Olive oil, coconut oil, coconut milk, essential oils and herbs are some of the main ingredients for homemade hair conditioners and DIY hair treatments. An oil treatment once a week (or once in two weeks) is usually enough, but you can use herbal hair rinses after every wash to give your hair natural shine and deeper color.
Coconut Milk Homemade Hair Conditioner
Coconut milk nourishes the hair and is really good for dry hair. It is also less messy than oil treatments. You’ll need approximately half a cup of coconut milk, depending on how much hair you have. Coconut milk is solid in cold temperatures and becomes liquid in room temperature.
Comb the coconut milk through your hair, or sponge it into your hair (and your scalp, if your scalp is dry and in need of treatment) using a piece of cotton wool. Wrap your hair inside an old bath towel and leave the treatment on for at least 20-30 minutes. Wash your hair as usual.
Honey & Olive Oil Conditioning Treatment for Dry Hair
You’ll need
- 1 part of honey
- 2 parts of olive oil
I used two tablespoons of oil and one tablespoon of honey for my long (and dry) hair. Mix the ingredients together and apply the conditioner into your hair. Wrap your hair inside an old towel, and leave it on for at least 15 minutes. You can leave oil treatments in your hair for a couple of hours if you have time. Shampoo as usual.
Nourishing Oil Treatment for Dry and Damaged Hair
I use jojoba, olive or coconut oil for a nourishing hair treatment. Massage a few tablespoonfuls of your chosen oil (depending on the length of your hair) into your hair; avoid the scalp unless you’re treating dandruff or your scalp is dry. Cover your hair with an old bath towel; leave on for at least 20 minutes, or even an hour or two if you have time. Shampoo as usual. In India many women use coconut oil instead of a conditioner to keep their hair healthy and shiny, and they leave it in their hair between washes.
You can also add a couple of drops of essential oil into the base oil:
- Rosemary oil for dark hair or as a general hair tonic
- Chamomile essential oil for blond hair
- Tea tree or Lavender oil for dandruff.
Homemade Herbal Hair Rinses
Homemade hair rinses give hair natural shine, deepen its color and condition the hair and the scalp. Here are some herbs to use for herbal hair rinses:
- nettle for dark hair, or for general hair and scalp health
- rosemary for dark hair – or for general hair health, it also boosts circulation in the scalp
- chamomile for blond hair to enhance the blond color
- hibiscus for red hair – hibiscus is used widely in Asia in hair treatments
Read this post for instructions on making a homemade herbal hair rinse. Wash your hair as usual. Then pour the infusion over your hair, small amounts at a time, and comb it through your hair. You can use these herbal infusions as the last rinsing water and leave them in the hair until the next wash, or you can leave the infusion in your hair for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse one more time with plain water.
Photo: S Sepp
I am allergic to all sorts of shampoos, conditioners, and soaps because of all the chemicals. I love natural alternatives. Thanks a bunch!