DALAGUETE, Cebu—Beautiful and shiny hair always leaves a good impression.
That’s why taking care of your hair is very important.
Good thing is that there are natural ways to maintain smooth, bouncy, and healthy hair.
One way is by the use of Lauat leaves (Litsea glutinosae) as your natural hair shampoo.
The plant is not very common in all places but luckily, we have that here in Cebu.
Lauat extract | Photo by Doris Mondragon
CDN Digital found this natural hair treatment in Maryhills, Barangay Antipolo, a mountain barangay of Medellin town in northern Cebu.
Residents in Maryhills use the leaves as an alternative to commercial shampoos or whenever they ran out of shampoo.
How to get that soapy extract from the leaves? You just simply squeeze or press the leaf pulp to separate the extracts from the fiber.
Use about 8 to 10 leaves. But if you have thick and long hair, 20 leaves will do. Then use a strainer to separate the leaves from the juice.
The use of Lauat leaves as a natural shampoo is common among women in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Lauat Tree | Photo by Doris Mondragon
Lauat leaves | Photo by Doris Mondragon
The Benefits
Quoting a previous report from INQUIRER.net, a study by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) suggests that Lauat contains essential fatty acids.
It’s food for the scalp and rejuvenates the hair follicles.
Research also shows that the saponin, the chemical compound that gives the soapy lather in Lauat, contains anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant elements.
Saponin has the functions of removing scurf, blacking hairs, preventing hair loss, facilitating the regeneration of the hairs, removing dirt and oil, and relieving itching.
Your hair is subjected to a lot of pollution, dirt, and chemicals.
Commercial conditioners and hair treatments are the best options but your hair also needs time off from these products due to the chemicals used which may cause the hair to break, become brittle, or turn frizzy. /rcg
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