Masks for strengthening and hair growth at home

Hair not only decorates a person, but also acts as an accurate indicator of the state of his health. By the quality and appearance of the hairstyle, you can accurately judge how well the internal organs function, whether you have enough vitamins and minerals, and whether there is a latent infection in the body. For example, dull hair indicates vitamin deficiency, very dry hair indicates problems with the kidneys, fatty hair indicates a weak liver, and persistent dandruff and seborrhea indicate a serious malfunction of the immune and endocrine systems.

We started talking about hair strengthening with this information not by chance: it contains the answer to the question why even the most expensive and popular masks often do not help stop hair loss and restore the hair to its former beauty and splendor. It is necessary to approach the solution of this problem in a complex manner, and to start from within. Neither homemade nor purchased cosmetics can make your curls thick and strong until the true causes of unhealthy hair are eliminated.

So, to successfully strengthen hair at home, you need to go through a few steps:

• If the problem is combined with a general malaise or specific painful symptoms, visit a doctor and undergo an examination, take tests;

• Try to neutralize external factors that have a detrimental effect on hair (bad habits, poor monotonous nutrition (primarily strict diets), stress, environmentally unfavorable environment);

• Get rid of low-quality cosmetics, stop washing your hair every day and styling with heating appliances, combing and varnishing, buy a good comb, wear a hat in cold weather;

• Regularly do massage treatments to stimulate the hair follicles and eliminate stagnation of blood and lymph, and feed your hair with natural homemade masks.

If you really want to, you will definitely cope with the first three points on your own, but we will list and describe the most effective procedures and the best masks for strengthening hair in this article. You will learn simple and affordable recipes for firming masks, with the help of which millions of women were able to achieve rapid growth, healthy shine and thick hair at home, without a huge investment of time and money, without dangerous consequences and side effects, without severe disappointments and problems returning after a few months after treatment.

Natural oils for hair strengthening and growth

Vegetable oils of the first cold pressing are a real pantry of nutrients for our hair. If the raw materials were not subjected to heating, all valuable vitamins were preserved in the finished oil, including the most important of them, vitamin E, often called the beauty vitamin. In addition to vitamins E, A, PP and group B, vegetable oils can saturate the hair with essential fatty acids (stearic, oleic, lanolin and many others), amino acids, minerals and growth-stimulating phytoestrogens.

Homemade masks for strengthening hair are made using the following natural vegetable oils:

• Hair mask with argan oil

• Hair mask with castor oil

• Coconut oil hair mask

• Hair mask with sea buckthorn oil

• Olive oil hair mask

• Hair mask with burdock oil

• Mustard hair mask

It is very important to choose the right oil – it must be a high-quality product. There are usually no problems with buying sunflower, olive, palm, soybean and sesame oils, they can be found in any supermarket. But burdock, castor, flaxseed, sea buckthorn and coconut oil are better to buy in pharmacies, and not ordered via the Internet. In the second case, there is a chance to stumble upon a counterfeit product with harmful additives.

Homemade hair masks with vegetable oils are not suitable for everyone: for example, if you have very oily hair, it is recommended to first normalize the sebaceous glands with a balanced diet low in animal fats, treat the scalp with natural masks with a calming effect, and only then start intensive hair nutrition.

If you have dry, brittle, dull and split ends that come out in clumps after shampooing and settle on the comb, vegetable oils are ideal. It is very useful to carry out preventive strengthening of hair with masks based on vegetable oils 4-5 times a month if you regularly dye and curl your curls.

For a complete treatment, you need to do procedures 2-3 times a week. The easiest way is to heat any of the above oils in a water bath to a comfortable temperature, rub into the roots and distribute along the entire length, wrap with cellophane and a towel and soak for an hour and a half, and then rinse thoroughly.

But there are more effective recipes for firming masks with oils – we offer the best of them to your attention:

• Strengthening hair mask with burdock oil. Heat 2 tablespoons of burdock oil in a water bath, add two raw egg yolks and one ampoule of liquid vitamins A and E (sold at any pharmacy), mix everything thoroughly or beat with a mixer. Apply the mask to the hair, paying particular attention to the roots, and keep under a warming cap for 30 minutes.

