This DIY Hair Mask Uses Natural Ingredients to Boost Shine and Strand Growth
We love how a new rich, dimensional hair color helps our locks appear thick and youthful, but it always seems to fade so quickly, leaving hair looking dull and lifeless mere days after dyeing.
The good news? There’s no need to recolor to restore vibrancy! “Simply harness the natural pigments in a tea chosen based on your hair’s color to revive it,” says Marina Perkovic, hairstylist at the Eliut Salon in New York City. And since all tea varieties contain polyphenols, compounds that lock in dye molecules, color will last twice as long.
The best way to get the benefits: Whip up a tea-infused mask combined with other hair-nourishing ingredients to ensure stronger locks that look soft and shiny too! Just follow the directions below to create the mask that’s right for you!
Your hair color is…
Black or brown – BLACK TEA: Tannins restore richness to deeper-hued tresses.
Blond – CHAMOMILE TEA: Its compound bisabolol sharpens and brightens lighter locks.
Gray – BUTTERFLY PEA TEA: Blue tones help cancel out a brassy tinge in gray hair.
Red – ROOIBOS TEA: The crimson color enhances the redness of fiery tresses.
Your hair is…
Fine – COCONUT OIL: Its lauric acid “expands” the diameter of strands so they appear thicker.
Frizzy – COOKED OATMEAL: Its natural sugars coat and “weigh down” locks so they lie flat.
Dry – AVOCADO: Moisture- retaining fatty acids rehydrate hair from the inside out.
Oily – YOGURT: Its lactic acid dissolves excess oil on the hair shaft, so strands look less greasy.
You want to…
Boost shine – OLIVE OIL: Its oleic acid smooths locks for a healthy sheen.
Thwart split ends – HONEY: It attracts and locks in moisture, strengthening hair to nix breakage.
Stop fallout – EGG WHITE: Its proteins fortify hair follicles at the root to prevent excess shedding.
Spur new growth – BANANA: Its potassium boosts circulation to the scalp, encouraging hair growth.
You want to feel…
Happy – VANILLA OIL: It promotes feelings of joy, comfort and serenity.
Sleepy – LAVENDER OIL: It calms anxiety and restlessness to encourage sleep.
Calm – SANDALWOOD OIL: It decreases blood pressure for relaxation.
Energized – PEPPERMINT OIL: Its menthol boosts alertness and enhances focus.
4-Step DIY Hair Mask
- In a bowl, pour 2 tablespoons of cooled, brewed tea (to refresh color) from the first column.
- Add 2 tablespoons of a binder (to target specific problems for your hair type and to hold the mask together) from the second column.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of a bonus kitchen ingredient (to address other hair concerns) from the third column.
- Mix in 3 drops of an uplifting essential oil (optional) from the fourth column.
TO DO: Apply the mask all over clean, damp hair and brush through with a wide-tooth comb to evenly distribute. Top with a warm towel (heat helps ingredients absorb more deeply). Let sit 15 minutes; rinse. Repeat twice a month.
Leftovers? Try this!
Keep any unused DIY hair mask from going to waste by placing it in a resealable jar like the Ball Quilted Jelly Jar (Buy from Michaels, $4.49) and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
This article originally appeared in our print magazine, First For Women.
