Lifestyle

Hair Smoothening At Home: Things That I’ve Tried And What Worked

Hair Smoothening At Home

I may or may not have been interested in hair smoothening at home after watching Jennifer Aniston’s silky hair from Friends. It’s a cool thing to try to recreate that, but without a hair team behind me, there’s a couple of follicle mountains I’ve had to climb. But then again, when you can find DIY, cheap solutions (and tips from the internet) that work, it teaches you to love the easy life without appointments and a cheque book. The tips have certainly come in handy during the 2020 pandemic we are stuck in. If I could cut hair, I would be unstoppable as my own personal stylist. But if you think about it, would you rather be bouncing from hair mask to hair mask or shifting from haircut to haircut? Here are some of the best tips for hair smoothening at home:

Hair Smoothening At Home: Tips, Tricks, Mistakes, and Masks

Get Smooth Hair with Aloe Vera For Hair Smoothening At Home:

I have so many aloe vera plants all over my house. But sadly, there can be such a thing as aloe vera that isn’t ideal for hair. Basically, if you buy an aloe vera plant take it with a pinch of salt as there can be breeds that can cause itching and irritation (I find it especially on the back of my head and neck). So, if you can find the right plant then you’re all good to go! 

Aloe vera works as a great hair conditioner, thanks to its amazing moisturizing properties. Rich in vitamins, minerals and other various nutrients, aloe vera provides a boost of nourishment to the hair follicles and leads to healthy, shiny and smooth hair. When used on hair, aloe vera adds a sheen and luster to the hair strands as it has a similar chemical composition to keratin, which is the primary protein in our hair cells. The best thing about using aloe vera on hair is that it can penetrate the hair shaft and hair follicles effectively, repair the damage from within and make the hair shine in health. 

  • Take half a cup of fresh aloe vera gel and add three tbsp yogurt and two tbsp of coconut oil to that. Blend together and apply the mixture all over the hair from roots to the tips. Wash off with a mild shampoo and repeat at least twice in a week.
  • Cut an aloe vera leaf and extract the gel from inside. Store it in a clean, dry container and add some water to that to prepare a runny paste. Dampen your hair and apply the mask all over the hair starting from the roots till the ends. Keep it on for 30-40 minutes and wash it off with a mild shampoo. Repeat once or twice in a week.

Get Smooth Hair with Eggs For Hair Smoothening At Home:

Eggs work great for hair smoothening at home as they are rich in protein, helps to strengthen the hair follicles and also prevents breakage due to dryness of hair. Egg yolk contains vitamin A, which promotes sebum production in the scalp and keeps the hair as well as the scalp moisturized. 

But personally, I do not like the smell of egg yolks in my DIY hair mask, so I prefer to go with just eggs whites (see first mask option)

If you don’t mind the yolks then know that they also contain healthy fatty acids that moisturize and rehydrate the dry and dehydrated hair, close the open cuticles and thus help to smoothen out rough hair. The B vitamins and vitamin E present in egg yolk boosts blood circulation in the scalp. This way, it ensures better oxygen supply to the hair follicles which in turn rejuvenates dry and dull hair. Furthermore, egg yolks are rich in lutein, which can maintain the natural elasticity of the hair, treat brittle hair, split ends as well as prevent hair breakage due to dryness.

  • Separate one egg white and whisk it in a bowl. Add a tbsp each of olive oil and honey. Mix together and make a smooth paste. Apply it all over the hair from the roots to the tips. Wait for 30-40 minutes before washing off with a mild shampoo. Repeat once in a week.
  • Whisk one egg in a bowl. Add 3-4 tbsp of almond oil and a half cup of yogurt. Combine everything to get a smooth mixture. Apply the mask all over the hair, covering the roots till the ends. Allow the mask to sit for 30-40 minutes. Wash off with a mild shampoo. Do this once in a week.
  • Combine together one whisked egg, four tbsp milk and three tbsp honey and one mashed ripe banana in the mixture. Give it a final mix. Apply this hair mask on your hair and wait for 30-40 minutes before rinsing off with a mild shampoo. Repeat twice in a week.

Get Smooth Hair with Banana For Hair Smoothening At Home:

A great ingredient  used for hair smoothening at home is Bananas! As a rich source of potassium, vitamins, calcium, Vitamin A as well as natural oils that work together to make our hair smooth and soft. Banana also boosts sebum production in the scalp and helps to moisturize the scalp and hair strands naturally making them smoother and shinier.

