Natural Hair Tonics

Hair is a reflection of the whole person, and if your spirits are low or you have been deprived of adequate food or sleep this will show up in the form of dull, listless, and sometimes falling hair. Brushing should be the first order of attack. Make sure you have a natural bristle brush and spend that old-fashioned 100 strokes a night on each section of your hair. You will see results in a short time.

Herbs which will help revitalize the hair are rosemary, sage, nettle, chamomile, castor oil and forms of gum camphor. For dark hair rosemary and sage are good tonic herbs; chamomile is best for light hair.

To make a hair tonic with herbs pour a pint of boiling water over 4 tablespoons of your chosen herb. Steep for several hours. Strain. To preserve this lotion add a few drops of eau de cologne or a dozen drops of gin. Either massage through hair, or use in shampoo or rinse water.

We discovered one of my grandmother's hair-reviving tonics in a book of her poems. It was the kind of recipe family friends frequently requested. Jaborandi is a stimulating herb. Use only ethyl rubbing alcohol, or a strong proof vodka.

		ethyl alcohol (or vodka) 6 ounces
		jaborandi                1 ounce
		nettle                   1 ounce
		rosemary                 1 ounce
		castor oil               12 drops
		perfume                  5 drops
		salicylic acid           1/4 ounce
		distilled water          4 ounces

Soak jaborandi, nettle} rojemary in the alcohol for 3 weeks. Strain into another container. Add Castor oil and perfume. Dissolve salicylic acid in distilled water. Add to herbal and oil solution. Use as a nightly massage.

Another hair-reviving herb is gum camphor. Steep one ounce of crushed gum camphor and two ounces of powdered borax in 2 quarts of boiling water for several hours. Massage nightly into hair and scalp.

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