DIY Hair Hacks From Around The Globe
When you’re on vacation, sure, it’s fun to hit up those photo-op spots and tourist traps.
But that’s just one part of what makes traveling such an enriching experience.
It’s also a chance for you to witness the authentic lives of other nations…
...the fascinating different ways people in Europe, Asia, and the tropics do the same things we do every day.
HAIR HACKS AROUND THE WORLD
Naturally, this innovative international approach to living extends to hairstyling as well.
All over the globe, women find fresh and unusual ways to enhance their styles with common ingredients.
“No matter where you go in the world...you can always find fresh and unique approaches to hairstyling!”
Here’s a trio of our favorite DIY hair tips, from three of the world’s most unique cultures.
Give these techniques a spin…and they might open the door to a whole new world of styling beauty!
JAMAICA: TREATING HEAT-DAMAGED HAIR...WITH CACTUS
The first stop on our globetrotting hair-hack tour is the Caribbean island of Jamaica…
...where year-round tropical sunshine can lead to heat-damaged hair, frizziness, and dry scalp.
But Jamaican women have an innovative approach to the problem of excess heat on their hair.
And of course, when you’re facing a thorny issue...sometimes, you need a thorny solution!
That’s why Jamaican women have developed the custom of treating their hair with a native cactus.
It’s called the Jamaican tuna plant...also known as the prickly pear cactus.
“The prickly pear cactus may look painful...but inside, you’ll find the key to soft, well-hydrated hair!”
This cactus grows all over Jamaica, and in the southeastern United States.
And it’s especially beneficial for hair because the leaves contain a substance called penka gel.
Similar to aloe vera, this gel is a natural moisturizer...perfect for restoring hydration and nourishment to dried-out, sun-depleted strands.
It also replenishes your scalp, alleviates itchiness, and fortifies your follicles...for stronger roots and thicker, sturdier-growing hair!
To treat their hair, Jamaican women simply cut open one of the cactus leaves.
They rub the exposed, gel-containing portion of the leaf thoroughly over their scalp, then cover the hair with a shower cap.
After 30 minutes, they rinse the penka gel from their hair…
...and their locks are shinier, well-hydrated, and ready to face the sun again!
If you have access to prickly pear cactus plants, you can try this treatment for yourself.
When it comes to dealing with potentially heat-damaged hair...this is a truly sharp idea!2
IRELAND: COME OUT INTO THE RAIN
Now let’s cross the Atlantic...to an island with weather very different from Jamaica’s.
We’re talking about the Emerald Isle of Ireland...where some parts of the country get up to 80 inches of rain a year!
Thankfully, the women of Ireland have made the most of this soggy situation.
Many of them rely on a shine-boosting trick passed down for generations:
Washing their hair with rainwater!4
“Irish women never let the rain get them down...because they know it can help them unlock the shiny tresses they crave!”
You see, if it’s collected before it comes in contact with the ground or any other surfaces, rainwater is one of the purest, softest varieties of water imaginable.
It’s pH-neutral, and free of the harmful minerals and chemicals that can seep into water from pipes.
When you use rainwater with your favorite shampoo, it creates a far richer lather than what you get from the tap...and it rinses clean, with far less soapy residue than hard water sources.
No wonder Irish women have relied on the rain for centuries to enhance the shine, sleekness, and volume of their hair!5
For the freshest rainwater, it’s best to wait until after you’ve had a few recent heavy showers.
This ensures the atmosphere will be much freer from acids and pollution.
The result:
Cleaner, crisper rainwater...and the most beautiful, style-friendly tresses possible!6
INDIA: WAKE UP YOUR COLOR...WITH COFFEE
The last stop on our hair-revitalizing tour is the vast continent of India…
...home to women with some of the most breathtaking black and brown hair hues on the planet.
But even when you’re blessed with shimmering natural ebony locks…
...it doesn’t hurt to give that shade an energy boost from time to time.
And to get this done, many Indian women use one of the most energizing substances around:
Coffee!
“Turns out the deep, earthy goodness of coffee is just what your hair needs to wake up, too!”
Have you ever seen how coffee leaves a ring on a napkin or tablecloth?
Well, it works the same in your hair…like a salon glossing treatment, without the harsh chemicals.
Coffee is also noted for providing an even-all-over shade, without the unwanted color variances you can get from commercial dye products.7
Plus, it turns out caffeine actually boosts your scalp’s circulation...which strengthens your hair follicles, to promote healthier, faster hair growth!8
There are a number of ways to try this Indian hair technique at home, including:
- Roast a quarter-cup of coffee beans in your favorite nourishing hair oil for several hours...then, use the strained oil on your hair once a week, for strengthened scalp circulation!
- Scrub your scalp with ground coffee, to scrape away dead skin and clear your follicles for fresh hair growth
- Soak your hair in cold-brewed coffee for 30 minutes once a week...this will help keep your cuticles flat, for intensified light reflection and luster!
- Mix a tablespoon of coffee with 2 tablespoons of conditioner...massage into your hair, then rinse it off after 15 minutes...for deep, mesmerizing color!9
WHAT WONDERS HAVE YOU SEEN?
These are just a few of the splendid hair hacks we’ve discovered in our international travels.
Now, we’d like to know…
...what strange and wonderful styling techniques have you seen?
Think back on your own journeys...and send along the unique styling methods you’ve witnessed around the world.
We’ll share the most intriguing in a future edition of HAIR/TALK…
...where we always travel far and wide, to bring you the best the world of hairstyling has to offer!
CITATIONS
- Dubois, Sirah. “Health Benefits of the Jamaican Tuna Plant.” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 3 Oct. 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/557601-health-benefits-of-the-jamaican-tuna-plant/.
- JA, Essence. “EssenceJA.” Benefits of the Jamaican Tuna Plant, 1 Jan. 1970, essenceja.blogspot.com/2015/06/benefits-of-jamaican-tuna-plant.html.
- “Rainfall in Ireland.” Brand, www.discoveringireland.com/rainfall-in-ireland/.
- “50 Best Hair Tips From Around the World.” InStyle.com, InStyle.com, www.instyle.com/beauty/50-best-hair-tips-around-world#252766.
- “What Are the Benefits of Rain Water for Natual Hair?” Natures Natural Hair, naturesnaturalhair.blogspot.com/2015/08/what-are-benefits-of-rain-water-for.html.
- Anwesha. “Rain Water Good Or Bad For Hair?” Https://Www.boldsky.com, Boldsky, 18 June 2013, www.boldsky.com/beauty/hair-care/2013/is-rain-water-good-or-bad-for-hair-033774.html.
- Fallon, Brittany Burhop. “This Everyday Drink Is Now Being Used as Hair Dye.” NewBeauty, NewBeauty Magazine, 2 Aug. 2017, www.newbeauty.com/blog/dailybeauty/10101-this-everyday-drink-is-now-being-used-as-hair-dye/.
- Spoon U. “Here's How to Dye Your Hair Using COFFEE.” Teen Vogue, TeenVogue.com, 25 May 2017, www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-dye-your-hair-with-coffee.
- “10 Amazing Coffee Hair Mask Recipes For Common Hair Care Problems.” P&G, www.rewardme.in/beauty/hair/article/use-coffee-to-get-rid-of-hair-care-problems.