There are many deep conditioning treatments you can try at home that are bound to improve the health of your hair. Regardless of your hair type, the leading cause of bad hair, more often than not, is the lack of moisture. Following is a list of 10 DIY deep conditioning treatments that are totally affordable and contain ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen.
Deep Conditioning Treatments That Really Work
Deep Conditioning Your Hair At Home
Whether your hair is curly, straight, dry, or oily, a weekly deep conditioning treatment is highly recommended. Not only does the treatment make your hair more manageable, but the extra hydration keeps your sebaceous glands in check, ensuring that an optimum amount of sebum is produced. While both oil and water-based conditioning treatments work well for dry hair, a water-based deep conditioning treatment is recommended for greasy hair.
1. Deep Conditioning With Shea Butter
Apply shea butter from the roots to the tips of your hair. If you have an oily scalp and dry hair, you can apply it from the mid-lengths to the tips.
Once all of your hair is coated with the shea butter, cover it with a hot towel. You can heat the towel by using a blow dryer on the hot setting.
Keep the towel wrapped around your hair for an hour.
Wash and condition your hair.
If you have dry hair, you can treat your hair with shea butter up to three times a week. If you have oily hair, use shea butter as a deep conditioner once a week. Shea butter is rich in saturated fats and fatty acids that nourish and condition hair. It is known for its emollient properties that lock the moisture in your hair shafts (1). It also provides protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. This butter has long been used as a hair care ingredient by African women to manage their natural curls.
Ensure that you wash the shea butter out of your hair well.
Do not apply the butter to your roots if you have oily or combination hair.
2. Deep Conditioning With Tea Tree Oil
Take 3-5 drops of tea tree oil and add it to 3 tablespoons of cold-pressed coconut oil.
Stir with a spoon to mix the two oils.
Section your hair and start applying the oil mixture on the roots, along the length of your hair, and the tips.
Massage the oil into your scalp for 10 minutes and then braid your hair or put it up in a bun.
Sleep with the oil in your hair. The next morning, wash it out with shampoo and condition.
You can apply this mixture to your hair 2-3 times a week if you have dry hair. For oily hair, once a week will be sufficient. Tea tree oil is renowned for the soothing effect it has on the scalp. This is due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties (2). It is the perfect solution for dandruff, especially for people with oily hair. It unclogs the hair follicles and improves blood circulation, which aids healthy hair growth. Combining tea tree oil with the moisturizing properties of coconut oil will give you the perfect deep conditioning treatment that also helps maintain the health of your scalp. While buying your ingredients, ensure that you get organic cold-pressed coconut oil as it contains more nutrients than oils that have been extracted with heat.
3. Deep Conditioning With Yogurt
Wash your hair with shampoo; skip conditioning.
Once your hair is almost dry, start applying yogurt along the length of your hair, from the roots to the tips.
Let the yogurt sit in your hair for 30 minutes to an hour.
Rinse it out with lukewarm water.
You can apply this deep conditioning yogurt mask to your hair twice a week. It is perfect for people with oily hair. Yogurt has a rich content of lactic acid which helps exfoliate the scalp gently. It also smooths down the hair shafts, giving you frizz-free hair. This is the perfect deep conditioner for people with oily hair as yogurt exfoliates your scalp, tightens the hair follicles, and controls sebum production. It is commonly used in India to add shine and luster to dull hair and treating dandruff (3). It also makes hair more manageable. You can also use Greek yogurt instead of normal yogurt to give your hair a protein boost. Greek yogurt contains twice the amount of protein that regular yogurt contains. Always clean your hair before applying the yogurt hair pack to ensure that there is no buildup of dirt that is keeping the nutrients from being absorbed.
4. Deep Conditioning With Aloe Vera
Cut an aloe vera leaf and extract about 1/2 a cup or more gel (depending on the length of your hair) with a spoon.
Blend the gel until it gets to a smooth consistency.
Wash your hair with shampoo. Skip conditioning.
While your hair is still damp, start applying the aloe vera gel to your hair from the roots to the tips.
Let the gel sit in your hair for about 30 minutes.
Rinse your hair out with lukewarm water.
Apply aloe vera to your hair once a week for best results. Aloe vera is 95% water and is an emollient that locks moisture in your hair shafts (4). Rubbing the gel into your scalp is also said to prevent hair loss and promote healthy hair growth. Regular use of aloe vera is bound to give you hair that is thick and lustrous. Its anti-inflammatory properties are also good for maintaining the health of your scalp and controlling issues such as dandruff. Do not use water that is too warm to rinse your hair as this will strip it of moisture.
