Black Hair Styles

As we become more aware of the harmful effects of the chemicals in the products we use, both on our environment and our health, a lot of people are now looking for kinder, chemical-free beauty products, including gentler, natural hair dyes.

Natural hair dye isn't able to open up the hair shaft to deposit pigment in the way a chemical dye can, so natural dyes just coat the hair rather than penetrating it. This does mean that your natural hair dye won't last as long as its chemical counterpart might, but sticking with natural hair dye means you'll avoid the damage that standard hair dyes cause, keeping your hair in great condition.

Picking a natural hair dye
If you were thinking of buying a natural red hair dye, you should consider using henna. The dye comes from the henna plant, and has been used for year and years to dye both hair and skin. Henna has an orange-red pigment, so if you see something packaged as henna that will dye your hair black or claims to lighten it, it will have had other chemicals and metallic salts added to it. Be careful about reading the ingredients list to make sure you buy pure, natural henna if you want an all-natural dye.

If you're up for trying some DIY hair tints, lemon juice and chamomile act as subtle lightening agents or you could use coffee or other herbal mixtures to add a darker sheen to your hair. These home made hair dyes won't give you dramatic effects, but you can be in complete control of what you're putting on your hair.

There are more boxed 'natural' dyes coming onto the market that you may want to try. Be aware that a lot of these dyes do actually still have chemicals within them, but use gentler chemicals and less of them. If you want an all-natural dye then these may not be for you, but they're worth considering as a compromise.

If you're concerned about the potentially harmful effects of chemicals within your hair dye, there are some great options available for you to consider. Just make sure that you read the lists of ingredients with care if you want a 100% natural dye.

Grey hair is an inevitable part of the aging process, as we start to age melanin which gives hair its natural color stops producing, turning the hair gray.  Losing your natural color can be  a great concern for many people, as gray hair is not easy to live with, the texture tends to be course and wiry making it unruly and hair loses its richness as gray hair tends to absorb the light making it look flat and dull, which can really make a difference to the natural health and beauty of our hair.  Psychologically it makes us feel worn out and dull as though we have lost our outer glow.  There are an exceptional few that do look great gray but this is the rare exception, the reality is that few people suit gray hair because the grayness affects the complexion making it look pale and washed out.  Whether or not gray hair suits you will depend on your skin tone, sallow skins rarely find a silver frame flattering and neither do natural red heads whose skin tones tend to be pale apricot.

The reason why our hair turns gray is that the melanin, which is the substance that gives hair its natural color, stops producing.  Studies have shown that more and more people are going gray than ever before, this has been linked to anemia as a result of poor diet, hormonal fluctuations and stress.     The good news however is that hair color is relative easy to fix, and the following natural beauty tips for gray hair will help you to restore shine to once lack luster locks in not time at all:

• If you really want to fade to gray try let your color evolve naturally, if you have been dying it regularly get trims to cut out the old dye
• For dark blond or fair hair, highlights is often the answer as the lighter streaks can really help to cover up gray
• For dark hair and redheads, the clever use of streaks of color can help to bring hair back to its original glossy shine
• There are many colorants available that will help to restore the color of your hair, semi permanent colors are one of the most popular choices, although they will fade over time but will usually last for about 20 washes and there is the convenience factor that they can be done at home.  The fact that hair fades does mean the re growth is also not so obvious
• Permanent dye’s penetrate the hair shaft and tend to impart a richer color; the problem with these permanent dyes is that retouching the roots may be required every 4 to 5 weeks

Once your hair is restored back to its natural color, you will find the light and color will pick up in the hair immediately making it look healthier and shinier, helping to put bounce back into your hair and a sparkle in your smile.

Hair spa is an allover treatment for your hair that makes is shiny, strong and beautiful and adds volume too. Besides nourishing your hair, it also relaxes your body and mind. Problems like hair fall, split- ends, rough hair, dry hair, dandruff etc. can also be treated. Some necessary things you should have for a spa are shampoo, oil, plastic wraps, conditioner and a wide- toothed comb. Having a spa at a hair salon can be quite a costly affair. So here are some simple tips which you can follow and get a spa at your home.

