DO’s and DON’Ts for DIY Hair Conditioners

During the winter months, your hair is vulnerable to dryness. In this economy, many people are looking for easy, affordable DIY solutions for dry hair.

Hair dryness is caused by a lack of both water and oil in the hair shaft, as well as the scalp. Brittle hair, flaky scalp, and loss of brilliance and shine in the hair are common symptoms of dryness. While there are many products on the market that are available to deep condition your hair, many of them might be a little bit out of budget, especially in these harsh winter months.

Before you start creating DIY treatments for your hair, it’s important to remember that there are no miracle cures for perfect hair overnight. However, with consistent treatment and care, you can restore your hair’s visible moisture and shine, and help boost your hair’s natural strength over time!

Here are some easy Do’s and Don’ts for creating your own DIY Deep Conditioners:

1. DO: Combine water-based and oil-based ingredients.
a. Simply putting oil on top of dry hair will not do much to seal in moisture. That’s because when your hair is dry, it’s lacking in water. Oil helps retain water in skin, scalp, and hair cuticles. So, instead of doing an oil treatment on dry hair, try using oils on damp hair. Or, try ingredients like Aloe Vera, Glycerine, or Coconut Water on wet hair, then sealing in with a natural oil.

2. DO: Use only natural ingredients
a. While you might have heard about benefits of processed food products on hair, like mayonnaise, many inexpensive, non-organic processed foods contain fillers that can do more harm than good. Instead, try mixing 1 raw egg, ¼ cup olive oil, and 1tsp of lemon juice to help soften and strengthen your hair.

3. DO: Be cautious when using essential oils
a. Essential oils like lavender, rose, peppermint, and tea tree oil have proven benefits for your hair and scalp, but using them directly on your strands, or applying too high of a concentration of these oils on your scalp can cause burns or allergic reactions. Instead, try adding a few drops of essential oils to your homemade masks! Aloe Vera, Olive Oil, Castor Oil, and a few drops of Rose oil will boost your hair’s hydration and condition your scalp.

4. DON’T: Leave your treatments on too long, or use too much
a. Leaving your hair mask on too long (like overnight), or adding too much of certain ingredients like Apple Cider Vinegar or Lemon, can have adverse effects on your hair. Instead, try using no more than 1 tsp of these astringent ingredients in your DIY mask, and limiting your treatment to 5-20 minutes.

5. DO: Wash it out!
a. No matter what your DIY conditioner recipe, your hair needs time without it. For example, coconut oil and castor oil are great treatments for your hair and scalp, but leaving it on too long can prevent your hair from being able to “breathe,” leaving it lifeless, greasy, and weighed down. Instead, apply an oil treatment to wet hair, leave on for 10 min, then wash and condition your hair with natural products as usual.

6. DON’T: USE on color treated or chemically processed hair!
a. While color treated and relaxed hair is most often in need of extra love, many household ingredients can affect your color or further damage your strands. Instead, seek out the help of a professional to suggest specific treatments that can help restore your hair’s moisture and strength.

7. DO: Mix and Match these ingredients
a. Moisture- Aloe Vera, Coconut Water, Rosewater, Glycerine, Coconut Milk
b. Strength- Collagen powders, Eggs, Milk
c. Softening- Honey, Avocado, Green Tea, Apple Cider Vinegar, Bananas
d. Nourishing Oils- Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Vitamin E Oil
e. Essential Oils- Lavender, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Rose, Peppermint

Creating your own DIY treatments for your hair can be fun, and it’s a great way to practice self-care. But having some basic knowledge of how to create them without causing more harm than good is key.

A little too nervous to try creating your own? Try Edge Naturale Tingling Moisture Conditioner! It’s affordable and contains natural ingredients like Coconut, Glycerine, Olive Oil, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, and Inca Nut Oil to deeply condition your hair and scalp.