Herbal Hair Care
Herbs have long been associated with hair care
and are often ingredients in conditioners,
shampoos, and rinses. The most highly
regarded herb for the hair is rosemary, reputed
to be a good general conditioner that leaves the
hair silky, shiny, fragrant, and very slightly
darker. Two other hair herbs that have had
many devoted fans over the centuries are sage,
prized as a darkener and conditioner, and
chamomile, believed to brighten fair hair and
soften all hair. Mullein's golden flowers are
also supposed to intensify blond highlights.
Tradition also asserts that parsley thickens hair
and enriches its color, southernwood increases
growth, burdock root controls
dandruff, and
stinging nettle conditions hair as well as helps
cure dandruff. Any number of plants, ranging
from kelp to yarrow, will supposedly curb hair
loss and stimulate growth-but none,
unfortunately, has been scientifically proved
effective. Other herbs, such as lavender, simply
leave the hair with a delightful scent.
As with the beauty preparations the recipes here are starting
suggestions meant to show how you can use
herbal preparations. Experiment to find the
best combination of ingredients for your hair.
The ingredients are all common plant or
household items.
The condition of your hair is a good indication of your general health and
nutrition. Hair loses its shine when you are tired and run down, unwell or
unhappy. Hormonal changes, sun, chlorine, wind and chemical hair treatment can
also affect the condition of your hair. A healthy diet is essential to beautiful
hair so make sure yours includes
plenty of vitamins A and B, minerals such as
calcium,
iron, iodine, zinc, and silica, as well as protein and
essential fatty acids.
The kind of shampoo you use is also important.
Many commercial shampoos are largely made up
of alkaline detergents which strip the natural oils
from the hair and scalp. Avoid washing your hair
frequently as this can over stimulate the scalp and
increase oiliness of the hair. Choose a natural
bristle brush as nylon brushes damage the hair and
cause split ends.
Shampoos
- Bouncing bet natural shampoo
-
The lathering herb bouncing Bet is often called
soapwort. You can substitute 2 tablespoons of
the more sudsy dried bouncing Bet root, if it is
available. For variety, replace chamomile with rosemary, southernwood, or lavender-or sage for dark hair. Expect to use more of this
natural shampoo and to see less suds than you
would with a commercial preparation. Pure grade borax is sold in drugstores.
- 3 tablespoons dried bouncing Bet herb
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers
- 1 teaspoon pure-grade borax
- 2 cups boiling water
Put the bouncing Bet herb, chamomile flowers, and borax in a heat-proof jar or other
container that you can cover tightly. Pour in
the boiling water and stir well. Let the mix
steep, loosely covered, until cool. Then cap the
container and shake well. Let it stand for a day
or so, shaking every few hours. Strain.
- Herbal castile shampoo
-
Made from olive oil-based castile soap, this
shampoo lathers as profusely as commercial
shampoos, cleans well, rinses off easily, and is
much gentler. Use pure castile soap-either
powdered or flaked or grated from a solid bar.
Liquid castile soaps usually have peppermint
or other ingredients already added to them.
Use chamomile if your hair is light; sage if it is
dark. Feel free to add a tablespoon of southernwood, stinging nettle, or another
traditional hair herb. Or add an aromatic ingredient
such as lemon or orange peel.
- 1/4 cup dried chamomile flowers or 1 tablespoon dried sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried peppermint
- 2 1/4 cups distilled water
- 2 ounces castile soap
- 3 drops oil of peppermint or eucalyptus
- 2 tablespoons vodka
Put the dried herbs in a heavy saucepan. Add the distilled water and bring it
to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Then cover and steep for
about 30 minutes. Strain the liquid into a mixing bowl; squeeze the herbs to
remove all the liquid before discarding them. Put the castile soap in the
saucepan and pour in the herbal brew. Simmer over low heat until the soap
dissolves completely; stir regularly with a wooden spoon.
Let the mixture cool; it should be thin and
creamy. Then mix the drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil into the vodka and stir into the
shampoo mixture. Pour the mixture into a jar
and cap it. Let stand in a warm place for 3 or 4
days before using.
- Quick herbal shampoo
-
The fastest and easiest way to make an herbal
shampoo is to mix a strong infusion of an hair
herb with a mild shampoo.
- 1 heaping teaspoon dried sage, rosemary, or stinging nettle or 1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup baby or other mild shampoo
Add herbs to the water. Turn off heat, steep
for 30 minutes, strain, and mix into shampoo.
