<p>As a kid, every summer, I used to spend days watching my mum and aunt <br />religiously apply a mixture of egg yolks and oil to their hair. “It nourishes the hair and keeps it soft,” they used to say. But I shared my grandmother’s disdain for this smelly hair care ritual.<br /><br /></p>.<p> Why would anyone enjoy applying eggs on their hair and then spend a better part of their day trying to get rid of the smell? But it turns out, that goopy mixture did protect their hair for a pretty long time. Although I stuck to my grandma’s only trusted ritual of hot oil for the hair, for most parts of my childhood, my hair did eventually fall prey to dandruff. Dry, itchy and flaky dandruff was the cause of many a sleepless nights in my life.<br /><br />Just like most other consumers in the market, I too was mesmerised by the magical shampoos that promised to banish all my dandruff troubles in a few weeks. But they didn’t work. It was then that I looked towards the ‘natural’ world of hair care. So, one fine afternoon, I find myself sitting in The Blend Room in Bengaluru, an all natural and organic studio that blends various kitchen ingredients to treat different hair and skin conditions. The owner Aditi Sirdeshpande examines my hair. “Although you have great hair, it is rough,” comes the verdict. <br /><br />In order to deal with the dandruff, Aditi suggests I should try ‘acetic concoction’, which is a mix of apple cider and vinegar. As the acidic mixture gets applied to every inch of my parched scalp, I can’t help but wonder about its effectiveness. Is it really as simple as they say? These ingredients are stocked in my refrigerator. I might as well put them on my head instead of the cooking pan. “There’s no magical ingredient that can make all your hair problems vanish in one day,” says Aditi, “nor can I guarantee that it will prove to be 100% effective because it depends on the quality and texture of the your hair. Even factors like the number of times you wash your hair, the kind of food you eat and your hair growth cycle matters.”<br /><br />Secret to good hair<br /><br />Aditi, a cosmetologist by profession, lets me in on the secret of good hair — coconut oil. That’s it? No expensive oils or masks? “People believe using exotic oils like <br />Morroccan and argan will transform their hair overnight, but the truth is some <br />coconut oil along with the right shampoo will pamper and nourish your hair sufficiently,” says Aditi. But how does one find the right shampoo? “Go in for the ones that have a good pH balance. Ideally, your hair’s pH balance should be around 5,” she states.<br /><br />Until now, I have ticked all the right boxes when it comes to the right hair care, but my hair is still unruly. “How often do you wash your hair?” she asks. When I tell her I do it once a week, she smiles, “There lies your problem. You have to wash it more often than that. Dandruff is mainly caused by the dirt that accumulates on your scalp. Washing your hair at least twice a week will clean your scalp and keep it healthy,” she states.<br /><br />As Aditi lists the different kinds of ingredients she uses in her mixtures, <br />including coffee, cinnamon, papaya, cheese, mint and green tea, I ask her if one can replicate the same in the comfort of their homes. “No, you can’t, simply because we blend in these common ingredients with some standard formulations. Using completely natural ingredients won’t give you the desirable effects in the desired amount of time. You have to keep applying them for a long time to see some difference. But yes, using such natural ingredients will be safe on your skin and hair,” she explains.<br /><br />An aromatic mixture of essential oils is then massaged into my scalp and hair followed by a quick steaming session. Doing this every week is bound to have a wonderful effect on one’s hair as the steam helps your hair absorb all the oil and get nourished. But you don’t have to invest in a steamer for this. A towel dipped in hot water and squeezed and wrapped around your oiled hair will do the trick. As a new wave of improved blood circulation hit my scalp, I can feel my nerves calming down. <br /><br />Right conditioning<br /><br />As I come to terms with this tranquilising effect, I am taken to the hair washing <br />station, where my hair is meticulously washed with fragrant shampoos. A conditioning mask is applied as Aditi discusses the importance of conditioning one’s hair, <br />especially in today’s age of pollution and fast lifestyles. If you are one of those who believe that conditioning leads to the hair turning limpy and lifeless, <br />Aditi has something to say. “Just the right amount of conditioner can turn your hair from fizzy and dry into glossy and moisturised.”<br /><br />As my hair is blast-dried, I can feel that my hair has turned much softer and become more manageable. In fact, my scalp feels squeaky clean and itch-free. So, how long does this feeling last, I ask. “I hope it remains like that for a very long time but remember what I told you about natural ingredients? You have to keep coming back,” says the expert.</p>
