Indic hair care rituals to treat greasy hair and dandruff

During summer, we all struggle with itchy, uncomfortable greasy hair at some point or the other. This year we’re going through a massive heatwave and it is adding to our hair woes. Greasy hair is not only very uncomfortable, but it often gives way to dandruff, flaky scalp, rough hair, and a lot of dirt accumulation on the scalp. Before looking for ways to treat dandruff and oily hair, let’s know what causes it in the first place.

For this, HealthShots got in touch with Radhika Iyer, a yogini and an Ayurveda expert.

What causes dandruff and greasy hair in summer?

Now, there are a lot of reasons you can get greasy hair and dandruff. Some of them are

1. A bad diet
2. Unwashed hair for a prolonged period of time
3. Under or over-brushing
4. External elements like the climate you live in and pollution

When there are so many causes to this, how can we reset and eventually, get rid of greasy hair and treat dandruff? Before we dig into the Indic Ritual to rejuvenate your hair, here are 3 things Iyer recommends:

1. Drink a lot of water throughout the day. Seriously, do it.
2. Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. Eat local, eat seasonal and your skin and hair will flourish.
3. Switch to all natural products.
4. Apart from this, one may follow this Indic ritual for a clean, dandruff-free scalp. Do the ritual once every week. (Twice, if you can, during summers)

Here’s a step by step Indic ritual to treat dandruff and prevent greasy hair:

Step 1: Apply a scalp scrub

The scalp is often neglected when we take care of our hair health. While shampoos do clean your scalp a bit, it does not give it the deep clean it requires to treat dandruff and accumulated grime. You can buy an all natural scalp scrub, or you can make one at home. Here is a simple DIY scalp scrub recipe:

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Ingredients:

Fresh aloe vera
Multani mitti
Refined sugar
Rose water

Preparation:

1. Add 2 spoons of multani mitti to a bowl, along with one spoon of refined sugar.
2. Add fresh aloe vera to the bowl and mix.
3. Once you form a thick paste, add 1/2 spoon of rose water to make an even, lighter paste.
4. Apply it to the scalp by partitioning hair and keep on for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Apply oil

“That’s right! I’m telling you to apply oil to greasy hair. Applying oil to the scalp does not add to its greasiness, it absorbs the dirt and dandruff from your scalp. If your hair is naturally very oily, apply less oil, but apply it nonetheless. I would recommend a natural and organic aloe vera oil. After you apply oil, leave it on for 20 minutes,” says Iyer, who is also the founder of Anahata Organics and Raa Foundation.

Step 3: Wash hair with neem water

Neem is an excellent disinfectant and a healing plant. Boil neem leaves in water, cool it down and then use that water for your hair wash. Start washing your hair with normal water and shampoo. Do your routine. At the end, pour neem water over your scalp and finish your shower.

Step 4: Apply dhoop smoke to your hair

According to Iyer, “Dhoop is an excellent purifier. Organic and natural dhoop (made with cow dung base) is excellent for hair health. The herbs in natural dhoop have antimicrobials, they keep the scalp clean and fragrant. Once again, be very careful what type of dhoop you use. Only natural and organic dhoop is safe to use and that’s what I recommend.”

Try out this ritual to get rid of greasy hair and dandruff. Remember, rituals are to be repeated and done consistently. That is when you will see the best results. Ladies, think of this process as an opportunity to slow down and spend time on yourself, taking care of your body, mind and health.