No More Bad Hair Days!

Disclaimer: All the information shared here comes from my personal experience and is about my hair care routine. Follow these at your own discretion.

Invest in your hair. It is the only crown you never take off – Anonymous

No one enjoys bad hair days, but then good hair days don’t happen on their own. You need to take care of your hair and health to ensure that you have more good hair days than bad ones.

Genes play a significant role in what kind of hair you will have. Just like male pattern baldness in the family affects generations of males, it also affects women in the same way.

For instance, if your parent or parents both have a good head of hair, then chances are so will you. Similarly, if your parents have fine hair, you are likely to have the same trait.

‘What do you do for your hair?’ is a question I get asked a lot. So I thought, why not compile my hair routine into a post answering all the questions? Here it is.

Causes of Hair Fall

• Genetic
• Stress
• Bad eating habits
• Illness
• Being on medication
• Using the wrong products and/or brushes and combs
• The Weather
• Not taking care of your hair
• Tying your hair too tightly

Shampoo and Conditioner

It is crucial to figure out a brand that works for you.

I alternate between 2 shampoos (Kerastase – Multi-protecting Shampoo and Papaya Shampoo by Jiva) for each of my hair washes.

I use;

• A Hair Mask (L’Oreal SerieExpert ) as a Conditioner.
• A clarifying shampoo (L’Oreal Pure Resource) once every 2 months.
• A Serum (Moroccan Oil) after every wash, when my hair is 90% dry.
• I change my entire hair wash range once every 2 years.

Food for Hair

• Walnuts and Almonds (2-3 a day. No, I don’t soak the Almonds, simply because I always forget to)
• Bananas (the small ones, such as Elaichi / Yelakki, work for me. They also have fewer calories compared to the regular ones.)
• A multivitamin tablet, prescribed by my doctor.

Haircut

• A haircut is as important as taking care of your hair health.
• Avoid being stingy when paying for a good haircut.
• Choose a well-recommended stylist.
• Get yourself a haircut once every 3-4 months (depending on your hair growth)
• A good stylist should give you a haircut that grows out nicely, encourages hair growth, minimises / stops split ends, and, of course, flatters you.

Combing

• 100 strokes of the hairbrush before bedtime? It really works!
• Detangling my hair and giving it a brisk brushing before my hair wash is another routine I follow religiously.
• Both ensure that my hair is relatively free of dust that we accumulate on a daily basis.
• Brushing hair also stimulates the scalp.
• Never comb wet hair. Use your towel in a scrunching motion to dry it as much as you can, then finger-comb it as gently as possible.

Tools

• A wide-toothed comb, for detangling my hair and combing through damp hair, is a must in my kit.
• I use a paddle brush for brushing and combing my hair.
• Good cotton Scrunchies. Avoid rubber bands and scrunchies with decorative accessories, as they tend to pull or snag your hair.
• Wash your brush and comb with warm, soapy water and a toothbrush once every 15 days.

Oiling

• Experts and dermatologists often advise against using oil on the hair. It is only because oiled hair acts like a dust magnet and coats your scalp with it.
• Daily oiling is not recommended, but applying oil and leaving it on overnight once a week is something I simply cannot do without.
• Did you know that Coconut Oil is the only oil that seeps into your pores and has antibacterial properties?
• Use the best quality, preferably Organic, coconut oil you can buy.
• I make my own Hair Oil and call it Miracle Hair Oil for a reason. You can view the recipe here.

Tips, Hair Conditioner & Hair Mask:

• Many years ago, my stylist gave me a tip: always dilute your shampoo with water before using it on your hair. Never use the shampoo directly from the bottle. I have been following this tip ever since, and it really works, and my shampoo lasts longer too!
• Gently massage your scalp as you shampoo your hair. Feel yourself relax. Remember that it’s your hair you are washing, not your kitchen towel.
• Unless you live in a cold place or dislike the feel of room-temperature water on your scalp, always wash your hair with regular or lukewarm water. The last rinse should be with cold water, preferably.
• Stale beer is another great conditioner. It leaves your hair glossy and lush. Buy a can of beer, leave it open for 2-3 days, it should ferment and smell, well, yucky. After you’re done shampooing your hair, rinse it with the stale beer. Leave it in for about 3-5 minutes, rinse off with regular water. You’re done.

My favourite Hair Mask:

1 Tbsp of thick Curd

1 Egg, with Yolk

Beat both together.

Oil your hair the night before, or if you forget, at least an hour prior to use. Spread the mask evenly over your scalp and hair. Tie hair into a bun, cover with a shower cap, risk looking foolish, and shampoo after an hour.

Yes, it does stink up the bathroom. The smell from hair and the bathroom typically dissipates within 3-4 hours.

After reading this, you may think I spend the entire day caring for my hair and hours in the bathroom washing it. Well, 5 minutes twice a day and 15-20 minutes in the bathroom for a hair wash twice a week and I am done.

Your hair is truly your investment. Do you need rich returns or sparse ones?

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