Hair Spa - An Ayurvedic Route To Beautiful Hair

Are you tired of dull, frizzy and lifeless hair? Has hairfall become your constant companion? Then perhaps it’s time to indulge in a relaxing and de-stressing hair spa.

An elixir for your beautiful mane, this helps take care of many hair related problems too! While hair spa is a relatively modern term in our country, traditional deep-conditioning hair therapies [1] to strengthen hair have been a popular age-old practice.

Read on to learn what a hair spa is, its types and how it can easily be done at home.

What Is A Hair Spa?

Hair spa is a rejuvenating and de-stressing hair therapy with amazing benefits. Ancient Ayurvedic texts disclose that since the Vedic age, women in India popularly used coconut oil scented with sandalwood, rose, or jasmine to oil their hair. This helped for deep conditioning and nourishing [2] the hair.

This beneficial practice of applying hair oil is perhaps the simplest way to get the hair spa feeling at home. A hair spa helps to rehydrate your hair and restore moisture and vital oils in your scalp and hair roots. Apart from providing immediate relaxation, it leaves your hair soft and lustrous. While strengthening your mane, hair spa therapies also help minimize the adverse effects of direct sunlight, dirt and pollution.

Is Hair Spa Good For Your Hair Or Not?

Just as regular clean-ups and rejuvenating masks illuminate your face, hair spa benefits the hair. It deeply nourishes and conditions lacklustre hair and makes it healthy, glossy and nourished. It also strengthens your hair roots and intensely nourishes your scalp.

A rejuvenating hair spa is recommended once or twice a month depending on your hair type. The extent of damage your hair has undergone due to external factors like chemical treatment, hair colour or pollutants or internal factors like scalp disorder, anxiety or stress also determine the frequency and kind of hair spa you need.

Types Of Hair Spa Treatments

There are various types of hair spa, depending on the care your hair requires. Before the hair spa, the specialist will check your hair type (straight, wave, curl, coil). They will also consider any scalp or hair issues which you might be facing. Based on this, the professionals may recommend a specific, customized hair spa treatment for you.

While some treatments help you combat itchy scalp, dandruff and hair thinning, others will strengthen your hair. A few widely popular hair spa therapies include:

1. Smoothing Hair Spa

A smoothing hair spa helps in managing your hair, irrespective of your hair type, giving you a smooth and sleek finish. Infused with antioxidants and essential oils, the ingredients used in this hair spa treatment conditions and smoothes out the dry, unmanageable hair and makes it soft and lustrous.

2. Hair Spa For Coloured Hair

Hair that is coloured or has highlights, needs extra care and protection. Coloured hair is prone to breakage and is fragile due to the chemical-laced colouring agents. Many hair professionals offer a hair spa with colour radiance which offers protection against pollutants and harsh sunlight. It also provides strong filters which helps your hair to retain colour without fading.

3. Hair Spa For Oil Balance

If you have an oily scalp and hair, you must have experienced an itchy scalp with dandruff in the winter season. A personally customized hair spa treatment helps you to balance your oily scalp and prevents dandruff and itchiness from recurring. This is a mild hair treatment which provides intense moisture and hydration to your scalp and revitalizes your hair.

4. For Excessive Hair Fall

Hair products rich in Omega 3 fatty acids [3] and other essential oils intensely stimulate your hair follicles and promote healthy hair growth. You may consider opting for a hair spa for thinning hair, if excessive hair breakage has left you with dull and lifeless hair. This nourishing hair spa treatment can give you strong, voluminous hair, in a few months.

5. For Intense Hydration

This spa is suited for those who have an itchy and dry scalp. Hair professionals recommend this personalized calming hair spa with intense hydration. The essential oils and other enriching ingredients used in this calming hair spa minimize the itching and soothe your irritant scalp by intense hydration.

6. For Treating Dandruff

The embarrassing white flakes and involuntary scratching of your scalp can severely impact self-confidence. This hair spa treatment is highly recommended for minimizing the occurrence of dandruff. The ingredients used in this hair spa help in making your scalp clean and clear.

Steps Involved For A Rejuvenating Hair Spa

A normal professional hair spa treatment involves 5 basic steps as highlighted below. 

1. Shampooing Your Hair

Hair spa treatment begins with washing your hair with a mild shampoo to remove the dirt, pollutants and dead skin cells. It also involves gently massaging your scalp for around 10-15 minutes allowing you to relax.Your scalp and hair are then rinsed with normal water. This helps to cleanse the sweat and dirt accumulation from your hair.

2. Applying Hair Mask

This is an integral step in a hair spa process. Your hair care professional will apply a cream-based or serum mask onto your hair and leave it to dry for 10-15 minutes. The rejuvenating and nourishing mask helps to remove dryness and dandruff flakes from your scalp and strengthens, softens and repairs your damaged hair, leaving it frizz-free, smooth and lustrous.

