Herbal haircare
Here’s how you can pamper your tresses and scalp with products both homemade and homegrown.
Ten years ago I came across an article on no-pooing – that is, eschewing shampoo in favour of weird and wonderful natural haircare methods. I was intrigued.
A decade later, I’ve subjected my tresses to everything from stale beer rinses to exotic herbs such as shikakai and neem; I’ve discovered henna and became a redhead; I’ve tried oiling, boar bristle brushing, fenugreek pastes, protein masques, baking soda clarifying washes and something with egg whites which I vaguely remember as disastrous.
At the end of it all, my hair looks better than it did in my shampoo days – not bad, given that I was buying expensive salon products. My husband actually noticed a much more dramatic improvement since switching to natural haircare – his hair has thickened up a lot, possibly because he was mildly allergic to the sodium lauryl sulfate found in commercial shampoos.
Natural haircare appeals to the cook and domestic scientist in me as well as the hippie – most recipes involve foraging in the pantry, the fridge and the garden.
As with commercial hair products, not every recipe will work for every head of hair. But with a bit of experimenting, you’ll learn your hair’s likes and dislikes – oil, moisture, protein, leave-in rinses, masques. Keep a record of what works, and you can have a tailor-made haircare system for less than the price of off-brand shampoo!
LEMON-SUGAR SCALP SCRUB
If you like scalp massages, you’ll love scalp scrubs. I invented this one for my husband, who has an impressively greasy scalp combined with equally impressive dandruff (I love him for his mind.)
The citrus cuts through the grease; the sugar mechanically scrubs away flakes, but also acts as a humectant to prevent the scalp drying out and flaking more.
To make, dry the peels of four lemons. You can do this in a barelywarm oven, dehydrator or even outside, but for convenience, I use the microwave. Peel with a vege peeler, lay peels in a single layer between paper towels on a plate, and microwave for 1 minute at a time, turning if necessary, until dry.
Cool the peels, then blend to a fine powder in a small food processor like a nut grinder with 1 tablespoon raw sugar (this helps the blades “catch” the peel). Measure the powder, then mix in two parts of raw sugar for each part of lemon mixture. Store in an airtight jar.
To use, wet your hair and massage about a tablespoon of mixture into your roots and scalp, scritching vigorously before thoroughly rinsing it out. This recipe may allow you to get away without shampoo.
LEMON-HONEY HAIR LIGHTENER
In a small saucepan, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and top up to 1 cup with filtered or distilled water. Bring to the boil, then cool to lukewarm. Whisk in 4 tablespoons dark honey, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil. Leave for 1 hour.
Apply to clean wet, damp or dry hair (with a basting brush, wide-toothed comb or your fingers). Wrap your hair and head in a plastic bag, shower cap or swim cap and top with a towel. Leave for 1 hour before rinsing out. You can use this method several times in a row for gradual lightening but keep your hair well conditioned to prevent dryness or breakages.
At the end of it all, my hair looks better than it did in my shampoo days.
CHAMOMILE, ROSEMARY AND CATNIP HAIR RINSES
Ever tried a hair rinse? Think of them as a leave-in watery conditioner. Herbal hair rinses are essentially cold strong herbal tea – the cold is important, as cold water closes down the cuticles of the hair, leaving it smoother, shinier and less prone to snags. Acid also helps to close the cuticle, so these rinses contain apple cider vinegar. Don’t worry – the vinegar smell disappears as it dries.
Traditionally, a chamomile rinse is used by blondes and a rosemary rinse by brunettes – these herbs help enhance and brighten the natural hair colour. As for a catnip rinse, it’s intensely moisturising, and reputed to strengthen hair and prevent split ends – just don’t go too close to any cats until your hair dries!
To make, pour 2 cups boiling water over ¼ cup fresh chamomile flowers, rosemary sprigs or catnip buds. Cover and let steep until cool. Strain out the solids and add 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. To use, pour carefully over the length of your washed hair. Do not rinse out (but do rinse any splashes off your skin, or you might find the vinegar mildly irritating).
LICE REPELLENT SPRAY
Schools, kindies and daycares are happy hunting grounds for lice. A squirt of this mixture on the kids’ heads in the morning should repel the nasty beasties during an outbreak. The trade off is that the kids may smell a tad antiseptic – but let’s be honest, they often smell of far worse things.
Opinions are divided on the safety of topically-applied essential oils for children under six – the oils in this recipe don’t worry me personally, but as always, do your own research!
To make the spray, fill a clean spray bottle with 2 cups filtered water. Add 30 drops of tea tree oil, 10 drops of lavender oil and 10 drops of peppermint oil, plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil, and shake. Store in a warm cupboard to keep the coconut oil liquified and shake vigorously before use.
HERBAL MOISTURISING MASQUE
Hair which has dried out from too much sun, swimming, colouring or heat-styling will benefit from a deep conditioning masque. Coarse-textured hair will soak this right up; finer hair may need a light shampoo afterwards to prevent greasiness. Rinse it out with plain water first and see how it feels.
In a small saucepan or the microwave, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil with a few sprigs of fresh thyme or lavender. Let the mixture infuse for a few minutes, then strain out the herbs. Mix the infused oil with 2 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons natural yoghurt, and the scraped juice of an aloe vera leaf. Massage into hair and leave on the head for at least 15 minutes (a shower cap or plastic bag is handy to catch drips). Rinse out with fairly cool water and rinse further with diluted shampoo if necessary. ✤