Conditioners
- Herbal conditioning oil
-
To give this conditioning oil time to absorb the
herbal essences, prepare it a week before you
intend to use it. You can substitute any of the
traditional hair herbs or
other plant oils such as
sunflower, soy,
corn,
peanut, and jojoba. Olive oil can be substituted
if it is not too robust in odor, but avoid strong -
smelling sesame oil. Once you find a combination you like, double or triple the quantities
and store the extra in a capped bottle.
- l/2 cup dried chamomile flowers
- l/4 cup dried rosemary leaves
- 1 cup safflower oil
Put the herbs in the top of a double boiler and
add the oil. Heat the mixture for 30 minutes;
then pour it into a wide-mouthed jar. Cover
the jar with a couple of layers of muslin, held
by a string or rubber band. Let the jar stand in
a warm place for a week or so. Stir every day.
When the oil has a pronounced herbal aroma,
strain it into a clean container.
Warm 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the oil (depending on
the thickness and length of your hair) over very
low heat for a few minutes. Wet your hair with
hot water and squeeze it out. Then, spread the
warm oil through your hair with your fingers
until it is fully coated. Cover your hair with a
plastic bag or a shower cap; pin it up first, if
necessary. To keep the oil warm, soak a heavy
towel in hot water; then wring it out and wrap
it securely over the plastic covering. When the
towel cools, wet it again. Treat your hair for 20
to 30 minutes. Shampoo it twice.
- Herbal egg conditioner
-
Use this conditioner following the procedure
described in the previous recipe. Or simply
warm it and apply it to the hair for 15 minutes
before shampooing.
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 heaping teaspoon honey
- 1 egg
- 2-3 drops oil of rosemary
- 1/4 cup safflower or other vegetable oil
Add the lemon juice and honey to the egg and
beat them together. Pour the mixture into the
top of a double boiler and heat, stirring, until it
is warm and creamy. Let it cool. Then mix the rosemary oil in the vegetable oil and slowly add
it to the egg mixture while whipping with a
whisk to blend. You can substitute 1/4 cup of
Herbal Conditioning Oil (see previous recipe)
for the vegetable oil and the rosemary oil.
Rinses
- Blond highlighting rinse
-
For best results, use this rinse regularly and
dry your hair in bright sunlight. Shampoo and
rinse well with plain water first.
- 2 cups water
- V2 cup dried chamomile flowers
- 2 tablespoons dried mullein flowers
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Bring the water to a boil; then lower the heat
and stir in the chamomile and
mullein flowers.
Simmer for 30 minutes; then cover and steep
for several hours or overnight. Strain, squeezing the liquid from the herbs. Then stir in the
orange blossom water and lemon juice. Pour
the rinse through your hair several times,
catching the liquid in a large bowl.
- Deepening rinse for dark hair
-
Use as a final rinse after shampooing and
rinsing well with plain water.
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 tea bags of regular beverage tea
- 1/4 cup dried sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried stinging nettles
Pour the water over the tea bags and steep
covered for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags,
squeezing out the liquid. Reheat the tea to the
boiling point. Then pour it over the dried
herbs. Cover and steep for 30 minutes to an
hour. Strain. Pour the rinse through your hair
several times, catching the liquid in a bowl.
- Herbal vinegar rinse
-
This rinse helps to restore the hair's natural
acid balance and to remove dulling traces of
soap. If bergamot is not available, you can
substitute another fragrant herb from the mint
family, such as basil or peppermint.
- 1/4 cup dried rosemary leaves
- 1/4 cup dried bergamot
- 2 cups clear cider vinegar
Put the dried herbs in wide-mouthed jar. Heat
the vinegar until it is just about to boil and pour
it' over the herbs. After the vinegar cools, cap
the jar. If the lid is metal, screw it on with a
couple of layers of plastic wrap under it, so that
the acidic vinegar will not react with the metal.
Let it stand in a warm place for a week. Shake
vigorously every day. Using fine cheesecloth in
a funnel, strain the vinegar into a bottle and
cap it. To use, dilute 1/3 cup of the vinegar with
2 or 3 cups of warm water and pour it over the
hair one or two times as a final rinse.
- Quick herbal rinse
-
Any infusion made with an hair herb can be
used as a quick rinse. Let the infusion cool to
lukewarm before using it.
- I to 2 tablespoons dried sage, rosemary, or stinging nettle
- 2 cups boiling water
Put the herbs in the boiling water, turn off the
heat, and allow them to steep for 15 minutes.
Strain and apply as a rinse.
- Flaxseed setting lotion
-
Try combing in this mixture to give body to thin, limp hair.
Crush the flaxseeds with a spoon. Bring the
water to a boil in a saucepan. Then reduce the
heat and stir the flaxseeds into the simmering
water, a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture
thickens. Strain out the seeds and thin the
mixture to the desired consistency.
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