10 Simple Ways To Detox Your Hair

Beauty

lekhaka-Bindu Vinodh

By Bindu Vinodh

Thursday, July 12, 2018, 15:20

In today's world, there is nothing new about the word 'detox'. We have heard of body detox, water detox, detox diet and even digital detox. But have you ever heard of hair detox?

Well, if you do not take good care of your hair and subject it to frequent styling, colouring and other chemical treatments, your hair would need a detox too!

This is because the chemical products that you use for your hair can do more harm than good. Further, excessive colouring and styling of hair can make it prone to easy breakage, split ends, hair loss, leaving your hair dull and lifeless. Just as we care for our skin, it is also necessary to keep our hair healthy, and hair detox can help you with this.

Hair Hacks That Will Make Your Life Easy!

This article aims to guide you in your efforts to detox your hair. So, here are 10 simple ways in which you could do a hair detox.

1. Trim Your Hair

Hair detox is nothing but the process of healing your hair. Before you begin, visit your hairstylist just to trim off all your dead ends, as this is really necessary. It is said that you should trim your hair at least once in six weeks.

Don't worry if you have not followed it yet, but after you complete your hair detox procedure, you can get your hair trimmed regularly, as this keeps your hair healthy without any split-ends. Regular trimming can also help your hair in doing away with chemical build-up.

2. Keep Your Scalp Healthy

A clean scalp is important for healthier hair. Just as your skin tends to get oily with dirt and grime when not washed regularly, so will your scalp. It is essential to wash your hair using a mild shampoo at least twice a week to wash off the dead cells.
However, don't apply the shampoo directly on your scalp. Just lather it at the nape of the neck and work towards the hairline, as hairs at the nape are thicker and can trap sweat and dirt easily.

3. Stay Off Styling Products And Hair Dye

Using hair dryers, hair iron, and other hot tools on a regular basis can weaken and dry out hair, making it easily prone to breakage. Styling your hair with a curling wand or flat iron does the most damage. Avoid use of such styling products, or if you must use hot tools, set it on medium heat.

Most hair colours come loaded with chemicals and according to a Portugal study, this bleaching of hair makes it 60 per cent weaker. So, it is best to avoid it as much as possible, and if you must, choose organic henna.

4. Moisturize Your Hair

To replenish the loss of moisture in your hair, you will require a pre-shampoo treatment, such as nourishing oils that can penetrate and provide moisture to the hair cuticle. Massage your hair with warm coconut oil or olive oil, and leave it on for a minimum of 20 minutes before washing off with shampoo.

Apart from coconut oil which softens hair, the other options include argan oil for moisturizing, chamomile oil that adds shine to your hair, or geranium oil which strengthens hair.

5. Use A DIY Detox Pack

Once you are done with the above-said changes, you can consider the below cleansing and detox pack to detox your hair.

You need:

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Raw Honey

How to use:

• Take a bowl and mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a cup of filtered water.
• In another bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of filtered water.
• When washing your hair, first use the baking soda mixture through your hair and rinse with cool water.
• Follow it up with the apple cider vinegar mixture and rinse with cool water.
• Use raw honey for conditioning your hair and adding a shine. For this, just massage raw honey through wet hair, allow it to remain for a few minutes, and rinse.

The more you use this detox pack, the quicker your hair will detox. It is also gentle enough for everyday use.

6. Deep Condition Your Hair

Hair cuticles are made of keratin, the protein cells that form a barrier around the root of the hair to protect it. When your hair is exposed to excess heat and chemicals, the protective layer is damaged, making your hair more vulnerable. Use a deep conditioning once in a week on freshly washed hair.
Eggs are a good option as they are packed with protein and amino acids that help restore the shine, strength and volume of hair. They also prevent split-ends. The easiest way to use is to just combine an egg with a quarter-size blob of shampoo and run through your hair.

7. Use Essential Oils

Essential oils are an effective replacement for most conventional products. Therefore, after conditioning your hair, you can use essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, jasmine or any of your favourite scents.

Before washing your hair, mix the essential oils directly with apple cider vinegar mix and cleanse your hair. Else, after you shower, apply a few drops of essential oil of your choice. Use a wide tooth comb and distribute oils evenly through your hair.

Tea tree oil is also a great option, as its natural antiseptic and antifungal properties help in keeping dandruff and flakes at bay. You just have to add a few drops of the oil to your regular shampoo and massage on your scalp for five minutes before washing.

8. Exfoliate With Baking Soda

When you are running out of time, just add a tablespoon of baking soda to your regular shampoo and work the mixture through your hair. This acts as a great cleanser and exfoliator and helps in gently removing product build-up.

9. DIY Coconut Milk Detox

Coconut milk can give your hair loads of nutrients and fats to help it grow. This is the reason that coconut milk is often used in shampoo recipes and detox hair treatments. It is easy to extract coconut milk at home by scraping coconut, blending it and squeezing out the milk.

Use this instead of your regular shampoo. Optionally, you can also add the essential oils to coconut milk to help your scalp and hair even more.

10. Cucumber + Lemon Hair Detox

The acidic nature of lemon can lift grime off the hair roots, while cucumber conditions the hair naturally.

Just squeeze out the juice of a medium-sized lemon, and a medium-sized cucumber and mix the two together. Use this mix to massage your scalp and hair gently. When dry, spray in some more of this mix, and finally wash off with a mild shampoo.

Note: When detoxing your hair, it is essential to avoid all chemical-laden products and styling hair products, as they may hinder your detox progress.