Relaxing bath and Shiny Hair with Mint leaves

So, yesterday, I very unwisely bought a lot of mint. And, today, I find lot of it had dried up. Obviously, I did not use the refrigerator for the purpose. So, as it is not usable for culinary purposes and discarding it just like that seemed too much of a waste, I decided to have a mint bath. I cleaned all the mint and dropped it in a pot of water and brought water to a boil. Then, simmered it for around an hour. The water had become all green and smelled like mint. Oh, so heavenly!! I filtered the water and poured it in my bath. Now, here is a twist. I had to wash my hair too and forgot that before pouring the mint water in my bath. But, anyways, I was not going to throw the water and I guessed mint would not really turn out to be so bad for hair. So, I had a most comfortable and relaxing bath with mint water.

And, the results? My skin is not at all dry. Even I tried the scratch method - scratched a line on my hands with my nails, it left no white line which is usually left if I take too hot a bath which I did today also despite all my advices to you to avoid it. And, my hair is so soft and shiny, I can't get my hands off my hair. I can also claim that my hair has not looked so good in a very long time.  It has become more manageable and there are no frizzes. So, go on and give it a try. You can use mint water as a hair rinse and see the results for yourself. And, of course, do not be surprised if you smell minty all day long. I am smelling minty all over, even my hair!! It feels fabulous. One more plus point is that the bath leaves you unexpectedly cool so it can be a great option on a hot summer day.

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Cold Water for Shiny Hair?

Are you aware of the theory that cold water can bring shine to your hair. Yes, I have read countless of the places that cold water is good for sealing the cuticles after washing and conditioning of the hair and thus, helps in bringing shine. I tried it and as usual with every new product you try, the results were fabulous up to a certain time. But, later on, it too became monotonous and not so amazing. That made me think what is the truth behind such a myth. And, recently, I read somewhere that this theory is actually a myth. Cold water does not help in sealing the cuticle or for that matter, even bringing shine to the hair or preventing frizzes. Cold water helps our hair temporarily until the hair dries be it air-dried or blow-dry. So, in case you are a fan of final cold water rinse, try replacing that with room-temperature hair rinses which will do a whole lot of good for your hair.And, if you are one who can not tolerate cold water on head, do not torture yourself just for the sake of beautiful hair as it would be of no use.

Now, let me make you aware of the reason why the starting results of using cold water rinse were fabulous for me. I was used to using medium to hot water on my hair to wash it and changing that to cold, obviously, gave my hair a boost. But, then, I got used to reduced water temperatures and started using almost lukewarm water and the results stopped showing. The motive in telling you this all was that do not burn your hair using really hot water to wash hair. Use lukewarm water or water at room temperature to wash your hair. Bot excess hot and excess cold are bad for your hair and cause dryness so instead of preventing frizzes, that practice would increase them.

A note to my readers: Due to other commitments, I am unable to post regularly and you must have noticed the irregularity in my posts. Thus, I have decided to write posts once a week instead of everyday. Hope you all will keep with me and enjoy reading my posts. Thanks a lot to you all.

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Spinach - Lettuce Juice for Luxurious Hair

Nutrition is one of the most important necessities for having a luxurious head of hair. See this post for a detailed list of six foods which will not only help your hair grow but also cuts down hair loss and improves the quality and texture of your hair.

Along with these foods, you can accompany your meal with a drink which will help fulfilling your nutrition. Spinach - Lettuce Juice. Every day in the morning or evening, drink a glass of this drink. 

How to make the drink?

Ingredients: 

- 1 bunch spinach leaves

- 1 bunch lettuce (Salad Patta or Kasmisaag) leaves (can be substituted with cabbage)

- 1 lemon

- other spices

Method:

- Wash the leaves properly first.

- If using a juicer, slice the lemon and put it int he juicer along with the leaves.

- If using a mixi or a grinder, grind the leaves properly and put the mixture in a cheese cloth or a muslin sieve and squeeze the complete juice out. Squeeze a little lemon juice for a tangy flavor and you can add any spices if you feel like. I would suggest black pepper as it is also good for hair and gives a spicy flavor to the drink. You can make a mask of the left over leaves paste or use them as a garnish on your salad or any dish. 

- Drink a whole glass of juice everyday.

