From pleasant to ugly rainy days can prove to be a weather in dampening your spirit if you ignore to take care of your lustrous hair, taming your mane during humid weather can be quite a litmus task for you but by keeping few very small yet significant things in mind you can tame your monsoon mane and transform your appearance. Humidity causes secretions of oil and sweat which tends to stick to hair and scalp to attracts grime and pollutants, all this coupled together leads to dehydrated and sticky scalp and causes skin flaking, dandruff, allergies, infection, smelly hair, weak hair follicles and hair fall. Other factors like allergic hypersensitivity, imbalanced and poor diet and hormonal imbalance, over use of hair dyes and chemicals ridden products aggravate the problem rendering your hair looking dull and lackluster.
Your hair needs maximum attention and care during this season Makeover and hair expert Mallika Gambhir Suggests host of natural remedies to avoid tress woes in monsoon.
Smelly Scalp and Itching
Smelly scalp and itching happens because of unhealthy condition of hair. Consult your dermatologist to confirm the reasons like fungal or infection and accordingly start the treatment. Cleansing and nourishing your scalp is the first step towards hair care regime.
- Follow regularroutine by going in for natural hair mask and hair spa treatments.
- Use mild shampoo followed by final rinse with vinegar in water, this shall give you relief from itching.
- Aromatherapy can be very useful in preventing of itching and scalp odour. Scents and aroma oil can do wonders. Use Tea tree oil, known for its anti bacterial properties and cure for itchy scalp, rashes, scalp pimples and sores etc. Make tea tree spray by mixing few drops in plain water. Keep it in your bag and spray onto your scalp whenever you feel itching.
- Using Neem oil is also very useful for itchy scalp. Mix a spoon of neem oil, rosemary oil mixed with tea tree oil and message.Antibacterial properties of neem helps in keeping fungus and bacteria at bay.
- You can also mix neem oil with Aloe vera gel and apply of scalp
- Treatment of Fenugreek works well for all hair woes. Soak fenugreek seeds in water overnight, use the strained water for washing your hair. Methi is effective remedy for multiple hair problems like hair fall, dandruff and dryness.
TAME DANDRUFF AND PREVENT HAIR FALL
Tame dandruff and Prevent hair loss through nutrition, it’s the most natural way to keep your hair thick and healthy. Hydrate, nurture and rejuvenate your hair with good hair masks that can counter dandruff, hair thinning, hair fall and boost hair growth. Just whip up these useful hair masks:
- Oiling with warm oil is very useful in dislodging flakes and dandruff from the scalp. You can message your scalp gently with olive oil or sesame seed oil.
- Bananas make a wonderful hair mask when blended with an egg, three teaspoons each of honey and milk, and five teaspoons of olive oil. Massage this mixture onto your hair and scalp and leave it on for half hour before you shampoo it out.
- Scramble two eggs with two teaspoons of water and work the mixture onto damp hair. Let it soak in for 15 minutes before you wash your hair
- Oil up your scalp with a mask from two eggs and five teaspoons of olive oil and massage into your hair and scalp. Let it sit for half hour before washing it out.
- Try avocado mask; mix one mashed avocado with a teaspoon each of olive oil and honey, then apply it to your hair. Leave the mask on for at least 20 minutes and then wash it away.
- Get a little nutty with almond mask; Combine ¼ cup of honey, ½ cup of yogurt, and a tablespoon of almond oil. Work it onto your hair from root to tip; leave it on for 20 minutes before you shampoo.
- Coconut milk is very good in treating hair fall and providing nourishment to scalp
- Message your scalp and strands with old and sour curd or lukewarm oil one hour before hair wash.
In this season skin reacts in unpredictable manner and hair is unstable and unruly. Sometimes scalp is too oily and sticky or itchy and parched. Go for antidote according to need of skin.
Dry and frizzy hair
This is another common and difficult problem. Go for hair pack made with bananas and honey, this shall nourish your hair with natural moisturizer and keep your strands soft, silky and tamed.
- Whip together half a cup of milk, honey and few drops of extra virgin olive oil to get rid of dry scalp and Attain healthy, nourished and glowing hair.
- Go for extra conditioning mask prepared with mayonnaise, follow up the process with hot towel cover and Wash off with cold water to unleash silky hair.
- Bring back the shine to dull and lifeless hair with pack of vinegar, banana and avocado oil.
OILY SCALP
For oily and sticky scalp lemon juice therapy works very well.
- Apply lemon juice on your scalp, leave it for 15 minutes and then wash it off to ensure an oil-free scalp. You can also mix lemon juice in aloe vera gel. Or simply use mask of mint paste.
- Be careful while you buy hair products replace moisture based hair products with alcohol based creams or gels.
Dos and don’ts
- Wash your hair at least twice a week. Humidity leads to secretions of oil and sweat which tends to stick to hair and scalp that attracts grime and pollutants. This makes the scalp breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. Choose mild shampoo and conditioner. Shampoos containing herbal extracts like shikakai, reetha, brahmi, amla and henna are better choices.
- Doing the trick with Accessories – Cover up the bad hair day during monsoon. You can contain unruly strands by giving them a style and fashion statement. Cover up your frizzy strands with colourful scarf or beautiful bands which look funky and stylish and match with the colour of your dress. If you are going for pool party, beach party or a retro event style your hair in littlie bohemian way and adorn a hat.
- Long hair can be tied nicely in a high bun or a low bun. Short hair should be neatly tapered and well cut
- Put on hold your plans to go for rebonding , perming or colouring etc till monsoon is gone. As your hair needs optimum care these chemical laced hair styling treatments will do just the opposite and invite further damage which will be difficult to handle in this season.
- Never comb wet hair as this tends to make your tresses weak and prone to breakage. Use Wide-toothed comb after your hair is dry.
- Taking good diet rich in vitamin E and C, almonds, spinach, olives, amla, and tomatoes, citrus fruits are very important. One needs to include fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts and yogurt in the daily diet.
- Also, drink at least 10 glasses of water daily and avoid oily, spicy, junk or outside food.