of North Carolina shows that brief
meditative exercise helps cognition and skills essential to critical thinking,” she says. But if you’re not
into yoga, exercise of any kind works to boost your brain, says Dr. Lombardo. “Research shows that
exercise increases the blood flow to all areas of your body, including the brain and specifically areas
involved in memory,” she says. “One study found that mice who exercised grew new brain cells in
the dentate gyrus, a part of the hippocampus which can be affected by declines in memory as we
get older.” Short on time? “Try running up a flight of stairs, jogging to a bathroom that is farther away
from you, doing 50 jumping jacks, putting on a great song and dancing around, or grabbing your
child’s hand and jumping on the bed together.”
8. Pay attention.
Duh, right? It may sound obvious, but according to experts, when most people think they’re having
memory problems, it’s really because they were distracted or didn’t record the information in their
brain properly to begin with, says Linda Edelstein, PhD, adjunct faculty at Northwestern University
and the author of The Art of Midlife. “When people cannot retrieve information it is often because
they haven't taken it in in the first place,” she says. “You cannot recall information that you did not
store.” The number-one trick to paying closer attention? Stop multitasking and be fully present. That
means setting down the BlackBerry while lunching with your friend, turning off the TV when you’re
trying to read something and not letting your eyes—or mind—wander when chatting with someone at
a party. You’ll be more likely to remember the person’s name.
9. Learn a new song.
Have you ever found yourself singing along to a song you love that debuted 10 years ago, and yet
you still don’t know the lyrics? Learning the words could be fun, but it could also be good for your
memory in general. By memorizing a song, “you will be working out at least two different kinds of
memory, auditory and verbal, which is probably something you don't do very often,” says Cynthia
Green, PhD, an expert on brain health and memory. “The research suggests that constantly
challenging our brains with intellectual pursuits may boost our ‘cognitive reserve’ and can have the
associated benefit of reducing our dementia risk over the long-term.”
Sarah Jio is the health and fitness blogger for Glamour.com. Visit her blog, Vitamin G.
When it comes to beauty routines, the grass is always greener. Japanese women have it made with
their long, glossy hair and Greek women’s olive-toned complexions are always luminous. But how do
they do it? Put down your passport—you won’t need to go anywhere to find out. We got insider
beauty information from experts on how women across the globe stay gorgeous. Read on to find out
their secrets, and learn how you can recreate them at home.
Australia
Australian makeup artist Napoleon Perdis says yarrow extract is used by Australian Aboriginal
women to prevent stretch marks, thanks to its moisturizing and hydrating properties. “Yarrow root is
also an anti-inflammatory, which soothes the skin.” Calm your complexion with his Auto Pilot Pre-
Foundation Primer , which contains the extract as a key ingredient.
Chile
Chilean women credit the antioxidant powers of red grapes for their luminous skin. They create a
paste by mashing up a handful of the fruit and adding 2 tablespoons of white flour. They then apply
the mask to their face and leave it on for 10 minutes before washing it off. “It wakes up the
appearance of tired and fatigued skin to give you an amazing glow,” says Shalini Vadhera, author
of Passport to Beauty
Dominican Republic
“If you ever meet a Dominican woman, look at her nails––chances are they’re super-strong,” says
Vadhera. What’s their secret? Women in the Dominican Republic swear by garlic to keep their nails
tough as…well, nails. They chop up fresh garlic, add it to a bottle of clear nail polish and let it stew
for 7 to 10 days. “There will be an initial smell, so if you want to ward off vampires this is a great way
to do it,” jokes Vadhera. “But the scent goes away. Garlic has so many strengthening properties and
is naturally antibacterial as well.”
Egypt
According to Vadhera, Cleopatra’s beauty secret was taking milk baths to soften her skin and
remove dead cells. To try the treatment at home, Vadhera recommends adding 2 cups of powdered
milk to your bath. “It will make your skin look absolutely gorgeous and feel so smooth, silky and soft.”
