Make at Store Cupboard Hair Mask!

With the change in season you may notice a change in your hair as well. We thought we’d share with you some of our favourite natural hair masks you can make yourself at home to help keep your hair in its best condition during the colder months.

Our hair is subjected to external environmental aggressors every single day, and these can cause damage, reduce hair’s strength and strip our hair of its moisture and shine. Hair masks can work miracles in restoring your hair and help keep it looking its best. There are natural super ingredients that can be used to bring your hair back to life. Here are some of the most powerful ones and how you can use them to help protect your damage hair:

Eggs

We all know how great eggs are for your diet, but have you considered using them for your hair, too? They’re rich in protein, fats, vitamins and minerals; all amazing nutrients for both your body, and for your hair.

There are different ways you can use eggs as a hair mask and which is right for you depends on your hair type. For normal hair, you can use both the yolk and whites of the egg. For oily hair, just use the egg white, and for dry hair, just the yolk.

Simply beat the part of the egg you want to use in a bowl (you may need multiple eggs depending on how long or thick your hair is), and apply to damp hair. Leave on for 20 minutes then rinse out with cool water, followed by your usual shampoo.

Using the whole egg or yolk works excellently to condition the hair, whereas the egg white works well to combat excess oils on your scalp, which then cause your hair to become oily. Regardless of your hair type, eggs are one of the best home ingredients to use on your hair and are full of benefits. Some have even found that it can stimulate hair growth and strengthen damaged hair due to the high levels of protein that eggs contain.

You can use this hair mask once or twice a month, depending on how often you feel your hair needs it. If you’re looking to add even more moisture, try adding a tablespoon of olive oil for each egg used!

Avocado

When you think of avocados, Instagram photos of delicious avocado on toast probably spring to mind first. The next time you have avocados in your fridge, make sure you save one for an impressive DIY hair mask. They’re high in fatty amino acids which means when used in hair masks, it can help combat dry and frizzy hair.

Avocado’s hydrating ingredients allow it to be well-absorbed by the scalp and hair shafts, rather than simply coating them with moisture like many hair care products do. The moisture the avocado can provide then helps prevent damage by giving your hair the essential nutrients it needs. The high levels of antioxidants also help to prevent the damage caused to hair by free radicals.

If you’re looking to tackle frizzy hair, avocado’s oils and vitamins are an excellent combination for smoothing frizz, too.

Our favourite way to use avocado is to mix with honey and olive oil for a deep-conditioning hair mask that will leave your hair silky soft and packed with moisture.

What you’ll need:
1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
Shower cap
Hair dryer

To make this hair mask, put all of your ingredients into a food processor and blend until you have a smooth and lump-free mixture. We find this mask works best applied to damp hair. Unless your hair is extremely dry, avoid your roots and instead focus on the ends of your hair, which tend to be the most damaged. Once applied, cover your hair with a shower cap and apply heat by using your hair dryer. This really helps the ingredients to soak into the hair and gets the best results. Apply heat for about 15 minutes then rinse the mask out with cool water, followed by your usual shampoo.

We’d recommend using this no more than once a month unless your hair is in desperate need of moisture as it is so conditioning.

Honey

Is there anything honey can’t do? It seems unlikely, and that includes helping your hair. From silky, shiny locks to more serious scalp conditions, honey has proven to be a powerhouse in home hair care.

The more nourished your hair is, the softer it will feel. Honey is widely known for its ability to lock in moisture due to its humectant properties. There are lots of different hair masks you can make yourself with honey, including the one with avocado and olive oil that we’ve shared above. A simpler and less heavy duty option is to mix a small amount of raw honey with just enough fresh water to thin the texture out to a point where you’d be able to spread it. You can then apply this to your damp hair as if it’s shampoo, let it sit for about 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water.

One study has shown that using raw honey can effectively treat chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Patients were given topical treatments of honey. For all of the patients, the itching was relieved and scaling disappeared within one week. Patients showed subjective improvement in hair loss as well. All from something you probably have sat in your kitchen cupboard.

For the study, researchers mixed 90 percent raw, unprocessed honey with 10 percent warm water and massaged it into the patient’s scalp for a few minutes. Heads were then covered with a shower cap for three hours. The treatment was administered every other day for four weeks, after which it was done once a week to prevent relapse. You can of course modify the plan based on personal needs, but whatever your hair concern may be, it seems that honey is a good option.

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is another multi-purpose ingredient and a common natural source you’ll often find in your hair care products. Everyone can benefit from using it as it produces softer hair and revitalizes dullness. Yoghurt contains anti-fungal properties that can help to soothe the scalp, ultimately helping prevent dandruff. It’s high in protein which strengthens hair, and also contains lactic acid and dairy fat: 2 key components which allow yoghurt to strip away dulling residue, cleansing the hair and scalp.