• Mask for hair growth with castor oil and cognac. Mix castor oil and high-quality, vintage cognac in equal proportions, and select the volume based on the length and density of your hair. Rub the resulting mixture into the roots and spread to the very tips, wrap your head warmly and wait half an hour. You may feel a slight burning sensation, but this is normal – cognac and castor oil well stimulate and awaken the hair follicles.

• Coconut mask for intensive hair nutrition. Coconut oil is sold in plastic jars and has a pleasant texture, easy to apply on the hair, not to mention a pleasant aroma and rich in vitamin and lipid composition. Heat 50 g of this oil in a water bath, add 1 tablespoon of glycerin to it, rub the mixture into the roots, spread over the hair, massage a little, and then keep it under a warming cap for 20-30 minutes.

• Olive-lemon mask to strengthen combination hair. If your roots get dirty quickly, and the strands themselves are dry and brittle, use this recipe: heat 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a water bath, add the juice of half a lemon, mix thoroughly, apply to your hair and leave under a cap for 20-30 minutes . After rinsing, the curls will be soft and shiny.

• Nourishing mask with sea buckthorn oil and honey. Dry and dull hair, flaky scalp and split ends need the most intense nutrition. And most of all vitamins will give us a mixture of sea buckthorn oil and bee honey. Mix the components in equal proportions and heat in a water bath, apply on the head, distribute through the hair and keep under the cap for 20-30 minutes.

Masks for healthy hair with essential oils

Essential oils are significantly different from conventional vegetable oils – they are extracted from plants, often containing almost no fat, using special technologies: steam distillation and extraction with liquid carbon dioxide. Aromatic oil is not an oil in the truest sense of the word, it is an odorous ether that passes into a gaseous form and evaporates already at room temperature.

The value of essential oils is very high, and not only because of the complexity of production, but also because of their unique chemical composition and healing properties. Aromatic oils have been used by man for many centuries for medical, cosmetic and even religious purposes. They not only enrich us with vitamins, fatty acids and other biologically active substances, but also have a strong stimulating effect: they increase appetite, improve mood, and normalize sleep.

As for hair strengthening, essential oils are also very relevant here – they awaken hair follicles, promote active growth, regulate the activity of sebaceous glands, and some even eliminate dandruff. Now the counters of any pharmacy are full of small boxes with odorous essential oils for every taste. In such a wide range it is easy to get confused, but we will help you choose the right option.

The following aromatic oils are best for strengthening hair:

• Bayevoye;

• Peach;

• Cedar;

• Juniper;

• Cypress;

• Pine;

• rosemary;

• Ilang-Ilangovoe;

• Jasmine;

• lavender;

• Mandarin;

• Grapefruit;

• orange;

• Lemon;

• sage;

• verbena;

• Sandalwood;

• Myrrh;

• Pink;

• cinnamon;

• Almond;

• Clove;

• Petitgrain;

• Chamomile;

• mint;

• Jojoba;

• Patchouli;

• Checks (shi);

• Tea tree.

How to choose the best hair oil from this list? Focus on the condition of the scalp and curls. For example, if you have sensitive skin that is prone to flaking, use sage, verbena, myrrh, sandalwood, almond, lavender, or shea butter. Owners of oily hair can use any citrus oils, as well as mint and rose. Tea tree oil, rich in natural antibiotics – phytoncides, does an excellent job with dandruff. And coniferous and wood oils are used to strengthen any type of hair, bay tree oil, also called bay oil, is especially effective.

Hair treatment with essential oils is carried out in courses of 2-3 months with similar breaks. The optimal frequency of using masks is 2 times a week. Aromatic oils are very convenient in that they can be added in a few drops to any homemade or ready-made cosmetic mask. Of course, homemade hair care products from fresh products will bring more benefits than store-bought ones. The best base options for firming masks with essential oils are vegetable oil and egg yolk. It is about the benefits of chicken and quail egg yolks that we will discuss further.

