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You can combat or prevent thinning hair with inexpensive, OTC products containing natural elements that contribute to the overall health of your scalp and locks. Browse the drugstore aisle for hair care items with these expert-endorsed ingredients.
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Lavender
“Antioxidants and botanicals help calm the inflammation in your scalp to keep follicles healthy and promote healthy hair growth,” says Rupinder Mangat, founder of MEVEI, a beauty line made with essential oils. She suggests combining lavender essential oil with a carrier oil, then massaging the mixture into your scalp. Or just add the oil to your everyday shampoo and conditioner. Lavender has been shown to soothe the scalp and heal dry hair. Plus the herbal fragrance is calming to your senses. And since stress can trigger inflammation and hair loss we’re happy to sit back, chill out and breathe in some lavender.
Rosemary
The same herb that seasons your favorite sautéed potatoes can be used to prevent and reverse hair loss. Of course, not from the spice jar. Drugstore products that contain rosemary oil stimulate hair growth. “It’s used to increase cellular metabolism which stimulates hair growth and promotes healing,” says Mangat. One study showed that rosemary oil worked as well as OTC hair loss treatments containing minoxidil.
Argan Oil
Jonathan Horowitz, a product researcher for the beauty line Maple Holistics, suggests hair care items with argan oil to stop thinning in its tracks. He says it’s a powerful ingredient that seriously strengthens hair follicles and prevents thinning. The oil, which is made from the fruit of a tree, is loaded with vitamins A, C and E, plus antioxidants and omega-6 fatty acids. Together they all help argan oil boost cell production, which results in healthier and hair.
Tea Tree Oil
Don’t be embarrassed if you have dandruff. So many people (us, too!) are affected. Aside from looking nasty on your shoulders, this build up of dead skin induces major scratching that could lead to hair loss. Mangat says that products with tea tree oil give have the plant’s potent anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic properties. A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found people with dandruff who used a shampoo that contained 5% tea tree oil saw a large improvement in the condition of their scalps.
Honey
“One of the oldest beauty ingredients in the world is brought to you courtesy of the industrious worker bee,” says Horowitz. “Honey is used in hair products because of its ability to unclog and clean pores, remove grime and dead skin from the surface, and to provide moisture and nourishment for an itchy scalp, dry or damaged hair.”
