A homemade hair mask can be a great way to treat and moisturize the hair, particularly if it has been damaged from too much time in the sun, or from dry winter air. Common ingredients found in most people's kitchens can often be combined for an easy, natural homemade hair mask that is free of chemicals or preservatives, making it especially helpful for those with color-treated hair. Some people also find that gently wrapping the hair in a towel, or even in plastic wrap, helps the hair mask to better penetrate the hair shaft, and therefore be more effective.
There are a number of different recipes for making a homemade hair mask to be found online. Avocados, bananas, and mayonnaise are some of the most common ingredients. Milk and honey are also frequently used, as well as yogurt and olive oil. All of these are naturally moisturizing ingredients that, when combined and applied to the hair, help to increase moisture. This helps to reduce breakage, prevent frizz, and repair damage that has been done to the hair from heat styling tools like straighteners or blow dryers, as well as daily product use.
When making a homemade hair mask, it is best to use fresh ingredients. Avocados and bananas should be ripe enough that they are easy to mash or whip into a mixture, so it might be necessary to wait until they are a little bit overripe. Once the ingredients for the homemade hair mask are combined, it can be applied on the hair from the roots to the tips. It is especially important to get the mask all the way down to the tips to prevent split ends; longer hair can then be twisted around itself, and coiled on top of the head, to make sure all of the hair is coated with the mask.
A homemade hair mask should typically be left on the hair for at least 20 minutes to half an hour to give it time to work. For hair masks that are more liquid in nature, such as those made with milk or olive oil, wrapping the hair in a towel or in plastic wrap can help to keep the mask in place. The extra heat caused by wrapping the hair in plastic wrap will also help the ingredients of the mask to penetrate the hair better. Beauty experts typically recommend that hair should be treated with a homemade hair mask at least once or twice a month.
