School just got out, bikini shopping is underway, it’s HOT outside…and suddenly everyone is cutting all their hair off.
For some reason, I fall for it every time. I can NOT rock a bob or a pixie cut (oh, but how I wish I could) and then I end up regretting it, wishing that I could somehow force it to grow. I want some sort of magical shampoo that will make my hair grow 6 inches overnight.
Unfortunately, such a thing does not exist. However, I do have a handful of recipes that you can concoct at home that are about as close as it gets.
1) Coconut Oil
Straight up Coconut Oil. Nothing fancy-shmancy here. Brush out your hair and evenly distribute a few tablespoons throughout, making sure you cover both roots and ends. This will not only give it the moisture it needs, but it will also help to strengthen, which means less breakage and longer hair. Leave it in for at least 20 minutes before you shower. Bonus points if you sleep in it.
2)No-Poo
Ignore the strange name (which stands for No Shampoo), and give this one a shot. This movement was huge a few years back when ladies everywhere were boycotting their shampoo and conditioner. Instead of shampoo, make a paste with baking soda and water and scrub that into your scalp. It doesn’t lather, so it feels weird the first few times, but it removes all build-up so your hair feels INCREDIBLY soft afterwards.
Instead of conditioner, make a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water (1 part vinegar, 1-2 parts water) and spray that onto the ends of your hair, let it sit while you finish your shower, and then rinse. I promise, it won’t smell weird. It locks in the moisture and leaves you with very shiny hair.
I wouldn’t recommend this if you dye your hair a lot, specifically if it’s red (the baking soda will somewhat strip away the color). If you bleach your hair, no worries, you can still participate in no-poo.
3) Olive Oil + Avocado + Egg
What do you get when you mix 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 ripe avocado, and an egg? Strong, shiny, and soft hair! Just mix the three ingredients and apply to dry hair. Leave it in for at least 20 minutes, and then rinse in COLD water. The cold water ensures that you’re locking in moisture, but more importantly, it will prevent the egg from cooking! Trust me girls, I’ve had it happen to me. You will literally have chunks of scrambled eggs in your hair, which is surprisingly hard to wash out. Learn from my mistakes, rinse with cold water!
4) Avocado – Honey Hair Mask
Mix together 1 avocado, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Leave it in for 30 minutes, and then rinse. The avocado strengthens and nourishes your hair, the honey gets rid of bacteria and helps hold in moisture, and the coconut and olive oil provide moisture AND shine.
5) Banana Hair Mask
This one works wonders if you’re suffering from sad, brittle hair. If you’re like me and seem to ALWAYS have breakage and split ends (no matter how often you trim your hair), this mask is for you!
Mash up ½ a banana, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and ½ a tablespoon of honey. The pantothenic acid in the banana strengthens your hair, the honey draws moisture into your hair, and the egg reinforces protein in the hair follicle. This mask will not only do some serious damage control, but it helps with strengthening and growing your hair!
The absolute best part about these masks is that you don’t even have to leave your house. Just head to your fridge and get mixing! Give your hair that bit of TLC it’s been begging for.
Featured image via Armin Rimoldi on Pexels
