Why pay outrageous prices for hair care products when you can easily make your own homemade version from ingredients easily found in your home?
Following are some of my favorite homemade hair care products. I admit I don’t use them all the time but occasionally I figure why not make use to the products I already have around my home. Besides, some of the below homemade recipes may surprise you as they work much better than their retail counterparts.
Homemade Hair Conditioner & Detangler
Try a little dab of fabric softener in a glass of warm water. It leaves hair soft and tangle-free.
Homemade Hair Conditioner (For Deep Conditioning Needs)
Mayonnaise gives dry hair a good conditioning. Apply one-half cup of mayonnaise to your dry unwashed hair, then cover with a plastic bag and wait for fifteen minutes. Rinse a few times before shampooing thoroughly. Or, use plain yogurt mixed with one egg instead and then shampoo.
Another natural hair conditioner which helps restore the natural lustre of your hair involves parting your hair into sections and applying (with cotton balls) a mixture of equal parts of witch hazel and mouthwash. Next, mix together 1 egg, 2 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. water. Work into hair, then wrap in a warm, wet towel. Leave in for 15 minutes, eventually massaging into the scalp. Shampoo as usual.
Homemade Hair Conditioning Rinse
For a quick and inexpensive conditioning rinse, use a little lemon juice or vinegar.
Homemade Dry Shampoo
If regular shampooing is impossible (such as with the elderly), make your own dry shampoo by mixing together one tablespoon of salt and one-half cup of cornmeal. Transfer to a salt shaker with generous holes, and lightly sprinkle on oily hair. Now, just brush out the dirt and grime. Baby powder or cornstarch is also effective.
To restore lustre and remove more dirt, put a nylon stocking over your brush bristles and continue brushing.
Homemade Hairspray Remover
If you want to get rid of sticky hairspray build up wash your hair as usual but work a tablespoon of baking soda into your lathered hair before rinsing.
Homemade Setting Lotion
A teaspoon of sugar dissolved in a cup of warm water makes for a handy and effective setting lotion. For an extra-firm set, use your favorite flavor of gelatin. Believe it or not, fully prepared and ready-to-eat gelatin works great. Use as you would any jellied type of setting lotion.
So there you have it, some of my favourite recipes for homemade hair care products. In the coming weeks and months I'll post more recipes.
Published by Sherrie Le Masurier on March 21, 2006 08:21 AM
