DIY Hair Treatments To Avoid

By Mary Wolff

When it comes to taking a do-it-yourself approach, it can be a lot of fun and really effective. Since you can tailor the ingredients to meet your exact hair needs at any given moment in time, you can get more personalized results than using a store-bought product. They are also great for when you need a quick treatment, but run out of your favorite product! However, there are a few DIY hair treatments to avoid, and some might surprise you.

1. Mayonnaise

This is one of the most controversial DIY hair treatments to avoid because some people still swear by it. Mayo is reported to give hair a dose of protein and moisture once rinsed out. While mayonnaise can be super moisturizing for dry hair, there are a few reasons you may want to skip this one altogether. First of all, the protein from mayonnaise is a myth because the protein is too large to penetrate the cuticle of the shaft. The moisture may be a benefit, but the natural oiliness of mayonnaise can add too much grease to your hair and possibly disrupt the sebum balance of your scalp. If you really need the moisture of mayo, you would be better off using a lighter oil that is easier to rinse out.

2. Champagne

Since wine and beer have become a great way to rinse hair and add some extra nutrients, many people assume all alcoholic beverages might work for their hair, but this is wrong. Champagne doesn’t have the resveratrol found in wine or the hops in beer to help hair improve strength. It is also full of sugar which can be drying to hair. If you want a little champagne in your day, drink it and leave your hair out of it.

3. Lemon

This one is similar to the mayonnaise debate.  While it is true that lemon can be used to lighten hair temporarily and help deal with an overabundance of oil, it can be drying to the scalp and strands. If you don’t have an extra oily scalp, applying lemon directly to the scalp can be too harsh and lead to dryness. Use this one at your own risk, or dilute it with water to make sure it's not too strong.

4. Sugar

While using sugar for a skin exfoliant is usually considered a beauty treat that leaves skin soft and refreshed, using it on the scalp is too much. The sugar granules are much too large and abrasive for the sensitive area of your scalp and can lead to small scratches. In general, the scalp doesn’t need to be exfoliated with anything this tough since it should be self-regulated to remove dead skin cells and keep everything working properly.

from Natural Hair Care | Curly Nikki http://ift.tt/2wq3a49