It’s a mystery why we spend so much money on hair care every year when some of the best products for our hair are already sitting in our kitchens, medicine cabinets, or are even readily found in nature.
Now we know it’s probably not the best idea to wake up one morning and start cracking eggs over your head in the name of deep conditioning, but we also know that the simple solution to a more natural and effective regimen is creating hair masks!
Hair masks are cost-effective mixtures that can work million dollar wonders like intensely hydrating dry hair, strengthening weak strands, and effortlessly bringing your natural curls back to life! Need a quick hair fix? Try one (or all!) of these 3 nourishing and fortifying hair masks.
Coconut Milk Detangling Jelly Mask
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Juice
- 2 tbsp. Jojoba Oil
- 1 cup Marshmallow Root
- 2/3 cup Slippery Elm
Start off by adding the marshmallow root and slippery elm to 3 and a half cups of boiling water. You’ll know that the herbs are done boiling once a thick, gel-like substance called mucilage is formed. Strain the mucilage using a cheesecloth or mesh strainer, and take the jelly substance and mix it with the aloe vera juice, coconut milk, and jojoba milk until it’s smooth. Apply to damp hair, detangle and finger comb through your hair until it’s free of all knots and tangles. Rinse and style as usual.
Tip: Aloe Vera juice makes the pH balance of coconut milk more acidic to prevent dandruff, fungi, and bacteria from forming on our hair and scalp, so do not skip this step! Not a big fan of Aloe Vera juice? Use Rose Water instead!
Avocado & Honey Protein Mask
- 1 Avocado
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp. Raw Honey
- 2 tbsp. Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Mash one ripe avocado in a bowl with an organic egg, raw honey, and Jamaican black castor oil in a bowl until it creates a smooth, creamy consistency. Section off your hair and spritz each section with a little water. Apply the mixture to each section and let it sit for about 30 minutes before rinsing it out.
Tip: Applying protein-packed ingredients to your hair and scalp can easily dry out your strands, especially if you consume a lot of protein through the foods you eat. If you’re going to do a protein mask, do it right before you condition your hair to avoid brittleness and breakage. However, the honey and oil should do a great job of sealing in moisture all by themselves!
Moisturizing Detox Yogurt Mask
- 2 cups Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1/2 cup Organic Hibiscus Powder
- 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel
Add the plain yogurt, hibiscus powder, and aloe vera gel to a bowl and stir until the gel and powder are dissolved and smoothly blended into the yogurt. Apply to freshly washed hair, let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, rinse, condition, and style as usual.
Be sure to use plain yogurt because flavored yogurts (yes, even vanilla!) typically have high sugar content, and sugar causes the inflammation that is responsible for things like hair loss and dermatitis.
Tip: If you have light hair like blonde or gray, be careful of using Hibiscus Powders—it’s red in tint and can easily stain your hair temporarily. If you want a mask that works just as good, try adding plain greek yogurt to a bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar mix instead!
