Swimming pools, sunlight, heat, humidity and air conditioning are a big part of summer for most people. When it comes to your hair opens in a new tab, these factors – along with any coloring or heat styling you might be doing – can wreak havoc and cause dryness and damage.
Heavy conditioners and serums temporarily tame the problem, but can actually end up weighing strands down, leaving behind a dull layer of film.
To help your hair recover, I’ve developed a “Hair Dressing” recipe great for feeding your tresses and your body with natural ingredients right from the kitchen. This multi-tasking beauty potion works as a topical treatment to detox hair from chlorine, soothe the scalp, strip away product build-up, restore shine and condition.
I’m a big believer that the same ingredients that work topically to beautify us are also beneficial when eaten. So while you’ve got all these delicious fixings out to make the “Hair Dressing”, you can whip up the “Hair Repair Salad” - a yummy, vitamin-packed dish to support healthy hair growth from the inside out.
Making the “Hair Dressing”
Ingredients:
1 cup water
4 sprigs of rosemary
5-8 drops of rosemary essential oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 egg yolk
1/4 of a lemon (optional; lemon can lighten hair if exposed to sunlight while mixture is on hair)
1) Bring the water to a boil. Add in 4 sprigs of rosemary and lower heat to simmer in a covered pot for 45 minutes.
2) Strain into a non-breakable mixing bowl let cool to a warm – not hot – temperature.
3) Once the rosemary-infused water is warm, whisk in remaining ingredients slowly and thoroughly.
Note: mixture will have a liquid consistency, so it’s best to head to the shower for application.
4) Apply mixture to dry hair and scalp, coating thoroughly either by pouring it directly on the hair from the roots or by dunking the strands into the bowl and working it upward with your hands.
5) Wrap hair into a bun and cover with plastic wrap to help contain the treatment and help it to penetrate the hair shaft.
6) Allow 30 minutes of “marinating” time and follow with shampoo.
Don’t worry, once your hair dries you won’t smell like a salad, but after weekly applications you’ll probably look good enough to eat!
Recommendations:
Wash and rinse with the coldest water you can stand to lock in shine and moisture and to keep the egg from cooking in your hair.
Avoid shampoos with harsh ingredients that strip the hair of moisture. All that hard work to hydrate would literally just go down the drain!
Too greasy? If you end up with hair that looks a bit too oily after it dries, try a bit of cornstarch to soak up the oil. Just apply the powder with fingertips directly to your scalp. Then rub or comb through until the powder disappears. Bonus: your hair will have a sexy, tousled, beachy look.
Too dry? Those with very curly, coarse and/or dry hair may need more moisture. Dip your fingers into some coconut oil and work it into the strands of your hair – starting from the bottom, moving up, and avoiding the roots.
Making the “Hair Repair Salad”
For the Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons avocado oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of red pepper
Combine all the ingredients, plus the leaves of 1 sprig of rosemary in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Transfer to a bottle and place the remaining 2 rosemary sprigs inside for decoration and flavor.
For the Salad
Chop up 3 medium sized tomatoes and 2 avocados into large chunks. Arrange on a plate and drizzle (or douse) with the salad dressing. Serves 2.
Key beneficial ingredients for the “Hair Dressing” & “Hair Repair Salad”:
Rosemary balance oily scalps and add shine while conditioning.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) balances pH levels. It can help soothe your scalp.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is filled with monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E to add moisture and strength.
Lemon is naturally acidic and helps to detoxify our bodies from the inside, while the juice protects hair from product buildup and chlorine.
Egg Yolks are rich in protein, vitamins A & D, and fatty acids helping condition, add shine, repair and protect.
Tomatoes are filled with carotenoids, including lycopene, to help fend off free radicals.
Avocados contain a powerful combination of nutrients to support and protect healthy hair.
Enjoy wearing – and eating – these great ingredients! How do you keep your locks in top shape over the summer? Share with me in the comments below.
Want more tips for naturally beautiful haircare? We've got 'em opens in a new tab.
Photos by Evi Abeler.
