Salon-smooth, plush bouncy mane is every woman’s dream, but unfortunately, for most of us, healthy frizz-free hair is just impossible to get. Additionally, owing to environmental factors like pollution, heat, dust, dirt, and chemical treatments, breakage, greying, hairfall becomes imminent. Besides leading a stress-free life and good sleep, healthy food options play a crucial role in maintaining hair health and keeping the scalp strong for having thick shiny hair. One of the essential nutrients that literally acts as food for the hair is ‘Keratin’.
So, What Exactly Is Keratin?
Keratin is a type of insoluble fibrous protein found naturally in hair strands, nails, wool, claws, and many more things. It primarily builds the outer layer of skin and hair. In the case of hair, keratin is the protein that chiefly works to give structure to the hair strands and makes them more manageable.
Also Read: Hair Spa: The 3-Step DIY Therapy To Rejuvenate Your Tresses Right At Home
What Is Keratin Treatment?
Keratin hair treatment is a superb hair treatment power-packed with proteins, amino acids and nutrients that mainly helps in repairing and rejuvenating damaged, dry, lifeless hair by replacing the protein that hairs have lost. It rebuilds the damaged areas, adds shine, and eliminates frizz making the hair more gorgeous and manageable. It is extremely beneficial for those who have hair that literally got damaged from chemical treatments, heat styling, hair colours and other damaging conditions. The main purpose of keratin treatment is to add moisture to the strands which in turn helps make them strong, soft, smooth, shiny, and free from flyaway. There is a myth that keratin treatment straightens the hair follicles, but the fact is that it makes the hair more soft, smooth and manageable and since at the end of the process, the hair is blow-dried to lock in the moisture, it looks a bit straightened.
Nowadays, each and every hair salon offers different types of keratin treatments but the cost of it, if done every alternate month can very well burn a hole through your pockets. But what if we tell you, you need not worry about costlier products or visit a parlour every now and then, just a handful of kitchen ingredients is what you need for that perfect frizz-free, healthy, glossy hair.
We bring you a 3 step easy-to-do keratin treatment using ingredients right from your kitchen counter to kickstart hair spa sessions sitting right at home.
DIY Step-By-Step Keratin Treatment At Home
Step 1: Oil Massage
Amla-Coconut Hair Oil
Ingredients:
Few neem leaves
½ cup sliced amla
50 ml of almond oil (cold-pressed)
50 ml of coconut oil (cold-pressed)
Method:
Sun dry neem leaves
Slice the amla into small pieces
Mix both the oil and boil it in a thick-bottomed container
Add the plant parts to the oil
Boil it for few minutes until it starts to fume
Allow the oil to cool
Strain it to remove the plant residue
Apply some of the oil onto your scalp and down to the full length of hair and massage it for 15 minutes
Store the rest of the oil in an air-tight container for future use
After massaging the hair, wrap a warm towel around the scalp and hair so that the oil seeps deep into the hair follicles and facilitates better absorption
How It Works:
The blend of coconut oil and almond oil is itself potent enough to improve hair growth and prevent loss of hair. Being rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, the addition of neem leaves and amla not only promotes blood circulation in the scalp but also facilitates new hair growth, prevents premature greying and strengthens the hair shafts from the roots.
Also Read: Top 10 Hair Oils For A Healthy And Lustrous Mane
Step 2: Shampooing The Hair
Sweet Almond-Lemon Oil Moisturising Shampoo
Ingredients:
1 cup of sweet almond oil
1 cup aloe vera gel
1 tbsp glycerine
1 tbsp lavender essential oil
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp lemon essential oil
½ cup liquid castile soap (omit this if you want a lather-free shampoo)
¼ cup distilled water
Method:
Take water in a thick bottomed flask
Stir the honey slowly in the warm water
Add the other ingredients without the soap and blend everything properly
Add the soap and mix a little bit to avoid foaming
Pour in a container with a pump
Take a dollop of shampoo to wash your hair properly
Store the remaining shampoo in the refrigerator for future use
How It Works:
This shampoo imbued with the goodness of essential oils is quite mild and extremely effective in maintaining the scalp ph. Thanks to the presence of sweet almond oil and aloe vera gel, it moisturizes the scalp and hair without making it oily and removes dirt and grime particles from within. The magical combination of essential oils not only shields the scalp from infections like lice, dandruff, etc but also adds an invigorating aroma to the tresses. Regular use of this shampoo smoothens the hair follicles and makes them soft.
After shampooing the hair, towel dry it but ensure it is moist so as to apply the keratin hair mask properly
Step 3: Application Of Keratin Mask
Banana-Avocado Hair Pack
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana (mashed)
1 avocado (scooped and mashed)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp almond oil
Method:
Blend the ingredients to get a smooth paste
Section the hair and apply the pack onto the scalp and hair using a hair brush.
Massage the pack slowly on to the scalp
Leave it on for 30 minutes
Rinse the hair properly till there is no residue left.
How It Works:
Bananas being rich in amino acids restores the protein damage in the scalp while avocado, containing vitamins provides nourishment to the hair and leaves it soft and shiny. The addition of honey and almond oil locks in the moisture and makes the hair smooth and thicker. Using this keratin pack once a week increases the keratin content of the hair and you are bestowed with gorgeous, soft and glistening locks in no time.
Point To Note: After rinsing the hair, do dry the hair using a blow dryer by properly parting it in sections. Keep the hair dry for 48 hours so that the keratin treatment gets more time to seep into your hair and work its magic. Ensure, you don’t tie your hair during this time so as to keep it frizz-free and give it a more naturally straight look.
