4 Hair Conditioners That You Can Make At Home

Advertisements on the television and in magazines set impossible standards for hair. And, while we’d all like to have long luscious locks that look like they’ve been brushed for days, our busy lifestyles might get in the way of achieving that. In the cleansing and conditioning ritual that dermatologists recommend for good hair, the latter is often ignored or underrated.

Why Condition Your Hair?

Hair is damaged due to heat, styling, improper hair care, mechanical abrasion, excessive sun exposure, and chemical treatment.¹ And, it’s vital to take care of your hair if you tend to subject it to any of the above factors. Here’s where conditioning comes in.²

Conditioning is important to improve hair manageability, decrease hair static electricity, and add luster.³ This way it decreases friction, untangles the hair, and minimizes frizz.⁴ Additionally, it coats the hair and minimizes damage from brushing combing and drying.⁵

And, while you could invest in the best product on a supermarket aisle, you could also try making your own at home. This way you can ensure that the ingredients are best suited to your hair and are completely natural.

4 Easy Hair Conditioner Recipes

1. Egg Yolk And Vinegar

Eggs are rich in lecithin, which is believed to condition hair by sealing moisture in the hair shaft.⁶ Vinegar is believed to fight lice infestation, dandruff, and other scalp conditions. It might also highlight the lighter parts of your hair and condition it at the same time.⁷ Here’s how you can go about making this conditioner.

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Directions

1. Whisk the eggs yolks in a bowl.

2. Add the white vinegar, olive oil, and honey.

3. Adjust the measurements until you reach a semi-thick consistency.

Apply this paste on your hair after you shampoo. Leave this on for 15–20 minutes and wash it off. Oil in this recipe adds moisture to the hair. Lastly, honey also conditions your hair.⁸

2. Coconut Oil And Honey

Coconut oil has been used for hair health for a long time now. Its lauric acid content has a high affinity for hair proteins. To add to this, coconut oil has a low molecular weight and a straight linear chain which helps it penetrate the hair shaft easily. This makes it a stellar ingredient for hair conditioning.⁹ Honey adds moisture and luster to hair. Here’s how you can combine the two for an easy conditioner.

Ingredients

• 4 tbs of extra virgin coconut oil
• 2 tbs of pure honey

Directions

1. Add the two ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly to combine.

2. If the coconut oil has hardened, place this mixture on a bowl of boiling water and stir.

Apply this mixture to your hair and leave it on for 20 minutes before washing it off. If you’ve got longer hair, then you’d need to adjust the measurements accordingly.

3. Olive Oil And Peppermint Oil

Olive oil is believed to moisturize hair and strengthen it. It also protects against UV damage.¹⁰ Peppermint oil promotes hair growth and is believed to protect against scalp infections.¹¹ Here’s how you can combine the two for a hair conditioner.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 9 drops of peppermint oil
• Honey (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl.

2. Adjust the measurements according to your preference.

Apply this conditioner before you wash your hair. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off.

4. Cocoa Butter And Lavender Oil

This conditioner is great for excessive hair damage. Cocoa butter adds much needed moisture and sheen to hair.¹² And, lavender oil is believed to successfully treat alopecia (hair loss).¹³ Here’s how you can combine the two for a hair-repairing conditioner.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cocoa butter
• 1 tablespoon almond oil
• 10 drops of lavender essential oil
• Honey (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the cocoa butter in a bowl placed over a pot of boiling water.

2. Add all the ingredients to the bowl.

3. Adjust the measurements depending on your hair length.

Apply this mixture to your hair for 20 minutes. If you have oily hair, be sure to avoid applying the mixture to your scalp. Leave it on for 15 minutes and wash it off. In this recipe, honey adds further moisture to the hair. And, although there isn’t enough research for almond oil’s benefits, it is believed to add luster to the hair as well.

With busy lifestyles, it might be difficult to whip up a conditioner each time you shampoo. But, you could start off with once a week and move up from there. If you tend to experiment with your hair a lot, be sure to condition more frequently. With regular conditioning, you’re sure to have healthier, stronger hair in no time.