The rigors of daily styling can take a toll on your hair. Blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons and shampoo residue can all leave hair dry and damaged. Although there are many hair care products sold in stores that are specifically designed to condition dry hair, you can remedy damaged hair with a few ingredients found in your own refrigerator.
Condition with Mayo
"The Doctors Book of Home Remedies" recommends applying mayonnaise to damaged, dry hair. Steven Docherty of the New York City Vidal Sassoon Salon says that mayonnaise can deeply condition the hair, making is softer and more manageable. The egg found in mayonnaise saturates the hair with protein, making the strands stronger. To use, spread a large amount of mayo evenly through the hair. Allow it sit on your hair for as much as an hour. Rinse thoroughly.
Avocado
According to the Reader's Digest, avocado can moisturize dry damaged hair shafts, loading them with protein. This makes the hair stronger and less likely to break. To make a hair mask, peel an avocado and mash it up with a teaspoon of jojoba oil and one teaspoon of wheat germ oil. Apply the mixture to clean hair, being sure to work it all the way to the tips. Cover your head with a shower cap or plastic bag and allow it to sit for about half an hour. Rinse the avocado mask completely out and gently comb through the hair.
Beer
"Beer is a wonderful setting lotion. It gives a crisp, healthy, shiny look, even to dry hair," says senior art director Steven Docherty in the "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies." Dump some beer into a spray bottle and spray onto clean, towel-dried hair. Do not rinse out---instead style as usual. Do not worry about smelling like alcohol, the scent should quickly disappear once applied.
Olive Oil
Instead of purchasing an oil treatment, the Reader's Digest suggests making your own at home. Mix together 2 oz. of olive oil with 2 oz. of aloe vera gel. Add about six drops each of sandalwood and rosemary essential oils and mix thoroughly. The olive oil softens dry, damaged hair. Apply to the hair liberally, beginning at the ends of the hair and working your way up to the scalp. Allow the mixture to remain on the hair for one to two hours and then rinse out.
References
- "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies"; Prevention Magazine Editors; 1991
- Reader's Digest: Home Remedies for 8 Summer Pains
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