An oily Hairy Tale

Recently I've noticed a bunch of ads for hair products saying "Recent research has shown that oil is good for your hair. Our bla bla bla shampoo is the only one which infuses oils, to leave your hair healthy shiny and beautiful..." with some very Photoshopped celebrity prancing around flaunting her ridiculously good looking hair, which probably has more than just shampoo and oil in it.

So I saw what advertisement and was thinking to my self  "WHAT! Indian women have been using Amla, almond, and coconut oils (just to name a few) for hair care for AGES!! and non-Indians fall under either one or more of the following categories: 1- their hair looks so greasy 2- they smell funny (yes coconut oil, amla etc. smell strong) 3-  ask "how do indian women have such beautiful hair?" 4- oil in their hair? what! no way I use mouse, gel, hairspray! 4- henna what?!?!

Egg, fruits, yogurt, henna, are also other things we use in our hair to keep it healthy, conditioned, strong, and beautiful. We stay away from chemicals as much as we can cause on the long run it creates hair fall. Amla, Almonds, Coconut oil, head massages, and consuming fish and fish oils, increases hair growth, and so I am told. So that beautiful black long hair is thanks to oils, and also genes to some extent. Indian women have all these amazing beauty secrets, some may sound nasty (ie. egg), but it works. Like why would anyone want to eat raw fish (sushi)? Its a cultural thing!

Parachute Coconut oil or Dabur's hair oils are my favorite. Also now there's "Morrocan Argan Oil"! Yep that's another oil to be bursting in the market recently. It's not an Indian thing, but its still oil in the hair. Now all of ya'll be putting oil in your hair! I use it too, it's helped to reduce frizz etc, but the coconut oil brings the most nourishment. Its kind of like what fertilizer are you going to put on your lawn? Shampoos dry out the hair, removing all oils, so I don't really believe those ads, and then split ends, and other damage happens.

It seems everyone is embracing the oils, maybe in a few years it will be some other trend. Who knows, all these companies and their marketing gimmicks. Next thing you know they'll say henna is a great conditioner, and they are the first to put henna in their conditioners ... um dabur and other Indian brands have been doing so for years, including the whole "oil in shampoos" idea. Also Indian hair is of highest demand, and women use it as weaves, dye it and use those as weaves too. Hmm.

Funny story, a year or so ago, I was at the post office and the postman asked me if my hair was real! I was taken aback, was he implying I was wearing a wig? or weaves? He said he was wondering cause his girl friend or something spends too much money on hair. For a long time I wanted straight, flat, hair, because I have thick, wavy hair, full of body, and I didn't know how to wear it. I liked keeping my hair short, however my hair was wavy and bouncy, so it would look like as I was later called, "Helmet Head". I finally began growing it out for real in 2010 and it's been a learning experience. The first 2 years I wanted to cut it off everyday, now I know what works for it, and what doesn't. I learned about braids, turbie twist, oils, brushes, and other things women use and do to their hair, slowly but surely!

Wishing you all beautiful bouncy hair!




Breathe

I remember this next ad from my childhood:

The Secret to Beautiful Long Healthy Gorgeous Luscious Hair

Growing up in India, I saw women with the longest, healthiest thickest and gorgeous hair. I always had short hair, so I had no idea about true hair care, but after finally growing my hair out in 2009, I have learnt so much, by talking to my grandmothers, aunts and other relatives and friends in India, who despite everything have gorgeous glossy long hair. Their secrets will be shared with you!

First, the rules!
If you don't want to bald by 50, and trust me it WILL happen, especially if you chemically treat and style with heat, then you will definitely want to follow these rules. Firstly don't dye your hair, its just not good for you or your hair. The chemicals strip it of moisture, and it does touch your roots and scalp, thus being a danger to you. Other chemical treatments should be avoided too - straightening, curling etc. We will talk about learning how to love your natural hair texture, shape, and how to treat it well.  Secondly, blow drying, straightening curling your hair with curling irons, ruins your hair, especially dries it out, burns and damages it. I used to straighten my hair everyday, for I love the straight look, and have wavy hair. However my hair got so damaged, and stressed. My hair is now midway down my back, to dry my hair I towel dry first. Then I let it air dry in the summer (yes it takes 4-5 hours), and use a diffuser to blow dry it on COOL, in the winter. Third: Wash your hair in cool/ cold water. This prevents your hair from falling out. If you can't then use warm water, and then rinse out in cooler water. This is good for your hair and body. Use conditioners less often. Although it makes your hair "smooth", it weakens it, and causes it to fall out easily and or break easily. Then your head ends up with these few stragglers that stand straight up. Lastly, don't brush hair while wet. It breaks your hair, and pulls hair out. Use a comb, or a brush when its almost dry or dry.

For dry, frizzy hair: Use coconut oil the night before you wash your hair the next morning. Coconut oil (Parachute/ Dabur/Vatika) can be got at any Indian Store. Wash your hair with a mild natural shampoo (Vatika), only once, let the oil stay in if it does cause it soothes out the frizz. It works well for hair in this Ohio type climate (which is pretty much ranges from dry to humid to stormy and sunny in one day, everyday!).Amla oil is great for hair loss, and reduces and encourages hair to grow back, however it is stinky. If you have naturally oily hair, well lucky you! You might think it's gross but the natural oils and sweat actually protects your hair!

For hair growth: Eat fish! baked fish not fried. Fried food is not good for skin, we want healthy skin and scalp right! Baked, or steamed fish is great! Nuts like almonds, foods with the Omegas help hair growth. There are other oils you can use for it to grow faster, but they smell gross. If you wish just comment and I'll let you know what and where you can get it.

Other hair care: So Honey, Lime, Beer, Eggs, and Yogurt are great natural treatment for hair. Eggs whipped and put on hair, are great strengtheners. Yes they stink. I don't suggest it. I did it maybe twice or thrice in high school. Many girls in high school cracked eggs on their heads, stank but had lovely hair.
Mixing a little honey in a mug/ small bucket, and then mixing it up, and then rinsing your hair, is a great conditioner and removes frizzies. Lemon helps lighten dark hair in a natural way, plus rinsing your hair with lime/lemon removes excess oil. Rinsing hair with a dark beer (like say Guinness, or Killian), well I've yet to try it, but it is said it's good to get rid of hair frizzies. The yogurt is good protein, and conditions hair too.

This girl's video was great cause it shows you how to put on oil in your hair. I like to massage it into my scalp by dripping drops onto my scalp at various locations after parting it well. Also love this video cause apparently the music is way to scary for most people. She has nice hair!

If you have curly hair, wavy hair, dry hair, oily hair, straight hair... and want to be natural and healthy about it, learn to love it and work with it. I greatly disliked my curls for my whole life and wanted pin straight hair, I learned to wear it well, by oiling, and using as less hair product as possible. I love using Moroccan Argan hair oil for reducing frizzies and styling it everyday! I eat fish once or twice a week. I like to keep my hair healthy and long, because one day I want to donate my hair to locks of love!

http://www.locksoflove.org/