Hair

Decoction for better growth

50 g (~1.8 oz) of dried Nettle
1 l (~33.8 fl oz) of water

Boil for 15 minutes, strain. Massage into the scalp once a day.

Hair wash against dandruff I

Make a strong infusion by pouring 1⁄2 l (~16.9 fl oz) of boiling water over 4 tbsp of Nettle. Leave for several hours, add 3⁄4 dl (~2.5 fl oz) of apple cider vinegar and 3⁄4 dl (~2.5 fl oz) of eau de cologne to the strained juice, this makes it last longer. Massage into the scalp every night. If the hair is oily, the amount of eau de cologne can be increased to 1 1⁄2 dl (~5.1 fl oz).

Tincture for hair wash

20 g (~0.7 oz) of dried Nettle
2 dl (~6.8 fl oz) of 70 % alcohol

Mix in a bottle, leave for 5 days. Stir often, strain and filter.

Hair wash against dandruff II

20 ml (~0.7 fl oz) of tincture
80 ml (~2.7 fl oz) of distilled water
20 ml (~0.7 fl oz) of 96 % alcohol

Mix thoroughly. Massage into the scalp once a day.

Apple cider vinegar against dandruff

Use cotton balls to apply warm vinegar to the scalp. Wrap your head in a towel and let it work for 30 minutes. Wash it out with shampoo. You can also make hair wash from 1 part vinegar and 6 parts water. Dampen your hair every morning and night using a comb. Let it dry on its own. Helps against irritated and itchy scalp.

Rosemary hair wash

1 tsp of dried or 2 tsp of fresh Rosemary
6 dl (~20.3 fl oz) of boiling water

Put the herbs in the water, remove the kettle from the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes-2 hours. Strain and use as the last rinse water after you've washed your hair. Makes the hair shinier and less flying.

Strong herbal agent for dry and frayed hair

1 tbsp of finely ground Rosemary buds
1 tbsp of Roman Chamomile flowers
1 tbsp of colorless henna flour
the juice from 1⁄2 Lemon
3⁄4 dl (~2.5 fl oz) of boiling water

Mix all the ingredients to a thick paste, massage it into newly washed hair. Put a plastic bag (or similar) over the hair and cover it with a towel. Let it work for half an hour and rinse thoroughly.

Clearing for fair hair

1⁄2 dl (~1.7 fl oz) of Roman Chamomile
1⁄2 dl (~1.7 fl oz) of Marigold
3 dl (~10.1 fl oz) of boiling water

Place the herbs in a bowl pour the water over them. Cover with a towel and leave it for 3 hours. Strain through gauze, pour into bottles and store in a dark place. Use it in the last rinse. This is the secret behind many shimmering blond hairs.

Against oily hair

1 tbsp of Lemon juice
2 1⁄2 dl (~8.5 fl oz) of water

Mix and massage it in. Wash the hair with shampoo afterwards.

Sage and Rosemary rinse

1 tbsp of Sage
2 tbsp of Rosemary
1 tbsp of Tea leaves
1 l (~33.8 fl oz) of boiling water

Mix Sage, Rosemary and Tea leaves in a bowl and pour the water over them. Leave it for 3 hours, strain and use in the last rinse. Makes gray hair darker.

Old style shampoo

2 fresh eggs
1 tsp of strained Lemon juice
1 1⁄4 dl of cooled off, boiled water
(1 tsp of Almond oil)

If you add Almond oil you get shampoo and conditioner at the same time. All ingredients must be at room temperature, or the eggs will stiffen. Run in a blender until the mixture is smooth. Massage into wet hair for 10 minutes, distribute it evenly throughout the whole hair. Rinse with semi-cold water until everything's gone. Finish with a Rosemary hair wash.

Herbal shampoo

You get a herbal shampoo by adding a strong infusion of herbs to the Avocado or Coconut shampoo you like best. You can also use the herbs together with natures own soap ingredient; saponin. If you have fair hair, you make an infusion on Roman Chamomile, it makes the hair lighter and softer. You can also add an infusion on Mullein flowers, Nettle or a decoction on Rhubarb root. If you've got normal or oily hair you can add an egg white. Those who have dry, fair hair use an egg yolk. If you want darker hair, add an infusion on Rosemary, Sage or Rosemary oil. Both herbs are good for the hair.

Dry shampooing

Instead of washing your hair with water and shampoo, you can brush it with some kind of absorbing flour or powder. The advantage here is that the protective acid layer doesn't get washed away all the time. The hair becomes shiny and springier. Ground Orris root from Florence, has been used as a dry shampoo for several hundred years. Fuller's earth can also be used. Divide the hair into sections and spray on the absorbent until the whole scalp is covered. After five minutes, start to brush the hair powerfully. Brush through the whole hair.

