3 Moisturizing Hair Masks to Nourish & Stop Breakage

glam idol, Lovely Mali

by Minaz Aslam of HairBuddha.net

Natural hair care is all about listening to your hair’s need. If it’s dry, brittle and stiff, add more moisture. If it’s soft and mushy and over-elastic, add more protein. It’s that simple. Very often it’s the moisture that we lack. In healthy conditions, our hair has a moisture content of 10 to 12 per cent. Anything less will cause it to become stiff and brittle. And brittle hair equals more breakage.

The key to healthy and beautiful hair is to keep it well moisturized. Daily or frequent moisturizing will increase your hair’s elasticity and flexibility and therefore reduce breakage. Plus, hydrated hair feels soft to touch and appears shiny and lustrous.

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 It’s easy to buy moisturizing products from the market. But, the benefit of using homemade stuff is that you have more control over the ingredients and you can tailor make to your hair’s needs. And it’s fun to experiment, blend and try out. The homemade moisturizer recipes I am going to share with you are very easy to create and most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen.

Here are 3 lovely moisturizing hair masks to make your hair look & feel pretty:

1. Honey & Olive Oil Hair Treat
This is a superb hair treatment to add in tons of moisture into your hair. Both honey and olive oil are great humectants, meaning they attract and hold onto water molecules. Honey is a natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. So this mask will also help with dandruff and scalp irritation. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants, including vitamin E. It works great to improve the hair’s elasticity and is immensely rejuvenating and softening for dry, dehydrated scalp conditions. With so many benefits you are in for an awesome treat.

To prepare this mask you will need:

• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 2 tablespoon Olive oil
• 3 drops Peppermint essential oil (optional, or essential oil of your choice)

In a small bowl, stir all the ingredients together until well mixed. Apply the mixture to your hair and massage it into your scalp and hair. Put on a shower cap and leave the treatment on for about an hour. Then, wash your hair as usual. You may not need to condition your hair, see how it feels.
Note: Honey has a mild bleaching effect over time, and can lighten your hair color. If you don’t want to alter your hair’s color then substitute it for dark molasses.

2. Rhassoul Mud Moisturizing Mask
The rhassoul is a natural mineral clay mined in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It has been used by Moroccan women for centuries to care for their skin and hair. This lovely nutrient rich clay hydrates hair, improves elasticity, and makes hair super soft. It has an ability to removes toxin and impurities that can build up on the hair and scalp. The high silica content of the clay helps to sooth irritated scalp conditions like dandruff, decrease breakage and add shine and lustre to hair.

To prepare this mask you will need:

• 1/4 cup Rhassoul clay
• 1 tablespoon Olive or Avocado oil
• 60 to 70 ml Warm water
• 4 drops Lavender essential oil (optional or essential oil of your choice)

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly to make a runny paste (add more water if required). Apply in small sections, starting from the roots and working down to the ends. Cover with a plastic cap and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

For extra kicker use a herbal infusion instead of plain water. Make herbal infusion by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp of marshmallow root. Allow to steep for 15 minutes and strain. You can also use other hair nourishing herbs such as rosemary, elderflower, peppermint, marigold, burdock, and amla.

3. Avocado Dry Hair Conditioner
Avocado mask is excellent for those who want to moisturize as well as strengthen their hair – especially people with fine, brittle hair. The fats in the avocado – oleic acid and palmitic acid – are easily absorbed by the scalp and hair. Plus, these fats also coat your hair and form a protective barrier, reducing the moisture loss and keeping hair soft and flexible. The natural proteins in the avocado strengthen the hair shaft, and add body and shine to your hair. Avocados also contains vitamins A, D, E and phytosterols, all of which nourish your scalp skin and also help with itchy, irritated scalp. With the goodness of fats, vitamins and protein, avocados are nature’s hair balancing formula.

To prepare this mask you will need:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional, for extra conditioning)

Blend all the ingredients into a smooth & creamy paste. Apply this mixture to your scalp and hair, make sure all areas are covered. Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on for 1 hour. Wash the hair with one of the natural hair cleanser and let your hair dry naturally.

Seal the Moisture
If your hair is highly porous it will lose moisture more rapidly, leaving your hair dry again. To keep the moisture from escaping too quickly, do not forget to seal the moisture inside the strands. Plant oils and butters make wonderful sealants. You can choose oils such as olive, sweet almond, sesame, avocado, castor Or butters such as shea, cocao (preferably whipped with some oil), babassu and murumuru. Take a pea size amount of butter (or 2 to 3 drops of oil) in the palm of your hand, rub your hands together, then work it through your hair, paying attention to the ends.