Strengthening hair with egg yolk

The yolk contains the entire supply of nutrients intended by nature for the successful development of the embryo and the birth of a healthy chicken. That’s why eggs are one of the most satisfying and healthy foods. You can feed the yolks not only to yourself, but also to your hair, with the help of simple homemade strengthening masks.

The composition of egg yolk strikes with a variety of components:

• Vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, B12, D, and E;

• Potassium, magnesium and phosphorus;

• Amino acids and phospholipids – biotin, lecithin, choline.

To strengthen and grow hair, you need to use only fresh chicken or quail eggs. The latter have a higher concentration of vitamins, but the difference is insignificant, so good chicken eggs, especially rural, homemade ones, will do the job perfectly. Yolks are recommended for normal and dry hair, and for oily hair, proteins are better suited, which are also rich in nutrients, but contain much less lipids.

It is necessary to make egg masks on clean hair 2-3 times a week for three months. After completing the procedure, it is enough to rinse your head with clean cool water – the yolk is perfectly washed off and does not leave any odor on the hair. This is one of the reasons why egg yolk hair masks are the most popular.

Read the best recipes below:

• Hair mask from homemade mayonnaise. We are used to considering mayonnaise as one of the most harmful products, but this only applies to purchased sauces that are unsuitable for hair treatment. If you make homemade mayonnaise, then it will be the best nutritious cocktail you can imagine! Whisk half a cup of olive oil with four egg yolks, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of mustard. Apply this mixture to the hair roots, and since the mask contains mustard, it is better to wrap your head to enhance the warming and stimulating effect. Keep the mask on for 30-45 minutes and then rinse with plain water.

• Beer mask with egg yolk to strengthen hair. Good unfiltered, live beer is very good for hair follicles – it accelerates growth, makes hair stronger and thicker. Mix half a glass of this beer with two egg yolks, beat the mixture with a mixer, apply to hair, hide under a cap and hold for 30-45 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

• Carrot-egg mask against hair loss and dull color. To give the hair a shiny and well-groomed appearance, the carotene contained in carrots will help, and the eggs will provide nutrition. Grate one juicy carrot and mix with a whole chicken egg, apply to the hair roots, wrap your head and walk like this for about an hour, or maybe an hour and a half. Then just rinse your hair and dry it naturally – you will immediately notice that the color has become brighter and the curls have acquired a healthy shine.

Bee honey for hair beauty

Speaking about the nutrition of weakened hair, one cannot help but recall honey – the richest vitamin, mineral and amino acid composition of this product makes it possible to consider it one of the best natural strengthening agents. Liquid honey is convenient to add to homemade masks, it is well washed off with warm water and gives the hair a pleasant light aroma. Even if the honey is already candied, do not rush to refuse it, just heat it in a water bath. There is only one serious reason for refusing to strengthen hair with honey – allergies.

Medical hair masks with the addition of honey are among the most highly nutritious and “heavy” home cosmetics, so it is recommended to carry out the procedure once a week. You can argue about which honey is best for strengthening hair indefinitely: someone thinks that it is linden, and someone blames it for buckwheat. Focus on the results of applying masks to make a choice.

The most popular and effective recipes for honey hair masks are presented below:

• Strengthening honey hair mask with propolis and mummy. In a deep porcelain or glass bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of liquid honey, 1 chicken yolk, 1 teaspoon of propolis alcohol tincture and 2 crushed mummy tablets. Apply the mask to the roots, spread over the entire length, wrap your head and wait 30-40 minutes, then rinse your hair with warm water (hair mask with honey).

• Honey-mustard mask to stimulate hair growth. If your hair falls out and splits a lot, try to wake up the hair follicles from hibernation with honey and mustard. Mix equal proportions of burdock oil heated in a water bath with liquid honey and dry mustard powder, apply to the roots without rubbing. Wrap with a warm cap and keep the mask on for 15-20 minutes. During the procedure, you will feel a burning sensation, and if it becomes too strong, it is better to wash off the composition ahead of time, and add less mustard in the future.

