As someone who suffers from chronic dry hair (thanks to my Indian genes), the quest to find that perfect hair mask never ends - the one that gives my hair that Jennifer Aniston shine with Kim Kardashian length and Zooey Deschanel thickness, without breaking the bank, and with as few harsh chemical ingredients as possible.
Now do you understand my dilemma?
Little did I know, my holy grail hair mask has been under my nose the whole time. Easy to make with just 2 ingredients, it transforms my hair into the smooth, silky tresses I've always dreamed of.
Ladies, this is not a drill. Read on to learn how to create my favorite all natural, 2 ingredient hair mask below for shampoo-commercial worthy hair.
What you'll need:
1. Organic Coconut Oil
The science: Organic Coconut Oil is rich in antioxidants, has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties, and is high in lauric acid and medium-chain fatty acids.
What this means: Coconut Oil strengthens hair, conditions the scalp, and penetrates the hair shaft to moisturize hair strands from within. In fact, Coconut Oil is the only oil that reduces protein loss in hair, which leads to hair growth and beautiful, long length.
If you take a look at your favorite hair products, it's no wonder that many list Coconut Oil as one of the key ingredients. What's also listed, however, are lines of chemical ingredients, which half the population can't pronounce. These ingredients do exactly the opposite of what Coconut Oil does to your hair, drying it out and leading to an overall ineffective product in the long run.
2. Organic, Raw Honey
The science: honey is a natural humectant, contains antimicrobial agents, and is a natural antioxidant.
What this means: honey sucks in moisture from the air, giving your hair all that moisturized goodness, while nourishing the scalp for future healthy hair.
Honey is widely used in skin care products as well as hair products for these reasons, as it keeps skin fresh and young - and who doesn't want that?
How to make my holy grail DIY Coconut Oil and honey hair mask:
1. Mix 1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil with 1 tablespoon of honey into a bowl.
2. Transfer the mixture into a pot and heat it up so the honey and Coconut Oil melt into each other.
3. Transfer the mixture back into the original bowl and let it cool. Then, apply the mask to your hair from top to bottom coating all your hair fully. If your roots are usually quite oily, only apply the mask from mid-length down.
4. Put a shower cap on to retain any escaping moisture (and protect your clothes and furniture from your sticky hair).
5. After 20 minutes, rinse off your hair with warm water and shampoo and conditioner as normal.
6. Enjoy your new silky, shiny, soft, supple, glossy hair
If you have naturally coarse or dry hair like me, this is THE mask for you. You can even throw in an egg for extra protein - be sure to rinse your hair with cool water if you do so, however, or be left with cleaning up half cooked egg from your precious hair!
What are your holy grail, DIY hair care secrets? Share with us in the comments below.