DIY Time: Homemade Hair Remedies

You know I love my store-bought lotions and potions, but there are also some super cool products already purchased and sitting in my pantry.

Home remedies, that’s what I’m talking about. I especially like them for my hair—I find that most really do work and are a cinch to prepare.

I’ve tried all of the following and loved what they did for my (often mangy) mane.

To each his own, of course, but I dare you to give at least one a try.

Who knows, you might be pleasantly surprised, especially when you consider the cash you’ve saved.

I Love Olive Oil

If your hair is dry and damaged, soaking it in extra virgin olive oil can work wonders. Virgin olive oil is filled with fatty acids and vitamin E, which are great for enlivening lifeless locks.

Apply thoroughly from just below the roots to tips, wrap in a towel (which will get dirty, so use an old one), let sit for about a half hour, shampoo and rinse. It’s best to try the treatment on dry hair that hasn’t been washed for at least two days.

Extra ingredient you can add: rosemary. Put just a pinch into a ½ cup of oil. It smells great and contains additional conditioning properties.

Magical Mayo

I know it sounds totally gross, and honestly, it kind of is. I don’t love applying this funkily fragrant condiment to my hair (at worst, it makes me feel slightly queasy, at best, it makes me crave a ham sandwich).

But I have to say, I was truly shocked when I tried this. My hair, which is over-processed and often dull, suddenly had MAJOR shine. Like, just-stepped-out-of-the-salon shine. True, the process isn’t very luxury-spa-like, but the results ARE.

So try it—dig in to a bottle of mayo (use gloves!), coat your entire head of hair, wrap with a shower cap, and let set for about 20 minutes. Then shampoo and style as usual.

Honey, Honey

Honey is a natural humectant, which means that it attracts and retains moisture. Which is just what a dry, dehydrated head needs.

Apply ½ cup to clean, damp hair. If you find the substance too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, which will loosen it up make it easier to work with.  Let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse. The smell will be sweet, and hopefully you will also notice an improvement in texture—I found that my hair stayed super soft for more than three days straight.

Body-Adding Beer

It’s not just for football games and frat parties—beer is an awesome volumizer for flat hair. It’s the yeast that plumps, plus the protein from the hops will strengthen locks.

Make sure you use a full-bodied beer, such as a stout (I used Guinness.) You’ll have to let the beverage go flat first (leave it out for an hour or two until it’s more or less non-carbonated). You’ll want to apply it to clean, damp hair.

I like to pour it into a spray bottle and spritz (much neater!), but you can also soak your strands in a large bowl. Once saturated, comb through, let set for five to ten minutes, and rinse. The less fragrant the beer, the better, because you are using this as your final rinse. If you really can’t stand the smell, let your hair dry, then spray a small amount of dry shampoo from root to tip and brush out.

Dairy Hair

Dairy products such as yogurt and sour cream are great for removing the layers of film that styling products often leave behind. The lactic acid removes dirt, while the milk fat moisturizes.

So if you want to get rid of build up, this is a great at-home option.

Apply a generous amount of plain yogurt or sour cream to damp—but not shampooed—hair. Let sit for 20 minutes, then shampoo and style.

And One Non-DIY, But Still Totally Off-the-Wall, Hair Helper

I’d be remiss not to mention this amazing product, which was originally formulated to keep horse’s coats clean and smooth. Mane ‘N Tail shampoo and conditioner is AWESOME—and works wonderfully on humans.

These are the home remedies I’ve tried, but there are a zillion other great options.  Check out The Cosmetics Cookbook, which is filled with recipes for cool at-home beauty care.