Loving It / Using It Vol. 12 - MABH Herbals Fast Growth Hair Oil

So, by now, you must surely be aware how huge a fan of hair oils I am and of hair care tips. My favourite time pass is to search out for new tips in hair care department. That is why the latest on the block is the egg hair oil I am using currently. Sounds interesting, right? Anyways, I shall discuss about this product some other time.

Let me jump right in for the current product we are here to talk about. So, this is a product by Lancy who runs the Makeup and Beauty Home blog. Apparently, this product is a concoction of a lot of herbs in a secret ratio which results in amazing hair which has given Lancy her long locks. And, no doubt, its a family secret which they have been carrying all along :)

Loving It / Using It : Using It

• Price - Rs 400 for 100ml. Really expensive!

• Availability - Online Website

• Packaging - Comes in a plastic bottle with a stopper so it does not really leak except for a few drops here and there. Might not be so travel-friendly but can not really comment on that!!

• Smells - Ok, so, here is something which I noticed that it smells a lot like the mom's oil I talked about. Well, my mum had put all the herbs she knew of in that oil, after all!! I could also smell a whiff of coconut oil but not very sure about that!! But, the smell is not really that strong that it would bother you though.

• Ingredients - It is a secret recipe but we can be assured that it is handmade and herbal.  

Usage and Results 

Well, honestly, one bottle lasted a hair oil junkie like me around 5-7 uses of heavy oiling using the regular oiling method I use. I love my hair oiled like a frying pan!! So, the oil does prove expensive in the long run. Anyways, I think I should have taken a before and after pic just to keep a record of how much has the product helped in hair growth.

But, then, I do not think there was any significant hair growth so can not really comment on that. As regards to how it treated my hair, well, there was no change in hair fall either. Lately, my hair has been falling in a larger quantity but then remember that there is comparatively more hair fall in the fall months because of the hair growth cycles. The resting hair falls to make way for new hair. And, hair growth is less in these months due to dry and cold weather.  

As regards to other results, unfortunately the conditions are too variable for my hair right now! My shampoo does not suit me, hair is dry and lanky and frizzy, conditioner is not in my routine and any hair mask has been abandoned since years!! So, any hair oil making a major impact immediately is going to go on my highly-coveted list but for now, this hair oil also fails to make that mark. I wish I could use it more to review it better. 

My Verdict

Well, I would say that the product better be used before any opinion is formed about it. I am kind of confused about it but then it is a completely herbal product which has showed promising results for many others.

So, what do you think? Have you used the product? How did you find it? Do you also feel that hair growth is affected by a lot of factors and it is difficult to form an opinion about a certain product sometimes? What are your tips and tricks for hair growth and healthy hair care?

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Just Gossip Vol. 33 - My stash of Essential Oils!

Hey Everyone! It has been really long since I have shared the products in my shelf with you all. So, I thought it would be a good exercise to start with the essential oils first. Most of the essential oils I buy from a wholesale retailer Moksha lifestyle and I love Kama ayurveda essential oils as well thought they are very expensive!!

Kama Ayurveda's

• French Cypress - no idea what it really does but smells heavenly!
• Peppermint - best for hair growth!
• Lavender - not sure if it really suits me but it helps in soothing the nerves, calms the mind and helps one sleep. also helps in hair growth and oil balancing. can be applied neat on skin.
• Ylang Ylang - I love this! and, helps in hair growth.
• Tea Tree - keeps away pests and mosquitoes and helps with any skin problem. can be applied neat like lavender.

Moksha

• Rosemary - helps in hair growth.
• Patchouli - smells beautiful. apparently can be used as perfume if used as perfume oil.
• Cinnamon Bark - helps in hair growth but can be irritating on skin if used in excess.
• Ginger - stimulates circulation and helps in hair growth.
• Cedar Wood - no idea again but smells good.
• Frankincense - second favourite in essential oils. one of the best essential oils to be used in diffuser.

• Afrazan's Palmarosa - can be used as a substitute for rose essential oil.

So, what do you say?