For a quick and easy option, take ½ cup to 1 cup of full fat, natural yoghurt and whip it in a bowl. Massage it into dry hair and let sit for 20 minutes, with a shower cap over your hair if you have one. Then rinse out and wash your hair with shampoo as usual.

Another great option (that smells pretty good too) is to create a yoghurt and strawberry hair mask.

What you’ll need:
¼ cup of natural, full fat yoghurt
3-4 strawberries
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 egg
Shower cap

To make, blend the yoghurt, strawberries and coconut oil in a blender or food processor until it becomes a paste-like texture. Then, add the egg into the mixture and gently blend. This mask tends to work best when applied to dry hair. Work the mixture into your hair and cover with a shower cap. Leave this on for 5 minutes, rinse out and wash with shampoo. You can use this mask every 2-4 weeks as a nourishing mask to help repair damage and soften your strands. Mixing strawberries adds shine to your hair, and we’ve already shared how incredible eggs are.

This mask is packed with benefits to visibly improve your hair.

Coconut Oil

What would a compilation of the best natural hair masks be without some mention of coconut oil? This skin care/ hair care/ health food triple threat is still one of the most popular ingredients and a favourite of the beauty industry, and for good reason. If your hair has been coloured or treated a lot, or it’s overly prone to heated styling tools, coconut oil is the drink your thirsty hair needs. The reason coconut oil works so well as a hair mask is because it contains something called lauric acid, which is a fatty acid. This allows the oil to penetrate the hair shaft, which then lets the hair really soak up all of its benefits. Using coconut oil helps to restore protein too, which hair needs in order to grow and remain healthy.

Not only is natural coconut oil packed with goodness, it’s also the easiest hair mask you can use. No recipe needed, just take a scoop of it out of the jar, rub it in your hands to melt it into an oil consistency, and slather it through your hair (we find it works best on dry hair rather than damp). Focus on the middle of your hair and your ends, as these are usually the areas that need the most love, and for normal and dry hair you can take it up to the roots as well. For the best results, apply this mask at night before going to bed. You can then use a fabric hair cap or towelled hair wrap to cover your hair and sleep with the mask on. When you wake up, wash it out with shampoo. If you don’t fancy sleeping in your hair mask, cover your hair with a shower cap after applying and leave on for as long as you can (at least 30 minutes preferably) then wash out. You can use this mask once a week (more if your hair is extremely dry) and most people will find results improve each time they use it.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Most commonly used as a salad dressing, apple cider vinegar is actually a great hair care ingredient. It can help with a whole host of hair woes, but we recommend it as a natural remedy for dandruff and oily scalp, sometimes even helping prevent hair loss. This is thanks to the fact that apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid that is a strong antimicrobial which kills bacteria and fungus: common causes of dandruff and scalp issues.

If you have oily hair, this can help regulate the oil that your hair and scalp produces. The acetic acid consists of the same pH level that our hair and scalp should have to fight against fungal and bacterial infections. When this pH level is disrupted, using apple cider vinegar is a great way to restore the optimum levels and combat oily hair.

You can use apple cider vinegar as a hair rinse for a quick and easy treatment (just mix 2 tablespoons of raw, unprocessed apple cider vinegar in a cup of water and rinse through your hair either before or after washing), but we love using it in a hair mask. Our favourite comes from Holland and Barrett.

What you’ll need:
2 tablespoons of raw, unprocessed apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 tablespoons of water
2 drops of lavender oil
Shower cap or hair towel

To use, mix your ingredients together in a bowl. Apply the mixture directly to dry hair and massage gently into your scalp. Then, cover your hair with a shower cap or hair towel. This allows the mask to really seep into your hair and scalp. Leave the mask on for 10-30 minutes and then rinse out with warm water, followed by shampoo. You can use this once a week, although some may find they need it less frequently.

There are plenty of wonderful benefits from using apple cider vinegar. It can help to strengthen the hair, and because of the acetic acid it also removes dead skin from hair follicles, which could be preventing new hair growth. It’s full of vitamins, enzymes and other nutrients that our hair needs. It removes product build up from hair too from all of the products we tend to use, which will then enhance the shine and softness of your tresses.

We put so many chemicals and unknown ingredients on our hair every day with our hair care products. These natural ingredients that we’ve shared are inexpensive and they can work wonders on your hair, and they’re things you probably have sat in your kitchen. Whatever your hair concern may be, hair masks are an amazing way to care for your hair. By creating masks with pure, natural ingredients, you know exactly what you’re putting on your hair, and the benefits are endless!