Avery Wanshel Contributor,
Avery Wanshel is a creative writer, author, and social media strategist who has worked for quite a few high-profile brands and a few startup companies in their career.
If you're like me, you know the struggle of daily washing, heat styling, and endless bad hair days. I'm here to share 12 natural tips to transform your hair game.
Since discovering these beauty secrets, I've gone from a constant struggle to effortlessly slaying my hair. Now, almost every day is a good hair day with minimal effort. These tips have not only improved the health of my hair but have also simplified my hair care routine.
So, if you're ready to become a hair goddess without spending hours or damaging your hair, follow these natural tips. Get ready to embrace your crowning glory and say goodbye to bad hair days once and for all. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets to achieving beautiful, luscious locks.
Your Hairs are the mirror of your health. Therefore, if the luster and density of the hair are diminishing, it indicates a physical or mental imbalance.
Whether dandruff, split ends, hair loss, brittle hair, or lack of shine. In any case, it is important first to investigate the causes of the respective hair problem to act against it and to heed the appropriate tips.
The most common causes of hair ailments include iron deficiency, stress, hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, malnutrition, air pollutants, frequent hair washing, aggressive shampoos, perms, hair dyes, etc.
If one suspects one of these causes, she should concentrate on the remedy of the underlying cause.
However, the cause of hair problems is not easy to determine and, therefore, not easy to get rid of.
For example, regular hair loss occurs many weeks later. It means that the possible cause of the hair fall occurred several months ago.
Hairs are known to go through different phases. In the so-called Anagen phase, hair would happily stay on the scalp for a few years, nourished by the hair root. At the end of its natural lifetime, it enters the Telogen phase.
The hair root separates from the hair at the beginning of this phase. The hair is no longer taken care of but remains on the head for about three more months before it finally falls.
Suppose the factor that promotes hair loss (hormonal dysfunction, lack of vital substances, etc.) occurs. In that case, unusually, many hairs change from the anagen phase to the telogen phase, including those that are still quite young and still upside down for years under normal (healthy) circumstances would have remained.
However, all these hairs remain on the head for the obligatory three months of the telogen phase and consequently don't fall until many weeks after the interference factor comes in.
But who knows, in the middle of the worst hair loss occurrence, what happened three months ago or what might have happened three months ago?
Hardly anyone.
However, if you implement the following tips, you can rectify many possible causes in a prophylactic manner - without knowing them.
It is not only about possible causes of hair loss but also for other hair problems, such as dull or brittle hair, fast-greasy hair, dandruff, or even very thin hair.
The fat-soluble vitamin A or Retinol ensures the hairs become strong and supple. It boosts hair growth and benefits fat synthesis in the follicles.
Vitamin A is found in organic eggs. However, the precursor of vitamin A - beta-carotene - is found in many vegetables and fruits, such as kale, spinach, cantaloupe, carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, etc.
If you do not have time to prepare vegetables and salads, try using a high-carotene powder, such as Nettle leaf powder, parsley leaf powder, spinach powder, broccoli powder, grass powder (e.g., barley grass), or a green superfood mixture.
Mix the green powder in a glass of carrot juice that will provide additional beta-carotene.
The vitamin B complex also supports the beauty of the hair. Overall, these vitamins stimulate the activity of the sebaceous glands as well as essential metabolic processes in the hair roots. They also prevent inflammation and ensure a healthy scalp.
Biotin, or Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H, is particularly effective for thin, brittle, and dull hair and works against hair loss.
The most important food sources of vitamin B include nuts, whole grains, legumes, and oilseeds (e.g., pumpkin or chia seeds).
Biotin can also be found in yeast flakes, egg yolks, soybeans, oatmeal, walnuts, and mushrooms.
If you are not sure whether your diet contains enough B vitamins, you can go for vitamin B complex supplements until you have changed your diet so that it also has enough vitamin B-rich food.
Vitamin C is water-soluble and is referred to as a universal vitamin. It contributes a lot to the health of the hair.
