oKRA bENEFITS in hAIRCARE
Keeping up with hair moisturizing is an essential requirement to have your hair always healthy and beautiful. Moisturized, well-maintained hair is on a whole other level, right? It’s even better when using homemade moisturizer, with powerful, natural ingredients which can provide important nutrients to the hair fiber; such is the case of okra.
This vegetable – disliked by many people because of its famous “slime” and not very pleasant taste – not only has many health benefits but also helps keep hair beautiful, less dry and much shinier and softer when it’s included in one’s diet or applied directly to the scalp and hair length. That is why you need okra hair moisturizer for hair – and you’ll learn how to make it in today’s post.
When you think about the fact that okra is readily accessible (and affordable) in grocery stores and — as you’re about to see in a bit — it’s pretty easy to create your own DIY hair-related recipes, how could you not want to give it a shot?
This vegetable contains good quantities of vitamin A, for which it can be used to powerfully moisturize and humidify one’s hair, restoring even the most damaged and dry ones – especially when using or doing treatments with chemicals, or frequently blow-drying and flat-ironing the hair.
- It restores hair damaged by chemicals, high-temperature tools (hair dryers, flat irons, and curling irons), and the action of the weather and natural agents (wind, sun exposition, humidity, pollution, dust, etc.);
- It conditions the hair;
- It moisturizes dry, itchy scalps;
- It fights dandruff and other hair root seborrhea;
- It promotes hair glow and softness.
Okra moisturizer is super potent and shows surprising results to users from the very first moment. That’s why it is recommended for hair that needs intense and powerful moisturizing, such as curly, kinky, wavy and afro hair which tend to be naturally very dry.
Okra defines curls naturally. Between the conditioning properties and slip that okra provides, it’s definitely something that can help to give your curls a good amount of definition. And honestly, how awesome is that when you stop to think about the fact that there are things in Mother Nature that can give you what commercial brands do, only without all of the harsh chemicals and high price tag?
This is because the hair strand’s shape doesn’t allow the scalp’s natural oils to reach the length and the tips, which makes the hair drier, with excessive volume and increased frizz. Therefore, because of the nutrients and high concentration of water in its composition, okra can be useful for increasing hair humidity (moisturizing) and solving all those issues.
Hair that has been badly damaged by hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons, chemicals, natural agents and the weather effects can also look very pretty and healthy after okra moisturizing. Okra is a profound moisturizer. Since okra is made up of close to 93 percent water, that along with the protein that’s in it, can serve as a great addition to any conditioner or hair mask that you decide to make at home. No doubt about it.
Okra is loaded with nutrients. As far as your hair goes, antioxidants are good for it because they help to fight off free radicals. Vitamin C is good for your hair because it helps it to produce more collagen which increases elasticity and reduces hair loss. Two other nutrients in okra are magnesium and iron. Magnesium works to dissolve calcium deposits that can occur from hard water. Iron helps to increase blood circulation, so that your hair follicles are able to receive the vitamins and minerals that they need.
Okra helps to keep your scalp healthy. Your scalp is the foundation of your hair so, of course, it needs to be well taken care of; this is just one more way that okra is super useful. Because it is indeed so nutrient-rich, applying this vegetable to your scalp can help to reduce itchiness and irritation which is always a good thing.
Okra provides more “slip”. Something that I really like is when my hair has “slip” to it which basically means that it feels really smooth and sleek after applying a particular product. That said, it shouldn’t be surprising at all that okra is able to give your hair slip since its texture is kind of on the slimy side. When it comes to giving your hair manageability and sheen, trust me when I say that your tresses will be all for you introducing some okra to it!
OK, so now that you know some of the ways that okra can help your hair to flourish, here are some really easy-to-make recipes that I definitely recommend that you try on your next wash day.
You will need:
5 okras;
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or any other vegetable oil you prefer);
200 ml of plain mineral water;
2 tablespoons of your preferred moisturizing mask.
