Is the cold winter weather drying out your curly tresses? The low temperatures coupled with the wind chill could completely strip the moisture from your hair and lead to severe breakage. Open up those kitchen cupboards, bathroom vanities and browse through your pantry this winter to find the ingredients for these do-it-yourself hair masks that will keep your curls conditioned and looking good throughout the winter.
Banana, Avocado & Oil
Bananas and avocados are full of nutrients that can increase the moisture content of our hair, smooth frizz, and soothe an itchy scalp. Use this mask once a month for best results!
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon of oil (olive oil, wheat germ oil). Pick an oil, any oil!
Use a blender to mix these ingredients well or mix them together in a bowl. After shampooing, apply to towel-dried hair in sections from root to tip. Cover using a shower cap (or plastic bag) for at least 20 minutes and rinse.
Coconut Oil & Egg
Coconut oil’s molecular structure fits into our hair shaft nicely, allowing the hair to soak it up. Egg is a great protein that will strengthen your strands.
- 2 tablespoons (depending on hair thickness and length)
- 1 egg
Liquefy coconut in a small bowl until it’s just melted, then add a raw egg and mix together with a fork. Section hair and apply concentrating on your ends and your scalp. Cover using a shower cap (or plastic cap) for at least 30 minutes and wash out. Condition your hair and add a little more coconut oil to really bring out that shine!
Tuff on Dandruff
Part 1 of this natural dandruff fighting recipe helps to level your scalp’s pH levels in order to allow the apple cider vinegar mix (Part 2) to work properly. A healthy scalp is the first step to having healthy looking hair!
Part 1: Mix the following two ingredients together and massaging them into your scalp. Use a hot towel or a shower cap to wrap or cover hair for 20 minutes.
- 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of finely granulated white sugar or brown sugar
Part 2: Mix the following three ingredients together in a spray bottle for the best application. Rinse well and lightly shampoo the flaxseed mixture out of your hair. Spray the apple cider vinegar mixture onto scalp by separating hair in sections. Avoid your eyes! Wrap or cover hair again with a shower cap for 30 minutes to an hour. Rinse thoroughly.
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (do not use if you have color treated hair)
- 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide (yes, the stuff we treat for wounds, next to the rubbing alcohol)
- 2 cups of warm water
All of these masks and treatments can be made at home from ingredients that most homes keep stocked on a regular basis. Be cautious of how your hair reacts to protein ingredients like egg, to make sure your hair is not protein sensitive. Honey and essential oils (jasmine, sweet orange, etc.) are also great ingredients that can be used in the first two masks to bring shine and mask any smells that may bother you. The variations are endless! Do you have a go-to hair mask for the winter?
December 27th, 2012 at 10:45 am
Argan oil masks are awesome too, I have one from pro naturals. Thanks for the tips!
December 27th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
thank u so much for the tips, imma try them, I also use pro naturals moroccan argan oil hair mask whihch is amazing for my hair.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Thank you for these tips! Perfect for the winter and early spring