Photo by Erick Larregui on Unsplash
No matter what your hair type might be – everyone can benefit from a deep conditioner. Do you have color-treated hair? A deep conditioner can help. Fine hair? Heat damaged hair? Split ends? Dry hair? Yup – you guessed it, a deep conditioner can be just what you’re looking for to address your hair concerns or just give new life to your hair, especially if you have curls that tend to dry out more often than straight hair. Deep conditioners are fantastic for repairing damage, restoring moisture, and strengthening your hair to ensure it’s healthy. When it comes to a good deep conditioner, you don’t need to go looking for the most expensive product on the market. You can make your own incredible DIY deep conditioner at home. How? Here’s a breakdown of all the crucial things to keep in mind when making a DIY deep conditioner.
1. Why Deep Condition Hair? The Facts You Need to Know
2. Common Products and Ingredients in DIY Deep Conditioner
3. DIY Deep Conditioner Recipes
If your hair has been bleached, chemically treated, or heat damaged from daily styling with hot tools, you can definitely benefit from a DIY deep conditioner that adds moisture and protein to the hair. A hair mask will seal the holes in your damaged hair cuticle, which will give the hair strength and structure (1). On the other hand, if your hair is simply suffering from dryness, a deep conditioner will add needed moisture, as too much protein build-up on the hair when you don’t need it can make dryness and breakage worse by drying out your strands until they become brittle.
Overall, dry hair can benefit from deep conditioners, adding moisture and no protein on a weekly basis. For damaged hair, protein-packed deep conditioners can be used once a month. Since protein can be found in a lot of other hair products, you won’t need more than a monthly treatment. Products that can be found with protein include:
While deep conditioners are supposed to be beneficial for our hair, there are a lot of products out on the market that are filled with questionable ingredients. To avoid this, making a DIY deep conditioner at home with moisturizing and helpful ingredients can be your best bet.
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On the plus side, a lot of these incredible ingredients can be found in your own kitchen. Here are some popular ingredients used in DIY deep conditioner:
Eggs are rich in amino acids, vitamins, and healthy fats that can help replenish moisture, add shine, improve hair health, and help the hair be more resistant to damage. They have also been known to help with hair loss, brittle hair, and spur hair growth (2).
Olive oil has been dubbed as nature’s conditioner and is super beneficial for dry hair and skin. The ingredient has been used for thousands of years as it’s been known to add shine and softness to the hair. This is due to olive oil’s chemical elements, which are all emollients – meaning they have softening qualities (3).
Avocados are a rich source of biotin, which is a vitamin that can help hair grow and increase hair health. There has also been research that shows avocado oil contains minerals like potassium and magnesium, which can help give the hair a smooth and shiny finish while preventing breakage by sealing the cuticle cells (4).
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Remember Big Ed from 90 Day Fiancé? The one who caught a ton of slack for his mayo hair masks? Well… he wasn’t wrong, even though the smell of a mayo hair mask isn’t great and usually benefits from a bit of added essential oil. It turns out that mayonnaise has great moisturizing and conditioning properties, protein that can restore brittle hair, and the ability to help with concerns like dandruff or thinning hair (5).
This ingredient is known for soothing burns and dry skin – but it can benefit your hair, too. Aloe can help keep hair hydrated and shiny while helping to define your curls and soothe your scalp. It has also been known to prevent hair loss and help beauty enthusiasts maintain their hair’s moisture (6).
Coconut oil is packed with fatty acids that are helpful for repairing damage, improving hair texture, and restoring health and shine to the hair (7). In the same study that proved avocado oil’s benefits for the hair, the authors also pointed out that coconut oil is similar to natural hair proteins and has a unique ability to penetrate the hair shaft to reduce the amount of water absorbed by the hair, which can limit damage and reduce protein loss (4).
Like olive oil, honey has emollient properties which make it a great ingredient for moisturizing the hair, adding smoothness, and adding shine to dull hair (8). Plus, honey has humectant properties that add moisture, lock in shine, and promote cell growth.
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Bananas, as you might know, are packed with potassium, which can help soften the hair and protect the hair’s natural elasticity. The ingredient can also help prevent split ends, prevent breakage, prevent dandruff, improve shine, and moisturize the scalp (9).
Greek yogurt is known to soften dry and dehydrated hair, controlling frizz, adding shine, and making it easier to style the hair by softening tangles and knots (10).
Apple cider vinegar, also known as ACV for short, has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that help promote a healthy scalp. It’s recommended for anyone with product buildup or an overly dry or oily scalp, issues with knots and tangles, frizz, color-treated hair, and more (11).
Now that you know the most common ingredients for a DIY deep conditioner, here are three easy recipes you can make at home.
Written by Selena Ponton
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