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From the Archives : Turn your regular shampoo into a homemade herbal shampoo {DIY}

Today, I would be sharing with you a recipe which I have been using for long for my hair and believe me, it has done wonders. I no longer believe in buying hair products according to your needs like a hair fall shampoo as a solution to hair loss or a damage repair shampoo for a heat burnt hair. I have got rid of these things using simple home remedies and I would suggest you to practice them regularly to see quick and long lasting results. You can use tomato repair the dry dull hair or fenugreek for hair loss. If you feel like, you can top your treatment with such fancy hair products too. They might do you some good, who knows!!!

Coming back to the topic, the recipe is very simple.

Ingredients (practically everything you think is good for hair and worth boiling in water)

- Indian Gooseberry (fresh or sun-dried amla) 

- fenugreek seeds and leaves (methi)

- curry leaves

- sage leaves / basil leaves (tulsi)

- hibiscus flower and leaves 

- mehendi leaves (henna)

- jasmine flowers and leaves

- rose petals

- lavender and rosemary flowers (if available)

Method
Soak them all the ingredients in two liters of water overnight. Boil next morning till water remains half of the original quantity. Let the water cool and strain. You can use this directly as a shampoo but it would not lather and I don't know if it removes the oil completely. And, you might not get satisfied with it.

So, take a fresh clean bottle. Pour your regular shampoo to a one-third quantity of the bottle. And, pour this liquid over it. Shake well. Your herbal shampoo is ready. Do not worry about diluting your shampoo. It is good for you as less number of chemicals are applied on your hair and your shampoo lasts longer.

This shampoo works better than the regular shampoo. And, it will definitely give better results than the regular application. Do not judge it until you try this out. It might sound weird to some people. But, if you have ever heard, many people advice that one should dilute the shampoo with water to decrease the harshness of chemicals on the hair. I will request you all to give it a try.

You can use a shampoo sachet for a trial. And, then, you can decide for your own self whether this shampoo will suit you or not. And, it surely does help in hair growth too.

Words of Caution
Please refrain from using any ingredient, which you already know, you will be allergic to. If you want to dye your hair some color, you can continue with using henna leaves. But, remember that though henna is conditioning for hair, it is extremely drying too. So, you can skip it.

You may put some green tea (or your favorite flavor) too in the boiling water. Do not add anything which has short shelf life as it will spoil the whole recipe like lemon peels, soapnuts or shikakai. Use them fresh. You can use lemon juice as a hair rinse for shine. But, lemon causes hair to get dry. So, you might want to try out other remedies for shiny hair.

Have you tried something like this ever?

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From the Archives : Get rid of Split Ends {Hair care}
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From the Archives : Get rid of Split Ends {Hair care}

Split ends are ugly and make our hair look unhealthy. More than that, they actually make our hair unhealthy by climbing up the hair shaft. The only way to get rid of split ends is by trimming your hair up to the level where you are sure all your damaged hair is gone. Next step is to take care of your hair properly so that there are no split ends in the future.

• First is to handle your hair very gently. Do not rub with a towel or use a rough accessory on it. Do not be harsh with it while drying it. Just gently squeeze the excess water out of the hair and let it air dry. Keep your combs and brushes smooth. If they develop jagged edges or get broken at any point, change them. The jagged edges or sharp broken points can rip off the hair.

• Proper nutrition and regular exercise is necessary to maintain beautiful hair. Why? As our hair grows from the follicle, it gets old. The tips of our hair is years old actually and due to the lack of proper nutrients and exercise and loss of proper capillary action in the hair, it becomes difficult for the hair follicles to provide proper nutrition to the ends of the hair. This is one of the reasons for even the hair getting dry as it grows past a certain length. Due to the lack of nutrition, the cuticle wears off and the hair strand starts splitting.

• Due to the very same reason, we need to provide the ends with extra nutrition on a regular basis. If your hair is extremely dry or is prone to lot of split ends, do a weekly pre-poo on your hair. Egg and honey is especially helpful.

• Excess usage of hair products can also bring this calamity to your hair. Use only the most required of the products and make sure they are of the highest quality. Use as minimum amount as possible of any product. 

