Asian Health and Beauty Secrets
(Hair Story)
There is
so much truth in the old cliche of 'having a bad hair day. Feeling bad about
the cut, style, touch, bounce and
shimmer of our hair - or; more precisely, the lack of these affects our morale
like nothing else. But justlike our skin,
our hair is a barometer of our general health; it becomes duller and lankier
to the more tired and poorly nourished
weare. It needs fresh ain fresh foods, sleep and low stress levels to maintain
its shine. It also depends on a healthy
scalp; a good scalp massage activates hair follicles and reduces tension in
our heads.
One of
the most striking features of tropical Asian women's beauty is their sleek
and shiny hair.
Historically their locks have been so lustrous precisely because of the lack
of women who tout those thick black
tresses detergents available to them and their consequent reliance on nature's
yield.Today, shampoo has taken over
from coconut oil for washing, but hair remains a major focus - of beauty ritual,
and all manner of natural
produce - flowers, oils, plant matter - are regularly applied to keep it glossy
Added this, the traditional Asian diet
based on fruit, vegetables, whole grains and oily fish is perfect nourishment
for healthy hair.
While proper
cleaning and conditioning provides some of the best protection from environmental
attack,
manufactured hair products that contain harsh stripping chemicals can do more
harm than good. This chapter
highlights some more natural remedies, tried and tested by the very women
who tout those thick black tresses
that speak for themselves.
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Creme Bath Hair Treatment
Although often referred to as a 'traditional' head treatment, the creme bath is based on a manufactured product, namely a rich conditioning cream, whose thick glutinous consistency thoroughly coats the hair like icing. After steaming, it is washed off to leave hair superlatively soft and shiny. Natural ingredients are often added to the creme bath product to treat specific hair conditions. The St Gregory Javana Spa in Singapore offers Indonesian-produced hair cremes for specific hair types for their 90-minute Mandi Kepala. The therapists run their creme-coated fingers through section after section of hair leaving your head feeling cool, clammy, heavy and 'gooey'. Then lie back to the touch of rhythmic finger movements that massage the scalp and gradually move down the neck and shoulders. While you drift off into limbo, the creme is stimulating the scalp and the hair follicles and softening and strengthening the strands of hair. Natural
Creme Bath Additives Aromatherapy Scalp Treatment This treatment, found exclusively at the Spa at Bali Hyatt, Sanur, Bali, must rank among the best head remedies available anywhere. It incorporates a creme bath but also makes use of gels, oils and a heaven-sent massage to awaken your brain, stimulate hair growth and relax the body. Ingredients : 10 mls (I tbsp): hot macadamia oil 5 mis (1/2 tsp): essential oil of your choice 3 tbsf: manufactured crème bath
Steps : Warm the macadamia oil in an aromatherapy oil burner with your choice of essential oils which are the active ingredients of this treatment (see below).The ratio between base and essential oils should be 2:1. Macadamia oil is used because, unlike the traditional coconut oil, it does not have an aroma that interferes with the scent of the essential oils.The oil is heated so that it penetrates the hair more easily. With your fingers, part the hair. Using a face mask applicator brush, smear the warm oil along the scalp line at one-inch intervals massaging with your finger tips as you go. When your scalp is fairly well covered with oil apply the creme bath from the roots to the ends of your hair and massage your scalp with finger tip pressure. Snap sections of your scalp between fingers and thumb for added stimulation. For best results, cover your head with a loose, clear shower cap and steam for 10-20 minutes, or leave for 20 minutes Shampoo several times to remove all traces of oil.
Dry hair: geranium, sandalwood, palmarosa, lavender Damaged hair: geranium, lavender, sandalwood, frankincense Blond hair: geranium, lemon, camomile Grey hair: camomile, sage, lavender, rose Hair loss: juniper, rosemary, lavender Dandruff/excema: eucalyptus. rosemary, cedarwood.tea tree Hibiscus Hair Shampoo
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Ingredients
: large handful: hibiscus leaves to cover: water
Merang Hair Treatment In the wonderful world of nature , beauty picks up where agriculture leaves off : watermelon rinds and papaya skins, for example, do a great turn as a face mask before being consigned to the bin. Another great example where beauty thrives offnatures cast-offs is redundant rice crops (merang) which keep grey hair at bay. The merang head treatment has been practised throughout tropical Asia for centuries. The only spa offering merang is the Spa at Hotel Tugu, Bali. In fact, this spa offers the most comprehensive range of such real, rural remedies. Ingredients : one handful: merang - burnt rice paddy stalks one small bowl: water. Steps : Soak the burnt rice stalks in the water overnight so that the ash comes loose and dissolves. Strain several times and keep the water. Pour thisinky liquid onto the head and rub into the scalp. Watch it foam like shamppo. The liquid has cleansing properties and acts as tonic. Your head will feel tingly and our hair soft and-clean. Any grey hairs will be dyed a darker shade Although you do not need to have black hair for this treatment, blondes should not experiment! Locals claim that this treatment is most effective when regularly applied. Hair Remedies
For
Dry Hair For
Lacklustre Hair
For
Thinning Hair For
Thicker Hair For
Dandruff For
Fragrant Hair |
The
creme bath is synonymous with hair salons everywhere in Asia where hair
is a major focus of beauty ritual. It is one of the most popular methods
of maintaining the sleek and shiny texture for which Asian womens hair
isrenowned. 
Here
are some of the flavours recommended for specific hair conditions :
Carrot: for hair growth Henna: for nourishing dry or permed hair Avocado:
for feeding dry hair Ginseng: for strengthening the hair roots Celery:
for increasing hair elasticity Aloe vera: for a general hair food Candlenut:
for promoting glossy, dark hair Seaweed: for stimulating hair growth
Egg: for healing dry hair and split ends.
Best
essential oils for the hair as recommended by the Spa at Bali Hyatt:
The
leaves from the prolific hibiscus bush (tuaru) were commonly used for
hair washin; in Indonesia before the advent of manufactured shampoo.
When mashed these leaves excrete a sticky gel, similar to aloe vera.
Coconut
Milk. Young girls say their grandmothers still wash their hair with
coconut milk. They use thick milk for washing and massaging lighter
milk from a younger coconut for conditioning and rinsing. But for
most, this is considered crazily old fashioned and far too much like
hard work! Its worth a try though.
Nuts
for Hair. Loosely grind a handful of rich candlenuts (kemiri nuts)
until their oil starts to seep out. Pan fry them briefly. As they
turn brown and their nutty aroma is released, smash them again. Massage
the nut and the oil into the scalp and leave for 13 minutes. Myth
has it that your hair will resist turning grey. Candlenuts also leave
your hair super-shiny.
See also :
| Body Conscious | ||
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Hair
Story
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