The potassium present in bananas can repair dry and dull hair effectively. Furthermore, the antioxidants properties of bananas also help to maintain healthy and smooth hair.

  • Mash one banana in a blender and then add 2-3 tbsp olive oil to it. Mix together and prepare a smooth paste. Apply the mask all over the hair covering the roots to the tips and wait for 30-40 minutes. Finally use a mild shampoo to remove it all. Repeat this once or twice in a week.
  • Add 2-3 tbsp plain, fresh yogurt to one mashed ripe banana. Mix both the ingredients and apply the mixture all over the hair. Keep the mask on for 40-45 minutes and rinse off with a mild shampoo. Reapply once every week.
  • Blend a combination of banana, almond oil and honey for hair smoothening at home. Mash one banana in a blender and add 2-3 tbsp almond oil and two tsp honey to it. Mix together. Apply the hair mask from roots to the tips. Let the mask sit for 30-40 minutes and wash with shampoo. Repeat once in a week.

Get Smooth Hair with Avocado For Hair Smoothening At Home:

Avocado

Correct me if I am wrong, but lush hair queen Jennifer Aniston was the first to popularize the Avocado hair mask. This fruit is the storehouse of monounsaturated fatty acids and natural oils in avocado help to prevent moisture loss from hair strands by forming a protective layer over them and seal the open cuticles. This way, hair appears smoother and shinier. 

Avocado is high in Vitamin A which induces sebum production in the scalp and prevents hair from getting dry and dehydrated. The antioxidants present in avocado restore health and shine to the hair and make them smoother and easier to manage.

Avocado also contains iron, vitamin E as well as B7 which are known for repairing your dry scalp and damaged hair naturally. 

  • Take one ripe avocado, cut it in half and remove the seed. Scoop out the flesh and mash it nicely so that there are no lumps in it. Now dampen your hair with cool water and apply the mashed avocado all over the hair starting from the roots to the tips. Let it sit on the hair for an hour. Wash off with a mild shampoo and use a conditioner as well. Repeat twice or thrice in a week.
  • Alternatively, prepare an avocado-yogurt hair mask by combining two tbsp fresh yogurt to one mashed avocado. Smear the mixture all over the hair from roots to the tips and wait for 30-40 minutes. Wash it off with a mild shampoo. Repeat once in a week.
  • Add one tbsp honey and two tbsp olive oil to some mashed avocado, mix together and prepare a lump free paste. Use the mask to cover each of your hair strands from roots to the tips. Let the mask sit for 40 minutes to an hour and then wash off. Follow the entire process at least once in a week.
  • Mix together half of a mashed ripe avocado and an egg yolk. Apply the mixture from roots till the ends. Keep it on for 30-40 minutes and wash off with cold water and a mild shampoo. Repeat twice in a week.

Hot Oil Massage Treatment For Hair Smoothening At Home:

Hot oil massages are a great method of hair smoothening at home. It’s an age old recipe that people have heated and massaged from generation to generation. Shifting between coconut oil to European/Mediterraneanolive oil, to caster oil, oil massages have worked globally! 

Oils help in preventing moisture loss, and thus, doesn’t allow hair to become dry and dehydrated. It also improves blood circulation in the scalp, which further strengthens the hair roots and promotes healthy hair growth.

Coconut oil is great for hair follicles better than other oils and can nourish the scalp and strengthen hair follicles to prevent dryness and dullness of the hair. It is rich in antioxidants and other nutrients, including vitamin E, vitamin K and iron as well as it has anti fungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits. Regular application of coconut oil is extremely beneficial to treat dry and brittle hair and achieve smooth, healthy and shiny hair!  

Castor oil helps in rejuvenating dull, dry and damaged hair and makes it smooth, soft and shiny. It can boost blood circulation to the hair follicles which in turn, provides nourishment and strength to the hair follicles. Furthermore, castor oil is a natural humectant, which absorbs moisture from the environment and locks it in the hair strands. This way it prevents moisture loss and protects hair from getting dry, frizzy and dull and helps in hair smoothening.

I for one enjoy sleeping with oil in my hair overnight and I don’t have oily skin so I can easily handle it. Here’s an easy mask for anyone to follow. 