• Mix a tea spoon of castor oil with two tea spoons of pure coconut oil and massage in into your hair with special attention to the ends twice a week. Dip a towel into warm water and wrap your hair in it. You can even take a steam for your hair. You can leave it overnight or wait for an hour or two and wash off with a mild shampoo. Do not forget to dilute the shampoo. After washing your hair, apply a intensive hair conditioner to the ends of the hair and stay for 5-10 minutes. Wash off. You can follow with leave-in conditioner. 

So, how do you prevent the splits in your hair?

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My Hair Diary - June 2014

Good Morning folks or should I say afternoon. As I ranted yesterday about the bad condition of my hair, let me say I have to restart my hair caring routines :( The volume is gone, strands are full of splits and hair is peachy and strawy in texture. But, off late, I have inculcated a few good things in my routine so let us have a look at them.

• Oiling - I hate this step!! Of course, I love to oil my hair but damn the timing. I prefer to wash my hair at night and sometimes it gets so late for me to get back from office that sometimes I do not get time to do this. And, then, hot oil massage happens probably once a month so I really miss this step. I do try to keep it up but mostly I miss it. 

• Cuts and Trims - Last hair cut was in April and that too not a good one and I need to go for it again soon enough.

• Massage - I have developed this habit of massaging my hair while I am idle. This happens especially in the office (the environment is pretty relaxed!!) when I am thinking of something or watching House of Cards or The Originals! 

• Rubbing the nails together - Do you think this helps? Well, no scientific proof but people think so let me also give it a try.

• Scalp Serum - Coming to the more practical aspects, I got this Keo Karpin scalp vitaliser. I try to apply it once a week or in two weeks, though it says it should be done everyday. And, then, I stopped using it right away so its lying in the shelf.

• Leave-in - I shifted to rosehip from grapeseed for leave-in. I have no idea how it is working but lets see!! 

• Cocoa Butter Hair Mask - So, I had a lot of cocoa butter from a long time and I have been just wishing to put it to good use. And, finally I have a chance to do it. So, let me see when I will try it!!

And, I think Organic Surge has pulled out of India (not really sure but shampoos are not available online on couple of websites) so guess I shall have to find a new shampoo :( Also, it has been ages since I have used a conditioner. 

Products Used

• Hair Oil - Dabur Olive Oil 

• Shampoo - Madara + Kamini Shampoo

So, how is your hair doing?

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5 Oils I love for my Hair {Five Series}

I am so stumbled by the writer's or shall we say bloggers block so I thought of one topic I would love to write about and suddenly, it popped. I love oils and I love taking care of my hair so combine them both and voila, oils for hair :D

Ok, that was no rocket science but trust me, it is not easy to write a post with full conviction. So, one has to constantly either evolve their likings or stick ot something they believe fully in!! So, lets check out which oils I totally love using on my hair.

Coconut Oil

Not my first choice generally but it is said that coconut oil gets absorbed very easily into the hair. And, since I started to try TBS Rainforest Coconut Oil, I am liking it a lot. I am using it as a leave-in serum as well which is working out decently!!

Almond Oil

Ok, Rogan Badam has to be my favorite. It has revived my hair, after all.

These were the bring oils so lets move to something exotic now!

Grapeseed Oil

It is supposed to stimulate hair follicles and improve hair growth so how could I pass this one? I included a few drops of rosemary EO and use 3-5 drops of the mix as scalp treatment for my hair after washing it. In case, you are wondering, it is not oily AT ALL!!

Pomegranate Seed Oil

Ok, this was part of my hair conditioning and frizz-fighting arsenal. And, of course, it sounds so exotic so I picked this up when I saw it on Soulflower. I used to use it as leave-in serum but can't say how much it has really helped my hair. Probably, more testing is required!

And, now, lets move to the good old ayurveda!

Neelibrigandi Oil

It is one oil in the recent times which has tamed my hair and has been giving it a healthy appearance. The one variant which I got recently is pretty non-sticky as opposed to the general belief that ayurvedic oils are extremely sticky so that's a plus!! In fact, in the recent days, I have been using few drops (2-3) of this oil as scalp treatment instead of the Grapeseed oil mentioned above!

So, what about you? Which oils do you like? Have you used any exotic oils lately for the hair?