Olive oil is known for its rejuvenating properties and healthy fats which are essentially required by your body as well as your hair. Hence it is good to use olive oil while you try these steps. However coconut oil and other herbal oils can also be used for this purpose. Firstly, massage your hair with a good essential oil properly so that oil is evenly distributed to the scalp. Do not forget to treat the hair tips with the oil. A good massage to your scalp not only improves the circulation of blood but also relaxes you. Then take a cloth of cotton or a towel and dip it in warm water. Squeeze out excess water and wrap the cloth around your hair. Repeat this four to five times. In the next step, you are required to wrap a plastic bag; plastic grocery bag will also do, around your hair. This is done in order to trap the heat for a while as it opens the pores of your scalp. Keep this for at least 15 minutes.

Remember to keep the oil for a minimum of two hours. Then wash off the oil by using a mild shampoo. You can even go for herbal shampoos. Sweep extra water from your hair and then apply a good conditioner according to the type of your hair. For proper application of hair conditioner you can part your hair into two halves and then apply it. And finally wash off the conditioner also after leaving it for 2-5 minutes on your hair. In addition, you can also apply various home- made hair masks which provide shine and smoothness to your hair. One mashed banana and one beaten egg mixed with 2-3 table spoon of honey, milk, and olive oil each, applied to your hair, kept for about 30 minutes and washed off. This completes the procedure of hair spa which can easily be followed at you home yourself.

For dry hair it is best to use perform this every alternate day but for oily hair it is advised to do it twice a month. People with oily hair can follow rest of the steps, except oil massage, and continue it every alternate day. Also for colored hair, it is good to use only specific color protected conditioners as they contains protein rich serum that protect your hair from ill- consequences of hair color.

More salt than pepper in your hair is a constant reminder that you are not young anymore. Graying of hair means fading of the natural color of your hair. This is pretty much of a phenomenon these days and age is no more a barrier for it. Not only adults and teenagers even the children, nowadays, are facing this problem. The root cause of graying of hair is the deficiency of oil gland production in the follicles of the scalp. This leads to lack of proper nutrients to hair resulting in graying. Diet plays a very crucial role in it. Graying of hair can also be a result of deficiency of minerals and vitamins like vitamin B12, copper, iron, iodine etc. It sometimes can also be a consequence of thyroid imbalance. It can also happen because of excessive stress and anxiety. Gray hair is probably difficult to color as it is more defiant to hair color or dye due to less melanin in it. Also, smokers are probably 4 times more prone to this problem. However, like every problem has a solution to it, we here give you some very impressive and easy home remedies to prevent premature graying of hair.

One of the best herbs to prevent graying of hair is curry leaves. It is thus advised to take them in your daily diet. Or you can also make oil out of them by boiling them with a particular quantity of coconut oil and then apply to your scalp. A paste of gourd with coconut oil is also a good method. Take 2-3 pieces of ribbed gourd and dry it in the sun. Then soak it in coconut oil. Boil it until the residue turns black. Finally it is cooled and used to massage the scalp. Massaging the scalp with butter made out of cow’s milk, twice a week, is another good way. Extract of fresh leaves of amaranth vegetable is applied on hair. It is proved to be helpful in retaining the natural color of your hair and also facilitates increased hair growth. You can also use Indian gooseberry fruit to treat this problem. A paste is prepared by drying and then soaking its pieces in coconut oil. Alternatively, you can also mix the juice of Indian gooseberry with equal amount of almond oil and apply this mixture on your scalp, keep it overnight and wash off in the morning. This is also a very effective remedy for premature graying.

As already discussed, your eating habits have a way much effect on your health as well as the health of your hair. Try avoiding refined products like refined flour and sugar and other foods like jams, pastries, packed drinks and juices with preservatives, too spicy food or too hot food, oily food and junk food etc. Eating fresh fruits and green leafy veggies is a good practice and helps avoiding premature graying of hair. One bowl of yogurt mixed with very little yeast before every meal also helps preventing the problem.

For most of us, our hair is our crowning glory. We take pains to fix and style our hair in such a way that makes us feel attractive and put together. Whether we keep our hair long or short, the use of hair accessories helps enhance our looks. Using hair accessories is an art in itself. There are some accessories that look better with long hair and some that look better with short hair. So it is important that you choose the right ones.

