Ingredient in Focus
Top 10 natural ingredients for healthy skin and hair!
Megan Alphonso
Many of us follow a strict beauty regimen to keep our skin, hair in good health. In fact, people all over the world spend millions of dollars to enjoy beautiful skin, superb hair. When it comes to beauty, importance should be given to natural ingredients rather than commercial beauty products. Chemicals and toxins in commercial products can do a lot of harm in the long run. There are many natural ingredients in your kitchen that shouldn’t be underestimated.
Here are the top 10 natural ingredients for healthy hair and gorgeous skin.
Olive Oil
When it comes to the best beauty products from your kitchen, you simply cannot ignore olive oil. Being a powerful emollient, it adds body, shine, softness and resilience to your hair. It easily penetrates all the way down to the hair shafts to help retain moisture. Apart from being one of the best oils for hair, it is also good for your skin. The monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil help protect the skin against photo ageing from the prolonged sun or other ultraviolet (UV) exposure.
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Lemons
Lemons are nutritional powerhouses that are excellent for your hair & skin. The fruit’s juice as well as its oil and peel can be used for beauty purposes. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that combats free-radical damage that can lead to ageing. It even boosts collagen production, which restores skin elasticity to help maintain a smooth and youthful appearance. When it comes to hair, lemon is effective at treating dandruff and scalp itchiness. It helps balance the pH level of your scalp to prevent scalp infection and support hair growth.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains many nutritional properties that support the health of your hair as well as your skin. The moisturizing property of coconut oil helps seal in your skin’s moisture, which is important for soft and smooth skin. It is even effective at protecting the skin from sun damage. Its fatty acid content helps reduce inflammation and revitalize the skin. Being rich in medium-chain triglycerides, coconut oil easily penetrates deep into hair shafts, which in turn supports hair growth.
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Avocado
Whether it is the fruit, seed or its oil, avocado should be a part of your beauty care regimen. From dry skin to scars to damaged hair, avocado has many beauty uses. It is one of Mother Nature’s best moisturizers. Being a humectant, it keeps both skin and hair well moisturized. The high amount of healthy fat, vitamin E and protein in avocado helps protect the skin from damage and keep your hair healthy.
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Green Tea
Green tea has many beauty benefits. The high-quality antioxidants in this tea prevent harmful free-radical damage that contributes to skin ageing. It protects the skin against UV damage and reduces signs of premature ageing like wrinkles, age spots and saggy skin. When it comes to hair, the catechins in green tea contain 5-alpha-reductase inhibiting properties that help block DHT (dihydrotestosterone), one of the key causes of hair loss.
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Honey
Honey is another natural ingredient that your hair and skin will love in every single way! Honey, composed mainly of fructose and glucose, contains proteins and amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, minerals and other minor components that offer many beauty benefits. Honey exerts emollient, humectant, soothing and hair conditioning effects; keeps the skin young and slows wrinkle formation; regulates pH level, and prevents pathogen infections. Not just skin, honey is good for your hair, too. A 2001 study published in the European Journal of Medical Research reports that the therapeutic and prophylactic effects of crude honey can improve seborrheic dermatitis and associated hair loss, and prevent relapse when applied weekly.
Apple Cider Vinegar
For years, apple cider vinegar has been used for various household and cooking purposes. However, this natural ingredient helps with all sorts of beauty problems, from acne to sun damage to hair loss. It has antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that keep skin pores free from bacteria, oil and other dust particles. This is helpful in reducing the risk of acne, pimples and other skin blemishes. It even helps restore and balance your skin’s pH, which is essential to healthy skin. Apple cider vinegar also promotes soft and shiny hair due to its clarifying properties. It prevents the buildup of harmful products on your hair and scalp and helps restore the natural pH level of the scalp.
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Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the most inexpensive superfoods that have specific benefits that your hair and skin will appreciate. It is rich in protein, biotin and other B vitamins that are beneficial for skin and hair. Colloidal oatmeal can be used as a cleanser, moisturizer, buffer, as well as a soothing and protective anti-inflammatory agent. Another study published in the same journal in 2012 reports that colloidal oatmeal can be used in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. For those having oily and smelly hair, finely powdered oatmeal can be used as a dry shampoo.
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Almonds
These small nuts make a perfect ingredient for beauty recipes. Almonds and almond oil can improve skin complexion, reduce the intensity of sun damage and make your skin healthy from within. The high vitamin E content in almonds is key in helping ward off damaging free radicals and even oxidative damage, which can take a toll on your skin. You can use these natural home remedies to boost the health of your skin and hair. Also, do not forget to snack on a handful of almonds daily for overall health.
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Tomatoes
This water-rich vegetable contains several essential nutrients that support your hair and skin as well. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent or repair damage to DNA. It also helps protect against sunburn and skin ageing caused by sunlight exposure. Tomatoes also help strengthen hair and promote hair growth by helping balance the pH level of your scalp. They even help treat dandruff.
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About Megan Alphonso
A copy and content writer with five years of experience, creating engaging content disseminated across various channels. As a Senior Writer for Purplle.com, she covers all things all things beauty, skincare and fashion. As a writer, she is passionate about feeding the world with the latest skincare and makeup tips and tricks alongside with what's in with the new and out with the old. You'll find her whipping up some delicious baked goods or watching a heartfelt K-drama when she isn't writing.