TopNews Health did a survey that showed that altogether the women in Britain spent a whopping 27,722 pounds on hair-care products each year! Whichever way you put it, that's sky high. But there's no need to fret because there are much cheaper and more natural alternatives that can take your hair from dull to bling!

Since hair is dead, most of its nourishment does not come from within. Eating foods rich in Vitamin E (like almonds and other nuts) are great for maintaining the sheen of your hair, but this is not enough. Just like how the skin (by the way the uppermost layer of your skin is dead too!) needs a periodical dosage of moisturizing cream so does your hair. Conditioners can do the trick, but fantastic ones can be way too expensive while the more commercial kinds can contain too high a percentage of petroleum oils (think glycerine and propyl glycol) that make hair limp and lethargic.

One great way to get the gloss back into your hair is to try this great homemade hair mask:

Mix 2 whole eggs with four tablespoons of olive oil, work it into your hair concentrating on the ends Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes before rinsing. To increase the luxury factor add a few drops of your favourite essential oils. Tea tree and eucalyptus are great for itchy, oily or flaky scalps while rose and patchouli are extra moisturizing. Pull on a shower cap d leave in hair for 10 minutes or leave it on overnight for a more intensive treatment. Rinse well afterwards.

The protein in the egg is what does the trick. Proteins, in general are necessary for building cells and tissues in the body. The body uses protein as an essential ingredient in a wide range of body substances: hair, nails, skin, bones, blood, muscle, hormones, and enzymes. To create such a wide variety of substances, the body needs a variety of protein components called amino acids.

Olive oil too is a great way to get moisture back into hair, especially for those with frizzy fly-aways and split ends. Though inexpensive its one that many can swear by. Try it today.

Image reference: Cover Illustration from Elaine Neil's article "My Life With Hair", The Missouri Review - Volume 30, Number 4, 2007, pp. 8-22 - Article. Available online on Project Muse Scholarly Journals Online

Herald Sun, Australia, 18 March 2008, Library PressDisplay

Text reference: Gebo, Sue. "Nutrition." New Book of Popular Science. Grolier Online