Honey for Natural Hair

It's only natural to want beautiful, manageable hair that gets you noticed in all the right ways. Unfortunately, there's nothing natural about a lot of the products on the market designed to make your tresses your crowning glory. Many products contain ingredients like pthalates, parabens and/or sulfates, which can cause skin irritation or might even be carcinogenic -- not to mention the price of some of those products. It's enough to make a girl go voluntarily bald. Before you resort to drastic measures, try one of the cheapest and best natural products for your hair -- honey. It's a sweet treat for your tresses, while also being sweet to your pocketbook and health.

Benefits
According to Janice Cox, author of "Natural Beauty from the Garden: More Than 200 DIY Beauty Recipes," honey is full of protein and vitamins, including potassium. Honey is also one of the best humectants available. A humectant locks in moisture, making your strands smooth, soft and shiny. Honey also has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, so it can help guard your hair from all kinds of damage. Another plus is that honey naturally boosts the shine in your hair.

Dry Hair
If your hair is drier than the Sahara, whip up a batch of Cox's jungle conditioner. Gather 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 cup of hot water, 1/2 cup of rose petals, 1 tablespoon of macadamia oil and one medium-sized, peeled banana, chopped into small pieces. Steep the rose petals in the hot water until the petals are soft and the water is fragrant. While they steep, combine the honey, macadamia oil and banana in a blender. Add the water and rose petals, blending on low, until you have a smooth paste. Work the paste through your hair and cover with plastic for 30 minutes before rinsing with warm water. If you have leftovers, store the conditioner in the fridge for up to one week before tossing it.

Damaged Hair
If you have punished and tortured your strands to gain their cooperation, it's time to reward your hair for its patience and help heal the damage. Cox recommends a basic clover-honey conditioner to repair traumatized hair. This magic elixir will restore the shine and return body to your limp locks. Start by washing your hair with plain, warm water. When the hair is wet, massage clover honey throughout your locks, from root to tip. You might need a teaspoon or several tablespoons. It depends on your hair length. The clover honey will feel sticky, but don't be afraid to overdo it, since warm water easily removes it from your hair. Wrap your honeyed hair in plastic and cover it with a warm bath towel. Let it soak in for at least 20 minutes before rinsing out the honey, followed by shampooing and conditioning as usual.

Anti-frizz
If your hair is a frizz-fest, The Guide to Living Naturally suggests a milk-and-honey smoothie solution. You will need one can of coconut milk -- usually around 14 ounces -- one ripe avocado, 2 to 4 tablespoons of honey -- if your hair is dull, you'll want to use the max -- and 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil -- again, dry hair will need more than reasonably healthy hair. Dump it all in a blender and mix it on high until you have a concoction with smoothie consistency. Work the smoothie over all of your hair and leave it to soak in for up to 30 minutes. Rinse out the mixture and style as usual to easily tame the frizzies.
via TypeF