I got a request the other day to write a “how to” on hot oil treatments for your hair, and I thought while I was at it I might as well do a total hair care post!
Even if you already have healthy, long, thick hair it’s important to take proper care of what you already have so you don’t lose it! And if you’re trying to grow your hair out, this will help speed up the process. It’s especially important to give your mane a little extra TLC if you work outside a lot.
Once a week you should do a deep conditioning treatment. I use olive oil but you can also use shea butter, which is incredibly moisturizing. I generally stick with olive oil because I always have some in the kitchen!! The books will tell you to heat your olive oil, drizzle it through the ends of your hair then wrap your hair in a hot towel and let it set for a good 20 minutes. I don’t have the patience for that so I just keep a little plastic bottle of extra virgin olive oil in the shower and before I get my hair wet I pour it through my ends and let the heat and steam from the shower work its magic! Just make sure you shampoo your hair twice after one of these treatments or your head will feel very greasy for the rest of the day!
You should also do a rinse once a week to eliminate toxins and buildup you get in your hair from shampoo, conditioner, products and the environment. Once you’ve shampooed your hair rinse with apple cider vinegar. It leaves your hair feeling unbelievably shiny and soft feeling, almost like you’re in a Victoria’s Secret commercial. It does stink like a son-of –a-gun though, so make sure you keep your eyes and mouth shut until it’s all rinsed out! If you have a hot date lined up I would suggest NOT doing a rinse treatment unless you want to smell faintly of salad. Most men prefer bacon, just saying.
It’s healthier for your tresses if you use a natural bristle brush than something synthetic. You won’t have as much breakage and it helps promote stimulation in your scalp, which encourages hair growth!!
Adrian takes prenatal vitamins and she swears it makes her nails and hair grow faster and longer. Just make sure that if you live with your parents (or with a significant other), and you bring home a bottle of prenatal vitamins that you explain you’re taking them for hair growth, not baby growth.
If you’re like me and your hair is almost always in a braid or a bun, make sure you use elastics that don’t have the little metal clamps in them. Do they even make those any more? I’m not sure, but only use hair ties that are completely elastic.
You should get your hair trimmed every 6 weeks. I know some girls that don’t get their hair trimmed at all when they’re trying to grow their manes out long, but it only causes your split ends to get higher and higher, resulting in shorter hair! A couple years ago I wanted to speed up the process of growing my hair so I started getting my hair trimmed every 4 weeks. It actually worked, I’m not even kidding. Just make sure you have a hair-dresser who isn’t scissor happy. ONLY the split ends. ONLY.
And at the end of the day, all of this won’t count for squat if you’re not eating healthy, drinking a lot of water and exercising. You need meat and veggies and good for you fats to have healthy, shiny hair. All the hot oil treatments in the world won’t counteract a bad diet and no exercise.
If you have any special hair remedies, please share them with us below!
xo xo Liz
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