3. Massaging Your Scalp

Massaging your scalp with gentle pressure [4] after application of the hair mask improves hair health. It also promotes hair growth by increasing blood flow and nutrients to your hair follicles. This step ensures that the cream-based mask or the serum applied onto your scalp evenly penetrates into your hair follicles.

4. Steaming Your Hair

This vital step is similar to the steaming process in a facial session. The only difference is that the steam is solely aimed at your hair. The 20-25 minutes process helps the pores in your scalp to open up, resulting in absorption of the cream-based mask or serum deeper into the hair follicles.

5. Final Rinsing

In the final step of the hair spa process, your hair is washed properly with normal water without using any shampoo. Your hair is gently pat-dried with a clean towel.

How To Do An Ayurvedic Hair Spa At Home?

Follow these simple and rejuvenating steps to treat yourself with an au-naturel hair spa replete with many health benefits.

1. Oiling your hair for natural goodness

Hair spa treatments at salons often exclude this important step for deep conditioning and nourishment. When you consider doing a hair spa at home, always remember to oil your hair to reap the numerous benefits. According to the holistic Ayurvedic science, natural and herbal oils are immensely beneficial for hair.

The age-old practice of oiling hair, deeply nourishes hair follicles, revitalizes frizzy hair, stimulates blood circulation in your scalp, and boosts hair growth. Oiling also helps in naturally detoxifying and cleansing your scalp and hair roots. Based on your scalp and hair concerns, you can choose a hair oil from the list below:

A. Organic Sesame Oil

If you have extremely dry and frizzy hair, caused by regular use of hair straighteners or dryers, then organic sesame oil is your hair elixir. It is also a wonderful carrier oil which can be used along with other potent oils such as essential oils and neem oil to reap the extra benefits for your scalp and hair.

B. Sweet Almond Oil

If you have lacklustre, rough and brittle hair, then use unadulterated sweet almond oil. Due to its fast-absorbing, non-sticky and naturally deep conditioning properties, sweet almond oil helps to smoothen hair cuticles and add natural shine to dull, lifeless hair.

C. Coconut Oil

If your hair needs the love and care of deep nourishment, select the timeless classic, of pure coconut oil, for managing frizzy and damaged hair. In the ancient times, pure coconut oil was heated in low flame, and potent herbs like marigold petals, holy basil, and dried hibiscus were added into it to prepare an enriching hair conditioner. To further increase the benefits, you can even add a few drops of essential oils into the concoction.

D. Bringadi Oil

If you have scalp issues such as greying of hair, dandruff, or excessive hair fall, then a natural herbal oil such as Bringadi oil can help. It is an ancient Ayurvedic infusion with herbs like Indigo, Indian Gooseberry, and Bhringraj added into a carrier oil, Sesame Oil.

The process of applying oil is the same irrespective of the oil you choose. Warm a little amount of the hair oil, pour it into your palms, and gently apply it onto your scalp. Massage the oil from the hair roots working towards the ends. Leave the oil for at least for 30 minutes, or overnight. Use a mild hair shampoo or cleanser to wash off the residue with lukewarm water.

Vedix Tip: If you are considering to use Neem oil, dilute it with equal amounts of a nourishing carrier oil. If you plan to use an essential oil, add a few drops into a small amount of carrier oil.

2. Steaming your hair for better oil absorption

After oiling your hair, apply steam for deeper penetration of the oil into your scalp and hair. This will help in absorption of the nutrients. When you’re doing a hair spa treatment at home, you don’t need any special devices for steam application. You can follow the simple steps:

• Bring some water to a boil. Take the bowl containing water out of the heat and dip a cotton cloth or towel into the bowl. Take it out and press it hard to remove the water.
• Next, wrap this wet towel or cloth around your head to completely cover it. This allows the pores in your scalp to open up and allows the oil to seep through and deeply nourish your hair. Allow it to remain around your head for 10-15 minutes.

3. Washing and conditioning your hair for deep cleansing

After steaming your hair, you need to shampoo it with a mild and natural hair cleanser. Remember to use only lukewarm water as rinsing your hair with boiling or hot water weakens hair roots and leads to dandruff or itching scalp issues. Apply a small amount of conditioner and rinse it off with normal water. Allow your hair to dry naturally without using any hair drying appliances.

4. Hair masks for lustrous and healthy hair

The most important and final step of a hair spa treatment is the hair mask. The best hair mask is personalized and specifically prepared to meet the needs of your hair type and condition. The primary purpose of a hair mask is to lock in the hydration and moisture content into your scalp and hair.

