Taking Care of Hair at Home - part 2
Mild herbal shampoo
Mix two spoonfuls of baby shampoo with some strong herbal infusion. Prepare the infusion with a handful of fresh herbs, a spoonful of dried herbs and 150 ml of boiling water. To prepare infusion for different hair types use correspondingly: the sage leaves for dark hair; yarrow - for greasy hair; marigold flowers for fair hair; the mixture of nettle leaves and burdock roots – for dandruff hair. To have a perfect hair treatment you should add one yolk and one spoonful of powdered gelatine and mix this all together and then heat.
Aloe conditioner
Wash one aloe leaf and mix together with a half of warm boiled water. Add one spoonful of honey and mix. Rub this substance into your damp hair and scalp. As usually, wrap your head in the plastic foil and a towel. Wash your hair after 20-30 minutes. Repeat the treatment once a week for the following two or three months.
Herbal lotions
Not only washing one’s hair regularly but also using herbal lotions is essential if you want to take care of your hair properly. For herbal lotions you may use such herbs as: burdock roots, soap-wort, oak bark, calamus root-stock, horsetail or nettle, chamomile, thyme, and walnut-tree leaves (for darkening hair). These herbs and plants should be prepared as concentrate, i.e.: take 2 spoonfuls of herbs for one glass of water. Roots and bark should be boiled for a short time and horsetail herb for more than half an hour.
- Fair hair lotion: 4 parts of chamomile flowers, 4 parts of marigold, 2 parts of thin orange peel and 2 parts of elder flowers.
- Dark hair lotion: 3 parts of sage leaves, 3 parts of hamamelidales, 3 parts of rosemary leaves, and 2 parts of melissa herb.
- Weak hair lotion: 3 parts of thyme, 3 parts of nettle leaves, 2 parts of grated burdock roots, 2 parts of nasturtium leaves, 1 part of Artemisia abrotanum.
In all three cases it is necessary to prepare very strong infusions which should be added to water to make a proper lotion.
Poultice (compress) of horse-radish or Raphanus
Freshly grated raphanus prevents falling out of hair because it improves blood circulation in the scalp. Horse-radish also prevents hair loss and, in addition, it improves the regeneration of hair roots. Extract from raphanus is often used to produce various drugs for growing hair. After using the poultice on your hair you should rinse your hair until the unpleasant smell is gone. After that, you may use one of the herbal lotions.
Nettle and nasturtium tincture
To prepare the tincture use 1 part of fresh nettle leaves, 1 part of flower and leaves of nasturtium and 2 parts of alcohol. All blended ingredients pour into a bottle or a jar, close tightly and put it in the dark spot. The tincture is ready for use after 2 weeks. Each time you take the exact amount you need for rubbing into hair and scalp. Comb your hair. Use it once a week, on the day before you wash the hair.
Hair conditioning oils
These are usually prepared on the basis of olive oil or sunflower seeds oil. Put 2 spoonfuls of mixed and blended herbs (with ethereal oils) into a bottle of 0.25 l. Pour 100ml of oil inside. Cork the bottle up and put it in the sunny spot. It usually takes up to three weeks. All this time you should shake the bottle carefully every day. After 3 weeks you should remove the herbs, filter the oil and then add another 2 spoonfuls of herbs to it. Repeat the procedure until the oil will have the strong herbal scent. Conditioning oils should be used for rubbing hair before washing hair. Each time, oil should be left on hair, covered with damp towel, for about 30 minutes. After that wash hair with shampoo and rinse it after a few minutes. Repeat washing and rinsing.