5. Mayonnaise And Egg Deep Conditioner
Mix half a cup of mayonnaise with 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl. You may double the ingredients if your hair is very long.
Shampoo your hair and skip conditioning.
Once your hair is almost dry, section it and start applying the mixture from the roots to the tips.
Put your hair up in a bun and cover it with a shower cap or a moist hot towel.
Keep the pack on for 20-30 minutes and then rinse it off with shampoo and lukewarm water. Skip conditioning if you have oily hair.
Treat your hair with this deep conditioning hair pack once a week for best results. Eggs are loaded with proteins, which make for the best kind of food for your hair since it’s what your hair is made up of. It also contains Vitamin B and biotin, which are essential nutrients that prevent hair loss (5). Mayonnaise contains the goodness of eggs, fatty oils that nourish your hair and give it sheen, and vinegar which helps clean buildup from your hair. These, in combination with the conditioning properties of olive oil, make for the ultimate hair conditioning treatment. This pack can weigh oily hair down and make the grease problem worse. If you have oily hair, substitute the mayonnaise and olive oil with yogurt and the juice of half a lemon.
6. Deep Conditioning With Honey
Honey can be used in combination with various ingredients for conditioning your hair. Below are three deep conditioning recipes that contain honey.
Honey And Avocado
Mash one ripe avocado and add 2 tablespoons of raw honey to it. Ensure that there are no lumps. Mix it until it gets to a smooth consistency.
Wash your hair with shampoo and skip conditioning. Let your hair air dry.
Once your hair is dry, start applying the honey-avocado mixture from the roots to the tips of your hair.
Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour and then wash it off with shampoo and condition.
Honey And Olive Oil
Take 2 tablespoons of raw honey and mix it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Wash your hair with shampoo and skip conditioning. Let it air dry.
Once your hair is completely dry, start applying the honey-olive oil mixture to it from the roots to the tips.
Put your hair up in a bun, or in braids, and wait for 30 minutes to an hour.
Wash with shampoo and condition.
Coconut Oil And Honey
Take 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and to it add 1 tablespoon of raw honey and apple cider vinegar each.
Start applying the mixture to your hair from the roots to the tips.
Once all of your hair is covered, put your hair up in a bun and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Rinse with shampoo and condition.
Use the pack best suited to your hair once a week for best results. Honey is a humectant, which means that it improves your hair’s ability to retain moisture (6). When it is combined with different moisturizing ingredients, it boosts their ability to nourish and condition your hair. You can choose what ingredient to use in your deep conditioning honey hair pack depending on your hair.
Avocado is rich in fatty oils that nourish and condition your hair. It is the perfect ingredient for hair that is dry, damaged, and lusterless.
Olive oil is light and does not weigh your hair down. It is a natural conditioner, which works well when used with honey. This is the perfect hair pack for people whose hair tends to be oily.
Coconut oil is known for its penetrative properties that nourish and moisturize the hair shafts from the inside. Apple cider vinegar, on the other hand, is an amazing cleanser that removes the build up of dirt and grime. Using these ingredients in combination with honey makes for the perfect deep conditioning hair pack for combination hair.
Wear a towel around your shoulders to cover your shirt as these hair packs can get messy.
Honey is a natural bleach so do not use it very often if you do not want to add natural highlights to your hair.
7. Deep Conditioning With Grapeseed Oil
Take 3-4 tablespoons of grapeseed oil, depending on the length of your hair, and pour it into a plastic zip lock bag.
Ensure that the bag is sealed properly. Immerse it into hot water to let the oil warm up.
Wash your hair with shampoo.
Once your hair is completely dry, start applying the oil from the roots of your hair to the tips.
When your hair and scalp and completely covered in oil, wrap a damp hot towel around your head.
Let this sit for 20-30 minutes and then shampoo and condition.
You can repeat this treatment twice a week. Grapeseed oil is rich in linoleic oil and Vitamin E, which is a great antioxidant and an emollient (7). The antioxidants help battle free radicals that damage your hair while the emollient properties help seal moisture in your hair shaft. It also helps soothe the scalp, treat dandruff, and smooth the hair shaft, preventing issues like frizz, splitting, and breakage.
Ensure that the water is not so hot that it melts the bag.
