Want to restore your damaged hair or strengthen it? Want to improve the health of your hair and scalp? That’s when you need a deep conditioner.
The good news is you can make your own deep-conditioning recipes at home. Let’s learn more about DIY deep conditioners and how to make them.
What Is a Deep Conditioner?
A deep conditioner is a hair treatment that’s meant to not only condition but also treat your hair. Like your skin, your hair needs care and attention, too. Dryness, dull hair, frizz, brittle hair, undernourished hair follicles, weak hair shaft, stunted growth, and more needs pampering and extra care. That’s where a regular conditioner or even a hair mask can’t get the job done, and you need a deep conditioner for thin and thick hair.
Deep conditioning is like your very own spa treatment for the hair, but it is better. They have special ingredients inclined towards the requirements of your hair and help restore the health of your hair and scalp. A deep conditioning treatment is a must for everyone, not just those battling hair or scalp issues.
Regular Conditioner vs. Deep Conditioner
If you think there’s not any difference between a conditioner and a deep conditioner, you should know these key differences and facts.
A regular conditioner is applied to your hair after shampooing and can be rinsed off after 3 – 7 minutes. On the other hand, a deep conditioner is applied to your hair and let it sit for at least 15 minutes to anywhere up to 45 minutes before washing off.
A regular conditioner works on the surface of your hair shaft, and the results don’t last longer than a week at most. On the other hand, deep conditioners penetrate the hair shaft, and their effects last longer. A deep conditioning treatment results are visible right after and for a few days after.
Also, unlike a regular conditioner, deep conditioning treatment requires heat to work to its fullest, a reason we use a shower cap or a hair dryer to apply heat. The heat helps with better penetration of the deep conditioning treatment.
Though not all, these are the key differences between regular conditioners and deep conditioners.
Benefits of Deep Conditioning
If you’re wondering why you should consider a deep conditioning treatment, here are a few benefits that deep conditioners have to offer:
A deep conditioner improves hair’s elasticity.
It hydrates and moisturizes your hair.
It softens damaged hair that’s exposed to heat and styling treatments.
Restores hair’s moisture levels.
Resists hair stretching or the resulting damage.
Restores the lost luster and shine in dry, damaged, or frizzy hair.
Can repair hair that’s damaged due to medications or heat and styling treatments, etc.
Homemade Deep Conditioner Recipes
A commercial deep conditioner is going to cost a fortune, let alone heading to a salon for a deep conditioning treatment. Does that mean we can never get one?
Of course not! The good news is there are DIY deep conditioners you can try for your hair today, and they’re all natural. Yes, a homemade deep conditioner is not only affordable, it’s also easy to prepare. So, let’s learn more about making your very own deep conditioner, shall we?
1. Vegan Argan Oil Deep Conditioner
This recipe uses coconut oil and is quite easy to prepare or use. You hardly need a few ingredients, and you’re all set.
Ingredients
- Coconut Oil – Tsp
- Argan Oil – 1 Tsp.
- Lavender Essential Oil – a few drops
How to Make
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk till combined.
How to Use
Massage the prepared mixture on your hair and scalp – divide your hair into sections and complete section by section so that you don’t leave out any hair.
Cover your head with a shower cap and wait for at least 25 minutes before washing off.
Notes
You can use any nourishing carrier oil along with coconut oil, like olive oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, castor oil, etc.
Choose an essential oil that you like instead of Lavender essential oil.
You can do this treatment once or twice a week.
2. DIY Mayo Deep Conditioner
You might have heard that mayo is one of the best hair foods, especially for dry or damaged hair. That’s actually true, and you can easily make a nourishing deep conditioner with your jar of mayonnaise. So, let’s get started.
Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise – 1/4 Cup
- Avocado – 1/2
- Banana – 1
- Rosemary Essential Oil – a few drops2
How to Make
Scoop out the flesh from the avocado after removing the seed and set aside.
Chop the banana after peeling off the skin and set aside.
Add the scooped avocado flesh and chopped banana to the blender.
Grind it for a few seconds to get a smooth paste, and transfer it to a mixing bowl.
Add in the mayonnaise and rosemary essential oil and whisk to combine.
How to Use
Divide your hair into sections and apply the prepared deep conditioning treatment on your hair using a hair brush.
Apply from root to tip and cover your head with a shower cap after you’ve applied it all over your head.
Let it sit for a good 25 minutes before washing it off.
Notes
You might have to use a shampoo comb to comb through and get rid of any banana residue from your hair while washing it off.
You can use this mask once a week or more per your requirement.
You can apply this to wet or damp hair if possible for better results.
3. DIY Vegan Coconut Milk Treatment
If you have a can of coconut milk or leftover coconut milk from the extract you did for your recipe, here’s how you can make a nourishing deep conditioner with it.
Ingredients
Coconut Milk – 1/4 Cup
Mayonnaise – 4 Tbsps.
Honey – 1 Tbsp.
Sweet Almond Oil – 2 Tsps.
How to Make
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine – you can use your hand blender for a smoother consistency.
How to Use
Divide your hair into smaller sections, apply the prepared deep conditioner on each section, and pin it up.
Cover your head with a shower cap and let it sit for 20 minutes before washing off.
Notes
You can apply this deep conditioner to wet or damp hair.
You can add essential oils for added aroma and benefits.
You can use any carrier oil in this recipe for moisturization and benefits.
You can use this deep conditioner at least once a week for best results.
4. DIY Aloe Deep Conditioner
If you want a hydrating and moisturizing deep conditioner that also leaves you with shiny hair, look no further. This is also an easy and nourishing recipe that you should try at least once.
Ingredients
- Yogurt – 1/4 Cup
- Aloe Vera – 1/4 Cup
- Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 Tbsp.
- Jojoba Oil – 1 Tbsp.
- Myrrh Essential Oil – a few drops
How to Make
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
How to Use
Divide your hair into sections, apply the deep conditioner with a hair coloring brush, and clip back each section after applying.
Make sure to apply liberally on your hair, and don’t miss out on any hair strands.
Cover your head with a shower cap and let it sit for at least 25 minutes before washing off.
Notes
You can do this once or twice a week.
Conclusion
These are just a few deep conditioners you should try for your hair. As we always say, feel free to add your own changes and tweaks to the recipe and see what you come up with. Make the recipes more suited to your preferences and requirements. The options for customization are the fun part of DIY, isn’t it?
Don’t have time for DIY recipes? No worries, we’ve got your back with a broad range of products from Vitamins Revive. All their premium hair care cosmetics are vegan, and you can check out their online store to learn more about their products.
Feel free to write back to us with any questions, feedback, or requests. We love hearing from you. Do let us know how you liked these recipes and how they worked out for you.
FAQs
How often can you use a deep conditioner for your hair?
The frequency also depends on the health of your hair. For normal or healthy hair, you can do it one to four times a month, and for damaged or dry hair, you can do it four or even five times a month.
Should I apply deep conditioners to dry or damp hair?
It’s best to apply a deep conditioner to damp or wet hair if you’re good with it.
How do you distribute the deep conditioner on your hair evenly?
Apply the deep conditioner on hair sections using a hair coloring brush. Now, combing through with a shampoo comb help can help spread the deep conditioner evenly on your hair.
Can I apply a deep conditioner on the roots?
Of course, you can. A good way to get the most from your deep conditioner is to apply it all the way from the roots to the tips.