Vitamin C, for example, supports iron binding to the red blood cells, and the hair roots are better supplied with iron and oxygen.
Vitamin C can be found in most citrus fruits and paprika or broccoli.
The South American Camu Camu fruit even contains a record amount of vitamin C, about 30 to 50 times as much as oranges. Moreover, Acerola powder and sea buckthorn juice are also excellent sources of vitamin C.
Iron is essential for healthy hair growth. The trace element ensures the transport of oxygen in the blood, the energy supply of the cells, and the production of various proteins.
Iron is found in green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach, chard, or kale), in dried fruits (dried fruit such as apricots or dates), and berries (e.g., Goji berries, black and red currants or raspberries).
The goji berries can be optimally incorporated as a dietary supplement. As little as 50 grams produce about 6 mg of iron, enough to cover half of the male daily iron needs. (Women need a little more iron, especially during pregnancy).
Copper improves hair structure. The trace element facilitates iron absorption from the diet and builds skin, bones, and hair.
Whole grains, sunflower seeds, legumes (especially chickpeas and soy), nuts, and cocoa products are good natural copper suppliers.
An adult's daily requirement is 1.0 to 1.5 mg and can already be covered with 50 g of cashew nuts or 40 g of chickpeas (e.g., hummus).
Zinc is an excellent mineral to support hair growth. It activates numerous enzymes, from which the skin, the hair, and the fingernails benefit.
Zinc protects the hair roots against inflammation and keeps the scalp healthy. Shrimp, nuts, corn, and eggs are especially zinc-rich.
Front-runners in zinc are pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, and linseed. The daily requirement is 7 to 10 mg, achieved with 100 g of pumpkin seeds. However, since you still eat other zinc-containing foods, a daily handful of a seed mixture is enough to bring the zinc balance to fruition.
However, you can use a zinc supplement to fill the deficiency if there is a shortcoming.
Silicon is an important building substance for hair, nails, and connective tissue and, therefore, can be regarded as a traditional, healing remedy to give brittle hair new momentum.
Organic silicon is also of great importance for the development and stabilization of bones and connective tissue. The mineralization process is sustainably supported in the entire supporting apparatus.
Millet, oats, and barley are good sources of silicon. Silicon-rich herbs help you increase silicon uptake.
The bamboo takes a special place in this context. It has more than 70 percent of a very high proportion of silicon. Apart from that, Horsetail and stinging nettle are good silicon sources.
Suppose there is a suspicion of silicon deficiency (which is usually the case with unsightly hair). In that case, you should also take a high-quality silicon supplement (which delivers approximately 70 mg of silicon per day) because the silicon requirement is difficult to achieve in today's normal diet.
Meat, sausages, or fat cheese shouldn't be consumed in large portions. Japanese researchers have found that hair loss can be associated with increased sebum production.
Since animal fats contribute directly to the increased production of sebum, frequent consumption of the mentioned foods can favor hair problems.
Those who consume excessive amounts of animal fats may risk not only cardiovascular disease and obesity but also a greasy scalp and hair loss.
The fruits of Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) are sometimes used to treat hair loss. A study by the journal "The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" has shown that the daily intake of fruits of saw palmetto can positively affect hair growth.
The fruits of the saw palmetto inhibit Dihydrotestosterone, a derivative of the hormone testosterone, which makes the hair thin. The saw palmetto is available in dietary supplements (e.g., prostate forte), positively affecting women's hair, prostate, bladder, and urinary tract.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) - known as Dimethylsulfone - supports keratin production and thus strengthens the hair follicles.
MSM is an organic sulfur compound crucial for the body's sulfur balance. Sulfur is essential to the immune system, connective tissue, skin, and hair.
Keratins are water-insoluble fiber proteins and the main constituent of hairs, fingers, and toenails. The body needs to make keratin to keep the hair strong and healthy. For this, it needs organic sulfur.
In one study, administering MSM to all participants showed reduced hair loss and stimulated hair growth within just six weeks. You can take MSM in the form of tablets or capsules.
