An overload of flakes, itching, dandruff, dry feeling, eczema or psoriasis on your scalp, it’s all tremendously annoying. Your scalp is out of balance and it let’s you know that it doesn’t like the products you use for your hair! In addition, an irritated scalp can also slow down the growth of your hair. Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp! Would you like to have longer hair? Take a look at your scalp! If your scalp is dehydrated, or it has a lot of flakes or eczema, that may be the reason your hair is not growing. Hair growth can be delayed or the hairs falls out quicker. Did you know that the hairs on your head can grow up to 7 years? Unfortunately, an irritated scalp can cause the hair follicles to release the hair way sooner.
Luckily, there are a lot of natural products that soothe your scalp so you don’t have to wake up from that itching feeling and your hair can grow well.
Before I started with the no-poo method I used a anti-dandruff shampoo for a while. I had a lot of flakes on my scalp. I thought I had dandruff, but it was actually a dry scalp. My scalp was telling me that it did not like the shampoo that I was using. But at that time I did not know that. I thought: flakes? I have dandruff. So I bought a bottle of anti-dandruff shampoo. Never in my life had I suffered from dandruff before. My scalp was itchy and I got only more flakes. The anti-dandruff shampoo made my curls dry and frizzy. The flakes were slightly less, but did not disappear. Finally, because I was not satisfied and decided to stop with the anti-dandruff shampoo, my scalp and hair were full of the dry flakes in no time, and my scalp was so itching! I got mad from it! In the end I thought: what can I do to stop this? Finaly I stopped with the shampoo and I looked into the No-poo method. At that time I figured out which natural products worked against an irritated scalp and I tried several things out. In no time I the flakes where gone and my scalp was not itching anymore. Below I will describe my tips against an irritated scalp, so that you can also get a healthy scalp and healthy natural hair! Some of the tips are about some things that you can find and make in your own kitchen, but that’s exactly what I like.
Neem Powder
Neem powder, or you can call it: Azadirachta indica. I LOVE IT! Neem powder purifies and detoxifies the blood and can be used for healthy skin and healthy scalp. Neem powder works antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. I often use it as a face mask, but it can also be used as a scalp and hair mask! It works cooling and soothing for irritated/restless skin AND it is also a natural conditioner for dry and frizzy hair! What more do you want? Making a scalp and hair mask of Neem powder is very easy! Mix 3 tablespoons (4 tablespoons if you also want to nourish your hair with it) Neem powder with a few tablespoons of water until it become a smooth mixture. Wet your hair and divide this mixture over your scalp (and possibly your wet hair) and put some household foil over your hair. Leave the mask on your scalp and hair for about half an hour and then rinse thoroughly with water!
TIP: If you always wahs your hair with other ayurvedich herbs, you can add Neem powder to them so you also take care of your scalp. Neem powder can be purchased from some Indian Toko’s or online. Louland.nl (a dutch store) has very good Neem powder!
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil originates from the Melaleuca alternifolia, which is a tree found in Australia. Tea Tree Oil naturally contains ingredients that are known for their antibacterial, fungicidal and even parasisiicidal action. In addition, Tea tree oil acts as anti-inflammatory, the redness and swelling will decrease because less histamine is released. Wow! This sounds good hey!? This oil has a lot of benefits! I myself have the tea tree oil in my bathroom too and used it for some time for my acne.
You have to be careful with tea tree oil! Tea tree Oil has a toxic effect in high concentrations, you definitely shouldn’t get it inside! In addition, Tea tree oil can even induce an allergic reaction or skin irritation. The degree of skin irritation appears to depend heavily on the concentration but also on the packaging. Certain ingredients in tea tree oil are very unstable, they react very quickly to oxygen and light, causing irritating ingredients to be formed. If you want to use tea tree oil, buy this oil only when it is in a dark brown glass bottle! Tea tree and plastic are not so good together, and if this is a transparant bottle, it will oxidize very quickly. Always pay attention to the packaging date and the concentration!
After I opened my bottle of Tea tree oil I always kept it in the fridge.
Would you like to use tea tree oil, but are you unsure how your skin will react to it? Mix the tea tree oil with another nice oil. Do not use the oil on open wounds or scrapes, this can also irritate.
And what’s also good to know is that tea tree oil smells very strong! I myself think it is a nice natural smell, but my boyfriend thought it was horrible! He could just trow up! Just to keep in mind!
TIP: You can also add some drops of tea tree oil to your own washing method. For example, add a few drops of tea tree oil to your low-poo shampoo or your home-made shampoo from the Ayurvedic hair herbs.
Tea tree oil can be purchased at all natural shops, like the Holland & Barrett in Holland.
Homemade Herbal Tea
If you don’t want a very strong smelling oil on your face of scalp you can also use something way lighter.
Maybe you still have a whole load of irritating nettle in your garden or along that ditch where you sometimes walk the dog? Maybe you often walk along a field with chamomile flowers or do you still have some rosemary in the garden? Ever thought about that these natural products could help you off that irritated/restless scalp? At first I didnt know it eather until I had such an itching scalp that I was going to google out of frustration for a solution.
I found that several herbs work really good against a dry scalp and dandruff. You just mix a few together, make a nice tea and pour the cooled tea over your scalp and dry hair. Massage your scalp with the tea and let the tea soak.