• Hair mask of honey, lemon and pepper. Yet one option for a honey mask that strengthens and stimulates hair growth: mix 2 tablespoons of liquid honey with the same volume of freshly squeezed lemon juice and regular vodka-pepper. Keep this composition under a warming cap for up to 30 minutes, focusing on your feelings – if it burns badly, it is better to wash it off early.

Herbal hair masks

Strengthening hair with decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants is not inferior in popularity to the methods described above. The variety of medicinal herbs allows you to choose a phytomask that is ideal for your hair type and can solve individual problems: split ends, hair loss, brittleness, peeling and itching, dandruff, dull color, quickly soiled roots.

Mother Nature has something to answer for each of these challenges:

• Versatile Hair Strengthening Herbs – burdock, nettle, rosemary, lime blossom;

• Herbs for Dry Hair and Sensitive Scalp – aloe, chamomile, St. John’s wort, sage, coltsfoot, succession;

• Herbs for oily hair with dandruff – oak bark, hops, tansy, plantain, calendula, wormwood;

• Herbs for the treatment of mature, weakened, graying hair – laurel, nasturtium, calamus, echinacea, yarrow.

Phytotherapy is a serious science, and medicinal plants contain potent substances that can have a strong impact on health in general, and hair in particular. Therefore, before making strengthening masks from medicinal herbs, you need to correctly determine your hair type and choose the right plant. The exceptions are burdock root and nettle – these herbs are suitable for everyone, completely safe and perfectly strengthen hair of any type.

Often the cause of deterioration in the quality of hair, and even baldness, is sluggish intestinal infections and parasites. This problem can also be dealt with with the help of medicinal plants: for example, an infusion of wormwood or tansy, when taken orally, kills bacteria and parasites. Be sure to be examined if the weakening of the hair is combined with unpleasant symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract. And the best recipes for herbal masks for strengthening hair can be found below.

Strengthening hair with burdock

1. To make an effective mask, dig up a few burdock rhizomes, wash thoroughly, peel and grate on a fine grater. Apply the resulting mask immediately to the hair roots, wrap your head and hold for half an hour, then rinse with running water. Grated burdock root cannot be stored fresh – it quickly oxidizes and loses its medicinal properties. But you can pour it with alcohol and insist, and then rub it into the hair follicles 2-3 times a week.

2. A mask of fresh burdock leaves is prepared as follows: chop the leaves with a knife, put them in a glass jar, pour in sunflower oil and simmer in a water bath for 30 minutes, then strain, cool to a comfortable temperature, apply the oil on your hair and keep it under a cap for an hour and a half. In fact, you will get a natural concentrated homemade burdock oil.

3. A decoction for rinsing hair can be prepared only from the roots, or chopped leaves can be added. Boil the raw material over low heat for 10 minutes, wait for it to cool, strain and water the clean head from the ladle, bending over the basin and again scooping up the decoction from it at least 20-30 times in one procedure.

Strengthening hair with nettle

Dry or fresh leaves of stinging nettle, as well as its rhizomes, are used to prepare medicinal decoctions, which are used to rinse the hair after washing. If you have dry raw materials, take it at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 500 ml of water, and if fresh – half a glass of chopped nettle per 500 ml of water. The infusion is kept in a water bath for 20 minutes and cooled naturally with the lid closed. Hair can be rinsed immediately, but it is better to do it in the morning, after the infusion has stood all night.

Henna and basma: coloring plus healing

Hair coloring with henna and basma does not lose popularity in the world, despite the lengthy and troublesome process, and the narrow range of shades obtained. It’s all about the absolute naturalness of these natural dyes. It is even believed that henna and basma strengthens hair, but is it really so? After all, there are women who do not like these paints for their supposedly withering effect on the hair and scalp.

Henna and basma, as such, do not have a rich vitamin and mineral composition. They can only boast of the presence of natural pigments and natural antibiotics – phytoncides, thanks to which they successfully cope with dandruff. However, in the process of dyeing hair with henna and basma, each hair thickens, and the horny scales with which it is covered smooth out and stick together. All this leads to the fact that colored curls begin to look more dense and thick. As for dryness – yes, indeed, henna and basma staining is better for those who have oily hair.