You can make your very own hair mask at home by simply using easily available natural ingredients. As per ancient Ayurvedic texts, a hair mask, also known as ‘Shiro Lepa’, is considered as the perfect therapy for scalp and hair. Below are some renowned Ayurvedic hair masks which you may consider:

A. Aloe Vera Hair Mask

It has restorative properties which help in strengthening your hair and keeping it healthy. To use this potent agent as a natural hair mask, take some freshly extracted pulp and apply it directly onto your scalp and hair. You can also apply a mixture of coconut oil or almond oil and aloe vera gel. Shampoo your hair after 15-20 minutes.

B. Honey and coconut milk hair mask

Mix three portions of honey, four portions of crushed Hibiscus petals, and four portions of coconut milk. Apply the thick paste onto your scalp and hair. Rinse your hair after 30 minutes with a mild cleanser.

C. Shikakai, Reetha and Amla Hair Mask

You can prepare this deep conditioning hair mask by mixing two portions of rose water, one portion of shikakai powder, one portion of reetha powder, and two portions of amla juice. Take the thick paste and apply it onto your scalp and hair. Rinse off the mask with lukewarm water after 30 minutes.

Apart from these, you can also make hair masks by using conditioning agents such as bananas, onion juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, eggs, curd and avocado.

Hair Spa Benefits And Disadvantages

Hair spa treatments offer a host of benefits that are too good to ignore. You can simply treat yourself with a hair spa at your own home. Consider consulting an Ayurvedic doctor for advanced treatment if you’re experiencing serious hair and scalp issues.

Hair Spa Benefits

1. Conditions Your Hair

The most renowned benefit of hair spa therapies is deep conditioning and nourishment. Hair spas help in intensely hydrating your hair to make it smooth and shiny.

2. Balances Your Scalp Oil Secretion

Whether you have a dry or oily scalp, regular hair spa helps you maintain an optimum oil balance in your scalp. The hair-specific products cleanse excessive oil secretion from your scalp and rejuvenate it if you have an oily scalp. On the other hand, deep conditioning products help to boost oil secretion if you have a dry scalp.

3. Improves Blood Circulation

Head and scalp massages help improve the blood circulation in your scalp. This helps in boosting hair growth. If you wish to flaunt a healthy, long mane soon, opt for a hair spa as it is the perfect solution for controlling your hair fall.

4. Repairs Dull And Damaged Hair

You may have experienced dull, lifeless and damaged hair due to factors like irregular diet, stress, anxiety, pollution, use of heat styling appliances, bleaching, colouring, etc. Opting for a hair spa therapy helps strengthen and repair damaged hair to make it healthy and soft.

5. Minimizes Scalp And Hair Issues

Most of us experience at least one or many scalp and hair issues such as dandruff, itching, severe hair fall, premature greying, hair breakage, etc. There are several hair spa treatments available to tackle and prevent each of these issues,

6. Relaxes And Calms Your Mind

In this age of stressful living, a rejuvenating and relaxing hair spa can help you keep stress at bay. Various massaging techniques used in the spa can relax the tense muscles in your neck and shoulders, leaving you calm and peaceful.

Hair Spa Disadvantages

1. Adverse Effect On Coloured Hair

If you frequently colour your hair, then a hair spa treatment can result in fading away the hair colour. But you can address this challenge by choosing ingredients and products which are specifically formulated for coloured hair.

2. Regular Sessions Are Mandatory

Hair spa treatments need to be followed-up regularly, as the benefits and effects won’t last you a lifetime. If you wish to reap the benefits and flaunt healthy, lustrous and beautiful hair, then you will have to go for a session on a regular basis.

How Long Does A Hair Spa Effect Last and How Frequently Should You Get it Done?

The effects of a hair spa session last around a fortnight or month based on the quality of your hair and the ingredients used in the spa. If you frequently travel for work or study, you must consider getting a hair spa at least twice a month to maintain good hair health.

What Should You Do After A Hair Spa?

After getting your monthly hair spa treatment, you may consider following these simple yet effective steps to ensure that you give enough love and care to your tresses.

1. Avoid including any sugar, starch, salt and refined oil in your daily diet as these ingredients lead to weakening of hair roots.

2. Remember to only use natural and herbal hair oils, if you frequently colour your hair

3. Try adopting a diet rich in iron and protein. Include nuts in your daily diet.

4. Avoid using chemical-laden hair products and adopt organic, natural haircare products.

5. When you step outside in the day, always cover your hair with a scarf or hat.

6. Don’t pull your hair too tightly as it leads to hair fall.

7. Don’t use heating appliances excessively to style and dry your hair.

The Last Word

Having gained insight into hair spa treatments, you can avail a suitable spa based on your hair type and condition. Whether you go to a spa or choose to go for a home-made hair mask, ensure that you know your hair first. Also, pay heed to your diet and lifestyle so that your hair and body receive maximum care and nutrition.

Know Your Dosha Now