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Curly Haircare: These 20 Foods Are Actually Good to Put in Your Natural Hair!
By Jacqueline Samaroo
Eating healthy, nutritious foods is great for your hair! What’s also amazing is that some of these same foods are great to put ON your hair as a part of your curly haircare routine. They help to nourish, condition, strengthen, and protect your hair from the outside.
Ever thought of making an oatmeal hair mask? How about letting your hair soak up some beer? Find out the benefits of doing just that and lots more. This article takes a look at twenty foods your natural hair will think are simply yummy!
For each of these hair foods, you are best advised to start with fully detangled hair. Solid foods should be made into a smooth paste and you should rinse your hair thoroughly even for those foods that dissolve completely, like brown sugar. Nobody wants to be walking around with flecks of oatmeal in their hair and you certainly don’t want ants thinking your hair is a sweet snack!
1. Oatmeal
Oatmeal improves hair elasticity, relieves dryness, and soothes itching. It also moisturizes and softens hair. You can make a hair mask using oatmeal paste and water, adding in oils if you wish.
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2. Carrots
Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, a very important nutrient for a healthy scalp. They are also a good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin K. You can use carrot juice as a leave-in spray. You can also use it to soak your hair before washing it out again. Carrot juice is also one of the ways you can color natural hair.
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3. Spinach
Spinach is rich in vitamin A, as well as in several B vitamins, especially folate (vitamin B9). It is also a good source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin K – a group of vitamins that stimulate hair growth and contribute to wound healing. You can make a hair mask of puréed spinach with oil of your choice mixed in.
Related articles:
- Selenium for Hair Growth – 4 Fantastic Benefits
- Top 8 FAQs About the Benefits of Folic Acid for Hair Growth
4. Pumpkin
Your hair can help you make use of seasonal fruits and veggies, like pumpkin. This fall staple contains vitamin A, potassium, and zinc for hair growth. Purée pumpkin to make a hair mask and take advantage of its benefits as an excellent moisturizer for dry hair. It also helps to make hair shinier.
Related articles:
- Enjoy The Benefits of Vitamin A for Hair with These 8 Easy Recipes
- 5 Amazing Benefits of Zinc for Hair Growth You NEED to Know!
5. Raw eggs
Eggs are a good food to put in your hair because they are so rich in protein – the building blocks of hair. You can whip eggs (with a little water, if you like) and apply to your hair. Let it sit for a few minutes then rinse – but NOT with hot water! It will cook the egg, making it extremely difficult to get out of your hair.
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6. Yogurt
This yummy and healthy treat is a super way to give your hair and scalp a very effective deep conditioning treatment. Its lactic acid helps to cleanse your scalp of buildup. Plus, yogurt has phosphorus and an appreciable amount of zinc to aid hair growth.
Related articles:
- 8 Delicious Recipes Featuring Foods with Zinc for Hair Growth!
- 7 Best Deep Conditioners for Black Hair
7. Coconut milk
We know – coconut oil gets all the hype. But, did you know coconut milk is also very beneficial as an ingredient in curly haircare? It has protein, fatty acids, manganese, and phosphorus which help to deep condition your strands and scalp. It will leave your strands stronger and minimize the occurrence of split ends. Simply apply coconut milk to your hair, let it soak for a few minutes, then rinse it out.
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8. Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise comes packed with protein, vitamins, and fatty acids that your hair can take advantage of. Apply it to your freshly-washed hair, let it sit for around 15 minutes, then rinse it out.
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9. Apple juice
An apple a day keeps the doctor away and using apple juice in your hair will help to keep your locks shiny and healthy. Find out all about the nutrition facts and health benefits of apples, then give your hair a conditioning spritz of beneficial apple juice! It will help to deter dandruff and relieve itchiness, too.
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10. Blackberries
Delicious blackberries are good sources of vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese for hair growth. They also have several other phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that act as antioxidants, helping to protect and repair cell damage caused by free radicals and other environmental stressors.
Related articles:
- 4 Amazing Benefits of Vitamin C for Hair Growth
- Want Vitamin C for Hair Growth? Get It with These 9 Delicious Recipes!
11. Ripe bananas
Using puréed bananas as a hair mask is an excellent way to nourish and strengthen your hair. They are one of the richest sources of silica, a mineral that helps your body make collagen. Collagen is one of the proteins needed for healthy scalp and hair tissue. Find out more about foods high in silica, here.
12. Avocado
Avocadoes have gained a much-deserved reputation as a holy grail natural haircare ingredient. Avocado oil is routinely added to many curly haircare products and you can also take advantage of avocado’s benefits by DIYing your very own avocado hair mask!
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13. Green Tea
Wonderfully theraputic green tea is great for your hair whether you drink it or use it as a hair rinse, like we describe here:
You can also use black tea as a rinse for your natural hair. Read about it, here:
14. Beer
No, your strands won’t get tipsy from a beer hair rinse! What they will get is a boost in thickness, thanks to the protein in beer, as well as how good it is at conditioning your strands. Say “Bye” to frizziness and split ends as the beer helps to seal your ends and smooth your cuticles.
The yeast in beer also makes it a good source of several vitamins and minerals, including biotin, selenium, and a few of the B vitamins.
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15. Champagne
Turns out beer isn’t the only kind of alcohol that can work wonders for natural hair. Read all about a champagne hair rinse in our popular article: 3 Really Awesome Hair Rinse DIY Ideas You Should Try!
Looking for more ways to give your hair the luxury treatment? Check this out!
16. Brown sugar
Nothin’ as sweet as brown sugar! This sweet treat makes an excellent exfoliant for your scalp, helping to remove dead cells and product build-up. So, while you will definitely want to watch your sugar intake, feel free to massage your way to a healthier scalp with a brown sugar scalp rub!
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17. Maple syrup
Here’s another sweet treat for your hair. Maple syrup has amazing humectant properties, helping to draw moisture into your strands. Dry, brittle hair will simply love being treated to a good dose of maple syrup – just be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly afterward!
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18. Raw honey
When it comes to humectants and drawing moisture into your strands, honey is one of the top contenders. It’s also rich in vitamins and antioxidants to help nourish and protect your hair and scalp. Honey can be added to many-a hair mask to boost their effectiveness.
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19. Corn starch
Hmm… bet you’re wondering how in the heck cornstarch could be good for your hair! Well, it made our list because it is actually a very good, natural dry shampoo you can use if your hair and scalp are overly greasy. Just be careful how you use it. Be sure to read this article first! Dry Shampoo for Curly Hair? Here Are 6 Amazing Must-Read Points
Also check out:
- Curly Hair Care Routine: 1 Simple DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe for Dark Hair
- The Best Dry Shampoo for Curly Hair – 10 Awesome Choices!
20. Apple cider vinegar and baking soda
If you just starting out on your natural haircare journey and still new to the world of natural haircare, then these two ingredients may seem like very unlikely candidates to add to your curly haircare routine. Read all about why apple cider vinegar and baking soda make excellent additions to your routine if you are looking to maintain a healthy scalp environment and boost hair growth.
Do you have suggestions for food you can put in your hair to promote healthy, strong hair growth? Share!
