When it comes to haircare, many of us go for the most scientific, hot off the press ingredients. Hair brands love to boast about their specially formulated ingredients, created specially to help your hair look its best.
But when it comes to making your hair look, and feel, beautiful, sometimes all natural is the way to go. Your body is adapted to using many of the ingredients found in nature to help support hair growth and health, so using them to support overall hair wellness makes a lot of intuitive sense.
Here are some of our favorite natural ingredients to turn to when we want our hair to look its best, perfect for nourishing hair health the natural way.
Turmeric
A powerful antioxidant, turmeric is great for supporting general wellness and the overall health of your body. There’s a reason everyone is sipping golden milk lattes these days! And when it comes to hair health, turmeric’s anti-inflammatory powers may stimulate hair growth, inhibiting the production of DHT, which causes your body to shed hair as you age. To get the most benefit for your hair, try a serum formulated with turmeric as a key ingredient, and recommended by celebrity influencer Shea Whitney, to help your body grow faster, thicker, and stronger looking strands.
Yogurt
Love adding a scoop of creamy Greek yogurt to your breakfast smoothie? You’re building a healthy habit that your hair will thank you for! Packed with protein and high levels of hair health essential vitamin B5, yogurt is wonderful for supporting hair from the inside out. Protein adds structure to your strands, while B5 works to promote critical blood flow to your scalp. If you want to go as all natural as possible with your yogurt consumption, avoid brands packed with sweeteners and additives. You can even try making it yourself!
Avocados
The once humble avocado has been enjoying its time in the spotlight lately, as avocado toast continues its reign of popularity. But did you know these deliciously fatty veggies also do wonders for your hair? An excellent moisturizer and anti-inflammatory ingredient, avocados help restore your strands with a high dose of healthy fats and moisture, helping restore hair and leaving it supple, healthy, and resistant to damage. While we’re fans of a slice of tasty avocado toast, the best way to use avocados to support your strands is to whip up a DIY deeply conditioning avocado hair mask.
Milk Thistle
A common herbal remedy brewed into tea to help soothe a variety of health conditions, milk thistle has long been valued for its benefits to overall hair health. Supporting healthy skin and hair, this spiky little herb is known for strengthening follicles and helping to reduce hair loss. Some people experience gastrointestinal distress when drinking milk thistle tea, so if you prefer to steer clear try experimenting with a deep moisture repair mask that uses milk thistle as a key ingredient, hydrating and smoothing strands while encouraging healthy growth.
Leafy Greens
Kale and spinach and romaine and chard—whatever form of leafy green you prefer, getting your daily serving of healthy greens is a great way to support complete hair and scalp health. Rich in iron, leafy greens support strong blood flow to your scalp, and help to produce the natural oil called sebum that keeps hair follicles glossy, healthy, and hydrated. They’re also rich in carotene, folate, potassium, vitamins A and C, and keratin, all of which strengthen hair follicles and promote healthy growth. The best way to take these greens in is the all natural way, but if you struggle to get your daily dose a greens powder can also provide a sneaky solution.
All of these ingredients are excellent for your strands, but the best way to keep your hair healthy is to make sure your diet is diverse. Try all these hair healthy natural ingredients, but don’t be afraid to experiment, expanding your diet with a daily dose of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and other whole foods which are excellent for supporting hair health.
By eating the rainbow of fruits and veggies every day, you’ll be able to give your hair everything it needs to thrive—and have a very tasty and adventurous time doing it! So get out there and eat your veggies. We promise your hair will thank you!
