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The most common ingredients used in homemade hair treatments include pureed fruit (such as strawberries or bananas); honey; apple cider vinegar; essential oils, particularly ylang ylang or rosemary; olive, almond, or coconut oil; lemon juice; baking soda; eggs; and plain yogurt.
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Homemade hair treatments can be used to increase the health of hair in a number of ways. For instance, frizzy hair can be tamed with a small application of coconut oil and a dry rinse with baking soda can rid hair of hair product residue. To moisturize and smooth hair, apply a combination of honey, egg yolk, almond oil, and yogurt. For extra-deep conditioning, use a mixture of egg yolks and castor oil. Adding ylang ylang or rosemary essential oils to shampoo or conditioner can stimulate increased hair growth, while rinsing with lemon juice or diluted apple cider vinegar can increase shine.
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Dandruff and head lice are two common hair problems that can be solved with the use of natural hair treatments. To treat dandruff, either apply a water and vinegar mix directly to the scalp or massage the scalp with a micture of olive oil and almond oil. To naturally treat head lice, thoroughly coat the hair and scalp with mayonnaise or olive oil and leave in place overnight in order to smother the lice. The next day, shampoo the mixture out and rinse the hair well with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and warm water; this rinse will loosen the nits' hold on the hair shaft and make it easier for a fine-toothed nit comb to remove all nits.
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Keep in mind that everyone's hair is different. While one person's hair may react beautifully to mayonnaise deep conditioning, another person's may not. Therefore, it is always best to begin experimenting with homemade hair treatments with simple 1- or 2-ingredient mixtures. Done this way, it will be much easier to pinpoint exactly what works best for your hair. In addition, remember that while it may take several different tries to get an optimal mix, homemade hair treatments are infinitely cheaper and more natural than their commercial counterparts.
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In general, any ingredients that are safe to consume are safe to apply to hair. However, never use a food that you are either allergic to or have a sensitivity to. For instance, do not use almond oil in any mixtures if you have a sensitivity to nuts.
In addition, it is always wise not to use any ingredient on your hair in extremely large amounts until you have experimented with the ingredient in smaller applications.
