“Homemade” is not part of the hair vocabulary for most people. Do-it-yourself products like a DIY hair mask seem difficult to make or really don’t work. But hair masks can really help treat some of your hair problems. And while the shelves of local drugstores are filled with a variety of ready-made masks, you can also make a homemade hair mask using ingredients found all over the house, like coconut oil, avocado, or honey. And these home hair masks can help with everything from dryness to repairing damaged strands.
Do DIY Hair Masks Really Work?
“Homemade hair masks can work, but are often not as elegant as salon products,” explains Dr. Stefani Kappel, a dermatologist in Newport Beach, California. However, she notes that there are certain ingredients you can add to a home mask that can help improve the texture and health of your hair without having to spend a lot on store-bought hair products.
Ashanti Lation, Normani’s hairdresser and founder of VIP Luxury Hair Care, agrees. “Depending on the ingredients and the integrity of your hair, DIY hair masks can be really good,” she says. “But you have to be very careful how you mix and strain to avoid leaving any residue on your hair.”
While DIY hair masks may not be as strong as salon-grade masks that are specifically designed for certain conditions like color treated hair or strengthening keratin bonds, experts agree that DIY masks can often be helpful in between salon visits.
What can I put in my hair as a mask?
There’s a certain formula for making homemade hair masks: Lation suggests starting with a base like yogurt, high-biotin avocados, bananas, or mayonnaise as a binder. Next, you can add a humectant like honey that can act as a moisturizer. Then mix in an oil like grapeseed, olive, or almond oil to repair damage. “I usually avoid anything that is difficult to rinse out or that solidifies, like cocoa butter or beeswax,” explains Lation.
Kappel says that natural hydrophilic lipids go a long way in making a moisturizing hair mask. “Some of the best readily available ingredients at home are avocado oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil,” she says. These natural oils can help repair damaged cuticles on individual hair shafts in processed hair, making them a good choice for hair masks for dry and damaged hair. “Plus, egg whites and yolks are also very effective,” she explains. These are high in vitamins A, E, biotin, and folate, which can help strengthen the outer bark and cuticles of the hair. Apple cider vinegar is another great choice – it helps increase shine.
Kappel says avoiding lemony products like lemon, lime, and other sour fruits as they can lead to brittle, damaged hair, changed hair color, or irritating contact dermatitis on the scalp. It is also important not to use ingredients that you are allergic to.
What’s the best DIY hair mask?
When it comes to DIY hair masks, there really is no best mask. Finding the Right DIY Hair Mask Recipe Says Dr. Geeta Patel, a Houston-based dermatologist, it all depends on the unique needs of your hair. “Each ingredient caters to different needs, so there are different ‘bests’ for different purposes,” she explains. For example, some people need a shine boost while others need help defrosting.
Here are 12 DIY hair mask recipes that you can try no matter what type of TLC your hair needs:
1. Coconut oil, mayonnaise, yogurt
Good for: Damaged hair after dyeing
ingredients:
