Tips for Healthy Hair

I’ve struggled to care for my hair properly for a long time now.  While I was pregnant, it got a bit easier and now I think I may have figured out what works for me!

Hair looks great during pregnancy

While I was pregnant, my hair grew so well!   I used to leave the bathroom floor littered with strands of hair after my shower.  However, that all stopped while I was pregnant.  My hair got thicker and was looking great.

I got in the habit of applying a hair mask at least once a week and washing my hair backwards.  All of that lead to me having the best hair I had ever had!  Woo hoo!

Post-Pregnancy Hair

As soon as my son was born, I adopted a new hair style.  It was a top knot secured with a butterfly clip. I admit, it’s not the most elegant look, but it keeps it out of my face and away from my son’s grabbing hands.  I can put it up whether it’s wet or dry and it’s a passable look. Did I mention that it’s quick too?

About 10 weeks after my son was born, my hair started to drop again.  I had expected it, so I wasn’t too distressed.  Fortunately, it wasn’t more than usual, so I felt like my hair was just getting back to normal.

I completely stopped applying my hair masks after my son was born.  I just kept forgetting to think ahead and prepare one!  I also stopped blow drying my hair completely.  When I’ve had some down time, blow drying my hair simply has not been the first thing on my mind!

Healthy Hair

A few days ago, I decided it was time to put some attention on my precious locks.  I applied a simple hair mask of coconut oil to my hair about 30 minutes before washing.  I also decided to blow dry my hair, just for the fun of it.  I thought it would be nice to have a different style, even if it was just for one day.

Who knew that it would take three times as long to dry my hair?!  Seriously…it used to take me 10 minutes at the most.  I must have worked on my hair for at least half an hour.

So, why is that?  Well, I can only come to one conclusion.  After not blow drying my hair for several months, my hair is far less dry than it used to be.  So, instead of drying out on its own, it took a lot of work to get those locks looking sleek!

Alia’s Tips for Healthy Hair

Here are my tips for healthy hair.  Keep in mind, these are all based on my own experience only.  I am certainly not trained in this field and I’m no expert by any stretch of the imagination.  Rather, these are the things that have worked for me.

Carrot Banana Hair Mask

– Apply a hair mask to your hair every so often.  I try  to do it weekly, but as you can see from above, it doesn’t always work out.  You don’t have to use coconut oil on your hair.  There are lots of different recipes out there.

– Wash your hair backwards. I have been doing this for months and I love the way my hair turns out.

– Minimize the amount of blow drying and curling/straightening that you do to your hair.  If you can, let it air dry.

– Brush your hair before you go to bed.  This helps spread the natural oils throughout your hair.

– Don’t wash you hair every day.  Rather, wash it every other day or even less often.  I tend to wash mine twice a week, though since my son arrived, I’ve kind of lost track of the days!

What are your secrets for keeping your hair shiny and healthy?

The Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil has become a staple in my daily routine, both for cooking and for my homemade skin care products.

Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has a high percentage of lauric acid.  According to Organic Facts.net,

The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. It helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Coconut Oil has been touted as being helpful when dealing with diabetes, weight loss, bone and dental health, high blood pressure, and heart diseases.

Is it really a saturated fat?

Yes, coconut oil is a saturated fat!  And, contrary to what we’ve been told for years, it can be good for you.  The saturated fat in coconut oil is natural and is responsible, in part, for many of the health benefits listed above.

There are lots of blog posts on the benefits of coconut oil.  Here a few that I’ve managed to see in recent weeks.

Biosil, Baums Natural Foods, Pounds and Prints

Uses for Coconut Oil

I use coconut oil primarily when I’m cooking.  It’s great for pan-frying and roasting as it can take high heat levels, without turning rancid.  I also love the aroma of coconut in my kitchen as soon as I start heating the oil.  Depending on what I’m cooking, I can detect a sweet coconut flavour in my food when I cook with coconut oil.

I also use coconut oil in many of my homemade skin care products, including my liquid soap, soaps, and lotion.  This oil is nourishing and adds a lot of moisture to each of these products.  It’s also great to add to a moisturizing face mask.

Most recently, I started using coconut oil as a hair mask.  When I’m in a rush and don’t have time to prepare something more elaborate, coconut oil is a great stand-by product.  Even with my thick hair, I don’t have to use a lot of coconut oil to give my scalp some deep moisturization.

If nothing else, coconut oil makes a great moisturizer for your skin.  It can be used on its own to help hydrate your skin.    Coconut oil is safe enough to use on baby’s skin too.   If you do this, use it sparingly.  A little goes a long way!

 

Are you using coconut oil in your daily routine?  If yes, how do you use it?