With the stress of dealing with the pandemic over the last several months, I’ve been getting some questions about hair breakage and even thinning. And it’s not surprising, considering how stress impacts your hair. Luckily, I have just the recipe to help: my Strengthening DIY Hair Mask (with Broccoli!).
As we’ve discussed, stress causes your body to prematurely push more and more of your hair follicles into a “resting” phase, where they not only cease growing but also fall out more easily. It even ends the duration of active hair growth ahead of schedule. [1]
Fortunately, we know that supporting your body’s stress response with proper nutrients can help to counteract this effect. And one of the amazing sources of nutrients known to fight both stress and hair loss is a food you’re likely very familiar with: broccoli!
That’s right—the very broccoli you eat is a fantastic source for a DIY hair mask. First, it’s rich in the all-important B vitamins that are depleted during times of stress. And while you know that B vitamins are crucial for helping to decrease your stress levels, did you also know that they actually support the strength of your hair follicles?
Studies have shown that hair loss is actually a symptom of a deficiency in the B vitamin biotin. [2] Additionally, both vitamins B9 and B12 are believed to play important roles in protecting the integrity of hair follicles. [3]
Broccoli is also rich in vitamin C, which makes your hair stronger by strengthening your hair follicles.
This is because vitamin C has been shown to be a very important factor in the synthesis of collagen, which helps to strengthen hair as well as promote the health of your scalp. [4]
So, as you can see, this Strengthening DIY Hair Mask (with Broccoli!) has the nutritional power to help support the health of your hair. But there’s even more good news!
This DIY hair mask contains only four ingredients that are likely already in your kitchen, and it only takes 5 minutes to whip up a batch! Take a look below to discover just how quick and easy it is.
Strengthening DIY Hair Mask (with Broccoli!)
Time: 5 minutes
Makes: about ½ cup
Ingredients
½ cup raw broccoli florets and/or stems
¼ cup avocado
1 tablespoon raw honey
2 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
1. In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients with 1 tablespoon of water. Process until smooth.
2. Shampoo hair then towel dry.
3. Start applying the mask to damp hair by massaging it into the scalp. Work through the hair with fingertips or a wide-tooth comb. Let the mask sit in the hair for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Thoroughly rinse the mask out of the hair with warm water. End the rinse with 30 seconds of cold water.
Strengthening DIY Hair Mask (with Broccoli!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw broccoli florets and/or stems
- 1/4 cup avocado
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients with 1 tablespoon of water. Process until smooth.
- Shampoo hair then towel dry.
- Start applying the mask to damp hair by massaging it into the scalp. Work through the hair with fingertips or a wide-tooth comb. Let the mask sit in the hair for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Thoroughly rinse the mask out of the hair with warm water. End the rinse with 30 seconds of cold water.