  • Combine together one tbsp each of castor oil/olive oil and coconut oil. Heat the oil blend for a couple of seconds by placing in a microwave. When it feels warm to touch, apply it all over the hair from roots to the tips. Also massage the oil on the scalp. Let it sit for 30 minutes (or overnight like me) and then wash off. Do this twice in a week.

Mistakes When It Comes To Hair Smoothening At Home:

1. Shampooing errors:

When shampooing, the tendency is to shampoo frequently and this can cause dry hair. It’s especially bad for people with curly hair. 

For people with naturally straight hair, oil from the scalp can go from roots to ends very quickly because gravity will pull it down. But when it comes to curly hair, the oil has to travel around the coiled shaft, so the oil doesn’t get there as quickly. Basically, this means that people with curly hair don’t need to shampoo their hair as often. And, when it is time to wash, consider swapping out your shampoo with a cleansing conditioner to keep from stripping your hair of its necessary natural oils.

2. Using a towel to dry your hair instead of using a t-shirt: 

The number one key to having smooth hair is to not rub it! 

Rubbing a towel back and forth against your hair creates friction, which fluffs up the cuticle. And when the cuticles are fluffed up, they catch on one another, cause knots and breakage, and result in frizz. 

When it comes to tangled hair, it’s usually because the cuticle is open. If the cuticle is tighter, the more resistant it is to opening, and the smoother the hair is overall 

So, replace your friction-causing towel for a smoother cotton T-shirt. So rather than rubbing your head up and down in a towel, choose to wrap the ends in the shirt and squeeze all the water out, working it down to the ends.

3. Sleeping on cotton pillows instead of sleeping on silk pillowcases:

If you’re currently using a cotton pillowcase, that very well might be the cause of your frizzy or tangled hair. Cotton absorbs all the moisture from your strands, while silk or satin maintains the oils necessary for silky hair.

4. Forgetting to add healthy fats into your diet:

How can you have beautiful, shiny, reflective oils in your hair if you don’t have any oils in your diet? That’s why eating healthy fats, like nuts, eggs, avocados, and fish are important to help keep your lipids higher. Even an Omega-3 supplement is great for that.

Don’t forget the importance of hydration and drinking lots of water each and every day. If your skin is dry, your hair will be too so if your interior body is dry, there won’t be any water to feed your cells. It’s all about being hydrated and having a balanced lipid diet.

5. Combing mistakes: 

Most people comb their hair a bit harshly and not being delicate enough can prevent your hair from looking its best.

When you comb away at wet hair and hear that detangling noise that you’re used to hearing, it’s the sound of your hair ripping. Instead of smoothing the cuticle, harsh combing is causing damage to the outside layer.

A gentler way to detangle hair is to use a brush designed for use on wet hair, and only using a comb when your hair is dry. Work through the knots and tangles by starting at the ends before moving to the middle and roots, rather than working from roots to ends, which could worsen the problem.

Tips To Maintain Your Smoothened Hair

  • Use a shampoo that does not contain sulfates and parabens.
  • When shopping for your hair, search the label for an ingredient called hydrolyzed keratin, which hair gods say is the best ingredient for achieving silky hair. Keratin (a structural protein) is necessary for restoring strength in damaged hair and hydrolyzed means it’s in a smaller liquid form so it can penetrate and work on the interior of the hair. 
  • Avoid tight ponytails as it may give stress to your hair strands.
  • Massage your scalp and hair regularly with Ayurvedic oils as it keeps your hair nourished and restores its natural keratin.
  • Avoid excessive heat styling, as it may damage your hair stands to cause extreme dehydration.
  • Try to use cold water during your hair wash as it helps you reduce frizziness in hair.
  • Always pat-dry your hair or leave it for air drying.
  • Over combing and brushing may cause too much friction leading to frizzy hair. Restrict combing to once or twice in a day using a wide-toothed wooden comb. Also, never comb or brush your hair when it is wet.
  • Ensure your sleeping position does not add pressure to your hair roots or make it crinkled. The best way is to spread your hair evenly over a satin pillow when you lie on your back. 
  • If you are doing chemical hair smoothening such as Keratin treatment, make sure you go for it not more than 3 times in a year. Treating your hair with chemicals excessively may make it brittle and more susceptible to breakage.

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