This post is definitely not food related, but I have been asked a lot of questions about the homemade hair mask I have been using for hair fallout/growth, so I figured it was time to share. A little bit of a backstory as to why I love/need this hair mask, I suffer from Hypothyroidism (for the last 10 years or so) which many of you might know can lead to your hair thinning and lots of shedding. It seemed like I was losing more hair every day. Then 6 years ago I had to have both my ovaries removed and that sent me into medically induced Menopause (I had to have a partial hysterectomy when I turned 30). Once my ovaries were gone, I went on a low dose of hormones to help combat my Menopause symptoms (sooooo not fun) but unfortunately one of the side effects of the hormones is hair loss (cue the crying in the shower). While my husband assured me that I wasn't going bald (thankfully my hair sheds evenly) I knew that something needed to be done about it. Fast forward a few years of trying different shampoos and products that were said to help with hair loss (most had ingredients that I can't use) so I was l limited on what I could try, needless to say none of them did the trick. Then one day at my local CVS I spotted a bottle organic Castor oil that said it was for hair, lashes, and brows. I picked it up and decided to do some more research into it.
What I found was that castor oil is extremely hydrating with lots of fatty acids for your hair to help nourish it. I first tried it as the directions said to on the bottle (warming it in my hands to spread easier into my hair did not work for me) that's when I knew there had to be another way to use this to help my hair fallout. Then I stumbled upon an article (I read a lot) that talked about how Rosemary is really good for your hair, it has anti-inflammatory properties, promotes nerve growth, and helps to improve circulation. All of the things that effect hair growth. In another article I read that Rosemary mixed with Olive Oil (I know, it's starting to sound like a salad dressing) has lots of benefits for hair growth. Olive oil can help reduce damage and breakage, improve shine & softness, can help with lessening dandruff and split ends, not to mention make your hair shaft stronger. Needless to say, I wanted to mix all of these together for one beneficial hair treatment. Pair all these together with a few drops of peppermint oil to help increase circulation (not to mention smell good) and to have that light tingly sensation to your scalp. I already knew that Rosemary & Mint smelled great together because I have been using a Rosemary & Mint shampoo and conditioner from Suave Naturals that I absolutely adore for a least a year. On the note of shampoo and conditioner, I wash my hair backwards (I've been doing this for years), I condition first then do my shampoo last. I find that my second day hair (all you ladies know what I'm talking about) was less oily and frizzy than when I do shampoo first and conditioner last. Now, on that note on the days when I do the hair mask, I shampoo first, then light conditioner at the end (It hasn't had an effect on my 2nd day hair).
Some of you might be asking yourself if it will work on color treated hair. Well, I can only attest for darker colored treated hair (I currently have red dyed hair, but before it was dark brown) and it actually made my hair really shinny and healthy looking, and I found it seemed to make my hair color last longer. On that note, I'm not sure it the mask will have an effect on lighter colored treated hair, so proceed with caution. Below you'll find the recipe for the exact hair mask I use twice a week on my hair. You can add in other ingredients like coconut oil, or aloe vera (which I tried the aloe vera in it and I found the mixture went "bad" faster and didn't spread through the hair that easy). Both are great for your hair, same with fenugreek (I have also tried it with fenugreek in it, but I didn't like the smell of it). You can really tailor this recipe to meet your hair needs. It took about two weeks for me to really see the difference, but the softness & shine was there immediately.
Kim's DIY Hair Mask:
1/2 c. Olive oil
small handful of fresh Rosemary springs
3/4 c. organic castor oil
3-4 drops pf peppermint oil
In a small sauce pot on low heat olive oil with rosemary springs till you just start to smell the rosemary. Turn off once fragrant and let sit until completely cool. You don't want the heat too high, as you'll end up frying the rosemary and it will smell bitter. Once cooled, take out the rosemary springs and discard. Pour the rosemary oil into a plastic squeeze bottle, add in the remaining ingredients. Shake to combine. Before applying the mask, warm in a bowl or measuring cup with warm water (this will help it go through your hair easier). Coat your hair thoroughly, from root to tip, cover with a shower cap and let sit for an hour. Rinse with warm/hot water then shampoo out the rest of the mask. I usually shampoo 2-3 times to get it all out. Light conditioner after. Style as usual once hair is just damp after showering. I do this twice a week.
