From the Pantry to Your Hair
By Sydney Hill
I have heard of rumors about foods that help you style your hair, such as egg whites making it curly, and avocado conditioning it. Those couldn't be the only two foods in the entire world that affect the hair, so curiosity got the better of me, and I went searching. Here are the cool tricks that I found. My favorite idea is the hairspray. Feel free to leave comments if you know of more. Share what we know!
I've also recently been losing a lot of hair for some reason, so I wanted to look into what vitamins help with that (see bottom of article)
Egg Whites: Helps with oily hair (while egg yolks condition). Eggs shine, give body, and restore hair follicles. I didn't find anything with it curling, though. Cheap solution, but beware of salmonella. Wash your hands well and don't let it touch your facial features.
Directions: Rub half a cup of egg whites through hair, leave on for twenty minutes, then wash in cool water (or you'll have cooked egg running throughout your hair!)
Avocados: Rumors true; conditions the hair. My only worry is that I might eat it before it gets to my hair! I love avocado!
Directions: Rub the avocado through hair. Let sit and rinse.
Lemon: Shines hair and supposedly helps to prevent dandruff. That sounds amazing! I hope it's true! Lemon juice can also lighten hair (if it's light brown or blonde).
Directions: Juice a lemon and add it to a cup of water. Run it through your hair once you're done washing it. If you're wanting to lighten your hair, spray lemon juice evenly and go see some sun!
Vinegar: This apparently also helps with shine and dandruff. (Vinegar is so lovely and versatile, isn't it? From baking, to cleaning, to hair, to elementary science fairs, vinegar is there.)
Directions: 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with 1 cup water. Also apply after washing hair.
Plain yogurt: Helps with shine, dandruff, as well as a bounce to your hair.
Directions: Run through hair 20 minutes before you wash it.
Mayonnaise: Softens and shines (whoa, it seems everything shines!) Can also dissolve gum in hair.
Directions: Lightly apply to hair. Leave in for 30 minutes before washing (or overnight in a shower cap).
Tomatoes: Removes smells and helps restore natural color
Directions: Grab any form of tomato (paste, soup, sauce, juice) and work through hair. Sit and rinse.
Orange: (or lemon if hair is not too dry) A homemade, cheap hairspray! (I bet it smells, great, too)
Directions: Quarter the fruit, then place in 2 cups of water and boil. Boil until half of the water is gone. Once cooled, strain the liquid into a spray bottle. Refrigerate. If you add rubbing alcohol (1 oz.) it can be used for two weeks unrefrigerated. Add more water if you want a more flexible hairspray.
Tip: rinsing with cold water helps the conditioner from escaping and helps shine.
Many sites had recipes for a mixture of different ingredients, such as mayo and avocado/ lemons and egg white/ rose petals, honey, bananas, coconut oil/ avocado, egg yolk, olive oil/etc. There were usually extra steps, such as heating your hair in a plastic cap, or wrapping a warm towel around your head.
I thought some of those were so interesting! I might have to give them a try. I like the hairspray idea.
Vitamins for Hair:
Biotin: helps thinning and splitting
Eat bananas, beans, cauliflower, eggs, lentils, peanuts, salmon
Omega3 fatty acids: helps hair shine
Eat eggs, flaxseed, fish oil, mackerel, salmon, sardines, spinach, tuna, walnuts
Protein: builds hair
Eat chicken, eggs, lean red meats, lowfat dairy, nuts, seafood, soybeans, whole grains
Vitamin A: helps condition
Eat apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, cheddar cheese, egg yolks, mangoes, oatmeal, spinach, sweet potatoes
Zinc: helps make proteins
Eat cashews, green beans, lean beef, lobster, oysters, soybeans
References:
https://www.satrupa-foodforthought.blogspot.com/2010/05/easy-tips-for-silky-shiny-hair
https://www.womansday.com/style-beauty/beauty-tips-products/what-to-eat-for-healthy-hair-nails-116095
https://www.food.com/recipe/mayo-and-avocado-deep-conditioning-hair-treatment-52110
https://www.divavillage.com/article.php?id=24670
https://www.makeuptalk.com/t/5009/hair-tips-homemade-treatments
https://www.desitwist.com/skin-hair-body-care/homemade-hair-cair-tips-24284.html
https://www.kidzworld.com/article/3939-homemade-hair-and-beauty-products
https://www.livestrong.com/article/221500-egg-white-hair-treatment/
Eggs:
https://images.bimedia.net/images/eggs.jpg
Avocado:
https://www.eziestbeauty.com/siteimages/Avocado-hair-treatment.jpg
Lemon:
https://talesfromtheundergardnerslodge.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/fresh_yellow_lemon_3228.jpg
Vinegar:
https://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/files/2011/11/white_vinegar-300x300.jpg
Plain yogurt:
https://yogurt-nutrition.findthebest.com/sites/default/files/686/media/images/Dannon_All_Natural_Plain.jpg
Mayonnaise:
https://dawnviola.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/mayo1sm.jpg
Tomato:
https://mamaguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/5-May-and-tomato-0141.jpg
Lemon Hairspray:
https://limoneira-4ec70e40.s3.amazonaws.com/Images/Cleaning/lemoncleaner.png
Vitamins and Hair
https://www.iamrochelle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/hair-vitamins1.jpg