The right hair accessories are a great way to add a different look to an otherwise simple hairdo. Brides especially want to look their most beautiful during their wedding day. They look more elegant and chic with the proper wedding hair accessories. Brides mostly don a simple updo but add some fresh flowers or some crystal combs, and she is transformed into a radiant vision of beauty.

Taking good care of our hair requires us to use the best hair products there is. It all starts with the use of the proper shampoo and conditioner. Keeping our hair clean and healthy is an important step to maintaining its luster and shine.

We should also use the best hairstyling products and hairdressing tools to keep our hair healthy. As much as possible, we should use gentle hair products and only go to professional hairdressers or stylists who can take good care of our hair. Avoid coloring your hair by yourself because you might end up damaging your hair.

You should always keep your combs and brushes clean. Also, buy hair dryers, curling irons, flat irons and other electric hair devices of good quality. Remember some of the cheaper versions may actually burn and damage your hair so be careful when choosing these hairdressing tools.

Our hair is the first thing that people notice about us. If we have well-maintained hair, then we feel more confident about ourselves. Healthy, shiny hair adorned with the proper hair accessories adds something extra to an otherwise plain and dull look.

Various factors like diet, intake of water and nutrients, stress levels, heredity and one’s pattern of sleep effects not only the texture of your hair but also its growth. Average growth rate is of 1-1.5 cms per month, normally. However good care can always provide satisfying results. Here follows some procedures you can always try that would help your hair to grow beautiful and strong. To start with, it is essential to stop hair loss or hair fall. Being sensitive towards your hair and keeping it away from damage would help preventing hair loss. Use of chemicals frequently, dryers, exposure to direct heat of sun and pollution are few of the many reasons of hair fall. Never comb hair when it is still wet. It weakens the roots and also makes hair rough and cause split- ends. Changing shampoo once a while helps avoiding formation of layer over the hair.

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Another good practice includes oiling your hair and massaging scalp properly. Various kinds of essential oils have been used over centuries which not only contribute in the growth of long hair but also strengthen it and impart shine and luster. Nowadays, aroma therapists also use these oils for hair treatments. Some of the essential oils used are mentioned here. Coconut oil is the most ancient and useful kind of oil use for hair massage. Regular massage, on scalp, with coconut oil improves growth and prevents hair fall. Jojoba oil is also good for repairing damaged hair. Rosemary extract is good for promoting hair growth and best known for used in treatments for hair loss. It also has mild antiseptic properties. Olive oil is also considered very good for hair as it has vitamin- E that nourishes the hair follicle and hair shaft. Massaging your scalp gently with olive oil, before going to bed and shampoo hair the next morning is a good practice. It not only helps in increasing hair growth but also rejuvenates the scalp.

Peppermint oil, bay seed oil, grapefruit seed oil, lavender oil, chamomile essential oil and basil essential oil are some other essential oil known for their properties of hair growth and strengthening. Lavender oil has also been done some experiments regarding its effectiveness in hair re- growth. A group of volunteers was asked to massage their hair with lavender oil 3 times a week and similarly another group was asked to do it with almond oil. Results of increased hair growth were observed in the first group, massaging hair with lavender oil.  Lavender oil also has antibiotic properties and also strengthens your hair.

It is important to know that all essential oils are very strong and has heating effect so they should always be applied by diluting them with carrier oils. As it is your responsibility to be safe  and take precautions, it is good to take a patch test first. However rare are the chances, it is  still advised to consult a medical practitioner and aroma therapist as these essential oils may sometimes cause irritation and allergies.

Hair grows out of minute cells, deep inside various layers of your scalp, called follicles. Hair is made up of a type of protein called keratin. Your hair is also an indicator of the overall health of your body. Hair can be classified as three types i.e. dry hair, normal hair and oily hair. After repeated wash also, dry hair continues to look dull and low. It happens when the oil glands are unable to produce enough serum to provide shine and strength to your hair. Dry hair is more fragile and is prone to split- ends formation. Thus dry hair needs a lot of care and nourishment. Your hair becomes oily when the glands secrete more oil. Oily hair needs to be washed every alternate day as they appear just fine after a wash but tends to become oily within 1-2 days.

