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Hair Repair Recipes

By Kitty Magoo, CP Advice Columnist

Dear Kitty,
I spent my summer in the pool, and now my hair is fried. How can I repair it naturally?

Signed,
Crispy in Crivitz

Dear Crispy,
I, too, have suffered the hair-raising effects of too much fun in the sun and ended up with a brittle bird’s nest on my head. Luckily, taming your mane requires little more than a trip to the kitchen when you follow these insanely easy recipes.

In EcoBeauty, Lauren Cox offers several tips for keeping hair healthy, and one of them is to give yourself a deep conditioning treatment weekly. Try combining 1/2 cup plain yogurt with 2 tablespoons jojoba oil and a couple drops of rosemary essential oil. After shampooing, massage mixture into hair and scalp. Put a shower cap or plastic bag over your hair for 20 minutes, rinse well, and style your silky strands as usual.

Herbalist Brigitte Mars also suggests regular hair treatments in her book, Beauty by Nature. Try this adaptation of one of her recipes: Combine a cup of water, a ripe banana, and two tablespoons of coconut oil in a blender. Slather over wet hair and lounge around for 15 minutes or so, then rinse well.

Hot oil treatments are also excellent for dry, damaged hair. Stir a tablespoon of jojoba oil and a teaspoon of honey into 1/4 cup almond oil and microwave for around 30 seconds. Apply mixture to dry hair, cover with a shower cap or plastic bag, and let sit for up 40 minutes. Rinse and shampoo, then admire your lovely locks in the mirror.

In addition to regular treatments, it’s a good idea to invest in a quality shampoo and conditioner made from natural, gentle ingredients. Companies like Aubrey, Giovanni, Alaffia, and Avalon offer a wide range of choices.

Meow!