There are many medicinal plants and herbs, like nettle, nasturtium, ginger, or rosemary, that you can use to promote health and, thus, the beauty of your hair.
It can be massaged onto the scalp as a tincture, or you can prepare a tea, which you can drink or use as a natural hair conditioner.
For example, a hair conditioner with chamomile tea is a proven home remedy for treating greasy hair.
The chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is characterized by calming properties. The medicinal plant can also develop this effect when applied to the scalp, as it reduces sebum production in the sebaceous glands.
The chamomile tea conditioner should be used once a week for maximum results.
Heat about one liter of water and leave four bags of chamomile tea in it for 10 minutes. After the tea has cooled down, you can use it after the hair washes as a rinse.
It is also possible to make shampoos and other hair care products yourself. Just give it a try!
If your hair is strained due to external influences (e.g., cosmetics) and has lost its shine, the following vitamin oil pack can breathe new life into it.
The ingredients, such as biotin, pro-vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin K, vitamin C, and folic acid, regenerate the scalp and bring the shine back.
1 tbsp rosehip kernel oil
One organic egg yolk
½ banana
1 tsp carotene oil (a sunflower or soybean oil with carotene or carrot extract)
Five drops of lemon essential oil
Mesh bananas with the fork and stir with the remaining ingredients. Then, apply the mixture to dry hair and wrap your head with foil. Let the hair mask do its job for 1-2 hours, and then wash your hair with a mild shampoo.
The vitamin oil pack should always be applied before shampooing. You can double the number of ingredients if you have very long hair.
Apart from the rosehip kernel oil or carotene oil mentioned in the recipe, you can use many other valuable oils for an oil pack, such as olive, coconut, or argan oil.
1. Carr, Anitra C., and Balz Frei. "Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 69.6 (1999): 1086-1107. (For a new recommended daily amount of vitamin C based on its antioxidant and human health effects).
2. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, "Vitamin C - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals," June 2013, (Vitamin C - Fact Sheet for Therapists)
3. Noppakun, Nopadon, and Daratana Swasdikul. "Reversible hyperpigmentation of skin and nails with white hair due to vitamin B12 deficiency. "Archives of Dermatology 122.8 (1986): 896-899. (Reversible hyperpigmentation of the skin and nails, including white hair, due to a vitamin B12 deficiency)
4. Glynis, Ablon. "A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy of an Oral Supplement in Women with Self-perceived Hair Thinning ." The Journal of Clinical and aesthetic dermatology 11.5 (2012): 28 (A double-masked, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness of supplementation in women with thin hair)
5. Piccardi, Nathalie, and Patricia Manissier "Nutrition and Nutritional Supplementation: Impact on Skin Health and Beauty. "Dermato-endocrinology 1.5 (2009): 271. (Nutrition and Nutritional Supplements: Effects on Skin Health and Beauty)
6. Malanin, Ken, Eniko Telegdy, and Hussain Qazaq. "Hair loss and serum zinc values among Arab females in the Al Ain region, United Arab Emirates." EJD. European Journal of Dermatology 17.5 (2007): 446-447., (Hair loss and serum zinc levels in Arab women)
7. Last, Walter. "Copper salicylate - A potent inflammatory fighter and rejuvenator. "Cancer Nat Ther Found Aust (2009): 2-9. (Copper Salicylate - A powerful fighter against inflammation and a rejuvenating agent)
8. Lassus A., "Colloidal Silica Acid for Oral and Topical Treatment of Aged Skin, Fragile Hair and Brittle Nails in Females, "J Int Med Res. 1993 Jul-Aug; 21 (4): 209-15. (Colloidal silica for oral and topical use in the case of aging skin, brittle hair, and brittle fingernails in women)
9. Morganti, P. et al. "Effect of gelatin-cystine and Serenoa repens extract free radicals and hair growth." Journal of Applied Cosmetology 16 (1998): 57-64. (Effect of Gelatin Cystine and Saw Palmetto Extract on Oxidative Stress and Hair Growth)
10. https://www.hairscientists.org/human-hair/nutrition-and-hair-health.
