Long hair sightings in India

[karenpetal]

Heya folks ... traveling to India for a friends wedding -

I am amazed by the gorgeous hair here - never seen so many people with lush thick hair - I am enjoying seeing so many beautiful updos

Wondering if there is a particular hair routine ?

Cheers
K

[Almendra]

Women in India are popular for using coconut oil on their hair overnight before washing. Also, I've read somewhere in the forum of herbal haircare about the ayurvedic herbs that some of them use to wash or rinse (not sure how it works).

[RegretsHerCut]

they're just blessed with good hair lol ! Seriously though, I think it's genetic

[chen bao jun]

We have, I think, a couple of threads on traditional Indian hair care. Though everyone Indian that I know over here in the US uses sulphate shampoo--and still has great hair (if they want it, younger women often prefer to be stylish). I do think genetics has something to do with it, but the traditional good hair care methods probably help, even though few of us are going to achieve those braids the sizes of fists and that length.

[stachelbeere]

genetics.
my boyfriend has super durable hair - he doesn't really care about it, washes it daily with a sulphate shampoo, has a matted, knotted mess in the back (from sitting/ lying) - which I like to detangle - and it just detangles obediently without breaking and still looks shiny and amazing :/ his sister has beautiful tailbone length hair :)

now, when I was doing that, I could never get past shoulder length.

[karenpetal]

Hi Almendra - thats so true almost all have some oil in hair - love coconut hair but make my hair look thin :(

ETA: Agreed genetics would play a big role - does it have to do with being around the tropics - does warmer weather support shinier thicker hair ? Would think colder weather hair would be coarser to keep warm ??

[Night_Kitten]

No idea if it has to do with warmer climate... Chinese and Japanese are famous for awesome hair genes as well as Indians, and China has some cool areas as well as warmer ones...
It could be a "side effect" - the hair genes could sit near to some other gene that is selected in those areas of the world for whatever reason, and thus the hair genes are just "dragged along" with the other gene / genes that are selected for...
On the other hand it could be that coarser thicker hair is a better sun-blocker and protects the head from the sun, while in cooler areas clothes are worn to keep the cold away so there is no "pressure" for the hair to be thick or coarse?

[embee]

I'm always astonished to see women in sari with thick braid to the knees. Gee whiz, in my dreams! ;) I always figured it was genetic - and I was in the wrong gene pool!

[meteor]

I think heat might help increase the speed of hair growth a bit, but it shouldn't be a major factor. After all, many Inuits living in the North have great hair, too. Good levels of humidity in India are probably useful, but again - not decisive.

I think what's really decisive is their traditional hair care, more specifically the things that they DON'T do to hair. The "styling" is traditionally reduced to simple braiding/bunning with some oil in. Product use is minimal: pre-poo oil + herbs or simple shampoo. Also, the diet is less based on processed foods.
I do know some Indian girls with thin, splitting hair, but they follow Western hair practices with flat ironing, hair dye, blow-frying, etc, so I suspect these practices are damaging regardless of how great your genes may be. And from medieval art alone, it's kind of obvious that Europeans also had extra-thick, long hair back in the day of unprocessed foods and no chemical/heat hair processing, so it's not like there's some genetic weakness. What I'm saying: genes are certainly always there, but it's up to us to live up to our best genetic potential or not.

[karenpetal]

Hi Meteor - I agree with you - lot has to do with what we do or do not with our hair. My hair is lot more healthier now after I stopped abusing it with blow frying. To your point diet could play a huge role - fresh food vs. canned.

BTW: I was talking to one of my friend's sister - she has the really gorgeous waist length hair. She has agreed to share her oil mixture with me and graciously agreed to style mine for the wedding.

Cheers
K

[meteor]

That's great, Karenpetal! :)
I hope you'll be able to share the ingredients of the oil mixture here. Many of us, LHC-ers are huge fans of different Indian oils! :) And there's a good Ayurvedic/Indian hair care thread on the LHC.

[karenpetal]

Thanks Meteor !!

Here are the contents of the oil - have oiled my hair over night will post how were the results.

The base oil is Almond (Bajaj) + Coconut Oil (Parachute) + some Indian herbs Bhringraj, Amlaki, Neem, Gunja, Til.
Also i think she added some rosemary (she was not sure of that ingredient).
The oil is used slightly warmed in a metal pod over direct flame.

She massaged the oil in using circular movement and using only fingers on the scalp.
Once the scalp was covered she moved down all the way to ends. Used the tips to clean up the pod. Give my length of hair it is definitely on the heavy side of oiling.

She also used some oil and asked me to apply to toes and feet. (any one knows why ?)

Recommended braiding my oiled hair for atleast 24 hrs before wash.

Cheers
K

[meteor]

Thanks Meteor !!

