Homemade Hair Conditioning

Natural Lifestyle

Apr 11

After battling both oily roots and split ends for years, I found homemade options that are affordable and get me regular compliments on the health of my hair!

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I’m going to be honest, I haven’t gotten a haircut in about 2 ½ years. But I often get compliments on how healthy my hair looks.

To be fair, I don’t straighten or curl my hair, and I only blow dry it about once a month in the winter. However, I live in an area with very “hard” water, meaning it’s full of mineral content that dries out skin and hair. So we’ll say these cancel each other out.

The Frustration of Split Ends and Oily Hair

In my early to mid twenties I sort of obsessed over my hair. I usually always styled it and washed it at least every other day. You’d find conventional or green-washed labels of shampoo and conditioner in my shower. (Greenwashing is when a company markets a label as safe for you and the environment, when it’s still full of toxic chemicals). They all promised luxurious, shiny locks. Picture the old hair commercials where the woman is relishing the washing process in the shower and then suddenly has bouncing, perfectly-waved hair that she sweeps over her shoulder as she walks into a room. That’s what I was going for. Except I usually found myself battling terrible split-ends or really oily roots (hence the frequent washing).

By my mid-twenties I got fed up on spending extra money on what I thought were high-end, natural products. I decided to experiment with homemade solutions. As with most new endeavors, it’s taken a little time to find what works for me, but I’ve been in a pretty consistent rhythm for a couple of years now and figured it’s time to share.

Coconut Oil Mask

The first thing I tried was letting my hair soak in coconut oil. I’m sure there are many lovely recipes with a combination of ingredients for a hair mask, and I bet a lot of them work really well. I tend to be highly pragmatic and like things to be as simple as possible. So, if you’re like me and want a great result without the extras, here’s what I recommend.

Once a month (best when you have a day off) I’ll get a small scoop of coconut oil and rub it into the ends of my hair. That’s basically it. I only do the ends because my scalp tends to oil easily as it is, and usually I do this to avoid or repair damaged hair. Once I have my ends nice and coated, I’ll twist my hair up into a bun and clip it in place. Then I go about my regular activities and chores for 30 minutes to an hour. After that, I hop in the shower and wash my hair.

Here’s another nugget of confession (and a tip): I usually don’t wash the ends of my hair when I shower. Instead, I focus on washing my scalp. When I do the Coconut Oil Hair Mask, though, I will wash the ends of my hair, just to get as much excess oil cleaned out as possible. Your hair might be a little more oily than usual until after your second shower. By then, I find my hair is softer and healthier.

Here’s a quick recap:

Coconut Oil Mask Step by Step

Pick a day off or a block of time when you won’t feel rushed.
Get a small scoop of coconut oil and work it into the ends of your hair.
Twist your hair into a bun and pin in place.
Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Jump in the shower and wash your hair thoroughly, getting out as much excess oil as possible.

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Conditioning Rinse

After having some success with a homemade solution, I decided to go a step further. My sister told me about using apple cider vinegar as a healthy hair rinse, and since then I’ve ditched standard conditioner and found my go-to recipe. Yes, I no longer use hair conditioner. Instead, at the end of my shower I pour my apple cider vinegar conditioning rinse on the ends of my hair and scalp and get out of the shower.

This homemade, leave-in conditioning rinse has made a big difference in the health of my hair, and it’s incredibly easy to make.

What should you use to store it?

I saved a 16oz glass bottle from a purchase of apple cider vinegar, washed it out and took off the label. That’s what I now use as my container for the rinse. Any 16oz container with a lid will do, although I wouldn’t recommend plastic if you can avoid it. Here are some amber glass bottles that would work great, since essential oils are better kept in dark glass.

How much does it cost?

At the time of writing this post, one gallon of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar costs $24.49, which comes out to $0.19 cents per ounce. I use 10 oz of apple cider vinegar in the recipe, so that comes out to $1.90 in apple cider vinegar. The other 6 oz of the recipe is water. I also add in 10 drops of rosemary essential oil. The retail price of the oil I use is $22.04 for 0.5 oz. Seems pricey at first, but there is 0.0016907 oz per 1 drop of essential oil, which makes for only .016907 oz for the recipe. So that comes up to $0.76 in essential oil.

That brings the total cost for this homemade conditioning rinse to $2.66 for 16oz. I’ve paid at least triple that for a natural (sometimes not-so-natural) store-bought conditioner.