It's all too familiar to any aspiring naturalista that going to the salon can be a nightmare. This is because most hairstylists don't know how to handle natural hair, they use the wrong products on your hair, like a sulfate shampoo or regular non-moisturizing conditioner or cream which are damaging to your hair.
While store-bought hair products with irritant chemicals are a no-no for your natural hair, having to spend so much more on natural hair products monthly is an even bigger turnoff. Because the journey to healthy natural hair care can be an expensive one, we've come up with simple recipes on how to make your own natural hair shampoo, conditioner, or cream without breaking the bank.
Making Your Own Natural Hair Shampoo
One of the many benefits of the DIY natural shampoo is that the natural ingredients used nourish, moisturize, and protect the hair. It also cleanses the hair of frequent product build-up and leaves you with clean, shiny hair. More importantly, DIY shampoos close the hair cuticle and balance the pH level to protect against tangles and damage to the hair. This recipe allows for large quantities to be made and be reusable as long as you store it in an airtight container.
What you need to make your natural hair shampoo
- Black soap
- Water
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Almond oil
- Castor oil
- Grater
How to make your natural hair shampoo
- Get a large mixing bowl and grate the black soap into bits. If you don't have a grater, you can use a sharp knife and cut your black soap into bits.
- While you are cutting, boil 2 or 3 cups of water in a large pot and leave it to boil.
- Add the boiling water to the grated black soap, stir and break up the lumps of soap.
- The next step is adding 3 tablespoons of almond oil to the mixture.
- Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil in the mixture. The castor oil acts as a moisturizing agent for your natural hair shampoo.
- Stir the mixture really well.
- Add a preservative to keep it from spoiling, (Vitamin E is a good preservative) or you can just refrigerate it.
- Seal it up in a container with an airtight lid and let it sit for 2-3 days which allows it time to dissolve.
- You can now put it in any container of your choice and it's ready to use.
This DIY natural hair shampoo moisturizes your hair, is safe for all hair types and doesn't strip your hair of its natural oils, unlike most commercial shampoos.
Peep this simple video tutorial by WholeElise on how to make your own natural hair shampoo:
Making Your Own Natural Hair Conditioner
Your natural curls become brittle and break off when you don't regularly moisturize your hair. Natural hair conditioners help to seal in moisture into your hair for days on end. However, finding the right natural hair conditioner which is suitable for your hair texture and flourishes your curl pattern can be a long, tiring process. This natural hair recipe is an easier and more budget-friendly option of making a conditioner tailored to your hair needs.
What you need to make natural hair conditioner
- Banana
- Avocado
- Honey
- Coconut oil
- Egg
- Blender
How to make your natural hair conditioner
- Get a blender and slice one banana into it.
- Next, add one sliced avocado, two tablespoons of honey, and four tablespoons of coconut oil.
- Add in the yolk of an uncooked egg. The egg yolk helps to strengthen hair.
- Blend well for a fine smooth mix and it's ready to use.
- When you apply your natural hair conditioner to your hair, cover it up with a shower cap and let it sit for an hour, then you can wash it off with warm water.
@dephne Madyara shares how to make your own natural hair conditioner in this tutorial:
Making Your Own Natural Hair Cream
Natural hair requires special care and handling. Using regular hair cream isn't recommended, you would have to invest in hair creams which strengthens your hair and restores damaged hair as well as split ends. The perks of natural hair creams are that you get to watch them, add shine to your curls, lock in moisture, and also prevent frizzy hair.
What you need to make your natural hair cream
- Shea butter
- Coconut oil
- Hemp seed oil
- Castor oil
- Blender
How to make your natural hair cream
- Get a bowl, pour in a cup of Shea butter.
- Add ⅛ cup of coconut oil, hemp seed oil. and castor oil into the mix.
- Blend carefully to make a soft paste.
- Pour into your container. You can use this cream for both the hair and on your body.
@Igbocurls will show you in simple steps how to make your own natural hair cream:
Whatever natural hair products you decide to explore, know that they won't burn a hole in your pockets and you actually know what natural ingredients you are applying to your hair.