I get so many questions about hair products, today’s post is dedicated to deep conditioning and the treatments you can do on your hair.
What prompted this post for me was wearing semi-permanent extensions, although these products could be used on natural hair or even on your clip in extensions. For those of you who wear extensions you will know that you don’t want to be washing them all the time. It strips them of their silicone coatings which can leave them looking a bit dry and naff. When you wear permanent extensions (Micro ring, nano ring, tape/skin weft, braided, cold fusion etc…) you obviously wash your extensions as much as you do your own hair. So, I have been using different things to keep my extensions looking as good as they can and being as cost effective about it as possible!
Now there are deep conditioning products on the market that are easily purchased in your local Boots, Superdrug or online. But sometimes its the more ‘natural products’ that help more. Still, for those of you who don’t like to DIY, here are some ones I’ve tried that I really like in a variety of price brackets…
Bottom – John Frieda Full Repair™ Deep Conditioner Mask £6.29 and Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask £29.31
Now the first natural product you can use for a Deep Conditioning treatment I am going to mention will probably be absolutely no surprise to any of you who follow my blog or YouTube… Coconut Oil. This amazing product can be a life saver and helps with damage and dry hair. It is one of the few oils that can penetrate the hair shaft and has NUMEROUS uses. The 2 I use most often are Perfectly Pure Coconut Oil and MiaFlora Coconut Oil (Both Available from Holland and Barrett). To see my previous posts on coconut oil, click here (Including how I use it as a treatment)
If you like to DIY it, then you are in for a treat. Many of the DIY masks for deep conditioning can be made with things you may already have in your home. I often feel masks like this are better too because they are more natural (And obviously fresher as you can make them and use them the same day). Here are some of my favourite ones for helping super dry locks…
Yes, you really can make a mask out of these 2 lovelies. Just mash up an ‘over ripe’ banana with 2 table spoons of honey (Do this well so there are minimal lumps!!). Apply to dry hair (Concentrating on the mid lengths and ends) and cover with a shower cap. Leave on for 15-30 minutes and then rinse VERY well with warm water till all traces are removed from your hair.
Yes Mayo can be used as a mask and it doesn’t matter which brand you use, just the full fat version is better (So no light options). For this all you need to do is wet your hair and towel dry it (No need to shampoo, you want your hair damp not sopping wet). Apply as much as you need and slather it on (Comb through if your hair will allow). Pop on a shower cap and let the product do the work. I think an hours good but anything from 30minutes and up is fine. Finally rinse your hair with warm water (Not too hot) as best you can. Add some shampoo and rinse again (You may have to do this more than once).
This one is a little more work, but worth it. Now I have organic honey here, you don’t need organic (Its up to you) and I do find Extra Virgin Olive Oil works better (But again, olive oil is just fine). Take 2 ripe avocados and scoop of the middles into a bowl (Or blender if you don’t want to mix by hand). Add 1 table spoon of honey and 1 table spoon of olive oil. Mix well till you have a paste (If you think its too thick, add more olive oil). Apply to dry hair and work this into the ends and mid lengths. Cover with a shower cap and towel. Leave for about 30 minutes or longer and then rinse well. Shampoo gently with a mild shampoo to help remove the oil and if you can, leave your hair to dry naturally. If your hair is super dry I would try doing this twice a week or alternating it with coconut oil treatment over night and then this a few days later.
I have also seen a few videos on adding oils to conditioners, I haven’t tried this myself but can see it being beneficial as a treatment mask. When my hair is SUPER DRY (Which isn’t often but this does work well on extensions) I often look at afro treatments. Afro hair is extremely dry and needs a lot of tlc and help. There is some fantastic recipes out there for home made products, I saw this one and will be trying this out at some point but wanted to share it here with you from LovelyAnneka…
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CITyymcgD8I
Well, I hope my Deep Conditioning post helps some people out there. Deep conditioning is a personal thing like many hair things out there. What works for me may not work for you, but its about trial and error. Sometimes you have to try a few things to find that diamond for you (Kinda like men I feel – did I say that out loud?).
Lots of Love,
Mel xxxx