Long, luscious locks are one of the primary beauty edicts, forming the crowning glory of a woman’s appearance. Not only does a head full of shiny hair add to one’s overall appeal, it also signifies bodily health. In today’s fast paced life, hair fall and unhealthy hair are common woes that people face.
There could be several reasons attributed to these hair problems – exposure to pollution, stress, improper diet, unhealthy lifestyle habits and so on. However, there is an all natural remedy that could help keep your hair woes at bay – curry leaves.
Using curry leaves for hair growth has been in practice for years now. Apart from being a common ingredient in Indian dishes, kadi pattha or curry leaves have been incorporated in hair tonics, oils and plain application to stimulate hair growth.
HOW DO CURRY LEAVES HELP?
Curry leaves are a treasure-trove of essential nutrients required for healthy hair growth. Rich inantioxidantsand amino acids, they work to reduce hair fall, foster hair growth and strengthen hair shafts. Amino acids are essential for hair fall prevention.
They help reduce thinning of the hair by strengthening the hair follicles. Antioxidants are known to combat free radicals, moisturise the scalp and aid in removal dead scalp flakes. Curry leaves are also a rich source of beta-carotene and proteins; beta carotene prevents hair loss while proteins prevent hair thinning.
BENEFITS OF CURRY LEAVES
Hair loss rescue – Since curry leaves are rich source of proteins and beta carotene, they aid in hair loss prevention as well as curb hair thinning. The amino acid and antioxidants help in strengthening hair follicles, along with providing adequate moisturizing benefits.The removal of dead scalp skin helps reduce hair fall caused due to dandruff
Hair follicle rejuvenation – Hair health is dependent on the health of the hair follicles. Curry leaves are extremely effective in strengthening your hair follicles. The nutrients contained in curry leaves help restore hair follicles strength and help stimulate healthy hair growth.Curry leaves help in reducing the environmental damage done to the hair roots as a result of pollution, dust, stress, hormonal imbalance and so on
Hair shaft strengthening – Curry leave are a good source of vitamin B6, which is a hormone regulator. Vitamin B6 helps in strengthening the hair shaft, which is the visible part of the hair strand.A strengthened hair shaft yields shine and luster to hair, while making it more resilient to damage and harmful effects of pollution
Here are some ways to use curry leaves for fast hair growth.
1.AS A HAIR TONIC:
Curry leaves can be used to make a natural hair tonic. The even application of the tonic to the hair and scalp will aid in distributing the nutrients to the entire scalp, which will provide maximum benefit.
INGREDIENTS:
- A handful of curry leaves, destalke
- A cup of water
PROCESS:
- Add the curry leaves to water, in a vessel and bring the water to boil till the leaves become soft and the water turn greenish in colour
- Cool the tonic and apply it evenly all over your scalp
- Massage your hair with the tonic for 15 to 20 minutes
- Follow this procedure twice a week
2.AS A HAIR MASK:
CURRY LEAVES ARE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO NATURAL HAIR MASKS. HAIR MASKS MADE WITH CURRY LEAVES ARE LOADED WITH ESSENTIAL MOISTURE RESTORATION PROPERTIES THAT HELP IN MAKING YOUR HAIR SOFT AND HEALTHY. ALONG WITH CLEANSING THE SCALP, THESE MASKS HELP IS RESTORING HAIR STRENGTH AND MAKE THEM RESILIENT TO DAMAGE.
METHOD 1 – CURRY LEAVES AND NEEM MASK
INGREDIENTS:
- A handful of curry leaves
- A handful of neem leaves
- 3-4 teaspoons of Shikakai powder
- 3-4 teaspoons of yoghurt
PROCESS:
Add the curry leaves, need leaves, shikakai powder and yoghurt into a blender and blend till a fine paste is formed. Apply the mask onto the hair and scalp, gently massaging the scalp while doing so. Leave it to dry for about 15 minutes. Rinse off with a mild shampoo and pat hair dry
METHOD 2 – CURRY LEAVES AND METHI MASK
INGREDIENTS:
- Curry leaves, destalked. The amount of leaves depends on the length and thickness of your hair
- Soaked methi (fenugreek) seeds
- Water in which the methi seeds have been soaked
PROCESS:
Add the curry leaves, soaked methi seeds and water into a blender and blend till a fine paste is formed. Apply the paste to your scalp and hair. Leave it in for about 2 hours. Wash off with warm water. If you find your hair to be sticky, use a mild shampoo to reduce the stickiness. Apply this mask once a week for soft, shiny, healthy and naturally voluminous hair.\
3.AS HAIR OIL:
Curry leaves can be used as an ingredient in your hair oil. This way, the nutrients of the leaves will seep into the oil, and will directly benefit the scalp upon application
INGREDIENTS:
- Half cup of coconut oil
- 7-8 fresh curry leaves
PROCESS:
Add the curry leaves to coconut oil, in a small vessel. Place the smaller vessel in a larger bowl of water. Heat the water till the oil get heated well. In this time, a black residue would form. Apply this residue to your hair twice a week. You can then apply the oil to the rest of the hair. This process will help stimulate hair growthand also fight gray hair
AS PART OF YOUR DIET:
Besides lending a wonderful aroma to various dishes, incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet will help in internally stimulating the scalp and hair health, which will lead to healthy hair growth. Use it as part of your curries, salads, rice preparations and so on.
As with all natural techniques, curry leaves and its variations need to be utilized either as topical applications or as a dietary inclusion over a period of time. Regular use of curry leaves will lend strength, body and volume to the hair shaft, while strengthening the roots or follicles and cleansing the scalp.