Hello once again, dear 
One of the things I absolutely love doing is figuring out ways to make at-home-spa treatments. Why? Well, that’s pretty easy – spas generally take up a ton of time and cost an arm and a leg, so if there’s cheaper, accessible way to get the same benefits, why not go for it?
Now, I’ve talked on this blog about pampering your face in various ways, from treating problems such as rashes or acne to moisturizing and getting that glowing, fresh look. But we’ve stuck mostly to just the face area and I feel that’s something that needs to be rectified, don’t you?
Because how can we talk of an at-home-spa without talking a hair routine? Personally, I love applying a hair mask and a face mask at the same time, really makes me feel like I’m spoiling myself, which can be real fun sometimes. And while in the past, I’ve tried all sorts of hair masks from big shampoo brands, some while ago, I figured I’d go straight at the root, since many of them boast the same ingredients anyway.
Now, the thing with hair, like with skin, is you have to figure out what type you have and what would be best for you – if you need to treat damaged hair, moisturize it, boost growth. But you can do that by trial and error and besides the rather obvious ‘don’t put oil on already oily hair’, I don’t see how you can go very wrong with a hair mask.
Like in previous posts, I’m going to tell you a number of great ingredients for masks, but the truth is, you can combine these in a variety of ways and they also work well on their own, so that part is up to you.
1. Egg Mask
This is my all-time favorite, go-to hair treatment whenever I feel I could do with a boost. I usually just whisk up an egg (some people recommend just using one part of the egg, but I don’t see that makes much of a difference). You know, just like when you’re preparing to make an omelette, except you pour it into your hair rather than in a pan.
Make sure you cover the full hair strand for maximized benefits (you may need more than one egg for thicker/longer hair), then get your hair in a loose bun and cover (so as not to dirty up furniture and clothes) with a shower cap. Ideally, wait for anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes. Be careful, you don’t want the egg getting too dry in your hair because then, it will be really hard to wash off, so check periodically.
Egg is great for cleaning your hair, and the yolk specifically can break through all the oil and built-up dirt that gets stuck in your hair. It’s both cleansing and seals in moisture, leaving you with shiny, super-soft hair. (oh and it gives your hair an awesome volume boost!)
When you do decide to wash it off, make sure you use lukewarm or even cold water to get the egg out of your hair – hot water will turn you into a walking, talking omelette and I’m sure you don’t want that! Once you’ve gotten most of that out of your hair, you can turn the heat up a bit, if you need to. But if you can take it, it’s okay to stick with cold water. Shampoo as normal and rinse well.
You can also use a conditioner. I normally don’t, since I usually find the mask moisturizes my hair enough, but it’s up to you.
2. Olive Oil & Castor Oil
Both are heralded as hair-miracles, and both have really great effects on hair, so let’s talk oil a bit. They’re both very hydrating, so this works well if you have dry hair.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in fatty acids that can penetrate the hair strand and nourish it from the inside. Applying an olive oil hair mask can strengthen your hair, while also getting rid of those unsightly split ends. Some claim it even reduces dandruff, but since there is very limited research data to back that, I don’t honestly know what to say about it. But it’s worth a try, surely.
How to apply olive oil? Obviously, oil can get a bit messy, so understand that you might spend a bit of time in the bathroom afterwards, okay? So, what you do is heat up some olive oil – enough to cover your hair from scalp to tips – and massage it into your hair.
Scalp massages can be really great for you because they stimulate circulation and can improve hair growth, so I really think it’d be worth it to spend some five minutes just focusing on your scalp. Right, once you’ve got your hair coated in oil, you can either wrap it in a towel and wait for thirty minutes or take your oiled-up hair outside, in the sun, if available. This will help lighten your hair, if that’s something you wish to do.
Afterwards, rinse well and shampoo. Again, some also tell you to condition. I personally don’t, as I find the oil is moisturizing enough, but it’s up to you.
Castor Oil
Castor Oil is a bit different, as it has a much thicker consistency and castor oil alone is not recommended as a hair mask, since it can be both difficult to apply and get out. A good combination, I find, is mixing it in with the whisked egg from earlier and apply that over your hair. As opposed to just the egg mask, you can leave this in for a full hour (but you should still keep an eye on it, so as not to get it too dry) and then shampoo it off with cold-ish water.
Other good combinations include coconut oil, shea butter and yes, even olive oil!
A lot of healthy beauty bloggers swear by castor oil, saying it helps with hair growth (making it both thicker and speeding up the growth itself), strengthens the strand, while at the same time moisturizing and giving you that shiny-bouncy hair look. It’s rich in Vitamin E, as well as omega-6 and omega-9, which are all really beneficial for the skin and hair. So, give it a try and decide for yourself!
Used occasionally, it makes for a really neat mask, but to see actual hair growth results, most bloggers recommend doing a 30-day treatment and a couple masks a week.
3. Cinnamon, Honey & Cocoa
This is one of my favorite face masks, to be honest, as it’s one of the few that cleans impurities and doesn’t irritate my skin, leaving my face feeling yummy. Not to mention it’s beyond delicious!
So, I definitely recommend using this on your face (of course, patch-test first to make sure you don’t have some sort of unpleasant reaction, okay?) and also on your hair. Basically, cover yourself from head to toe in this, why not? Okay, maybe not, but definitely try the face-hair-mask.
Why is this mask good?
Well, coca powder is rich in protein and vitamin A – it adds vibrancy and boosts volume, while at the same time nourishing the hair and keeping it clean (it’s also rich in antioxidants). Bear in mind, however, that when used consistently, cocoa powder can naturally darken your hair.
Cinnamon stimulates the blood-flow of the scalp, so can help improve hair growth. It also cleans the hair, removing the build-up of dirt and encouraging healthy, cleaner hair. It’s a great exfoliator, which makes it a good mask-ingredient, because as we’ve seen in the past, constant exfoliation helps overall health and appearance.
And then, of course, there’s honey. Where can one go wrong with honey? It’s super hydrating, while also rich in anti-oxidants, thus keeping your hair clean, shiny and soft. What more could you want?
I hear this mask is great for curly hair, also, so in case that’s you...go for it.
Right, so while there are many more hair masks out there, with stuff like yogurt and banana, avocados, milk and strawberries, these are my go to hair masks and these are the ones I’ve chosen to share with you guys. Again, they work well in various combinations, so get creative, but also be careful. Don’t leave on for too long and keep an eye on your hair (especially for bad reactions).
Other than that, here’s to healthy, shiny hair!
What’s your favorite hair mask that you wish everyone else knew about? Share your beauty secrets in the comments below :)
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