With Monsoon, Haircare becomes inseparable part of our daily routine. High humidity makes hair frizzy due to moisture absorption from the air. Rainwater, sweat and oil damage the scalp and hair making it dry and brittle. Fungal and bacterial proliferation occurs in the scalp due to damp and wet conditions which causes dandruff and other infections. Hair looks dull, lustreless and flat in the rainy season. Hairfall is an added challenge of this weather due to clogged hair follicles as the scalp tend to get more oilier and greasy. Excess washing and acidic rainwater can also fade colored hair faster. Thus a proper haircare routine is necessary to combat and fight with these problems for your ever shiny Mane.
- Wash your hair regularly- Keeping the scalp clean is the first thing needed during monsoons. Use a mild herbal shampoo to daily clean your scalp off dirt and grease. Make sure not to overwash, stripping hair’s natural oils.
A natural shampoo (for daily use)- Soak handful of each- dried Amla, dried Shikakai and dried Reetha (soapnut) overnight in a litre of water. Boil it the next morning until the mixture becomes slimy. Let it cool. Crush the reetha with hands to release the soapy ingredient, strain and use the liquid as a natural shampoo during the rainy season. - Apply oil as a conditioner- Make sure to skip the conditioner and use your preferred hair oil on the hair shaft as a conditioner. You can also use oil on the scalp but only on a cleaned scalp. Those suffering from hairfall try to infuse rosemary essential oil in your oil and those suffering from scalp infection use neem oil.
- Keep hair dry- Don’t let your hair and scalp get wet too often in monsoon. Pat dry your hair gently with a microfiber towel instead of rubbing vigorously. Air dryer must be avoided as it can lead to frizzy hair. After each hairwash let your hair dry in air naturally and don’t comb or tie the hair when wet because wet hair is at its weakest. For the outdoors, always use accessories like umbrella, caps and scarfs to protect your hair and scalp.
- Hair treatments- Incorporate a deep conditioning treatment or a moisturizing hair mask once a week to add strength and smoothness to your mane to prevent hairfall.
DIY deep conditioning treatment- Mix 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with 1 tablespoon of honey, 2 tablespoon of aloe vera, 2 tablespoon of yogurt and 1 tablespoon of your regular conditioner. After a hairwash, apply the mixture into the length of your mane and cover the hair with a warm towel for 20 mins. Finally rinse thoroughly.
Apart from all these haircare tips follow a nutritional diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Avoid fried, oily foods in monsoon as it aggravates hair and scalp problems. Have freshly prepared warm food. Add protein to your diet. Spinach, sweet potato, berries and nuts are some hair-friendly foods. Drink plenty of water. Avoid comb and towel sharing to stop fungal infections. Wash out rainwater immediately as rainwater acidity can create imbalance of scalp pH. Heat styling tools should be avoided.
Take care.
- Triparna
