Easy Ayurvedic Hair Care Regimen: A Natural Hair Intro
Hi Curl Friends! I’ve been living the natural life for over 16 years. When my hair needs a makeover or when I want it to grow, I always re-introduced Ayurvedic products into my routine. Have you ever heard of the term “Ayurvedic”? Well, Ayurvedic or Ayurveda is one of the oldest healing sciences with its origins in India, and literally means “Science of Life”. The 5,000 year old practice of Ayurvedic medicine is designed with a holistic approach to help people live long, healthy and well-balanced lives. When it comes to hair care, Indian women have used Ayurvedic oils and remedies to cleanse, condition, strengthen, and grow their famous long and healthy tresses. I wrote this post to provide an introduction to Ayurvedic hair care and introduce one of my staple products to get your Ayurvedic regimen started.
Pictured here is my go-to Ayurvedic product, Vatika Oil. Vatika Oil is one of my holy grail products because it contains key Ayurvedic ingredients that have been shown to improve the overall health of hair and assist with hair growth. Vatika Oil is not only easy to use, but it can also be used multiple ways. Below is a summary of Vatika Oil, a list of key Ayurvedic ingredients, and how to add Ayurvedic elements into your routine.
What Is Vatika Oil?
“Vatika Oil is a delicate mix of pure coconut oil with special hair care herbs including henna, amla and lemon. Blended together to strengthen each strand of hair from within. Vatika provides natural nourishment to your hair. Giving it body and radiance, taking care of the critical balance of nutrients.” (Amazon product description)
Vatika Oil Key Ingredients
Henna - colorant, hair conditioner & restorative
Harad - protects from UV rays, delays graying
Bahera - maintains hair color
Kapur Kachari - antiseptic
Lemon Oil - astringent, fights dandruff
Coconut Oil - promotes hair growth & nourishment
Cow's Milk - natural nourishment for scalp & roots
Neem - Is an antibacterial powerhouse, it helps correct scalp issues, as well as promote healthy hair growth
Brahmi - Strengthens hair at the roots, helps relieve dandruff, also purported to thicken hair
Amla - Stimulates hair growth, has wonderful conditioning properties, strengthens hair at the roots
Other Key Ayurvedic Ingredients
Bhringraj - Treats hair loss, premature graying, and also acts as a conditioner
Shikakai - Acts as a natural cleanser, and mild conditioner, whilst promoting hair growth
Aritha [Reetha] - Natural cleansing agent
Methi [Fenugreek] - Prevents hair loss, promotes hair growth, helps strengthen the hair shaft, light protein
Hibiscus - Conditions hair, promotes healthy hair growth, prevents hair loss, thickens hair
Where Can I Purchase Vatika Oil or Ayurvedic Products?
Your local Indian grocery store
Online at Henna Sooq
How Can I Use Vatika Oil In My Current Hair Care Routine?
Use 1: Easy Pre-shampoo Treatment
On wash day, saturate unwashed hair with Vatika Oil. You may find it useful to warm oil in the microwave or under warm water if its hard. Once hair is covered in oil, cover hair with plastic cap for 45-min to 1 hour. I like to do this as an overnight treatment. Rinse oil and wash hair.
Use 2: Seal Hair Shaft & Lock-in Moisture
After applying a moisturizer, pour oil into your hands and apply to hair. For twist outs, seal ends with oil or take down twists using oil.