Most of us would never leave the house wearing unkempt clothing and untidy hair. Whether we're at home or out and about, we always want to look our best. But have you noticed that the person who taught you how to groom yourself now has very little time to focus on her own grooming?
With Mother's Day just around the corner, now is the perfect opportunity to show your mom how much you care and help her become the best version of herself. One simple way to do this is by helping her improve her hair health. Hair is often the first thing people notice about someone, and it can greatly enhance one's appearance and confidence. Your mother may not vocalize it, but her hair may reveal a lot about her daily struggles and nutritional deficiencies.
You don't have to take her to an expensive salon for hair treatments. Instead, consider bringing the salon experience to her by planning a surprise hair care spa treatment in the comfort of her own home. You can assist her with the basics of hair care, such as proper oiling, washing, and providing the right nutrition for her hair. We are here to assist you in designing the perfect Mother's Day gift for your mom this year.
A Date with Mom
When was the last time you sat down with your mom and chatted for hours? Or saw your mom getting some "Me time for herself"? We all love our moms, but we just fail to express it often. On the other hand, our moms keep showering their love on us tirelessly and selflessly. It’s time we give them a break from their routine and help them unwind and relax, and what better way to do so than a soothing hair spa?
Hair Spa at Home
● Create an ambiance: Set the temperature low, and play her favorite music in the background to create a soothing ambiance.
● Massage: Begin with a light scalp massage using warm virgin coconut oil. Massaging increases blood flow to the scalp and boosts hair growth. Head massage is also a great way to relieve stress.
● Steaming: Dip a towel into warm water, squeeze out the excess, and wrap it around the hair. Steaming helps the scalp open up its pores. This allows the oil to penetrate deep into the scalp.
● Wash: Next step is to wash the hair with lukewarm to cold water. Hot water can be damaging to the scalp.
● Hair Mask: Apply a hair mask from the roots to the edges of your hair. You may tie her hair into a loose bun if she has long hair, cover it up with a shower cap, and leave it for 20–30 minutes. Hair masks add instant moisture to dry hair. It also adds shine and softens the hair. You may prepare your own hair masks at home using bananas, eggs, coconut/olive oil, and honey, or buy one from a store.
● Rinse: Wash off the mask with a mild shampoo and lukewarm water, and you’re done.
What’s a Date without a gift?
Empower your mom to take care of herself and her hair not just on Mother’s Day but on other days too. Topical applications will give you temporary results. If you want to improve her overall hair health, give her hair supplements. We all know how moms are always busy, and despite making sure their children eat well and have all of their nutritional demands met, they neglect to take care of their own needs.
Important Nutrients for Healthy Hair
Just like one needs the right nutrition to stay fit and healthy, the scalp and hair also need the right amount of nutrients to stay healthy. While a healthy, balanced diet is what will help your mom maintain the health of her hair, supplements for healthy hair can help bridge the nutritional gap. These supplements come in various forms, like capsules, gummies, powders, and thin oral strips. If you are planning to gift her hair supplements for additional support, here are certain nutrients that you need to look out for in those supplements.
1. Iron:
If your mom is experiencing excessive hair loss, she might be iron deficient. Iron is an essential mineral that boosts circulation and provides oxygen supply to hair follicles, thereby making them thick and strong.
Natural sources of iron: Red meat, chicken, fish, beans, and spinach are some good sources of iron.
2. Zinc:
This is another essential mineral for hair growth. Zinc stops the hair from finishing its growth cycle prematurely, thereby preventing hair fall. Supplementing with zinc can be helpful if your mom is unable to get it from her diet.
Natural sources of Zinc: Oysters, legumes like chickpeas, lentils, beans, eggs, dairy products, and seeds like hemp, pumpkin, squash, and sesame seeds.
3. Healthy Fats:
Whether your mom is a heart patient, overweight, or health conscious, certain fats can be extremely healthy for her overall health, including her hair. Healthy fats such as Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids seem to prevent hair loss and promote hair density by reducing the hair fall phase and thinning of hair.
Natural sources of healthy fats: Fish and other seafood, nuts, seeds, plant oils, and certain fortified foods are sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
4. Vitamins (A, C, D, E) and B Complex:
Give your mom the Vita-Power. The role of vitamins in hair health is enormous. Vitamin A helps produce sebum, an oily substance that acts as a natural conditioner for the hair and scalp. All of the vitamin B complexes collectively help our body cells grow, which is important for hair growth. Vitamin B7, or biotin, often known as Vitamin H (hair), is essential for healthy hair. Our hair is made up of a protein called keratin. Biotin is needed for the production of this keratin.
Natural sources of vitamins: - Green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, berries, citrus fruits, etc. are a few sources of vitamins.
5. Proteins and Amino Acids:
Does your mom eat sufficient proteins? Her hair thinning and loss can also be a result of insufficient proteins in her diet. 95% of our hair shaft is made up of keratin. A sufficient intake of amino acids helps boost the production of this keratin protein.
Natural sources of protein and amino acids: meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, pulses, and legumes are sources of protein and amino acids.
6. Antioxidants:
Certain nutritional components, known as antioxidants, protect body cells from harm. These antioxidants, due to their cell-protective properties, improve scalp conditions and promote hair growth. The scalp is like the soil from which your hair grows. Thus, antioxidants can be of great help in reducing your mom’s hair fall and increasing hair fullness.
Natural sources of protein and amino acids: Most commonly found in fruits and vegetables, certain vitamins and minerals also act as antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and Zinc, etc.
Active Ingredients for your Superactive Mom
Along with the above nutrients, you may look out for some potent ingredients in hair supplements, like:
1. Keranat™:
Obtained from a variety of millets, Keranat is a powerful nutrient for healthy hair. It not only lessens hair loss but also encourages thicker hair growth.
2. Amla:
Indian gooseberries support the renewal of hair follicles by nourishing them. Amla also aids in preserving natural hair color, delaying the beginning of hair greying.
3. Pumpkin seed oil (PSO):
This particular ingredient may also be present in its botanical name, Cucurbita pepo, in hair products. It blocks the conversion of the hormone testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is responsible for hair follicle shrinkage and the shortening of the hair growth cycle. Thus, PSO helps in the regrowth of hair by nourishing hair follicles and preventing hair thinning.
4. Nettle Leaf Extract:
Also known as Urtica Dioica, it is rich in sulfur and silica, and is known to strengthen the hair shaft and improve overall hair health.
So what are you waiting for? Start preparing and making the most of the above information to make this Mother’s Day memorable for your mom.
Wrapping Up
This Mother’s Day, gift your mom your time and attention and remind her to embrace self-love and self-care. She deserves to feel healthy and beautiful from within. Gift her good hair care and teach her the importance of self-care. Make it a day for her to remember.
References
https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/skin-and-hair
https://www.hairscientists.org/hair-and-scalp-conditions/nutrition-and-hair-health
https://www.philipkingsley.co.uk/hair-guide/healthy-hair-nutrition
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5315033/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/