France
“The French woman sticks to a scrupulous and preventive skin and body care routine,” says
Shannon Gallogly, lead aesthetician for French beauty brands Decleor and Carita. “This means she
has weekly facials, regular massages and religiously takes her makeup off each night.” Gallogly’s
recipe for an at-home facial without the price tag of a spa version: Mash up cherries and
pomegranate seeds and apply as a mask to the skin for about 6 minutes. “This mask will help
brighten skin with natural enzymes while firming at the same time.” Remove the mixture with a warm
towel to help boost circulation.
Greece
“Greek women are blessed with Mediterranean skin, which is light in color but has enough melanin
to shield and absorb harmful UV rays,” says New York City dermatologist Macrene Alexiades, MD,
PhD, who is half Greek. But even if you aren’t genetically blessed, you can still take a cue from the
women of Greece. “There are other factors that contribute to their glowing complexion: They eat a
Mediterranean diet high in fish, which provides skin-rejuvenating omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids,
as well as fruits and vegetables, which provide antioxidants and vitamins. They also believe their
intake of olive oil contributes to their great skin.” So, start reaching for the olive oil instead of butter
for better skin.
Israel
Cygalle Dias, owner of New York City’s Cygalle Healing Spa, was born in Israel and believes in the
healing powers of sea salt. “When you swim in the Dead Sea, all of the salt helps your body rid itself
of toxins, and it has also been known to help cure skin diseases.” To get the detoxifying benefits of
sea salt at home, Dias shares her spa’s Lavender Sea Salt Scrub recipe: Mix together ¼ cup sea
salt, 1 pinch seaweed powder, ½ cup massage oil and 10 to 15 drops lavender oil. Apply to skin to
gently exfoliate.
Italy
How do Italian women maintain their glossy locks? According to Fabio Scalia, Italian hairstylist and
owner of Fabio Scalia salon in Brooklyn, New York, the answer is right in your kitchen. Italian women
keep their hair shiny by combining yogurt and olive oil and using the mixture as a conditioner. “The
protein in the yogurt gently nourishes and conditions.” To whip up the rich treatment at home, Scalia
recommends mixing 1 cup of plain whole-milk yogurt with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Then apply the
mixture to washed hair, let it sit for 5 minutes and rinse with cool water.
Japan
Titi Branch, the half-Japanese cofounder of Miss Jessie’s hair care line, credits seaweed for
Japanese women’s long, silky hair. Nori is a rich source of the trace mineral iodine, which is
essential for healthy hair growth. (According to Branch, the iodine added to table salt isn’t the right
kind to nourish your hair because your body doesn’t easily absorb it.) Seaweed is also a rich source
of other mane-strengthening minerals—including iron, zinc, selenium and copper. “Japanese women
either eat nori seaweed or boil it and apply it to dry hair as a nourishing paste.” Head to your local
Asian grocer or health food store to pick up sheets of nori. “It’s traditionally used to wrap sushi, but
you can use it like a tortilla to wrap up veggies with a dash of soy sauce, or crumble the sheets and
sprinkle them on a salad, rice or stir-fry,” advises Branch.
Spain
Spanish women bring out natural, subtle highlights in their hair by rinsing it with cranberry juice, says
Vadhera. Try mixing ¼ cup pure juice (not cocktail blends) with ¼ cup water and doing a final rinse
with it in the shower. “If you’re going to be in the sun, the cranberry juice brings out the rich hues in
your hair,” she says. “It works amazingly on brunettes, but if you’re blonde you’ll want to use lemon
juice instead to avoid ending up with pink hair.”
Sweden
Swedish women attribute their glowing, healthy skin to their diet of antioxidant-packed fresh berries
and grilled fish, says Petra Strand, Swedish makeup artist and creator of makeup line Pixi, now
available at Target. Give yourself a hit of antioxidants by trying Strand’s at-home treatment: Boil
mineral water with a green tea or white tea bag, let the tea infuse the water and then freeze it into ice
cubes to use instead of a toner. “Saunas are also a big part of Swedish culture,” says Strand. “The
dry, clean heat rids your body of toxins.” To get the effect of a sauna at home, Strand says to take a
handful of rock salt and add a dash of olive oil and about 10 drops of pure eucalyptus oil. Rub it all
over your body and rinse with a blast of cold water.