How to Make Your Own Hair Mask

By Choya Randolph

We’ve all had our moments when we slip up and get lazy with our hair care routine. Maybe you keep pushing off your wash day. Perhaps you threw your hair in a high puff when you knew it was time for some detangling. For those with needy hair, taking care of our hair can feel like a job. Sometimes we take a hair vacation without prepping our hair for our negligence. This can lead to breakage, dryness, and damage. If you find that your hair is suffering the consequences of your laziness, it may be time to do little extra on wash day. 

A perfect way to give your hair some additional TLC is by using a hair mask. Hair masks are quite similar to deep conditioners but they have reparative qualities. If you find that your hair is in need of some repair, a hair mask may be the exact thing your hair is asking for. Of course you can go to the beauty supply store and buy a hair mask of your choice but why do that when you can make your own hair mask at home? 

Here’s what you’ll need: ¼ cup of raw honey, 3 tablespoons of oil, ⅓ cup of aloe vera juice, and one cup of coconut milk. When making your hair mask, don’t be afraid to play around with the measurements. Consistency is key and you want your hair mask to have a thick consistency that will be easy to apply all throughout your hair. 

The reason you should use raw honey is because raw honey is organic and doesn’t have additional ingredients that you can’t even pronounce. It may be more expensive but raw honey doesn’t expire so you can use it for your hair masks and food for forever. Honey is also a great moisturizer for the hair. It has humectant properties which allows the honey to bond with water molecules to hydrate the hair.

When it comes to the oil you use for your hair mask, you can use an oil of your choice such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or almond oil. I suggest using extra virgin olive oil because it’s an unrefined oil which means it has more vitamins and minerals. It’s full of vitamin E and vitamin K which can condition the hair, prevent heat damage and combat dandruff. Olive oil also has a detangling effect that will make the hair mask easier to apply.

Aloe vera juice is also a humectant like honey. Humectants are commonly found in conditioners, lotions, shampoos and more because it does a great job at retaining moisture. Aloe vera juice will successfully condition your hair and preserve the health of your hair. If you don’t have aloe vera juice, you can use aloe vera gel directly from the aloe vera plant. This will make a messier mixture but the aloe vera gel will give your hair mask some slip and do wonders for your scalp.

If you haven’t heard of coconut milk, you are missing out! It is full of protein which can strengthen our hair since our hair is made up of a protein called keratin. It also has essential fatty acids such as lauric acid which can easily penetrate the hair to provide moisture and even more strength. Coconut milk is also high in vitamins that our damaged hair will appreciate. 

Once you’ve mixed all your ingredients well, apply all throughout your hair. Do not miss a strand sis! Put a plastic cap on and let your hair mask do it’s thing for 20-30 minutes. Do not let this sit in your hair for hours at a time. Wash it out and continue with your usual wash day routine. This hair mask is great for damaged and/or dry hair. Even if your hair is healthy, this hair mask will give your crown a boost. It’s organic, affordable, and easy to make. You may even have all the ingredients in your kitchen already. So show your hair some love by giving this hair mask a try.