Apply oil right to the scalp {Hair Care}

I have spoken a lot about the Hot Oil Treatment for strong and beautiful hair. So, I was once watching a video on youtube and the lady in it had said that it helps to use a bottle with a tapering opening for applying the oil right to the scalp. Since then, I have been searching for a bottle like that. And, since you all know I had colored my hair with Wella which had a similar shaped developer bottle. So, I decided that instead of throwing away that bottle, I could use it in my biweekly routine of applying oil to my scalp.

So, I washed the bottle nicely and dried it and then poured oil in it. I kept the bottle for sometime in really hot water to heat the oil. After around 15 minutes, I took out the bottle and poured the oil right on the scalp by partitioning the hair. And, massaged the scalp nicely. This was a useful tool which allows a better application of oil to the scalp instead of using simple fingers.

The best part of following this procedure is that (I don't know if it is my misconception) but the procedure feels very relaxing and soothing as compared to applying oil with fingers. If you have heard of Shirodara ayurvedic technique, it involves pouring of oil on the forehead in a particular rhythm and pattern. It is supposed to be extremely relaxing and has healing benefits for the body too. Similarly, using the applicator for pouring oil on the scalp has a similar relaxing effect. Also, this is an easier way to apply oil for people extremely dense and thick hair. 

READ MORE - Apply oil right to the scalp {Hair Care}

Combs and Hair Care {Accessory Review}

Combing is one of the most essential activity of our daily routine. And, the quality of our combs determine the health of our hair. I have changed a lot of combs in my life and my preference has always been the wide-toothed comb even before I had become interested in beauty and started reading about it. Wide-toothed combs make it easy to detangle and comb through the hair whatever the mass of the hair be. So, let us see how various combs in my latest years ave affected my hair. 

My yellow Giant Comb

This one I had received as one of the goodies from Sunsilk when they had launched their revamped version sometime in 2006 as part of the promotions in malls. And, since then, I have not touched another comb.

See the nice rounded edges of the comb

As you can see, the teeth in both parts of the comb are wide and they help in combing the hair very very easily. So, since I had started using this comb, my hair had improved drastically. Also, his comb has rounded tips though the plastic is jagged at some places due to the poor finishing.

Bad Buy - Roots Comb

Then, I got interested in vanity and read everything about hair care which includes a huge section on hair accessories of which combs are a staple part. Now, somewhere, I had read that the tips of the combs should touch the scalp and distribute the oils equally. Now, my yellow comb had been over-used in the years (2006-2010). So, I decided that it wasn't doing its job well-enough and I had to get a new comb. So, I hunted low and up in some vanity store (starts from 'K' and I am not able to recall its name though I have been trying since quite a long time). Finally, I checked all the combs and decided that roots would do the job well even though I could have settled for 30 bucks cheaper on another comb which was essentially the same (don't remember the brand). Bought it and very happily tried it on my hair, a little more hair than usual on the comb. I decided that was due to the change in the comb and hair will get accustomed.

Edges are not looking pointed but are pretty sharp!!!

Now, when I opened the comb, I got the shock of life coz its edges were really pointed though they didn't feel at all that way through the packing. They even look rounded. So, I was a lot disappointed coz the combs are not supposed to be rough on the edges as that snags and pulls the hair. Subsequently, my hair fall went to worse when I started usign this comb very regularly. I couldn't' guess the reason at first though the thunder bolt struck me probably a month or two after. I shifted back to my lovely yellow comb which I had so ruthlessly disposed off and voila, my hair fall was back to normal. 

Moral of the Story: Check the combs properly while buying combs. Do not settle for something which is cheaper coz your hair pays heavily afterwards. And, yes, your combs might be leading to your hair loss. Analyze them now. 

History of Combs

So, let us come to a little history of combs. Earlier in ancient times, single sticks of either wood or animal bones were used as combs to detangle hair. Since, wood would splinter so animal bones were preferred. In the Victorian era, there were ivory combs too. But, then, regard for animal life increased and such luxuries became privileges. I definitely do not support elephant slaughter for tusks. Or, any other animal for any part of theirs. So, we do not have animal bone combs any more. They were majorly made out of Sharks teeth and ribs. But, now, some companies do sell combs made of artificial keratin coz they don't get jagged. Otherwise, a simple substitute is wooden comb which is available for a cheaper rate courtesy The Body Shop. 