Not only brunettes, but also blondes can now apply henna to their hair exclusively for health purposes – fortunately, colorless henna has appeared on sale. Try experimenting with it, perhaps this tool is right for you and will allow you to strengthen your hair. But keep in mind that the technique is controversial, and it does not give a lasting, lasting result – while you are dyeing, the hair is thick, as soon as you stop, it starts to look weak again.

Strengthening hair with kefir, sour cream and yogurt

Fermented milk products contain B vitamins and vitamin E, milk protein, calcium and live microorganisms, thanks to which kefir, curdled milk, yogurt and sour cream effectively nourish, strengthen and soften hair. For therapeutic masks, it is best to use farm, home-made products with medium or high fat content. Dietary low-fat fermented milk products are mainly water and lactose, and the lion’s share of the nutrients in them is lost.

Kefir masks, however, like any other firming masks based on fermented milk products, are considered an ideal way to care for dry hair. However, by adding a few refreshing and cleansing components to the mask, you can get a product that is perfect for owners of oily hair.

Below you will find 5 best recipes for masks based on kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, sour cream and natural yogurt:

• Strengthening mask for oily hair from kefir and mustard. Using a mixer, mix half a glass of warm kefir, 1 yolk, 1 tablespoon of dry mustard powder and a few drops of any citrus essential oil. Apply the mask to your hair and keep under cellophane and a warm hat for 30-45 minutes, then rinse without using shampoo.

• Mask of curdled milk and burdock oil for very dry hair. Take 50 ml of burdock oil, heat it in a water bath, pour it into a quarter cup of kefir, mix, then add 1 yolk, mix thoroughly again and apply to your hair. You need to wrap your head, and it is recommended to keep such a mask for at least an hour.

• Sour cream mask with onion against hair loss. If the hair falls out a lot, the best remedy is onions in combination with fatty sour cream. Mix slightly warm kefir with finely chopped onion. Select the volume based on the length of the hair, the mask must be applied very abundantly. Wrap your head with cellophane, and wrap it with a towel on top, and walk like this for at least 45 minutes, and preferably an hour. Then rinse your hair thoroughly and rinse a few times with a mild apple cider vinegar solution to neutralize the onion smell.

• Universal mask of ryazhenka and black bread. Black bread, best of all Borodino, is great for strengthening hair – it saturates the hair follicles with vitamins, and the crumb acts like a soft peeling when applying a mask and head massage. The work of the sebaceous glands is normalized, dandruff, peeling and itching disappear. Soak 2-3 slices of black bread in warm ryazhenka, apply to hair, massage, wrap and hold for 1 hour, then rinse with clean water without using shampoo. Hair will not get dirty for a long time.

• Nourishing mask of yogurt and bran. For this recipe, oat or wheat bran is suitable, and even better – germinated grains of wheat or soybeans. They can be sprouted at home, on a plate, simply wrapped in a damp cloth. Wheat germ contains a fantastic range of vitamins, amino acids and valuable lipids. Grind half a glass of bran or a handful of sprouted grains, mix with the same volume of warmed natural yogurt, infuse in a warm place for 1 hour, then apply to hair, wrap and wait another hour. Rinse without shampoo.

Fruit and vegetable hair strengthening masks

There are many vitamins in fresh vegetables and fruits, namely vitamin deficiency is the most common cause of weakness, brittleness and hair loss. First of all, you need to try to enrich your diet with fruits, berries and vegetables so that your hair gets enough nutrition from the inside. But homemade masks made from fresh and juicy fruits will be a good help in solving our problem.

You need to select a product based on the type and characteristics of the hair:

• For dry hair masks of avocado, peach, apricot, persimmon, guava, melon, pumpkin, sea buckthorn, papaya and banana are very useful;

• Greasy hair it is better to strengthen with cucumber, cabbage, apple, lemon, potato, orange, rhubarb and tangerine;

• Dull, lifeless, thinning hair treated with onions, carrots, cranberries, kiwi and strawberries.

