OPINION: A lavish lavender hair wash
For centuries, lavender has been used by herbal practitioners to prevent baldness and to encourage new hair growth.
Lavender contains potent anti-bacterial agents that soothe and heal scalp infections and add volume to the hair shaft. Lavender has such powerful hair growth properties is has even been used to fight Alopecia areata (an auto-immune disease that causes the hair to fall out all over the body).
Use lavender to:
• nourish hair,
• moisturise scalp and strands,
• prevent hair shedding,
• improve blood circulation on the scalp, aiding in hair growth,
• treat dry scalp,
• and reduce fungi, bacteria and other microbes.
A lavender hair wash:
• Heat a ¼ cup of dried lavender in two cups of water.
• Remove from heat and add a few drops of lavender oil.
• Rinse and leave on for 15 minutes.
For dry scalp:
• Soak a ¼ cup of oatmeal in water for 20 minutes.
• Mix in seven drops of lavender oil and five drops of rosemary oil.
• Apply the paste to your scalp.
• After an hour wash off with warm water.
For preventing hair loss:
• Mix 15 drops of lavender essential oil and two tablespoons of almond or olive oil.
Head Lice:
Add lavender oil to your defence against head lice – lice hate the smell of lavender.
• Massage lavender oil into the scalp for 20 minutes before shampooing as usual.
You will start noticing lavender’s benefits within a few weeks or months. You need to keep using it regularly to see results.
Claire Brown is an natural remedy expert based in Northcliff.
