By Puja Gupta

New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANSlife): Winters always reminiscent of dry skin and scalp. It is essential to keep hair and scalp clean and moisturised. During this season extra care is needed to avoid frizz and hair breakage.

For lustrous, shiny and strong hair the key is to oil hair and scalp at least once every week.

The following blend, shared by Pooja Nagdev, aromatherapist and cosmetologist, founder of Inatur, is especially beneficial for those with dry scalp and brings nourishment and strength to hair:

Amla: 200g (already peeled and dried in sun)

Olive Oil: 200ml

Castor Oil: 50ml

Sesame Seed Oil: 200ml

Blackseed Oil: 100ml

Take all the four types of oils in a pan add amla herb and let it boil for 2-3 minutes till all the nutrients of Amla get absorbed into the oil.

Let it cool down. Add essential oils of Rosemary 4ml and Patchouli 2ml to this blend.

Sieve it and store it in a clean bottle. This blend can be used every time you want to massage hair. The results of this oil will amaze you.

Here's a formula for an excellent aromatherapy hair oil for relieving itchy scalp and dandruff. It can be used daily or weekly as a massage treatment.

JOJOBA OIL: 50ml

Lavender Oil: 10 drops

Rosemary Oil: 10 drops

Lemon Oil: 10 drops

Make a blend and apply the treatment oil on the scalp at least 30 minutes before you shampoo your hair. Do remember to use a sulphate-free shampoo. Initially use it every time before shampoo and subsequently reduce it to once in a fortnight.

Apple cider vinegar rinse is miraculous cure for dandruff. Add one tablespoon of vinegar to one litre of water and pour it over the scalp. This should be done every time you shampoo your hair.

You all do know that AloeVera gel is excellent for skin, but not many know that it is excellent for scalp, too. Rub Aloe Vera gel to the scalp to prevent any irritation. It may be infused with essential oils of your choice.

Make hair lotion at home and can apply to the hair every day. This hair lotion helps to protect hair from damaging elements that strip hair of natural oils hence making them dry and flaky.

Hair treatment mask- 50ml

Aqua: 30ml

Almond Oil: 10ml

Jojoba Oil: 10ml

Rosemary Oil: 10ml

Ginger Oil: 10ml

Peppermint Oil: 10ml

Mix all the above ingredients and store them in a recyclable bottle. Every time take a tiny amount on the tips of fingers and spread it all over hair and scalp. Then using the palm smoothen it out throughout your hair.

Avoid using water-based hair gels as they make scalp dry and flaky.These are very hard substances that pull hair down leading to hair fall, use hair creams instead that are enriched with organic oils and conditioners.

Colour your hair at home with DIY home colouring to avoid the ammonia and chemical based hair dyes. For this you will need:

Heena leaves/ powder

Indigo leaves/ powder

Hibiscus flower leaves/ powder

Tea leaves boiled in water. (Can be used to make paste)

Believe me even if you alternate this with colour or give colour a break for a couple of months, it works really well in breaking the scalp sensitivity to hair dyes.

Lastly please avoid hot water, hair should always be washed with lukewarm water.