Most people suffer from the problem of dry hair because of insufficient quantity of water. Other factors contributing to dryness of hair are pollution, excessive use of chemicals and exposure to sun for a longer period of time. Hence you can start with avoiding the use of harmful chemicals on your hair and using dryers and other styling equipments frequently. Avoid direct effect of sun by wearing hats and scarf whenever you go out. Since atmospheric pollution is also a big factor and affects the texture of your hair, so it is important to take care of your hair whenever you wash it. Use products, shampoos and conditioners that contain humectants. Try leaving the conditioner applied to your hair for at least 5-7 minutes. This allows it to penetrate deep into the hair and bring results.

Massaging hair is also very important in the process of dry hair care. Massaging also needs to be done with great care. Massaging at night and leaving the hair to wash the next morning is a good practice. Hair spa treatment is also useful for dry hair. For this you does not need to go to high profile salons and waste your hard earn money when it can easily be done at home? For hair spa you need a good shampoo and conditioner suitable to your hair type, plastic wraps and oil. The very first step is to oil massage your hair properly for 10-15 minutes gently with finger tips. You can use essential oils like olive oil, rosemary oil, jojoba oil etc. Then take a cotton cloth or a towel, dip it in hot water, sweep excess water and wrap it around your hair. Repeat this 5-7 times and after that pack your hair within the plastic wrap for about 30 minutes. This allows the heat to open the pores of your scalp and helps the oil to penetrate deep inside to the follicles. You can repeat this treatment twice a week, for good results. So, no more reasons to worry about dry hair when you have these simple tips at hand to take best care of your hair.

India is a country that experiences all types of seasons like summer, winter, spring, rainy etc. and hence your hair is prone to all benefits and pitfalls of the fact. When you do not take care of your hair regularly, it becomes worse with the changes in the seasons. At times, we all go with similar routine and traditional treatments for all kinds of hair, all throughout the year, which is definitely not a good practice. Different seasons have different impact on your hair. In monsoon, hair becomes excessively moist due to high humidity in the atmosphere. In summer, hair tends to get rough and damaged due to exposure to harsh and direct sun. However, in this fast paced and extremely busy life one hardly get time to get a haircut in months so how will one manage hair according to different changing seasons. Here’s the solution. Let’s start with simple tips and home remedies to take care of your hair and related problems coming with different seasons.

Summer season is the toughest season for your hair to deal with. Excessive heat, continuous perspiration, atmospheric pollution, dirt and dust etc. all affect your hair very badly. It not only makes your hair rough and brittle also leads to pigmentation generation gradually resulting in graying of hair. Therefore, it is important to take proper care of your hair by not only external but internal means like adequate intake of vitamins and proper nutrition, balanced diet, lots of water, etc. as well. To start with, always apply a sunscreen conditioner to your hair before going out in the sun. You should always wear a scarf or a cap or hat to protect your hair from direct sunrays. Drinking a lot of water is very important as in summers you hair loose much water and can become dry. Avoid using heating equipments like dryers, straightened and rollers etc. You can also replace chemical shampoos for herbal shampoos and conditioners.

In winter seasons, there is less humidity in the atmosphere and thus you don not perspire much. This automatically prevents daily need for shampooing the hair. However, the cold breeze effects the hair in similar way as the scotching sun. Cold winter breeze also make your hair dry and rough. Massaging the hair properly, using essential oils like rosemary oil, olive oil jojoba oil etc is good for hair. Leave it overnight and wash off in the morning. Lastly comes the monsoon season. In this season, there is increase in the atmospheric humidity causing the hair oily and greasy. It looses its bounce giving a flat look. High levels of humidity cause excessive sweating, also leading to scalp problems like itching. Therefore, it is best to avoid use of chemicals and synthetic products for hair. Henna is perhaps a good natural conditioner and much helpful particularly in this season. You just need to take out little time out of your busy schedules to follow these simple suggestions to maintain the beauty of your gorgeous locks.