TIP: Use the tea as a leave-in! Do not rinse the tea out of your hair and let it nourish your hair and scalp! The tea will be very moisturizing, result: your hair will be less frizzy and less dry & fragile.
Nettle: YES! I mentioned it before, Nettle really helps against dandruff! In addition, nettle regulates sebum production, promotes hair growth and gives your hair a healthy shine. You can use fresh nettle or buy dried nettle from a shop.
Chamomile: Soothes a sensitive/irritated scalp and light blond hair!
Lavender: Promotes hair growth and helps against dandruff and an itchy scalp.
Ponytail: Helps against dandruff, gives the hair a healthy sheen and strengthens the hair.
Rosemary: Helps against dandruff and promotes hair growth.
Thyme: has anti-fungal and anti-septic properties, therefore it works well against dandruff.
Aloe vera
Aloe Vera, who doesn’t know it! The natural remedy for wounds and irritations. Aloe Vera soothes, cleanses and cures the skin. In addition, it works in moisturizing and cooling.
There are three ways to use aloe vera for your irritated skin:
- Buy an Aloe vera plant and use the pure gel from the plant. You can use Aloe vera gel as a pre-poo (for washing) or after you washed your hair. Devide the gel directly on the irritated scalp and let it settle for a night. Wash your hair the next day with the products you are used to. You can also put the aloe vera gel on your hair after you washed your hair. It is very moisturizing for your hair.
- Buy Aloe vera Gel. Be careful about the ingredients! Not all Aloe vera gel is as pure as it is described on the label.
- Buy Aloe Vera Powder. Mix 3 tablespoons of aloe vera powder with some tablespoons of water until you have a smooth paste. Use 4 tablespoons if you also want to nourish your hair with the aloe vera. Divide the aloe vera paste over your scalp (and possibly over your hair) and put some household foil on top of your hair. Let the aloe Vera mask settle for at least half an hour and then rinse your hair thoroughly.
TIP: Do you wahs your hair with the ayurvedic herbs, clay of ziziphus spina christi? Add a tablespoon of aloe vera powder to nourish your scalp!
Yogurt.
Yoghurt naturally contains good ‘bacteria’ that limit the growth of yeasts. This makes yogurt a great home to mold. Dandruff is also a fungus, but then on your scalp, because of this, a scalp/hair mask with yogurt works well against you irritated/restless scalp. Let the yogurt soak for half an hour and then rinse it out of your hair again!
Vinegar and lemon.
Vinegar and lemon have both acidic properties which ensures the recovery of the PH balance on your scalp. Especially vinegar has a positive effect against dandruff and on top of that apple cider vinegar has a cleansing effect;
It can clean clogged pores and hair follicles. You can apply the vinegar or lemon (lightly diluted) directly to your scalp, but you can also dilute the vinegar or lemon with water and use it as a rinse after you wash with a natural soap or the Ziziphus Spina Christi.
Apple cider vinegar is also very nourishing for your hair! It is a natural conditioner.
Natural soap.
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| Chagrin Valley Hair Soap |
Do you suffer from dandruff, eczema or a dry flaky scalp? In addition to all these home-garden and kitchen remedies, do you want your daily/weekly washing method also to care for your scalp? Then choose a natural soap that contains all the right ingredients that your scalp needs! There are several natural soaps that, in addition to shampooing your hair, also nourish your scalp. For example: aleppo with Laurierberry oil or chagrin Valley hair soap. Choose a soap with one of the above ingredients and you will have a great soap for your hair and your scalp.
Low-Poo shampoo.
If you don’t want to use a natural soap, but you do want to get rid of that irratated/restless scalp, you can switch to a low-poo shampoo instead of your regular shampoo. A regular commercial shampoo contains sulfates. Sulfates are strong cleansing chemicals that come from petroleum. Because sulfates strip your hair and scalp from all it’s natural oils every time you use it, it can dry your scalp out. A dry scalp can itch and/or start flaking! A low-poo shampoo contains much milder cleansing compounds and often many more nourishing ingredients for you scalp and hair. Is the low-poo shampoo not enough for you irritated scalp? Try one of the tips above, or add some tea tree oil or aloe vera gel to your low-poo shampoo. Create your own nourishing, custom-made, shampoo for your scalp and hair in this way!
Do you always make your own herbal fusion for your hair and scalp? Or do you just make your own hair soap? Do you have some extra tips? Let me know by leaving a comment.
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Neem powder, or you can call it: Azadirachta indica. I LOVE IT! Neem powder purifies and detoxifies the blood and can be used for healthy skin and healthy scalp. Neem powder works antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. I often use it as a face mask, but it can also be used as a scalp and hair mask! It works cooling and soothing for irritated/restless skin AND it is also a natural conditioner for dry and frizzy hair! What more do you want? Making a scalp and hair mask of Neem powder is very easy! Mix 3 tablespoons (4 tablespoons if you also want to nourish your hair with it) Neem powder with a few tablespoons of water until it become a smooth mixture. Wet your hair and divide this mixture over your scalp (and possibly your wet hair) and put some household foil over your hair. Leave the mask on your scalp and hair for about half an hour and then rinse thoroughly with water! 
