Coconut Oil for Hair

 Image via Pinterest.

Many people use coconut oil in cooking for its health benefits, but followers of Ayurvedic remedies (which are traditional Indian remedies) use the oil on their scalp and hair claiming it prevents hair loss and hydrates your hair. But is there any substance behind using coconut oil for hair? Yes, there is!

The rich fatty acids found in the oil nourish hair and remove excess dead cells on your scalp. Many bottled conditioners are water-based and thus, do not offer the same deeply concentrated moisture that the oil provides. In fact, studies have found that the chemical structure of coconut oil allows it to penetrate the hair fiber and have a higher moisture retention value. And it's not just deep conditioning: You can keep flyaways at bay by applying a tiny dab of coconut oil.

Read the rest of my article about the benefits of coconut oil at Daily Glow.

Avocado Olive Oil Hair Mask

Avocado Olive Oil Hair Mask

When it comes to hair masks, this is probably as basic as it gets. This two-ingredient hair mask is really easy to make and works wonders in a short period of time. I applied the mask to my dry hair and left it on for a little under an hour. Upon washing my hair I noticed my hair was less frizzy and I definitely felt the difference in terms of how soft my hair was.

My only gripe was that the chunks of avocado were a little difficult to smooth out. That, and the fact that if done regularly, this DIY hair mask would get to be a little pricey since avocados are not cheap!

Ingredients
1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Using a sharp knife, cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed.
2. Open the two halves to expose the seed.
3. Remove the pit from the half of the avocado that has the pit.
4. Use the knife to make a cross hatch pattern on the avocado halves to form segments.
5. Take a spoon and scoop out the avocado pieces and place it in a small bowl.
6. Using a fork, mash the avocado until smooth.
7. Add olive oil and mix until the consistency is even.
8. Apply to hair, making sure to focus on your scalp and tips. If there are chunks of avocado then massage it into your hair/scalp. Leave the mask in your hair for at least 20 minutes--I typically leave this in my hair until the mixture dries up and absorbs into my hair. It leaves a crisp, dry residue. Wash your hair with your favorite shampoo.

Coffee Grounds Hair Conditioner

If you're an avid coffee drinker then chances are you're sitting on a beauty trick that can change your hair. Coffee grounds serve as a great ingredient for conditioning your hair by making it shiny and even inducing highlights on brunettes.

You can make your own conditioner with coffee grounds (and your favorite oil) or simply incorporate the grounds in your normal haircare routine:

• Work the grounds into clean, wet hair and massage for a few minutes, then rinse.
• Add the grounds to your conditioner. Apply conditioner as you normally would, then rinse.
• Add coffee grounds to olive oil (2 parts coffee ground for 1 part oil). Massage for a few minutes, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse.

I was super excited to try this. I opted for the third option (coffee grounds immersed in olive oil) and my hair looked really shiny! I do want to try this with my conditioner so I can see if the shine was due to olive oil or the coffee.

Image via diylife.com

Beer Hair Rinse

I had always heard about beer being a great rinse for your hair--mainly from a Catherine Zeta Jones interview where she revealed that as her beauty secret.

Being no stranger to beauty experiments myself, I tried this out this past weekend over St.Patty's day. Could there be a better day for your hair to smell like beer?

I did feel--and maybe this is all in my head--that my hair was shinier. That being said, it was nothing compared to apple cider vinegar and since apple cider vinegar is cheaper, I'd rather opt for that.

But does a beer rinse actually work? Self recently tackled that question in their beauty blog and the answer just may surprise you! According to their post, the reasons why people believe beer is good for your hair is the protein content, acidic pH and the fact that beer contains a natural astringent called hops.

Unfortunately, the science doesn't back this up: The protein in beer doesn't deposit in your hair and is washed off, the pH has no significant impact and the astringent is not left on your hair long enough to have any real benefit.

Long story short: Drink your beer.

Image via Zazzle.

Baking Soda Shampoo

I recently started using this baking soda shampoo once a week and I'm definitely loving it. I tried it for the first time because I wanted to get on the "No Poo" bandwagon (Note: No Poo has nothing to do with feces--it's a movement calling for women to stop shampooing their hair), but alas it didn't work out for me. I have really oily hair so the lack of shampoo just made me unpresentable to the point where I was convinced someone was going to offer me a free shower in their home.

But the one upside was that not shampooing my hair got me to try this little recipe--can I call it a recipe if it only requires two ingredients, including water?

There are a few reason why I opt for this simple rinse once a week. First and foremost, it really makes my hair feel squeaky clean and allegedly helps prevent dandruff. But more importantly, it cleans my hair without using a lot of ingredients. The icing on top: It's cheap!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup water

Directions

Mix ingredients. The baking soda will settle in the bottle so make sure you mix it up prior to using. Pour onto hair and massage the product into the scalp. Rinse after 3 minutes.