Saturday, June 25, 2011

Herbal remedies for Hair Issues

My sister-in-law has well water that is high in iron, so they have a water softener to cut the iron content.  The result is her hair is brittle and frizzy from the drying effects of hard treated water.  I suffered with this for years, so I quickly agreed to work on something herbal to help her hair.  There are a few herbal treatments that can soothe your scalp and enrich your hair thus reducing the effects of hard or treated water, like hers.  These are the recipes I put together for her.

Luxurious Hair Rinse

Relieve scalp itch and revitalize brittle hair with this blend of moisturizing oils and herbs.  A hint of lavender scent makes a perfect finish.

1 Tbls. cut or powdered comfrey root
1 Tbls. violet leaf
1 Tbls. cut or powdered marsh mallow root
1 Tbls. plantain leaf
2 cups water distilled or filtered water
¼ tsp. jojoba oil
2 drops lavender essential oil

Place dried herbs in a non-reactive container.  Boil 2 cups water and pour over herbs.  Steep, covered for 6 to 8 hours.  Strain the infusion through a fine strainer or cheese cloth.  Discard solids.  Gently warm the infusion, then add the jojoba and lavender essential oils.  Cool and use as a rinse after washing hair.

To USE: Work ½ cup of rinse into your scalp and hair.  Then holding your hair over a large bowl, pour a cup over your head.  Pour the liquid that collects in the bowl back into the cup and reapply.  Repeat several times, working the infusion through your hair.

Herb-filled Vinegar Hair Rinse

A vinegar rinse will cut soap residue and leave your hair shiny.   It will also reduce the build up of iron deposits from hard water.

1 Tbls. nettle leaf
1 Tbls. cut or powdered comfrey root
1 Tbls. basil
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
2 drop basil essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
distilled water

Place the herbs in a non-reactive container.  Heat, but don’t boil the vinegar and pour over herbs.  Steep the mixture in a covered container, for 3 to 6 weeks, shaking or stirring it daily.  After it has steeped, strain the infusion through a fine strainer or cheese cloth, saving the liquid.  Discard the solids.  Add 1 drop basil oil and 2 drops lavender oil for every ¼ cup of vinegar.  Use as a rinse after shampooing hair.

To USE: Massage 1 to 2 Tbls. of full-strength vinegar infusion into the scalp and hair.  Wait a few minutes, and then rinse with plain water.  Or you can dilute the vinegar infusion (1 Tbls. vinegar to 1 cup distilled water) and pour one cup of the solution for short hair, 2 cups for long hair.  Repeat several times, then rinse with plain water.

I will be making this vinegar rinse soon because I liked the way it worked on my hair.  Up until now I only made a Rose Hair rinse which you can find on the site by clicking HERE!

3 comments:

  1. Hi
    I just started to experiment with some recipes for my hair, it is colored and has a lot of split ends. I was trying the deep hair conditioners and they made my hair more oily and so it always felt dirty to me. I am going to try the wash to see if that will help. Thanks for your time and information, I do appreciate it

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...