This homemade hair conditioner recipe can be used as a leave-in conditioner and is made with all-natural ingredients to promote soft, shiny, healthy hair, and repair split ends naturally.
One of the questions I was recently asked on my YouTube channel was if I could recommend any hair conditioner recipes, other than apple cider vinegar (which has been my go-to for years now), that would help to nourish hair.
Homemade conditioners can vary hugely from apple cider vinegar to coconut oil. I’ve even heard of smearing egg whites or avocado on hair to repair and restore damaged hair. While these DIY options may prove quite effective, they can be really messy to use.
Some even find that apple cider vinegar (ACV) can dry out their hair if used too much, so this homemade leave-in hair conditioner can be a really great alternative.
It’s really simple to make and moisturises dry hair naturally, leaving it feeling soft, silky, and shiny as a result.
Why Use a Hair Conditioner?
Conditioner is so important when it comes to hair care because it helps replenish hair of its natural oils after the shampoo has stripped these oils away during the cleaning process. Our hair follicles make sebum (oil) which moisturises and repairs damaged hair and split ends. However, too much sebum gives hair that greasy look. Not what we want.
Typical store bought conditioners have a thick, lotion-y consistency to them but wash away and don’t result in build-up on hair. While some homemade hair conditioners can leave build-up on the scalp and hair cuticles, making hair feel greasy when it’s just been cleaned. Not what we’re after.
I wanted to create a recipe that didn’t need replacing every couple of days, and that didn’t leave build-up on hair.
As we all have different hair types, this recipe can be customised so it meets your specific hair needs. It may take some time (and a little trial and error) to find your perfect conditioner recipe, but the base is the same.
Ingredients Used in this Conditioner
The following ingredients have been specifically chosen for their hair nourishing properties.
Castor Oil
This oil is great for the scalp and helps encourage hair growth while reducing breakage and dandruff, along with many other benefits.
Argan Oil
This oil helps to repair dry, damaged hair and reduce frizz (plus adds shine).
Jojoba Oil
Technically a wax, not an oil, jojoba closely mimics our own sebum (oil). It helps to moisturise the hair without leaving an overly greasy look, and may help reduce frizz.
Glycerin
Glycerin helps capture moisture and incorporate it into the hair. However, in extreme weather conditions such as extremely dry or humid climates, it can be problematic and can either pull moisture from the hair, leaving it even more dry and brittle, or leave hair feeling sticky. But, for those living in more stable environments, glycerin (in small amounts) should be okay.
Emulsifying Wax
This ingredient enables the oil and water to mix together properly, creating a thick, creamy consistency.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are wonderful for giving a beautiful scent to the conditioner (and in turn, your luscious locks), but also provide an array of benefits for hair, too. Our Oily House shares the ten best essential oils for hair here.
Choice of Preservatives
If you’re wanting to use a preservative in this conditioner recipe to increase the shelf-life, Leucidal Complete is highly recommended as it contains all-natural ingredients. It needs to be used at 2-4% to be effective, so I’ve included it at 4% in the recipe below. Leucidal has also been approved by ECOcert (a certification for organic products). The shelf-life of this conditioner is hard to pin-point exactly as it’s not sent to a lab for testing, however, adding a preservative and minimising contact with water will help it to last up to several months. If excluding the preservative, I do not recommend keeping it for more than a week.
As this recipe calls for water, the water used needs to be clean and microbe-free. Distilled water is best, but boiled filtered water is also fine.
Mommypotamus also shares a wonderful natural leave-in hair conditioner using just coconut milk.
Before we get started in learning how to make this homemade hair conditioner, if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!
Homemade Leave-in Hair Conditioner
By using a pump bottle or a squeeze bottle, it will help to reduce any unnecessary contact with the conditioner, increasing the shelf-life of the product.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup distilled water (or peppermint or tea tree hydrosol)
- 1 tsp jojoba oil
- 1 tsp argan oil or castor oil
- 1 tsp cocoa butter
- 1 tsp glycerin (optional)
- 3 tsp emulsifying wax
- 1 tsp Leucidal Complete preservative (optional)
- 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil
- 20-40 drops essential oils (optional)
To Make:
- Place a heat-proof glass bowl on top of a saucepan filled with water to make a double boiler. Next, add the jojoba oil, argan oil, cocoa butter, glycerin, and emulsifying wax to the bowl and bring the water to a boil.
- Stir the mixture occasionally until the ingredients have completely melted, then remove the bowl from the heat and slowly add the water or hydrosol to the mixture, a little at a time, while stirring the solution until the mixture starts to thicken and emulsify.
- Once thick, use a hand mixer to whip the conditioner together to give it a light, fluffy consistency (this step is optional).
- Next, using a spoon, stir in the preservative (if using), vitamin E oil, and essential oils (if using).
- Once the conditioner has cooled to room temperature, transfer the mixture to a pump bottle and store the product in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and away from excess heat. To increase the shelf-life, keep the conditioner in the fridge. If you choose not to use a preservative, this conditioner will only keep for up to one week or so.
This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
Have you made your own hair care products before? What did you make? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
Vanessa