The Body Shop Detangling Comb

So, I was searching madly for a wooden comb since I had no access to bones comb. And, when I saw it in TBS, I felt crazy happy. I wasn't aware of TBS as a brand and didn't trust it so didn't buy the comb and 295 INR for a comb seemed really costly to me. Then, my birthday happened and this was one of my self-selected gift set. And, I obviously used it without further ado. And, voila, my hair was so soft in the first use. Though, the first time you handle this comb, you wouldn't feel comfortable. It needs a little getting used to and the wood gets little polished with regular usage. So, probably in a week or two, this was my favorite comb and this time, I didn't dump my yellow comb. But, here is the catch. When I tried combing my hair with the yellow comb after my hair got used to the wooden comb, there were more strands to be seen on the yellow comb which clearly proved that wooden comb is better. 

I have been using this comb since February and I can say there are less splits considering my previous track record with the split ends, my hair is more shinier and softer, has a better growth rate as far as I can tell, hair fall which I had been facing had reduced to a considerable extent, probably has a little more volume (can be attributed to the growth fact) and no breakage (I had little breakage earlier). Overall, my hair quality has improved with this comb. Now, I have wavy to curly hair and curly hair people should not use brishes as they lead to more hair fall so I am more of a comb girl (more coming on brushes in some other post!!). Ok, yeah, it is a little costly but I think worth spending for the results!!! 

Look at the rounded edges of the teeth

Now, here comes the biggest catch of this comb. Cleaning. It is wooden so cleaning with water is something unthinkable. So, I have no idea how to clean it. I do use water coz I have no other choice. I sprinkle baking soda on the comb and use a wet brush to clean the comb between its teeth. I nicely scrub the comb with the baking soda and when I feel its done, I wash it quickly with water to keep it for as less time as possible in water. IF you can suggest a better method to clean, please do so!!! Another problem is the packaging. The comb comes with a sticker stuck to it and the sticker is literally stuck to it. It takes weeks to scratch out the sticker (you can't use water, remember!!) and its really sticky. I don't know why TBS does that horrible packaging but that is something where it can be improved upon.

The comb itself is really small and extremely handy. It has polish on the upper frame. It is a wide-teethed comb which is said to detangle wet hair but I don't use it on wet hair. I use it on damp to dry hair. It says that it distributes the oils well. Well, seeing the results, it certainly must be doing its job. The edges of the teeth are not pointed but not even rounded. They are blunt edges and are wide enough to distribute the oils properly. Wooden combs also reduce the static in the hair so less frizzy hair. It is made up of the wood from trees which are some forest steward council approved (I don't remember what exactly it was but I think it was a rain forest preserve or something!!! It was on the sticker).

My Recommendation

Absolutely!!! You should invest in this comb for better hair. And, this is for people who have gorgeous hair too.

READ MORE - Combs and Hair Care {Accessory Review}

Parachute Head Massager Review

This might come as a very late news for you all because Parachute has been providing head massager along with its 'Advansed Cooling oil' since quite a long time. But, I found it in a shop only a few days ago. Consequently, I was very much interested and bought it. I did not try the oil yet. So, I will be writing only about the massager. Well, I would not say I was disappointed. The quality of the massager is obviously not so good but it does the job pretty well so I have no complaints. And, it is pretty handy and can be used for travel purposes too. Well, do not be deceived by the size in the snap because it is a cropped version.

The massager has a vibrator inside it. As you might have guessed the light blue area with the protrusions is the massage area. That part is all made of rubber and is very soft on the scalp and the hair. It does not snag and pull the hair. Instead, it can be used as a comb on the scalp while massaging. This way it does not create any tangles in the hair also. I massaged my scalp for around 15 minutes. And, after that, my hair was so unbelievably soft, it actually felt surreal. And, you can feel the hum in your head long after you are done with your massage. I guess that is the blood rushing. And, it also made my hair shinier and softer immediately. The effect did not wear off by the next morning also. And, using it is more easier than massaging your scalp with your fingers. Though, I would recommend to do scalp massage with fingers once a week too as fingers are more flexible and can reach points which a massager cannot.  It has two days since I have begun using the massager. So, it is too early to say if there is any change in my hair. I should be able to report a change in a month or at least two weeks. And, I am pretty hopeful for that. So, I would wind up by recommending you to buy the massager if you do not already possess one. It is not at all expensive. The oil costs 70 Rs. I think the stocks are getting over so if you want to lay hands on it, you would better hurry up.

