Hair Care

One of the oldest remedies for balding is to use Southernwood ashes. You obtain the ashes by burning dried Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum). This must be done safely in a clean metal or stone container that you will not miss after the flames have marred it.

A simple recipe would be to combine 1 oz. Southernwood ashes in 1 cup Olive Oil and 1 oz. Essential Oil of Rosemary. This is an old European remedy. It is effective on the face and scalp, and was used by young boys to grow their beards.

If you are losing your hair and have an oily scalp, use Essential Oils of Lemongrass and Rosemary in Olive Oil and rinse with fresh squeezed lemon juice after shampooing. Always choose the cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil.

Another old recipe is 2 oz. each of Rosemary, Maidenhair Fern, Southernwood, Myrtleberries, and Hazel Bark burned to ashes and infused in white wine. Apply this to the roots every day.

Onion juice (white) applied to the scalp will promote growth and you could throw a few cabbage leaves into the juicer with the onions, too. Yes, you can drink a few sips if you want.

When you brush or comb your hair, apply a few drops of Essential Oil of Rosemary, Lavender, or Basil to the scalp and/or brush. You can also dip your brush into herb water made with any of the following herbs: Jaborandi, Lady's Smock, Nettle, Rosemary, or Southernwood.

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Herbal Hot Oil Treatment Recipe

This recipe is especially good for damaged hair. Use equal amounts of Olive Oil, Walnut Oil, and Peanut Oil. Heat them in a nonmetal container. You will need a total of about one ounce per treatment depending on the length of your hair, so while you are mixing, make up enough for a few more treatments. Add some Essential Oil of Rosemary, about 1/4 to 1/2 ounce to 4 to 6 ounces of oil. A few drops of these other essential oils could be added: Basil, Lavender, Nutmeg, or Oregano.

For a stronger solution, place some Rosemary, Parsley, and/or Lemongrass in a nonmetal pot. Pour the oils over the herbs and simmer until they are crisp but not burned. Then run this through a strainer to remove the herbs. Then add your choice of essential oil.

While you are waiting for the oils to heat, brush out your hair and wet it. Hopefully it's not full of hair spray. If so, shampoo first and towel dry. Then apply the warm oil to the scalp and work it through to the ends of your hair. Have a hot damp towel ready and wrap it around your head then cover with plastic, a clean kitchen garbage bag would do, and wrap another towel over that. Keep this warm the best way you can. If you have a hair dryer that fits over your head, set it on warm and stay under it for at least one hour. Shampoo twice with a good natural shampoo (preferably herbal) and rinse with very warm water, then cool water to contract the pores.

Avocado Repair Recipe

Blend one egg thoroughly in a blender. Add half an avocado and a tablespoon of natural mayonnaise or olive oil. Spread this delicious goo all over your scalp and work it in. Wrap with scarves or linen towels and leave it there for at least one hour. Shampoo and rinse.

While the pores of your scalp are open, before you rinse with cool water, it is always a good idea to rinse with herb water. The following are some of the herbs that would be good to use on damaged hair: Rosemary, Comfrey, Nettle, Cherry Bark, Kelp, Alfalfa, Southernwood, Lemongrass, Parsley, and Yarrow.

Shampoo Choices

Some shampoos on the market will make your hair look and feel great by coating the hair. This leaves you with a false feeling that your hair is benefiting from that brand of shampoo. The problem is that it's not just your hair that's getting coated, your scalp is also, leaving your pores clogged and unhealthy.

General Tips For All Types

Your body is a living, breathing, organism. Some of the "breathing" is done by the skin and that includes the scalp. If we were unable to take in oxygen through the nose or mouth, we wouldn't live very long. The same holds true for the scalp. Hair follicles cannot stay healthy without "breathing" either.

So how do we get our scalp "breathing" properly again? Well, I'm glad you asked. We open those little pores, clean them out, and get them healthy again, that's how. Let's get started.

How Often Should I Shampoo?

And, with what should I shampoo? There is so much to be said on this subject I am probably going to have to continue this next week. But, for now, let's discuss the general care of "normal" hair, if there is such a thing as "normal hair."

Is daily shampooing bad? No, in most cases, it is very good for hair and scalp depending on the type of shampoo being used. Most shampoos on the market are so abrasive and full of harmful chemicals, that they actually damage the hair and scalp. If you insist on using these products, daily shampooing might not be a good idea. Cut back to every other day, if possible, when using harsh shampoos and use a vinegar rinse occasionally to remove the build up of residue left by them.

Yes, I would recommend that you switch to a good herbal shampoo like the ones in our product line. Or, at least become familiar with the ingredients in the ones you are using especially if you are experiencing any problems such as dandruff, itchy scalp, psoriasis, eczema, damaged or overtreated hair, or hair loss. You might have to contact the manufacturer of your shampoo in order to get the full list of ingredients because, by law, they are not required to list all of them. I'd be ashamed to list some of them myself, if we used them, but we don't. We proudly list all of our ingredients.

Here's where we will have to continue next week. Let's get into more specific details on hair and scalp problems when we meet again next Monday. One more general tip before I go...

Proper Brushing Techniques

It is best not to brush your hair when it is wet and it's also best not to use a blow dryer to dry it. I know sometimes this is unreasonable. You have to be somewhere and you can't show up with wet hair. But, just keep in mind that wet hair can be damaged by brushing. That's when it is susceptible to developing split ends and breaking off. So be very gentle with it and use your blow dryer on the low temp whenever possible.

Using boar bristle brushes and wooden combs will help. Turn your head upside down to brush. Stand with your feet apart and bend over looking through your knees. This will get the blood circulating through the scalp and stimulate it. When your hair is dry, brush like this often. The old one hundred strokes is a good routine. It will improve any scalp or hair condition even balding or hair loss.

Keep your brushes and combs clean, too. For boar bristles, it is not good to wash them in hot soapy water. This will soften them and decrease their lifespan. To clean them, use a solution of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in cool water, after removing the hair, of course.

BTW, if you have a garden, scatter this hair around in it. This is good for the soil and the human scent of it will keep some pesky critters away. If you have a really bad pesky critter problem in your garden, you could ask your local barber to save some clippings for you.