Our hair is a very important part of who we are, it makes a statement about our lifestyle, our health and our personalities. No matter which hairstyle is in fashion, shiny, soft, and silky hair is always in vogue. But using heated appliances, a busy lifestyle and product build-up can make hair dull and lifeless.

Tips to Rescue Your Hair

Here is a list of simple and easy tips to rescue your crowning glory back to its natural beauty.

• Hair largely consists of protein, so a diet that includes good protein sources is vital. Excellent protein-rich foods include lean meat, beans/pulses, fish and eggs.
• Have a head massage, preferably using a specially blended hair and scalp oil. Excellent hair oils to look for include macadamia nut, Argan and Avocado, Neem, Rosemary, Cedarwood and Mint. Head massage has so many benefits, not just for the hair and scalp but also for your overall health and well-being.
• Do a hair and scalp detox once a month, especially if you use moisturising shampoos and serums regularly. Just like the skin, the hair and scalp can also accumulate a build-up of products that regular shampooing may not remove. You can simply use a clarifying shampoo or achieve the same result by using an herbal product like Moroccan ghassoul clay or Indian Gooseberry powder.
• Try to avoid or at least minimise the use of heated styling appliances, especially straighteners. If you must use them make sure you use a good protective product first to minimise heat damage.
• Have hair trimmed regularly to keep dead ends to a minimum.
• According to Chinese herbal medicine, the hair is a reflection of our kidney strength, the stronger and healthier the kidneys, the healthier and shinier the hair. Good kidney-nourishing foods include walnuts, black sesame seeds, gouzi berries and seafood.
• Apply a honey hair mask once a week. This is an excellent home remedy for dull hair. Mix equal parts of honey and aloe vera juice and apply to dry hair and scalp. Keep on for 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Honey is a great purifier and moisturiser that’s effective and costs next to nothing.
• Keep it natural, we love to have a change of colour but the chemicals used for this process are really bad news for the hair, especially if you go for a drastic change going from very dark to very light. The bleaches used for hair colouring literally strip the hair of its natural colour so the new colour takes, ouch!
• If you have long hair always use a nourishing serum, especially on the ends. This gives extra protection to long hair from environmental damage.
• As mentioned earlier long hair is much more prone to dryness and environmental damage. If you have long hair it is a good idea to do a loose plate before bed. This will minimise damage caused by the friction of head movement during the night.