The 10 Best-Kept Indian Secrets For Long Hair, According to YouTubers

Few things are as frightening as watching your hair shed in the shower or while brushing it (remember, though, it's totally normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs each day). This DIY hair treatment tutorial explains how neem oil can prevent hair shedding and add major hydration to dry, brittle strands.

Rice water, which has amino acids, antioxidants, and moisturizing properties, has been used for centuries by women to strengthen and repair their hair. It's also simple to make: after cleansing organic rice (any type of rice you'd like), add clean water to the rice, allow it to stand in a bowl for 30 minutes, and transfer it to a mason jar to stand for another 24 hours. Fill a spray bottle with the fermented rice water and spray all of your strands to make them healthier and stronger. Leave the treatment on for 20 to 30 minutes before washing it out with lukewarm water or a gentle shampoo.

Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine native to India. One aspect involves focusing on balance in the body by massaging the head at its "marma points" to promote overall health and longer, healthier hair. As we learn in the video, warm oil should first be applied to the scalp. Massage the marma points along the center of the forehead, at the temples, and at the top of the head; then work your fingers down the back of your head while gently pressing and kneading your scalp.

Time marches on, but Indian women have found the secret to preventing premature graying: amla powder, which is derived from the Indian gooseberry. According to vlogger Mamtha Nair in this tutorial, amla nourishes hair and is used in India to both prevent premature graying and strengthen roots so that hair grows longer. Unfortunately, the only study that showed amla can prevent hair loss was performed on mice (but, hurray, because it worked), but gooseberry fans will be happy to know the fruit is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, and users have reported witnessing their gray hairs turn black, so it's worth a try. Create a DIY hair mask using amla and organic coconut and castor oils and you've got yourself a sweet hair-follicle-strengthening potion. You can even add a bit of amla to henna for a natural, radiant hair-darkening treatment.

The next time you make an appointment for highlights or a single process, consider trying an at-home henna treatment instead. In this henna tutorial for beginners, Shruti Arjun Anand suggests mixing your henna powder with whole milk, which she says prevents henna from drying out hair and makes it "shiny and awesome."

Shampoos laden with chemicals are a no-no for many Indian women. Instead, Indian beauty vlogger Himani Wright favors natural treatments, such as this DIY no-poo cleanser, which relies on a blend of gooseberry powder, acacia concinna, and fenugreek seeds to nourish, naturally clean, and moisturize hair.

You'll need just four natural ingredients to create this popular Indian hair-growth treatment: milk, grated coconut, lemon, and fenugreek powder. Leave this luxurious hair pack on your strands for 30 minutes before washing it out for softer, less frizzy hair and (quite possibly) quicker hair growth.

Let's cut to the chase: mustard-seed oil isn't the sweetest-smelling oil you'll use on your hair, but it is rich in minerals, vitamins, and essential alpha fatty acids that can strengthen your hair and prevent split ends and damage. Indian vlogger Puja applies the oil with a heavy hand to her scalp and throughout her hair. She spends time massaging her scalp and alternates between brushing and combing the oil through her strands before forming two braids and allowing the oil to penetrate for hours (or overnight).

If you're used to throwing your hair in a bun each morning, prepare for a change: many Indian women swear by a twice-daily combing/brushing regimen for healthier hair. Use a wide-tooth comb, detangle from the bottom up to the roots, work in sections, and take your time.

In this long-hair tutorial, Himani Wright combines two tablespoons of Ayurvedic herb Triphala, which has antioxidants and prevents free radicals, with half a cup of boiling-hot water. Let it steep for 10 minutes and pour it into a spray bottle (make sure you apply it to your scalp and hair a half-hour before bed so you don't sleep on wet hair). Wright french-braids her hair after the treatment and says the ingredient tames frizz and has helped her "fine hair" grow long.