Everyone wants healthy, strong hair. A basic hair care routine, like shampooing and conditioning, helps keep your scalp clean and your strands moisturized. But sometimes, you may want to do something to really nourish your hair to keep it looking full and healthy. That’s where a homemade hair mask can help you get new growth and thickness.
Adding extra styling products to your routine can improve your hair’s health and appearance, but a hair mask is what provides deep, intensive care. It’s similar to a face mask: You apply nutrient-rich ingredients to your hair and let it sit while your strands absorb everything. While you can buy ready-made masks, you might be surprised to find that some of the best ingredients for hair health are already in your kitchen.
Benefits of Using A Homemade Hair Mask for Growth and Thickness
If you’re looking for DIY growth, hair masks can be just the solution. Homemade hair masks for growth and thickness are all-natural, customizable, and easy to make. As an added bonus, you can whip up a healthy hair mask with common ingredients for much less than you’d pay for a store-bought version.
Can Hair Masks Help Prevent Hair Loss?
Masks can’t prevent most types of hair loss, but they can help maintain hair and may be a good complement to treatments like EXT Extreme Hair Therapy® or follicular implants. Hair masks that moisturize and strengthen can help minimize thinning due to hair breakage. Masks with ingredients like yogurt or onion juice may improve scalp health, which can promote hair growth.
Key Natural Ingredients for Hair Growth and Repair
Hair needs a combination of moisture and protein to stay strong and look healthy. When hair is dry or weak, it’s more prone to breakage. This, in turn, can lead to the appearance of thinning hair and make ends look ragged or dull.
Whether you’re maximizing growth during EXT Extreme Hair Therapy® or Laser Hair Therapy or caring for newly placed follicular implants, applying a gentle, natural hair mask can give your hair a nutrient boost. The naturally occurring proteins and lipids in many foods are excellent sources of nourishment for hair. Some of the best household products to use in hair masks include:
- Coconut Oil: It’s a popular choice for moisturizing both skin and hair. Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft and deep conditions your hair to reduce dryness and fight frizz, and it seals in proteins to add strength.
- Avocado: This fruit is rich in nutrients like folic acid, iron, and magnesium. Its naturally creamy texture and healthy fatty acids make avocados a natural choice for smoothing over your strands and making hair strong and more resistant to breakage.
- Onion Juice: Onions provide a surprising source of nourishment for hair. They’re high in dietary sulfur, which is a vital nutrient. Sulfur is also found in keratin, the substance which makes up hair strands. This means onion juice can support strong and thick hair and may promote hair growth by giving the hair a healthy dose of sulfur. Onion juice also stimulates blood circulation, increasing blood flow and supply to hair follicles, which makes it a perfect ingredient for a DIY hair mask for growth and scalp health.
How To Create a Basic DIY Hair Mask
Making hair masks is easy and doesn’t require special tools. You just need a clean bowl, measuring spoons, and a spoon, whisk, or spatula to mix the ingredients.
Get started by blending a simple mask with coconut milk, aloe vera, and avocado:
- One ripe avocado
- 2 tbsp. of aloe vera gel
- 1 tsp. of coconut oil
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir until well blended. If you have longer hair, you can increase the quantity of each item.
- Add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil to give your mask a nice fragrance. Don’t overdo it, though, as essential oils can irritate the skin.
- You can apply a mask to wet or dry hair. If you use styling products, you may want to wash your hair first to remove any product residue. This will allow your mask to penetrate your hair more deeply.
- With clean hands, apply the mask to your hair, covering it from root to tip. Wait 30 minutes, and then rinse with warm water.
Customized Hair Masks for Different Hair Types
To better suit your hair type and needs, you can customize your homemade hair masks.
Dry Hair
Use honey and avocado to add shine, reduce frizz, and revive dry locks.
- Combine one avocado and two eggs with a tablespoon of honey and coconut oil.
- Massage the mixture into your hair from roots to ends.
- Leave it on for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse and shampoo normally.
Oily Hair
If your hair and scalp are oily, use a clarifying mask with lemon and yogurt. The lactic acid in yogurt gently exfoliates your scalp, and vitamin C in lemon helps regulate oil production.
- Combine 1/2 cup plain yogurt and two tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Mix the ingredients until smooth.
- Apply the mask to your scalp with a brush.
- Leave it on for 30 minutes.
- Rinse with warm water and shampoo.
Frizzy Hair
Smooth frizzy hair with this protein-rich mask made of eggs and olive oil:
- Mix one egg with one tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add honey, lemon juice, or water as desired.
- Apply the mixture to your hair and scalp.
- Let the mask sit for 15–30 minutes.
- Rinse with cold water, and shampoo your hair as usual.
Tips for Application and Maximizing Hair Mask Effectiveness
You can maximize the effectiveness of your DIY hair masks in the following ways:
- Heat Application: Heat helps open the cuticles of the hair shaft to allow more of the ingredients to penetrate the hair. You can wrap your hair in a warm towel or put a shower cap on to hold in your body heat while the mask sits on your hair.
- Even Application: For the best possible absorption, the mask should coat your hair evenly. If you have long hair, you can section it by parting it down the middle and dividing each side of your hair into two smaller sections. Work the mask in with your fingers, then use a “praying hands” technique to smooth it all the way down the length.
- Scalp Massage: Your scalp is just as important as your hair. The ingredients in hair masks can moisturize a dry scalp or clarify oily skin beneath your hair. Use the pads of your fingers to gently massage the hair mask into your scalp after you apply it to your hair.
- Time Your Treatment: You want to leave the mask on long enough for the ingredients to have their intended effect. Protein treatments and hydrating treatments should stay on for 10 minutes. Coconut oil masks need at least 30 minutes for full effectiveness. As you get more experienced with masks, you can vary the timing based on how your hair responds.
Recommended Frequency for Hair Mask Application
Deciding how often to do a hair mask can depend on your hair type and where you are in your hair growth and replacement journey. If you are undergoing Laser Hair Therapy or have recently completed hair transplantation, ask your hair loss specialist how often to use hair masks. You can use masks periodically, depending on your hair type:
- Dry or damaged hair: 2–3 times per week
- Color-treated hair: 1–2 times per week
- Fine or oily hair: Once a week or every other week
- Normal hair: Once every two weeks
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Using Hair Masks
Using hair masks to make hair grow can lead to build-up in your hair if you’re doing it too often, particularly if you aren’t rinsing thoroughly. Rinsing is key since the ingredients can spoil, lead to an unpleasant odor, and cause scalp irritation.
Avoid using ingredients that contribute to a dry, sore, or itchy scalp. Alternate between high-moisture masks and high-protein masks to give your hair a balance of nutrients.
Achieve Healthier Hair With DIY Hair Masks
DIY hair masks moisturize your hair, add shine and texture, and make it look healthier. But there’s a limit to their effectiveness when it comes to hair loss and other conditions that require professional treatment.
HairClub can help you treat hair loss with personalized solutions tailored to your unique needs. Our exclusive EXT Extreme Hair Therapy® solution combines FDA-approved minoxidil, proven to regrow hair, with relaxing in-center services and easy-to-use at-home products to add strength and volume to your hair.
