Go ahead and grab another bottle of cold beer – but this time for your hair. Yes, to answer your question, beer is superb for the hair. With it, you can boil shrimp, fertilize grass, and even bathe. But have you ever tried applying it to your hair? Is beer good for your hair, really?
What does beer do to your hair, exactly?
As strange as it might sound, beer is actually one of the best ingredients you can apply to your hair. Yes, beer is a drink that is not only refreshing for your palate but also your hair. The yeast content can aid in hair growth. But beyond this, beer contains silica, a mineral known for making the hair thicker and adding volume to the hair.
It also contains minerals such as copper, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and Vitamin B complex, making beer as a wonder potion for your hair. If you want hair growth, using beer will trigger it. A beer treatment stimulates your blood circulation to your scalp to boost hair growth. The proteins contained in beer’s active ingredients – malt and hop – combined with B vitamins can repair damaged hair.
READ: Does beer help lighten hair?
So, are you suffering from hair damaged by the elements, regular chemical treatments, or too-hot straightening or curling irons? If yes, then you need to jump on the beer hair rinse bandwagon immediately!
Is your hair weak? Are you tired of continually experiencing hair thinning? The good news is that the maltose and sucrose sugars present are known to tighten and strengthen the hair cuticles while giving your hair a glossy shine.
What’s more, when washing your hair with beer, you do not need an extra hair conditioner. The popular beverage can condition your hair, as it efficiently maintains the natural pH level of your scalp. As such, if your hair is too oily or dry, then you should try treating it with beer.
Is drinking beer good (or bad) for hair?
Drinking beer is actually good for your hair. When it comes to having healthy, strong hair, your diet can make a whole lot of difference. This includes drinking beer for hair regrowth or getting healthy, shiny hair. This is due to the various vitamins and minerals contained in the popular beverage. In a single serving, beer can do your locks a whole lot of good, so you don’t have to overdo the drinking.
If you have been feeling reluctant to wash your hair with beer, you can simply drink it to get some of the hair benefits. Its high silicon content increases circulation in the scalp which helps with hair growth and prevents hair from becoming brittle.
However, the problem with drinking beer for the hair lies in excess. Excessive consumption of this beverage causes dehydration, which will eventually lead to dandruff all over your hair.
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Additionally, over-drinking will impact negatively on your eating habits, which will indirectly affect the quantity and quality of your hair in the long run. Also, you will always find preservatives in beer. If consumed regularly, these preservatives could result in hair damage.
The good news is that the pros outweigh the cons by far. If you are a regular drinker, beer will have little or no effect on your hair. But, if you control your consumption to one pint once in a while, it will prove really beneficial to your hair.
“Experts recommend a maximum of 1 glass of beer per day if you’re a woman and 2 if you’re a man.”
– (source)
So, how is beer good for dandruff?
If you suffer from dandruff, and want to try a beer hair rinse, it’s best to just use it once a week max. Don’t wash your hair frequently with it. It also helps if you mix it up with something like an egg yolk which is great for dandruff and do a hair mask treatment. Try drinking less beer too, if you want to get rid of dandruff as the yeast and high sugar content is a recipe for dandruff.
Which beer is good for hair?
Whether you need beer for thinning hair, beer for curly hair, or beer for hair dandruff, you can’t just pick it up from your fridge and apply it to your hair.
When it comes to applying the beer to your hair, only flat, decarbonated beer is suitable for your hair. Before it can be ideal for hair use, you have to pour it into a bowl or jug, and leave it for a while – either overnight or throughout the day.
READ: Guide on How To Use Beer As Shampoo
The purpose of this is to expose the beer to air surface, to oxidize the hair, and make it flat. This is to remove carbon dioxide; if this isn’t done, the carbon dioxide joined with water will create hard water with high mineral content. This will stop the shampoo effects and will make your hair look tough and tangled.
After decarbonating it, you have to put it in a saucepan, and turn on the heat. Leave the alcohol on it till reduced by half, leave it to cool for a while, before you apply it to your hair. For instance, if you have 24oz beer in the pan, do not turn the heat off till it’s about 12oz.
This is done to reduce the alcohol content. In excess, alcohol dehydrates the hair. This can be drying and damaging to the hair, so decreasing it before you apply the beer on your hair is crucial. To increase the nutrients in this hair wash, you can add essential oils.
Washing hair with beer to remove relaxer
Yes, it is possible to wash your hair off relaxer using beer. Relaxer refers to any cream or lotion you apply to straighten your hair, and to make it less brittle. However, most ladies have complained of hair thinning and breakage after using relaxers, most likely due to their dense composition of chemicals.
Since a perm is “permanent”, your hair won’t go back to its natural state. But it can give you a nice wavy texture instead of a stick straight one that is so common right after a relaxer. Beer’s proteins also helps strengthens damaged hair. It’s actually used to set curls so maybe that’s where this idea started in the first place.
Some natural ladies say it works; others are skeptical that this is nothing more than a myth. If you had a bad perm, you might be tempted to try. If you end up trying it, please do let us know if it really works!
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