We all want shinier, healthier hair, but between styling and weather extremes it is often difficult to maintain or achieve it.
Since many natural products contain the perfect balance of proteins and moisturizers our hair needs, DIY hair masks are a great way to go. We rounded up the best recipes for at-home masks using ingredients you probably have on-hand already:
Dry Hair
This mask uses cream, yogurt or avocado as a base — all 3 have a high amount of healthy fats to moisturize dry hair. Additionally, avocado contains high levels of vitamins B and E which can support hair growth. The added essential oils nourish and moisturize the hair, while adding a soothing scent to the mixture.
Ingredients:
1 cup cream, full-fat yogurt or 1 ripe avocado
4 Tbsp. edible oil (such as olive, almond, grape seed or coconut oil)
2 tsp. honey
1 Vitamin E capsule*
4-6 Drops essential oil (such as lavender, chamomile, rose or tea tree oil)*
*These ingredients are optional
Mix edible oil with choice of cream, yogurt or avocado. Add honey and mix well. Add other ingredients as desired. Stir until smooth. Spread mask onto hair and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse and wash with moisturizing shampoo.
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Dandruff
About 1 in 5 people suffer from dandruff, and the condition can be tricky to remedy. The usual cause of dandruff is the over-growth of fungus that feeds on scalp oils and product build-up. Apples and apple cider vinegar (which is concentrated) are effective because they restore the ph balance of the scalp to prevent the fungus growth. This concoction also unclogs pores and restores hair shine.
Ingredients:
2 large fresh apples
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. corn flour
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Peel apples and grate them into a bowl. Add other ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Apply mask to dry and unwashed hair. Cover with a shower cap and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse in shower. Repeat once a week.
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Oily Hair
The natural inclination to treat oily hair is to shampoo more often. However, excessive washing can actually have the opposite effect, leading to even more oil production. This natural treatment conditions the hair intensively in order to restore the health of the scalp, and thus cause less oil.
Ingredients:
1 Egg
1 Vitamin B6 Capsule
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup nettle infusion
Plastic wrap
Crack egg in bowl. Add contents of vitamin B6 capsule, olive oil and nettle infusion and mix well. Pour mixture over hair, saturating hair completely. If your hair is long, twist onto top of head. Cover head with plastic wrap and let sit for 60 minutes. Remove plastic and wash as normal.
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Curly or Frizzy Hair
Curly hair can easily slip into a frizzy state, which is why it is important to keep hair constantly nourished and conditioned. The mayonnaise works wonders on curly hair that is more prone to dryness, allowing for defined ringlets rather than frazzled strands.
Ingredients:
½ Cup Mayonnaise
20 Drops essential oil (such as lavender, peppermint or jojoba oil)
Shower cap
Mix all ingredients together and apply to dry hair, avoiding roots. For fine hair, apply to ends only. For medium to thick hair, apply from mid-length to ends. For coarse hair you can apply to hairline. Cover with shower cap and let sit for 30 minutes. To remove, apply the shampoo to dry hair and wash out.
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