<p>As a kid, every summer, I used to spend days watching my mum and aunt <br />religiously apply a mixture of egg yolks and oil to their hair. “It nourishes the hair and keeps it soft,” they used to say. But I shared my grandmother’s disdain for this smelly hair care ritual.<br /><br /></p>.<p> Why would anyone enjoy applying eggs on their hair and then spend a better part of their day trying to get rid of the smell? But it turns out, that goopy mixture did protect their hair for a pretty long time. Although I stuck to my grandma’s only trusted ritual of hot oil for the hair, for most parts of my childhood, my hair did eventually fall prey to dandruff. Dry, itchy and flaky dandruff was the cause of many a sleepless nights in my life.<br /><br />Just like most other consumers in the market, I too was mesmerised by the magical shampoos that promised to banish all my dandruff troubles in a few weeks. But they didn’t work. It was then that I looked towards the ‘natural’ world of hair care. So, one fine afternoon, I find myself sitting in The Blend Room in Bengaluru, an all natural and organic studio that blends various kitchen ingredients to treat different hair and skin conditions. The owner Aditi Sirdeshpande examines my hair. “Although you have great hair, it is rough,” comes the verdict. <br /><br />In order to deal with the dandruff, Aditi suggests I should try ‘acetic concoction’, which is a mix of apple cider and vinegar. As the acidic mixture gets applied to every inch of my parched scalp, I can’t help but wonder about its effectiveness. Is it really as simple as they say? These ingredients are stocked in my refrigerator. I might as well put them on my head instead of the cooking pan. “There’s no magical ingredient that can make all your hair problems vanish in one day,” says Aditi, “nor can I guarantee that it will prove to be 100% effective because it depends on the quality and texture of the your hair. Even factors like the number of times you wash your hair, the kind of food you eat and your hair growth cycle matters.”<br /><br />Secret to good hair<br /><br />Aditi, a cosmetologist by profession, lets me in on the secret of good hair — coconut oil. That’s it? No expensive oils or masks? “People believe using exotic oils like <br />Morroccan and argan will transform their hair overnight, but the truth is some <br />coconut oil along with the right shampoo will pamper and nourish your hair sufficiently,” says Aditi. But how does one find the right shampoo? “Go in for the ones that have a good pH balance. Ideally, your hair’s pH balance should be around 5,” she states.<br /><br />Until now, I have ticked all the right boxes when it comes to the right hair care, but my hair is still unruly. “How often do you wash your hair?” she asks. When I tell her I do it once a week, she smiles, “There lies your problem. You have to wash it more often than that. Dandruff is mainly caused by the dirt that accumulates on your scalp. Washing your hair at least twice a week will clean your scalp and keep it healthy,” she states.<br /><br />As Aditi lists the different kinds of ingredients she uses in her mixtures, <br />including coffee, cinnamon, papaya, cheese, mint and green tea, I ask her if one can replicate the same in the comfort of their homes. “No, you can’t, simply because we blend in these common ingredients with some standard formulations. Using completely natural ingredients won’t give you the desirable effects in the desired amount of time. You have to keep applying them for a long time to see some difference. But yes, using such natural ingredients will be safe on your skin and hair,” she explains.<br /><br />An aromatic mixture of essential oils is then massaged into my scalp and hair followed by a quick steaming session. Doing this every week is bound to have a wonderful effect on one’s hair as the steam helps your hair absorb all the oil and get nourished. But you don’t have to invest in a steamer for this. A towel dipped in hot water and squeezed and wrapped around your oiled hair will do the trick. As a new wave of improved blood circulation hit my scalp, I can feel my nerves calming down. <br /><br />Right conditioning<br /><br />As I come to terms with this tranquilising effect, I am taken to the hair washing <br />station, where my hair is meticulously washed with fragrant shampoos. A conditioning mask is applied as Aditi discusses the importance of conditioning one’s hair, <br />especially in today’s age of pollution and fast lifestyles. If you are one of those who believe that conditioning leads to the hair turning limpy and lifeless, <br />Aditi has something to say. “Just the right amount of conditioner can turn your hair from fizzy and dry into glossy and moisturised.”<br /><br />As my hair is blast-dried, I can feel that my hair has turned much softer and become more manageable. In fact, my scalp feels squeaky clean and itch-free. So, how long does this feeling last, I ask. “I hope it remains like that for a very long time but remember what I told you about natural ingredients? You have to keep coming back,” says the expert.</p>