If there’s anything in this world I have loved genuinely, it would, without a doubt, be my 14-inch dark, kinky hair.
I drowned each strand in love, affirmation and the most thorough LOC treatment this part of the world had ever seen and no greater joy have I experienced than when strangers and friends alike asked me just what I did to get my hair looking so magnificent (their words, not mine).
So you can only imagine my horror when one night, while carefully curating each strand of my hair in search of split ends, I found a little more than I was searching for. There, making a little colony of fiends, I found not one, not two but six grey strands of hair just daring me to pull them out.
Now if there’s anything I did know about discovering unwanted grey hairs, it was to ignore them like those pesky debit alerts you get on your phone and keep things moving. Any attempts to pluck them out would only result in a return with an unprecedented force and number (this has since been proven to be false btw guys).
So I went into overdrive and researched ways to reverse grey hairs and prevent their re-appearance permanently in my youth like I had a thesis to submit the next day. I found some really interesting things, like how invaluable prawns are to hair health and how stress is directly proportional to premature ageing and greying of hair. These 5 however, are my absolute top choices for reversing premature greying:
1. Onion juice: now this might seem like an unlikely option, and you’re probably thinking onion breath is enough to contend with, and cannot fathom walking around with an onion halo around your head, but from all accounts, it’s really, really good. Due to its antioxidant properties, onions are great for combating greying hair, as they help to reduce Hydrogen Peroxide which is a leading cause of greying hair. If that isn’t good enough, onions are also great for treating fungal infections and will have you saying goodbye to Alopecia in just a matter of weeks.
2. Curry leaves: and here I was thinking curry leaves were best used for bringing out that bass in Jollof Rice. It turns out that Curry leaves, being enriched with Vitamin B and essential minerals like Iodine, Zinc and Iron; are great for replenishing lost Melanin in the hair. By revitalising the hair with melanin, the natural pigment is restored, kicking those unwanted grey hairs to the curb.
You should note, however, that to get the maximum results from Curry leaves, it is best utilised as a mix with coconut oil.
3. Coconut oil and lemon juice: now what would a natural hair care remedy be without coconut oil? As the best friend of locks the world over, coconut oil holds its own as it adds Defeater of Grey Hairs to its impressive Hair Resume. To get the best results, it is best blended with lemon juice and applied all over the hair. Their joint possessions of Fatty acid, B and C Vitamins and Anti-microbial components, make their combination a choice favourite in the fight against unwanted greys.
4. Castor Oil: as if being the protector of edges and a friend indeed when those Ghana braids come off weren’t enough, Castor Oil just had to show out with being a great restorer of natural hair colouring.
Owed to its Omega 3 properties and its possession of Humectants which help in locking hair moisture, leading to hair darkening; it is a worthwhile choice in helping to reverse unwanted grey hairs.
5. Henna: while Henna does not possess the properties to reverse greying hair, it is a great way to naturally colour over the appearance of said hairs, while simultaneously strengthening and conditioning your hair.
This is a truly convenient route if you cannot bear the thought of walking around for weeks on end with greys in your hair, which is the normal prescribed period for the aforementioned products to take effect.
Now that I have discovered that returning my hair to a uniform hue is, in fact possible, I cannot wait to explain to anyone who cares to listen why I’m chopping up onions, crying and placing them carefully in my hair!