Any of the listed fruits and vegetables can be chopped 2-3 times a week and applied to the head for 30-45 minutes. But the most effective masks for strengthening hair are made from onions. Despite the advice of trichologists and rave reviews from patients, not all girls are in a hurry to repeat this feat and apply onion gruel to their hair. The problem is the incredibly persistent smell that remains in the hair even after repeated washes, and is enhanced by humidity. However, believe me – the game is worth the candle.

There are little tricks on how to get rid of the onion plume: you can add a few drops of a strong-smelling essential oil (pine or citrus) to the mask, and after the procedure, rinse your hair thoroughly with a solution of apple cider vinegar.

The recipe for an onion mask, as well as some of the most effective recipes for fruit and vegetable firming masks, we invite you to find out further:

• The best onion mask for hair growth. Take 2 tablespoons of fresh, live yeast (compressed, not powdered), mix it with 1 teaspoon of honey (or sugar if you are allergic to honey), put the mixture in a warm place and wait until a thick foam comes up. Add 2 tablespoons of burdock oil and 4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed onion juice to the yeast. Mix everything thoroughly, apply to hair, wrap and hold the mask for 1 hour, then wash your hair with a mild shampoo. Make such masks every other day for two to three months, and the hair will begin to grow, even if you have a severe form of baldness!

• Banana-yogurt mask for thin, dry and brittle hair. Ripe bananas are rich in potassium, which, like sulfur, is very good for hair. However, bananas, unlike onions, are easily applied to the hair, are perfectly washed off with plain water and do not leave any unpleasant odor. Why not feed your hair with this wonderful fruit from time to time? Grind a couple of bananas with a blender until a homogeneous puree is formed, add half a glass of thick natural yogurt or fatty sour cream there, apply to your hair and hold under a cap for 30-45 minutes. Rinse with running water.

• Potato mask to strengthen oily hair. Raw potato juice normalizes the activity of the sebaceous glands, perfectly cleanses and strengthens the hair. If you have very oily hair with dandruff, add a little onion and garlic to the grated potatoes – these vegetables effectively kill the fungus that causes dandruff. There is also a less “fragrant” option: drip a few drops of tea tree essential oil. If there is no dandruff, but you just need to strengthen your hair and eliminate excess fat, mix potato gruel with warm kefir. It is recommended to keep the mask for at least 45 minutes.

• Citrus fresh for shine and beauty of mature hair. Aged, dull hair can be brought back to life with regular citrus masks. Take any citrus fruits you have – for example, half a lemon, an orange and a grapefruit, pass through a juicer or squeeze by hand, and pour on your head, trying to make sure that all the gruel settles on the roots of the hair. Wrap your hair and hold the mask for 30-45 minutes, then rinse with plain water.

Other hair masks

• Yeast hair mask

• Pepper tincture hair mask

Rules and recommendations for the care of weakened hair

So that your efforts are not in vain, and home masks for hair strengthening cope with the task assigned to them, adhere to the following rules:

• During the entire period of hair treatment, eat fully and balanced, ensure that the body receives the entire complex of essential vitamins and minerals;

• Purchase a massage comb-brush made of natural wood or bristles, do not use coarse combs made of metal or plastic to comb weakened curls, which can damage the scalp, pull out and electrify hair;

• Refuse daily hair washing – this is the main cause of both oiliness and dryness, it’s just an individual reaction of the glands located on your scalp. For someone, such violence causes atrophy of the sebaceous glands, and for someone – hyperfunction;

• Wash your hair with water at room temperature – too hot water is harmful to hair follicles, as well as too cold. If possible, use filtered or frozen water;

• Carefully choose shampoos and conditioners, give preference to reputable brands of natural cosmetics, read labels, do not purchase cosmetics with parabens and silicone;

• Give up, at least temporarily, from hot drying and styling your hair. Do not apply varnishes, gels and mousses on them. If you have short hair, make a neat haircut that will dry itself quickly and beautifully in the morning, and if you wear long hair, wash it in the evening, and gently comb it in the morning and do not braid it tightly.

We hope our tips will help you effectively strengthen your hair and start enjoying your charming reflection in the mirror again. Be healthy and beautiful!

Author of the article: Herman Olga Leonidovna, trichologist, specially for the site ayzdorov.ru