Do not over-heat the oil as you can end up burning your scalp.
8. Deep Conditioning With Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Take 3-4 tablespoons of Jamaican Black Castor Oil, depending on the length of your hair.
Section clean, dry hair and start applying the oil from the roots to the tips.
Because of how sticky the oil is, this might take a bit of effort. Ensure that all of your hair is well coated.
Put your hair up in a bun or wear it in braids. Let the oil sit in your hair overnight.
Wash the oil out of your hair the next morning. Dilute your shampoo and use it twice to make sure that you get all of the oil out.
Finish with conditioner.
You can apply the oil 2-3 times a week if you have dry hair. The oil gets its color because of the ash in it from roasting the castor beans. It is rich in omega-9 fatty acids that moisturize your hair and strengthen it. Castor oil is rich in proteins that fill the damaged keratin spots in your hair. This helps smooth your hair and make it frizz-free. It also strengthens your hair, making it less prone to breakage and splitting. Castor oil is also known for its ability to promote rapid hair growth.
Do not use castor oil for oily hair as it might weight it down.
Do not use hot water while washing your hair; it will open up your cuticles, resulting in moisture loss. Instead, use lukewarm water.
9. Hot Oil Therapy
Take 3-4 tablespoons of your favorite carrier oil, such as olive or coconut.
To it, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Heat the oil by pouring it into a zip lock bag and immersing it in hot water.
Section your hair and start applying the oil from the roots to the tips.
Once all of your hair is covered in oil, wrap it in a damp, hot towel.
Let the oil sit for 30-45 minutes, then wash off with shampoo and condition.
You can treat your hair with hot oil up to 3 times a week, depending on how dry your hair is. Treating your hair with hot oil opens up your cuticles, allowing for maximum penetration. This allows for the better absorption of nutrients and moisture. Oils also form a protective barrier around your hair shaft, smoothing down the cuticle and preventing moisture loss. Regular hot oil treatments also keep the scalp moisturized and healthy. Limit the hot oil treatment to once a week if you have oily hair. Oiling greasy hair will help calm down overzealous sebaceous glands, controlling sebum production.
10. Using Henna For Deep Conditioning
Steep 3 bags of black tea in 250 ml of boiled water.
Let the tea cool. To it, add pure henna powder until it gets to a thick consistency.
To the tea and henna mixture, add 1 egg, 1 cup of yogurt, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
Apply the mixture to your hair and let it sit for 1 hour.
Rinse the henna out with shampoo and let your hair air dry.
You can apply henna to your hair once a month to keep it well-conditioned. Henna not only conditions your hair, but also leaves your hair with a gorgeous orange-red color. This deep conditioning pack is perfect for people who want to cover up their grays with some color, or simply want to add color to their hair with zero damage. Henna has antimicrobial properties, which make it an amazing ingredient for scalp health (8). It also makes your hair soft and manageable while removing the build-up of grease and dirt, making it perfect for oily hair. Conduct a patch test before you apply henna, to check how your skin reacts to it. Henna can cause reactions like inflamed skin, redness, and itching in some people.
Dos
Deep condition your hair at least once a week.
Apply heat to your hair by wrapping a hot towel around your hair, or wearing a shower cap while you have the mask/hot oil on.
Use both protein and moisture treatment as one without the other will give you hair that is either too brittle or too frizzy.
Steam your hair before you apply the treatment to open up your cuticles and give your hair a moisture boost.
Concentrate on the ends as they are the oldest and weakest part of your hair.
Don’ts
Stick to the recommended time periods for best results. Keeping a deep conditioner on for longer than necessary can do more harm than good.
Use a deep conditioner as recommended. Do not leave it in your hair as a leave-in treatment.
Do not spend a lot of money on store-bought conditioning treatments. DIY treatments may take a bit longer but they have the same effect and none of the chemicals.
Make just enough for one use. Storing a DIY treatment for too long may cause it to get spoiled.
What is the difference between a conditioner and a deep conditioner? A regular conditioner only hydrates the outer layer of your hair, while a deep conditioner penetrates your hair strand completely, providing more lasting results. Do you rinse out a deep conditioner with cold water? Yes. Rinsing out deep conditioner with cold water helps seal the hair cuticles and adds shine to your locks. Do you deep condition before or after washing hair? You should deep condition your hair after washing it to allow the conditioner to absorb further into the hair shaft as the cuticles are open after cleaning.
