When it comes to hair treatments, hair masks are often seen as the favoured counterpart to conditioners. While conditioners hydrate the hair and work within a handful of minutes, hair masks tend to take more time as they go deep into the follicles for a long-lasting effect.
Most hair masks are treatment-focused, some leave your hair nourished and soft, and some fight dandruff and strengthen your roots. Whatever the case, they all yield powerful results. And though you can always have them done at your regular hair salon visits, with the circuit breaker measures in place and the constraints of time, you could alternatively do them at home for the same salon-quality results. Homemade hair masks can utilise ingredients you readily have in your kitchen and help revive and hydrate your hair from the roots.
Check your kitchen pantry for these five common ingredients that can easily double up as budget-friendly DIY hair masks.
Dairy is rich in lactic acid and milk fat, which work together to remove dirt and grime while delivering moisture to your hair. Use it as the first step before applying your shampoo or conditioner, and apply it directly to damp hair and leave it in for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water. Then, shampoo and carry on with your routine as you normally would.
Honey is commonly praised for its skin-loving benefits, but its emollient and humectant properties mean it can easily double up as a nourishing hair moisturiser to help add shine. Ideal for dry hair, this natural humectant helps to attract and retain moisture for smoother, softer, and more manageable tresses. Leave the honey on for 20 minutes before rinsing it off. This routine also comes in handy as a natural heat-protectant if you want to straighten or curl your tresses.
Suitable for those who have frizz-prone hair, avocado is rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and a blend of vitamins to smooth out and weigh down frizzy hair. All you have to do is to mash up half an avocado, apply it to damp hair and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing it off. Rich in biotin, adding an avocado hair mask into your routine can encourage your hair to grow more healthily.
Beyond the commonly known benefit of moisturisation, coconut oil can also help condition, detangle, treat dandruff, and even stimulate hair growth. On top of all that, it helps to protect hair from sun damage, making it an amazing all-natural sunscreen.
Bonus: If you apply it sparingly, you can leave it on after your wash for a natural and glossy shine so that it doesn’t weigh down your hair or make it look too greasy.
Using lemon as a hair treatment is perfect for those with itchy and flaky scalps. These citrus fruits are rich in vitamins C and B, folic acid, and a blend of other minerals like calcium. It not only cleanses the scalp of dirt and debris, but it’s also great in strengthening hair follicles to prevent hair loss and stimulate hair growth. Lemons can also help to fight dandruff and other scalp fungal infections.
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Text: Sofia Kim, Additional reporting: Farisia Thang
This post was first published on May 8 2019, and updated on May 19, 2020.