Now, there are many drawbacks also. The massager did not really turn out as I had anticipated. I had expected the protrusions also to vibrate thus giving a more realistic massage feeling. But, the vibration is only limited to the body of the massager. That is one thing where Parachute should concentrate and I will say that achieving that would not prove very costly. And, another major drawback is that it works on a battery. And, it uses a lot of battery so you can not expect the same intensity of vibration everyday. It keeps on decreasing everyday. I wish there was a provision to be attached to the current source too. That would have proved cheaper and would have consistently given good results everyday.

But, there is one more advantage with this massager. You can use it for face massage also. I use it daily for a 5 minute face massage too. Having two different massagers for head and face is the best way to go about it but since I have not bought another one, I am currently using the same for both purposes. I would not say I have noticed any great changes on the face but it feels nice when you massage your face with it. If there is any change, I shall report back. In the meanwhile, you can use the massager for your head at least.

Disclaimers: This article is an account of my personal experience. I am not paid to write the review and I am not endorsing the product.  

Update: Buying batteries everyday or every week can become costly so I tried using my digicam's rechargeable batteries and they worked. My batteries were of the same specification as required by the batteries of the massager. And, the result was even better than using the normal batteries. The rechargeable batteries provide more power so the massaging action is even better.
I used the oil too but just once till now. I wanted to mask the egg smell on my hair during the deep conditioning treatment I was doing and I did not have any oil better than this one (Parachute). It works best because it has a very strong smell of camphor and easily masks the odor of egg. The oil has an aqua shade to it and is a little thick but if applied in appropriate amount to the hair, hair remains non-sticky. You can buy the oil at least for the massager.

READ MORE - Parachute Head Massager Review

How to do Hot Oil Treatment for faster hair growth? {Hair Care}

Today, I would be talking about how to do Hot Oil Treatment. You can also read the hair oil recipe for growing hair faster.

Do not heat the oil. Instead take a steam after oiling your hair. Partition your hair into various sections. Pour some oil into your hand and apply it on the scalp first. Cover the entire scalp. Massage oil well into the scalp for 5 minutes at each part. Then, start applying oil to the body of your hair and concentrate on the ends. Be generous with the amount of oil on your head. Do not worry about greasing your hair. Do it at evening time when you do not have any appointments and it would be great if you have a friend who can give you a nice head massage.

After applying the oil to your hair completely, massage your scalp for 15-30 minutes. You would feel the heat generating. Immediately, either steam your hair by placing your head about 1 feet over the steam machine or cover your head with a shower cap and place a very hot towel on your head. Heat opens the pores and allows the oil to get absorbed more and quick. When the towel gets cold, replace it with other hot towel and alternate this routine for 1 hour. You can continue with the shower cap routine even after taking steam. Then, tie a scarf tightly over the shower cap and go to sleep. Leave the oil overnight to work better. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo in the morning. Apply conditioner only to the ends. You will have very soft and shiny hair. And, a weekly hot oil treatment with any oil would stimulate more hair growth.

Update: Hot Oil Treatment gives best results if done one night before washing your hair. But, applying oil immediately and going to bed will not help anything except spoiling your bed linens. So, apply oil two hours before going to bed. That gives oil enough time to get soaked into your hair.
One more important thing to remember is that do not over apply your hair oil. Take little by little and apply on your hair. Stop when all your scalp and hair length is covered. Do not keep on splurging the oil like some product. That will finish your shampoo quickly, dry your hair and might even cause hair loss. So, apply only to coat your hair. Be a little generous with the ends. Extra layers of coating will not ensure your hair turns healthy sooner or any kind of such belief.

READ MORE - How to do Hot Oil Treatment for faster hair growth? {Hair Care}

How to massage your scalp? {Health}

Scalp massage increases blood circulation (blood carries nutrients vital for hair) to your scalp, relieves you of mental stress, reduces hair loss and aids in hair growth. If done everyday for 15 minutes, it can help the hair growth tremendously and relax your mind and prepare you for a good sleep. There is a technique of performing scalp massage.

Spread your fingers on the scalp and use your finger balls (tips) to move the skin of your scalp gently. Do not use the nails as they may cause hair breakage. Do not move your fingers but the skin under them. Start from the middle of your hairline and proceed to the sides. Then, move your fingers a step back from hairline and repeat the same. Continue doing it till you feel hot or tingling sensation in your scalp. This means that blood is rushing to the scalp. You will definitely get a nice sleep.

You can use a few drops of any cold pressed vegetable oil (coconut, almond, mustard, olive or any other of your choice) mixed with few drops of Lavender or Rosemary Essential oils and massage into your scalp. This will encourage healthy growth of hair.

READ MORE - How to massage your scalp? {Health}