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My Hair Diary - May 2013

Can you imagine my efforts are finally paying off? In a completely unobservant stint in front of the mirror, I realized my hair was an inch or two longer than few months back. This comes as a great news after so much trouble of growing an inch or two of my hair :(

In a very desperate attempt, I decided that I would not even get a hair cut till I even out all the layers of my hair. Well, having curly hair and layered cuts since like 3-4 years, it is quite unlikely that leveling of the hair will happen so soon. It might take 2 years for that at the rate of my hair growth!!

Anyways, I am happy to say that I had my last hair cut in January and it has been 4-5 months since my hair cut because that was before 6th Jan. And, I can hardly spot splits (very negligible) !! Isn't that awesome? Especially, when my hair is prone to splits within like 2 months of a hair cut. And, that makes me go back to all the previous hair diaries of this year and find out what exactly has worked out for me.

As far as I remember, I have been pretty regular with oiling my hair though more on scalp and less on ends. But, then, I was definitely using the pomegranate oil and I am planning something even more exotic this month if the budget permits! I think I have to set a beauty budget now otherwise I shall run myself into ruins :D

The simplest secret of how I am helping my hair to grow is using oil before and after hair wash though after is generally more frequent than the before. I wash my hair in the evenings and there isn't much time to oil hair after coming back from office so more often than not I make do without a pre-wash oiling routine.

Huhh...reading back the diaries haven't been much of revelation because I sincerely did not spend much effort on hair as much as I always seem to promise so guess I have yet more potential! If I stick to DIY's like I did in March, I would probably end up with better results. So, lets raise a toast to that, girls!!

But, beware of the air conditioning. It can seriously dry up the skin and tresses. I have to apply oil repeatedly which is a con because that makes my hair look oily and stringy sometimes! Sigh..hard bargains for greater good. But, I am looking at the silver lining right now so not minding the discomfort. And, I can always wash my hair for special occasions :)

I have to add here that a trim is good once in 3 months as it makes the ends looking lush and full! So, off for a trim soon.

Products Used

• Shampoo - Organic Surge Moisture Boost + Kamini Shampoo

• Conditioner - Kamini Conditioner

• Leave-in and Scalp Treatment - Soulflower Grapeseed Oil with Rosemary EO + Soulflower Pomegranate Seed Oil + TBS Rainforest Coconut Oil + Neelibrigandi Oil
  

• Hair Oil - TBS Rainforest Coconut Oil + Neelibrigandi Oil

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Just Gossip Vol. 15 - A trip to Ayurveda!

It has been like ages since I have written about hair. But, there was an interesting development last month. Have you heard of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala? They have quite a number of outlets in Hyderabad which I came to know through google. It is a long story!

Anyways, there is a store decently close to my house so one day I went forth after the office. Now, they have Ayurvedic doc also coming to their store every alternate weekday so I went at the very moment when I could find a doc! The doc holds MD in ayurvedic studies so that was reassuring.

I went to the store with a very long list of products to get from there. And, I asked the doc about the hair growth issue. So, he prescribed me two tablets (lets call them A and B) and Neelibrigandi oil. Now, I have no issues talking about one of the tablets, A which is meant for hair, because it is I think pretty much available everywhere but I shall do it some other time.

this is tablet A

Now, you would ask me if I saw any benefits? First, the hair doesn't generally show any significant changes in the first month of some treatment so lets say I shall continue those tablets for an indefinite amount of time for now. Second, I don't know about the B tablets. These tablets for weight loss and taking care of the metabolism and digestion issues. 

I am completely against such tablets but since they were totally ayurvedic, I was fine with them. But, I don't think I shall get them again and that's not for the want of the benefits. But, I think its better to maintain weight with physical efforts than resorting to all kinds of tablets, howsoever safe they might be! But, the constitution of both A and B tablets are totally safe. 

this is tablet B

And, coming to the oil, I did not use it more than twice by now but it smells really really bad! Everything ayurvedic smells or tastes really bad, it seems. Coz, the tablets also taste bad :( Anyways, this oil should be used every night before going to bed on the scalp. But, since I do not wash my hair everyday, I avoid doing that! 

But, an interesting discovery was Neelibrigandi helps in cooling the scalp! Thanks to Pranali, I came to know of this. So, I think I shall try using this oil at least on alternate nights or may be every night! I shall do that and let you guys know about how effective it is! In the mean time, let me tell you that the store is pretty popular and many many people came in the time frame I was there. I think you might also want to visit and check it out.