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Wash your hair with Baking Soda

What to use to wash our hair? This is a great concern. No one definitely wants to put any kind of chemicals on hair but then, we are not sure that the herbal shampoos are actually herbal or just a marketing tactic. And, some do not want to give up on their favorite brands. In one of my earlier posts, I told you how to convert your regular shampoo into a herbal one. But, again its not a completely herbal shampoo. I have bee wanting to wash my hair with sole baking soda since a very long time. So, yesterday, I finally decided to put it into action.

Well, the results are fabulous. No frizz, no hair maintainence and management issues. Just soft and shiny hair. But, washing with baking soda is quite a challenging job. It takes time to get used to a non-foaming shampoo. (Even the herbal ones foam.) And, for the first time, it took more time for me to shampoo my hair. I took an approximate quantity of baking soda and mixed it with little water to make a paste. Do not add more water. It will turn into liquid and you might not be able to wash your hair properly. I divided my hair into sections especially on the scalp. Make sure your hair is wet through and through. Then, took a little of the paste and rubbed it on the scalp. Section by section, I covered my whole scalp. Then, applied the paste on the hair body and waited for around 10 minutes. Your hair would feel dry at that time as opposed to using shampoos because of the powdery texture of  baking soda. But, it does not make your hair dry. Handle your hair gently to prevent breakage. Stand under the shower and wash off all the baking soda from your hair. Massage your scalp well to make sure it is thoroughly clean. Your hair would take a little more time to dry too. Do not oil your hair too much before washing it. You will need a huge amount of baking soda to clean it and it would take lot of time.You need not follow with a conditioner. Baking soda acts as a conditioner too.

Your hair would be more shine, bouncy and healthy after washing it with baking soda. Regular usage of baking soda also helps prevent split ends. You might take little time getting adjusted to baking soda as it does not foam and you might not be sure of the exact amount to use for your hair. After two-three trials, you would find that using baking soda is way more rewarding and guess what, you are not using anything chemical on your hair. So, go ahead try it and share your experiences.

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Rice Water for Skin, Hair and Health

The craze of using rice water is catching up very fast. If you have not yet heard of it, rice water is highly beneficial for certain health issues and also in taking care of the skin and hair. Let us first see the health benefits:

• instantly energizes the body due to the high concentration of carbohydrates
• provides instant relief from diarrhea
• has been used successfully to treat gastroenteritis
• prevents cancer
• controls high blood pressure
• helps in preventing Alzheimer's disease
• reduces the body temperature or internal heat of the body
• prevents constipation

In short, I would say it provides all the health benefits that eating rice would provide. But, more than that, rice water has been used as a face wash and a hair wash.

• Washing your face with rice water makes your skin very soft and it also helps in improving the complexion
• Is a great substitute for toner and firms up your skin
• Helps in reducing the size of the pores on your skin
• Washing your hair with rice water brings shine in the hair and helps to keep it healthy. Follow up with cold water rinse.
• Use rice water as part of your face, body and hair masks and scrubs
• Use rice water for having bath or pour rice water in the tub or bucket
• Powdered rice grains are also used as body scrub and they make your skin extra soft

How to make rice water?

I have read at many places that the water used to wash rice prior to cooking is rice water. But, that is not the actual rice water. You may collect it but it will not give you the full benefits. Instead, you should boil the rice in more water than usual quantity you use so that the rice does not absorb all the water and strain the extra water. This water is the actual rice water which is full of nutritional benefits. You may drink it or let it cool to use as a face wash or a hair wash. You may even garnish it with various spices and herbs. Read this article for step by step instruction on how to cook rice water.

Watch the video to learn how you can use rice water in various ways. But, make sure you cook the rice water the proper way.

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Get smooth and shiny hair {DIY}

"Whatever can be put into your mouth can be put on your skin or hair."

Honey smooth ens and softens your hair. It retains moisture in the hair. You can use honey in place of a conditioner. After shampooing your hair, let your hair air dry till it becomes just damp. Then, partition your hair into various sections and apply Running Honey on those sections concentrating on the ends. Let it stay for 30 minutes - 1 hour and then, wash off your hair. Your hair becomes more bouncy and lively.

You can also use honey as last rinse. Mix a table spoon or two with water and them pour it on your hair as a last rinse. Do not wash off. Let it air dry.

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