:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-1013758130-7ae64d560d7e40af81b4dccaa1e13739.jpg "10 homemade masks for healthy hair")
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Following a hair regimen is an investment. If you're looking for an affordable and easy way to condition your hair and make it look longer and healthier, try a homemade hair mask.
To be clear, there is no quick fix to building more strength and thickness. And "Minoxidil, the active ingredient in Rogaine, is the only FDA-approved drug that has been clinically proven to grow hair," says board-certified dermatologist Howard Sobel, MD. If you're suffering from a serious fall or weight loss, it's best to consult a dermatologist.
However, picking avocados or bananas that have turned too brown before you eat them can help moisturize and nourish your hair, which promotes overall health and therefore length. They can also help with other issues like dryness, dullness, and breakouts. Ready to try? Read on to learn about easy hair masks you can make using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Hair mask with castor oil
Use it to treat: dry scalp and dandruff. Celebrity stylist Michelle Cleveland recommends this mask because castor oil is rich in moisturizing fatty acids and has antimicrobial properties, making it an effective remedy for dry scalp and dandruff.
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon castor oil.
Preparation: Pour extra virgin castor oil into a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds. It should be warm, not hot. Using your fingertips, massage the castor oil into your scalp and along the hair shaft. Leave on for 15 minutes, rinse well, then shampoo.
cinnamon and coconut oil
Use it to treat: Thinning and cracking. According to cricket stylist Melissa Peverini, the spice stimulates blood flow and promotes hair growth and strength, while coconut oil is rich in fatty acids that help with repair.
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon coconut oil.
Preparation : Mix the ingredients well. Apply the mask to the roots and part by massaging the scalp. Leave the mask on for 30-45 minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water.
Coconut oil, lemon, yogurt and egg
Use it to treat: Dry hair. According to Cleveland, the egg in this homemade mask is packed with vitamins to help nourish hair and also contains moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil and yogurt.
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon coconut oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup plain yogurt and 1 egg.
Procedure: Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Apply the product with your fingertips from scalp to ends. Cover with a warm towel or shower cap to lock in the scalp's natural warmth. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Rinse well with lukewarm water and then shampoo as usual.
coconut oil, honey and avocado oil
To treat: Curly hair. The fatty acids, minerals, and antioxidant properties in the blend help reduce frizz and add shine, says Bryant Anthony, senior stylist at Eva Michelle Salon in Boston.
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil, 1 teaspoon 100% pure honey, 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
Procedure: Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Use your fingertips to apply, starting at the scalp and working to the tips. Leave for 10 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water, followed by a clarifying shampoo and your usual conditioner.
Honey, avocado, yogurt, brown sugar, banana and apple cider vinegar
Use it to treat: Damaged hair. Honey is packed with vitamins and minerals to treat split ends, says Fred Connors, owner of FRED Salon. Additionally, avocados contain essential fats and biotin, while bananas contain silica, which further strengthens hair.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp avocado, 1 tbsp plain yogurt, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp banana, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar.
Preparation : Mix these ingredients together with a fork in a bowl until they become a smooth, even paste. Massage the formula into the scalp with your fingertips, working towards the ends. Wrap your hair with a plastic cap to keep the mask in place and draw heat away from your scalp. Leave on for at least 20 minutes, then shampoo as usual.
coconut oil and honey
Use it to treat: Dry, damaged hair. "This simple mask makes frizzy hair and split ends soft, shiny and smooth," says Nicole Jones, hairstylist at Cricket.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp unrefined organic coconut oil and 1 tbsp raw honey.
Preparation : Mix ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Apply to wet or dry hair, concentrating on the ends as this is where damage is most likely to be seen. Leave on for about 30 minutes, then shampoo as usual.
Coconut cream, cocoa powder and cinnamon
Use it to treat: Thinning hair. This mask promotes thick hair with antioxidant dark chocolate, growth-boosting theobromine, which stimulates blood flow, and cinnamon, which promotes blood flow around the hair follicles.
Ingredients: 5 ounces coconut cream, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon .
How to Make: Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Apply to wet hair from root to tip, cover with a plastic cap and leave on for at least 30 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and then shampoo as usual.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Use it to treat: Cracked and itchy scalp. Because of its acidic nature and antimicrobial properties, apple cider vinegar rinse helps cleanse the scalp and restore shine, says Cali Ferrara, a hairstylist at The Salon Project in New York City.
Ingredients: 1 part raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar to 10 parts water.
Preparation method: Mix two ingredients. Apply to wet hair after conditioning, massage into scalp and leave on for five minutes. Rinse well.
avocado and banana
Use it to treat: Dry, damaged hair. "This mask is a deep conditioning treatment that contains nutrient-rich ingredients that restore hair protein, leaving it super shiny and healthy," explains Maressa D'Arezzo, Cricket Hairstylist.
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons banana and 2 tablespoons avocado.
Preparation: Mash the banana and avocado with a fork until smooth. Apply the mixture from roots to ends to fully saturate each strand of hair. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse.
sugar and olive oil
Use it to treat: dry hair and dandruff. According to Ferrara, sugar is an excellent exfoliator for the scalp and hair shaft. As the sugar dissolves, the oil delivers healthy, emollient oils to moisturize dry scalp and hair.
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons sugar and 5 tablespoons olive oil.
Procedure: Mix the two ingredients, being careful not to completely melt the sugar. Apply the mixture to the scalp to dissolve the sugar and work your way through the hair until you reach the ends. Rinse and shampoo immediately.
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