Have you ever been to Kotakkal Vaidya Sala's clinics?

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5 Do's and Dont's for Hair {Five Series}

It has been ages since I have written any hair care post! But, this year, I have resolved to take more care of my hair. Good news is I am partly succeeding in the resolve.

Last month, sometime, I went to the Arya Vaidya Sala store where an Ayurvedic doc also sits. I consulted him for hair growth. So, following are the tips he gave regarding the hair well-being. They are something we already know but I would like to re-iterate them.

Exercise and Weight Loss

Always keep yourself active and take care of your weight. It is extremely important for healthy hair growth and the overall well-being of the person. Also, exercise improves the blood circulation and carries more oxygen to the scalp and hair follicles. 

Tip: Get a relaxing hair massage or use essential oils for improved oxygen flow to the scalp!

No Sugar, Salt and Spices

They interfere with your body's proper functioning and affect the digestive system as well. Salt bloats you, sugar increases the insulin which leads to hair loss and spices make your digestion haywire. So, make sure you eat balanced nutritional diet keeping all the spices, salt and sugar in control.

Note: You need only 1gm salt in a day which naturally is available to the body without the need to add extra salt!

Oiling the Scalp

Applying a few drops of lighter oils at night like grapeseed or argan oil which improve hair growth is good for hair. They nourish the scalp and improve the hair growth. It is especially important for dry hair as the new growth would have better moisture levels. 

Tip: Using essential oils with the oil improves the hair growth. Peppermint and Rosemary are especially helpful!!

Get a health checkup done!

PCOS, thyroid, diabetes are some of the issues which can cause hair loss and impede hair growth. So, if you are facing any such problem, it is always good to get a health checkup done. Prevention is better than cure! But, a proper health checkup is recommended only when the hair loss or itching or dandruff or any other issue is more than normal.

Tip: Make sure you are exercising properly and eating well and drinking a lots of water because more often than not we do not take care of the normal routine and rush to the doctor for every small thing!!

Drink lots of water

Yes, very very important! Hyderabad is so damn hot that I am literally gulping down the water every 15 minutes and the worst part is everything is evaporating :( It is becoming really difficult but this way I am at least intaking a lot of water. 

Tip: Drink green tea, watermelon juice, cucumber juice or eat cucumber or kakdi or coconut water! 

What are your tips for hair growth?  

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My Hair Diary - February 2013

My gosh, we are in third month already!! Honestly, the year is moving too fast for me even though February was hell longer for me than usual for being the smallest month in the year! I have so many deadlines to meet in this month!

Anyways, coming to how cared for my hair this month, I was a lot more diligent in oiling the hair every time before shampooing. And, I used the grapeseed oil on the scalp after washing my hair every time.

Grapeseed oil stimulates the hair follicles for hair growth. Whether I have seen any improvement is yet to be decided so I wouldn't say anything. Btw, I HAVE to share this with you.

Remember my friend whose aloevera routine I had shared with you a while back. She has an amazing hair. Its perfectly naturally straight and is really shiny and guess what it doesn't even get limp!!

But, I have seen the way she cares for her hair. First, she has always stuck to parachute since she was a kid and never changed. She uses some L'Oreal shampoo which is not available in India and sunsilk conditioner! But, those were just the products. She applies curd on her hair almost every time for 30 minutes before shampooing. And, once in a week (this is something I am guessing) she mixes the curd with Biotique musk root (which I also love totally) and applies it to her hair for 20-30 minutes. And, sometimes, she applies henna to her hair twice a month for just conditioning!

In fact, her routine is quite inspiring me to get back to the old methods! I would say that it is true that this much care does help the hair even if one is not blessed with perfect hair genes!

Products Used

• Shampoo - Kamini shampoo + Neev Olive Neem Shampoo + Organic Surge Moisture Boost
• Conditioner - Kamini Conditioner
• Leave-in and Scalp Treatment - Soulflower Grapeseed Oil with Rosemary EO
• Hair Oil - Kamini Oil + Parachute Hot Oil Treatment

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