What am I talking about? HAIR. MANE. TRESSES.

They say you realize the worth of something only when it disappears from your life. They’re not wrong. Hair Today. Gone tomorrow.

Back in heydays, I experimented a lot with my hair. Chemical treatments like colouring, highlighting and straightening – I tried it all. Multiple times. I rocked whichever way I styled my hair even though I didn’t take any special care of my mane, used any and every shampoo. Oil? What is that?

And then motherhood happened. Which, by-the-way, wasn’t any less than a roller coaster ride. And no, I don’t mean the pregnancy, I mean the physical and hormonal changes. By the 9th month of my pregnancy, thanks to the diet and supplements I took, my tresses were thicker than ever, luscious, long and shiny. Salon-ready! But that happiness was short-lived. Then life happened. Sleepless nights, sudden hormonal changes and the dreaded post-partum depression. I suffered from severe hair fall, deteriorated hair quality and rock-bottom confidence levels. I had to do something!

Cut to the present, I am making conscious efforts to save my abused hair. During the last two years, I’ve tried a lot of treatments – ghereloo as well as from those chic-looking salons.

If it interests you, here are some of the things I tried and I think they worked

• First! Chopped off the damaged ends, even if that meant losing half my hair length. Better to have healthy short hair than long, damaged hair. So snip, snap!
• A healthy diet. No matter how many times you’ve heard it in the past, there will not be a better answer. Eliminate junk and increase your vitamin and mineral intake.
• OIL! Religiously. Gone are the days when we had fresh air to breathe and chemical-free food to eat. If the pollution takes a toll on the skin, the same can happen to your crowning glory too.
  1. Homemade oil: Coconut Oil+Curry Leaves.

Wash the leaves and spread them on a plate to dry. Once dry, put them in a plastic bag and keep the bag in the sun for a day or two. The leaves will quickly dry and become crisp.

Heat the coconut oil in a pan. Add crushed leaves

Heat it until the leaves turn a dark shade. Stir frequently.

Let it cool. Strain the leaves out. Ready to be applied

2. A leave-in hair oil that can be used after wash.

• Sulfate free shampoo – No matter how much these big brands claim for their shampoos to make your hair look salon-ready, the true story is that they all have chemicals which bring long-term damage to your hair.
• Conditioner – A must. One thing I had never used in my life until last year, I am a strict advocate of regular conditioning now. Unless you live in a pollution free city, relying solely on organic food, hogging on home-grown fruits and vegetables and having nothing to stress about. You get the idea.

Brands – tried and tested

• Shampoo – Moroccan Oil moisture repair shampoo
• Conditioner – Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Conditioner
• Oil – Organix Moroccan Extra Strength Penetrating Oil

I do colour my hair even now thanks to premature greying. Yes, the curse of too many chemical treatments as well as the poor quality of water I had to make do with after I moved to Dwarka post marriage. The water was so harsh that within 2 years I had more grey hair than I should have had at my age. I am now stuck with regular touch-ups. It’s either that or looking like a clown with her hair on fire on a windy day. No thank you. At least not just yet.

Styling:

I avoid and discourage the use of heat treatment. I do not blow dry my hair and avoid the straightening iron or a straightening hairbrush like a plague. Even the best of the straighteners can cause significant damage to your hair, make it brittle and prone to breakage and no amount of serum can completely prevent that from happening.

I have naturally wavy hair which tend to become straight as they grow in length.

For styling, I twist my hair in a bun and leave them like that for a few hours before untying for a beachy look.

Or, braid my hair and leave them overnight for a slightly crimped look.

But mostly, you’ll find me in my mom bun. The quickest and simplest of hairstyles. And the only one I have time for more often than not.

On most days I am happy with what I see. I do make exceptions for special occasions, but they have to be really really special.

I wish I could say there was that one magic potion I drank that made my mane grow back to its former glory. But then I would be lying. What I did is succeed through trial and error. And it’s still work-in-progress, but we’re getting there.

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This is not a sponsored post.

All products mentioned are based on my personal experience.

The post Hair-owing Tales appeared first on Raising Rehaan.

My son loves pasta. I guess most kids do. That’s the only one thing he’ll ever ‘demand’.. if ever. So once a week I prepare it for him. I’ve tried various combinations and ingredients. Sharing with you all one of the recipes which was an instant hit with him. It’s super easy, simple and delicious.

Ingredients:

• Butter or ghee
• Semolina pasta or macaroni
• Chopped garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

• Butter/Ghee
• Dal (pulses)
• Milk

Time to cook

• Boil pasta in a pan.

(Tip: Add a teaspoon of butter or ghee to the water. It ensures the pasta doesn’t stick together. Add a pinch of salt. It tastes better once you add it to the sauce)

(Tip: Run it through cold water once done (it again ensures the pasta doesn’t become sticky)

(Tip: You can even use a pressure cooker to steam the pasta, it’s faster and gives the same result)

Sauce:

Preparation:

• Take any two pulses (that go well together) of your preference.
• Wash it thoroughly and let it dry.
• Once completely dry, dry-roast the pulses
• Grind the pulses together.

(Tip: You can prepare extra pulse powder and store it for future use. I keep the powder sealed and refrigerated to keep it fresh and free of worms)

• Add butter or ghee to a pan. Add chopped garlic and sauté lightly.
• Add the powdered pulse (usually two scoops are good enough) and saute
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add milk (slowly and gradually) and constantly stir to avoid lumps.
• Let it simmer till you get the desired consistency of the sauce
• Add the boiled pasta and stir.

Optional:

• Sprinkle grated cheese and oregano.

Simple, quick and healthy. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook , you probably already know how much my son loved this pasta dish.

I’d love to hear if you tried this recipe and how it turned out to be. Do share!

Cheers!

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