I wanted to share an Ayurvedic keratin treatment that not only smooths hair but promotes hair growth as well. We all generally assume keratin treatment is a natural treatment without any side effects. But in reality, it is a chemical hair treatment and has some side effects especially if done often and they are also expensive. If you don’t want to do chemical keratin treatments, there is a natural alternative that can be easily done at home. It is very cheap, does not have any side effects and can be made with common kitchen ingredients.
Personally, I prefer to do keratin treatment at home using natural ingredients that does not cause any side effects. Unlike the chemical based keratin treatment, natural treatment works so well in not only smoothing rough and frizzy hair but it also strengthens the hair along with promoting hair growth and we can also use it often.
For protein in the treatment, I use whey water which is rich in protein and there is also a vegan version I make with chick pea boiled water. Some times I prefer to use egg and I replace whey water in the recipe with an organic country egg. This at home treatment give immediate results and can be used regularly life long.
Ingredients# The first ingredient we need for this treatment is a hair growth promoting herb. I prefer bhringraj powder for this recipe as it promotes hair growth and treats premature graying of the hair but depending on where you’re living you can use any hair growth promoting herb that you have access too. Some other good choices are brahmi powder, curry leaf powder, hibiscus powder, amla powder, etc. You can also use neem powder if you’re suffering from scalp problems.
# The second ingredient we need is an unrefined oil. Using an oil in this recipe is a must even if you have very oily hair. I have tried this recipe with virgin coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil and both works so well. If you have very very dry hair, you can add in few drops of cold pressed castor oil along with coconut oil too.
# The third ingredient we need is whey water. Whey water is the yellow water that we discard after making paneer at home. Whey water is very rich in protein and though I use some of it in gravies, most of it I usually discard but lately I have been using it in skin and hair treatments and it works amazingly well.
To make whey water, we need to make paneer. To make paneer, boil milk and once it comes to a boil, switch off and start adding curd. Add curd till the milk start separating. Once the milk fully separates, strain to get homemade paneer also called as cottage cheese.
The resulting yellow liquid is called whey water. Strain the whey water again through a fine strainer, let cool completely and then use. You can also replace whey water with chick pea boiled water or an egg too.
# The final ingredient we need is fresh aloe vera gel. For this recipe, I would suggest using fresh aloe vera gel for best results. Aloe vera, if used in a pack like this does some amazing things to our hair. It softens, conditions and smoothens out frizzy hair and it also helps repair dry and damaged hair as well. To use, first cut a fresh aloe vera leaf, wash off the slimy green juice completely, cut in half and scoop out the gel and then use.
Recipe:Take 2 tablespoons of bhringraj powder in a cup. Add in 1 1/2 teaspoons of unrefined oil of your choice. Now add in the aloe vera gel. Finally add in enough whey water to get a smooth paste. Now grind this mixture to get a smooth spreadable paste.
To use apply this mixture all over the hair and scalp. Wait for about twenty to thirty minutes and then wash and condition your hair as usual. This homemade keratin treatment is very cost effective and I would highly suggest you give it a try without fail.
Even if you don’t have access to fresh aloe vera gel, try it with store-bought gel, just make sure it’s free of colour and perfume. If you try this natural keratin treatment once, you’ll never go back to using expensive chemical based keratin treatments again.