In a crisis

Tread a piece of straining cloth or a nylon stocking over a brush, and force the brush trough the fabric. Spray some eau de cologne on it and brush your hair. Repeat if necessary. A surprising amount of dirt disappears using this method. This makes you able to go where you're supposed to, even though you didn't have time to wash your hair.

Against dandruff and oily hair

4 tbsp of Almond oil
3 drops of Juniper oil
3 drops of Cedar Tree oil

Mix well and distribute in you hair after washing it. Leave it in for an hour or until the hair is dry. If you add the shampoo to dry hair afterwards, it's easier to get the oil out. Wash and rinse your hair.

Aroma therapy for the scalp

4 tbsp of Almond oil
3 drops of Rosemary oil
3 drops of Lavender oil

Mix well and distribute in you hair after washing it. Wash and rinse your hair again. Stimulates the scalp, reduces hair loss and makes the hair stronger.

Intense treatment for dry hair

3 tsp of Almond oil
3 drops of aroma oil

Warm the oils carefully and mix them. Massage the oils into the scalp and then distribute them in the whole hair. Make sure you get the parts that are dry. Wrap your hair in warm towels and let it work for 20 minutes. Rinse and shampoo thoroughly.

Coloring with henna

Henna is a non-toxic agent that doesn't irritate the skin. It's hard to stabilize the color if you're not used to working with henna. The color lasts for months at a time.

Wash your hair and protect your scalp with a layer of Safflor oil or Corn oil. Don't forget to use rubber gloves.

6 dl (~20.3 fl oz) of Henna powder
3 dl (~10.1 fl oz) of warm water
1 tsp of vinegar

Stir the Henna powder into the water until it's a thick mush. Add the vinegar to make the color better. Leave the paste to rest for one hour. Warm it over a water bath until the water bath boils powerfully. Stir the mush the entire time. Remove the water bath from the heat and leave it for another hour. Warm it up again and massage it into your hair. Don't forget the gloves! If you a Chestnut brown tint or even darker, leave it in for up to 6 hours. Wash you hair and rinse until the water is completely clear. Use a comb during the rinse. To prevent drying, massage some oil into the scalp.

Other plants that give red nuances

A strong infusion on vinegar and Privet makes the hair red, if you wash it with the liquid. Saffron gives the hair a reddish tint, as well as Marigold petals.

Coloring your hair brown or black

Walnut shells give a safe coloring agent that gradually makes the hair darker. Before the nuts are matured, you crush and rub the outer shells in a mortar and cover them with water. Add a bit of salt, leave them for 3 days. Add 1 l (~33.8 fl oz) of boiling water and let it boil gently for 5 hours. Replace the water that disappears (make a mark in the kettle). Press the dark fluid out of the shells with a press or wring it out with a straining cloth. Pour all the liquid back into the kettle, and let it boil down to a fourth of the original amount. Add about ten drops of perfume if you want, some alum as a fixing agent and bit of glycerin to make the hair softer. Use the color on newly washed hair. First the hair gets a yellowish color, which then changes to a deep black.

Other things that make the hair darker

Colors that are used to make the hair darker are often made from infusions of Wild Wine, Fig Tree, Raspberry bush, Sage, Marjoram, Betony, Laurel or Myrtle. Decoction on roots from Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) and Caper wood, decoction on Willow bark, Walnut wood and Pomegranate, Bean shells, Gallnut, Cypress roots, Beetroot seeds, Poppy flowers and alum.

Cashew wood, Kampesh wood, Kvebracho wood, Sandal wood and some Sequoias are other examples. Make a decoction on one of these and 5dl water. Let it boil gently for 20-30 minutes, strain and brush the liquid through your hair several times. You can also rinse your hair with it. The color will gradually get darker and it won't look good until you've done it a couple of times. Hair that is washed with Elder berries boiled in wine gets black.

Make your hair lighter

You can use Rhubarb root to give dark blond hair a golden yellow color, and brown hair a beautiful golden hue.

4 tbsp of Rhubarb root
3⁄4 dl (~2.5 fl oz) of water or white wine

Let the root boil gently in water or wine for 20 minutes. Leave it for several hours. Wet your hair with the liquid several time, or make a pack to increase the effect, especially near the roots. Take 1 1⁄2 dl (~5.1 fl oz) of powdered China clay to 3 dl (~10.1 fl oz) of the decoction. To prevent any drying, you can add a whisked egg yolk, 1⁄2 tsp of apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp of glycerin. Wine gives the best result, but gets sticky and has to be washed out. If you use water you can leave it in.

Don't forget to use gloves. If you let your hair dry in the sun, the effect increases. The hair gets softer and the golden tone gets deeper with repeated treatments.

If you want to make your hair a golden yellow color, mix equal parts of Elder bark and Greenweed flowers with an egg yolk and boil it in water. Remove the foam that rises to the surface and use it as a coloring agent.