Here are the contents of the oil - have oiled my hair over night will post how were the results.

The base oil is Almond (Bajaj) + Coconut Oil (Parachute) + some Indian herbs Bhringraj, Amlaki, Neem, Gunja, Til.
Also i think she added some rosemary (she was not sure of that ingredient).
The oil is used slightly warmed in a metal pod over direct flame.

She massaged the oil in using circular movement and using only fingers on the scalp.
Once the scalp was covered she moved down all the way to ends. Used the tips to clean up the pod. Give my length of hair it is definitely on the heavy side of oiling.

She also used some oil and asked me to apply to toes and feet. (any one knows why ?)

Recommended braiding my oiled hair for atleast 24 hrs before wash.

Cheers
K
Excellent recipe! :) Thank you so very much, Karenpetal! :)
I'll be saving this recipe for warmer weather, because coconut oil solidifies and stiffens my hair in wintertime.

I would guess that application of oil to toes and feet is to make them soft and smooth... but I really don't know if there's more to it.

And I really like keeping oiled hair braided. Braids always look so much shinier and neater with some oil in them.

[~*~Aspen~*~]

Genetics has alot to do with it, as well as warm climate, oiling, and diet.

[swetz]

people here are unaware of heat tools . They use very less products on hair only oil and shampoo .oiling every day and only washing it with water is common routine here in kerala .shampoo very less only if the hair feels dirty.

[lillithnight]

people here are unaware of heat tools . They use very less products on hair only oil and shampoo .oiling every day and only washing it with water is common routine here in kerala .shampoo very less only if the hair feels dirty.

That makes perfect sense to me. I don't think many would use them anyway because of the heat, the last thing you want to be doing is flatironing/blow drying your hair in hot and dry or hot moist weather. Its not practical nor is it comfortable.

[karenpetal]

My pleasure meteor !

Yes coconut oil does solidify easily.
For sure my braid looked shinier and sleeker with the oil. I am used to putting my hair in a light bun.
When I discussed this my friend she did mention oiled braids are more in trend than free flowing hair.




Excellent recipe! :) Thank you so very much, Karenpetal! :)
I'll be saving this recipe for warmer weather, because coconut oil solidifies and stiffens my hair in wintertime.

I would guess that application of oil to toes and feet is to make them soft and smooth... but I really don't know if there's more to it.

And I really like keeping oiled hair braided. Braids always look so much shinier and neater with some oil in them.

[rachel1031]

Thanks Meteor !!

Here are the contents of the oil - have oiled my hair over night will post how were the results.

The base oil is Almond (Bajaj) + Coconut Oil (Parachute) + some Indian herbs Bhringraj, Amlaki, Neem, Gunja, Til.
Also i think she added some rosemary (she was not sure of that ingredient).
The oil is used slightly warmed in a metal pod over direct flame.

She massaged the oil in using circular movement and using only fingers on the scalp.
Once the scalp was covered she moved down all the way to ends. Used the tips to clean up the pod. Give my length of hair it is definitely on the heavy side of oiling.

She also used some oil and asked me to apply to toes and feet. (any one knows why ?)

Recommended braiding my oiled hair for atleast 24 hrs before wash.

Cheers
K

One of my best friends is from India, and she has gorgeous hair. She was the first person to suggest coconut oil to me. She also recommends oiling the entire length, including the scalp before washing. (I don't do this, because I think it would overwhelm my hair, but I do use on the ends.) On the other hand, she flat irons daily, so go figure.

[Sharysa]

Oh wow, neem oil is used for HAIR? I only tried neem honey once--it tasted okay, but it smelled like cleaning solution and putting it in my coffee made it smell worse.

[karenpetal]

Hi rachel

Yes oiling the entire length was new to me too - I was even more surprised when she recommended rubbing some oil on toes.
I liked the oiled braid look - thought my hair looked thinner but felt heavier



One of my best friends is from India, and she has gorgeous hair. She was the first person to suggest coconut oil to me. She also recommends oiling the entire length, including the scalp before washing. (I don't do this, because I think it would overwhelm my hair, but I do use on the ends.) On the other hand, she flat irons daily, so go figure.

[rachel1031]

Hi rachel

Yes oiling the entire length was new to me too - I was even more surprised when she recommended rubbing some oil on toes.
I liked the oiled braid look - thought my hair looked thinner but felt heavier

Hi Karen - Independently of my friend, I also use coconut oil on my toes! (And my arms, my legs, my face, as an eye makeup remover, and of course, to cook my eggs!). I may try the Neem recipe, too! Thanks.

[karenpetal]

Here is one pic with results - hair definitely feels nourished - less frizz

http://www.flickr.com/photos/111705393@N02/11412788335/

[karenpetal]

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3693/11412788335_0a8807a460_q.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/111705393@N02/11412788335/)