Sometimes the best strengthening and conditioning masks for your hair aren’t found in the sprawling hair aisles of Target or your local beauty supply store—they can be created right in your kitchen. Now, I’m no licensed trichologist, but with all the concoctions I’ve whipped up in my kitchen to treat all my hair woes (from dehydration to breakage and reversing damage), I do consider myself a kitchen beautician.
These five hair masks are packed with essential oils, fruits, vegetables, and other protein-rich ingredients packed with vitamins and minerals to nourish your crowning glory, inside and out. The beauty about homemade hair masks is that you’re able to tailor your masks to treat specific hair concerns. Suffering from brittle, breakage-prone hair? Olive and coconut oil will be your best friend. Tired of dull, lackluster hair? Have you heard of my dear friend, mayonnaise?
Below, five of the best beginner-friendly hair mask tutorials to treat every hair woe.
A SUPER HYDRATING MASK FOR DRY OR FRIZZY HAIR:
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What you’ll need: bananas, olive oil, and honey
No one loves to eat brown-speckled bananas. But, you spent your hard-earned money on them, so rather than throw them away, crush them (or blend them, as Ashly did in the video above) to make a simple yet super nourishing mask for dry hair. Bananas are rich in potassium and improve manageability by making the hair shaft softer and shinier. Next, add olive oil, which is rich in fatty acids, for a surge of moisture to dehydrated hair. Not only is honey great for reducing breakage and frizz, but it also conditions the hair and adds back shine.
FOR BRIGHTER, SMOOTHER COLOR-TREATED HAIR:
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What you’ll need: virgin coconut oil, argan oil, and a little hair dye (optional)
Adding a dollop of toning conditioner (like oVertone’s, which come in basically any shade of the rainbow) to these hydrating ingredients will create a hair mask that revives the color of your hair while adding a massive amount of shine. It’s the easiest way to maintain your hair color between appointments.
ENCOURAGE HAIR GROWTH AND STRENGTH:
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What you’ll need: almond milk, olive oil, and flax seed
Alexandra suffered from major hair loss after the birth of her baby. And this mask—which she applies root to end—helped her grow her long (omg, so long) gorgeous hair back. The first step is to transform the flax seeds into an gooey gel similar to an egg, then mix it with the almond milk and olive oil and smooth it onto the area you’re wanting to focus on (so the scalp if you’re wanting hair growth, the shaft if you’re wanting to fortify). Let it sit for an hour then rinse.
A FACE MASK THAT ALSO DEFINES CURLS AND FIXES HEAT DAMAGE:
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What you’ll need: bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar
If you’re an avid YouTube watcher or spend way too much time scrolling through Instagram, you’ve likely already seen the hype surrounding the Aztec Indian Clay and apple cider vinegar mask. It’s been praised as one of the best masks for skin, but it’s also ahhhmazing for reversing hair damage. In this video, Shlinda mixes her Indian clay with apple cider vinegar and generously applies it throughout her hair, making sure the hair shaft is completely coated. The clay is great for detoxifying the hair and cleansing it. Apple cider vinegar is used in hair masks to restore the hair’s natural pH balance and breaking down any build-up by cleansing the scalp. ACV is also used as a rinse for severely damaged hair.
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN’S HAIR MAS INSPIRED BY HER MORNING SMOOTHIE:
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What you’ll need: avocado, lemon, olive oil, manuka honey, lemon, and essential oils (optional)
Much like a green smoothie, this hair mask is great for overall hair health. Kourtney Kardashian’s long, shiny hair is the perfect testament for this mask, which she created with her hairstylist, Andrew Fitzsimons, for Poosh. Avocado smooths and detangles, lemon is antibacterial and soothes an itchy scalp, olive oil protects hair from heat, honey is soothing, and the optional essential oils are “so you don’t have to smell like a cobb salad,” Fitzsimons says. Throw it all in the blender, leave it on for 45 minutes, and you, too, can have hair that shines as bright as Kourt’s does.