How to prepare it:
Firstly, thoroughly wash the okras in running water and remove their extremities. Next, slice them, put them inside a pan with mineral water and wait for them to cook for about 20 minutes.
After that, mash the cooked okras with the help of a fork. Then, add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or your preferred vegetable oil, and mix well.
Now, put everything inside a blender and blend until creamy. When that happens, pour the cream inside a plastic container and wait until it cools a little.
Lastly, add two tablespoons of the moisturizing mask you regularly use and mix well. Done! Then, simply apply it on your hair, following the instructions we will show next.
After your okra moisturizer is ready, wash your hair twice with a sulfate-free shampoo of your choice. Next, remove the excess water with a towel, leaving your hair just damp.
Now, detangle your hair and divide it into sections. Apply the homemade okra mask on each of them, massaging the hair well down the length and to the tips. After finishing the application on the entire hair, put on a cap (laminated or plastic) and wait for the mixture to work for about 40 minutes.
Afterward, thoroughly wash your hair with plenty of water and apply your conditioner of choice. Leave the product on for 5 more minutes or the time recommended on the bottle and wash off again.
You’re done! This process will help seal the cuticles and retain moisture (water) inside the hair strands. From then on, finish your hair, as usual, drying it with a hairdryer and modeling it with a flat iron or, for those who have curly, afro or kinky hair, letting it dry naturally.
Here are a few more recipes to try on wash day!
DIY Okra Hair Conditioner
Healthy hair needs deep conditioning and, as you’ve already read, okra can give your tresses just that. Add some grapeseed oil to it to add loads of antioxidants and rosemary oil to increase blood circulation, slow down premature greying and soothe dry scalp — and you’ll be all set.
Ingredients
5 Pieces of Okra
¼ Cup of Grapeseed Oil
10 Drops of Rosemary Essential Oil
Directions
Slice open the okra and try to remove as many seeds as possible. Then cut it into small pieces and put them into a pot of water that has 1 ½ cups of water in it. Bring everything to a boil and let the okra cool. Once it turns into a gel-like consistency, add the other ingredients and store them in a glass jar. Use immediately and keep the rest in a cool dark place. Also, feel free to add lavender or some other essential oil if you want to create a delightful scent.
DIY Okra Hair Mask
If there’s ever a time when your hair feels like it needs some extra moisture added to it, you can never go wrong with a hair mask. This one is awesome because not only are you able to get the properties of okra but the benefit of bananas (it adds shine and improves hair elasticity), coconut milk (it’s loaded with protein, lauric acid which is a fatty acid and B vitamins) and manuka honey (it seals in moisture).
Ingredients
3 Pieces of Okra
Half a Banana
1/8 Cup of Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon of Manuka Honey
Directions
Cut the okra into pieces and put them into 1 ½ cup of water. Bring them to a boil. Strain the okra with a cheesecloth and allow the gel to cool before adding the other ingredients. Put everything into a mason jar and use immediately. If there is anything remaining, store it in the refrigerator. You should be able to get one more use out of it.
DIY Okra Hair Gel
When it comes to achieving the slip and definition that I was talking about, you can’t go wrong with okra hair gel; especially if you add some Aloe vera gel to it. The recipe is super easy too.
Ingredients
5-7 Pieces of Okra
¼ Cup of 100 Pure Aloe Vera Gel
Your Favorite Essential Oil Scent
Directions
Slice your okra into horizontal pieces. Put the pieces into a pot that contains 8-10 ounces of water and boil the okra until it turns into a gel-like consistency. Allow the gel to cool and add the Aloe vera (it helps to condition your hair, prevent UV damage and relieve scalp irritation, plus it also has a gel consistency to it). Then put in 7-10 drops of your favorite essential oil in order to mask the scent of the okra. Some of the best ones are lavender (it de-stresses you), jasmine (it moisturizes your hair and scalp) and citrus (it has antiseptic properties in it that keeps your scalp healthy). Then store it in a glass jar. Then use it like you would any other kind of hair gel and watch how amazing okra gel looks and feels on your curls!
Have you ever tried using okra
- Danielle Lasit