Easiest Natural Conditioner?

[Herb]

(I figured this didn't quite fit in under Recipes, Henna, and Herbal Hair Care, so I hope it's okay here. :])

Hello, all!:)

So, I'm trying to streamline my hair washing routine.

What I'm trying to get at with the word "natural" is along the lines of "edible" (like olive oil, coconut oil, banana, etc) and "multi-purpose".

I haven't felt satisfied paying the extremely value-added price of liquid shampoo and conditioner (mostly water, getting pennies worth of sulfates and 'cones for several dollars). I'm finishing up the excessive line of noisy plastic bottles at the back of the tub and transitioning to shampoo bars. This part is going well.

However, I haven't found a very good solution for conditioner. My ends can be quite rough without the 'cones, so I would like to have something that provides adequate smoothness and protection.

I've been using coconut oil. I've tried applying a little before or after a shower, but either way it's rather greasy looking. Additionally, when it's cold, it looks and feels even more like straw than when there's nothing on it, haha. I've tried Shea butter; it provides a great level of slip, but even after warming it to liquid, I can't get it to apply evenly enough to not leave icky greasy spots. I've tried banana in the shower; it works well, but it was awful messy and a little impractical.

I'm trying to make it easy and uncumbersome as possible, a routine I don't have to dedicate a lot of thought or planning to-- an ideal conditioner would be something one-step, multi-purpose, and can be kept in the cupboard or shower to use. I don't know if that's too tall of an order!

If you have any ideas or tips, I'd be so grateful. :) Anything that's worked for you?

[202_bh_rider]

hmm. this is a bit of a hard question to find an answer to, isn't it? have you tried avacado? like putting that into a food processor and then applying, then rinsing it out? i don't know, maybe it will work. maybe try mixing your favorite oils and putting them into a mister bottle and then spraying that on afterwards? it might help keep you from looking greasy. coconut milk works well for some people as well. some people just scoop the solid part off the top, but some people use the full contents of the can as well. i know some people use ACV too...never worked for me but maybe it will work for you! for a shampoo, i know you said you are switching to shampoo bars, but i've heard castile soap is good too. maybe another option? hope this might have given you at least some new ideas!

[Ophidian]

I rarely use conditioner these days because my washes are mild enough that I don't really need it. I do get rough ends though if I don't do anything extra. What works amazingly well for me (and is cheap, easy, and edible), is mixing honey with olive oil at around a 2/3 to 1 ratio and applying this mix to wet ends in the shower either before or after I wash (dilute shampoo, herbs, or WO). It leaves my ends silky and hydrated without being oily, and I notice a big difference if I skip it.

[Seventy7]

When you've made the transition to shampoo bars, you might not really need conditioner anymore. Just a diluted vinegar rinse might be enough. This will depend on the type of bars as well, I guess.

Perhaps have a look over at the shampoo-bar-thread to read up what other bar-users do.

[Hairkay]

I make my own DIY hair masks from fruit. I have a thread in the Recipes, Henna and Herbal hair care forum. See here.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131493

[lapushka]

Don't companies like "Chagrin Valley" do a conditioning bar just like a shampoo bar? You might want to try that?

[pili]

I just use an ACV rinse after my shampoo bar and then seal in the moisture with a bit of oil. You may just need to experiment a bit to find your perfect recipe. I use:

1Tbls ACV
2 cups water
5 drops lavender EO
5 drops tea tree oil
1 tsp honey

Then I don't completely rinse it out. I just duck under the water quickly.

Also experiment with different oils. Coconut can be drying to some people. It makes my hair crunchy. I do better with avocado, olive, or sweet almond.

[Anje]

I agree that for simple and edible, one of the first things to try is a vinegar rinse. Most of its effect is simply in smoothing the hair a bit. How much you use tends to depend on your hair and your local water, but it can go from a teaspoon (~5mL) or two of vinegar in a quart/L of water to roughly a 10% vinegar in water solution. It's not particularly moisturizing, though. Adding a bit of honey might help, but you'll need to rinse thoroughly after.

A few drops of oil would be my step up. If coconut didn't do it for you, I'd try olive (be very sparing with it, because it can easily look greasy if overdone, and target the driest parts) or avocado oils next. Try applying to damp hair -- it's harder to tell if you've overdone it, but it spreads a lot easier. I tended to use just 2-4 drops on my length and ends right after taking my hair out of a towel, and it made combing a lot better but didn't look oily.

[Herb]

@202_bh_rider: Thanks. That sounds worth a try. :) Have you tried putting oils in a spray bottle before? I wonder if they'd be too thick. I think things like avocado or coconut milk would be preferred as a special mask, since they're not shelf-stable. :) I might need masks more often now.

[Herb]

I rarely use conditioner these days because my washes are mild enough that I don't really need it. I do get rough ends though if I don't do anything extra. What works amazingly well for me (and is cheap, easy, and edible), is mixing honey with olive oil at around a 2/3 to 1 ratio and applying this mix to wet ends in the shower either before or after I wash (dilute shampoo, herbs, or WO). It leaves my ends silky and hydrated without being oily, and I notice a big difference if I skip it.
Thank you, Ophidian. :) I think I'll try that. If it works, I'd be able to keep it in the bathroom, which would be helpful.

[Herb]

When you've made the transition to shampoo bars, you might not really need conditioner anymore. Just a diluted vinegar rinse might be enough. This will depend on the type of bars as well, I guess.

Perhaps have a look over at the shampoo-bar-thread to read up what other bar-users do.

Thanks for the suggestion, Seventy7. I'll read up. My hair is knee-length, so it does tend to need a little extra help. :)

[Herb]

I make my own DIY hair masks from fruit. I have a thread in the Recipes, Henna and Herbal hair care forum. See here.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131493
Thanks for the link, Hairkay. Are there any in particular ones you'd suggest for super lazy people like me? haha

[Herb]

Don't companies like "Chagrin Valley" do a conditioning bar just like a shampoo bar? You might want to try that?

Perhaps! I'd like to avoid turning the line of plastic bottles into a line of bars, though! Hahaha. ;)

[Herb]

I just use an ACV rinse after my shampoo bar and then seal in the moisture with a bit of oil. You may just need to experiment a bit to find your perfect recipe. I use:

1Tbls ACV
2 cups water
5 drops lavender EO
5 drops tea tree oil
1 tsp honey

Then I don't completely rinse it out. I just duck under the water quickly.

Also experiment with different oils. Coconut can be drying to some people. It makes my hair crunchy. I do better with avocado, olive, or sweet almond.
Thanks, pili. :) That recipe sounds doable. Do you use a specific brand of ACV? I used to do baking soda-acv washes years back, and my hair wasn't very manageable then; I was using the cheapest ACV, though. Would something like Bragg's be better?

I haven't tried avocado or sweet almond oil. I think I'll try to get some.

[Herb]

I agree that for simple and edible, one of the first things to try is a vinegar rinse. Most of its effect is simply in smoothing the hair a bit. How much you use tends to depend on your hair and your local water, but it can go from a teaspoon (~5mL) or two of vinegar in a quart/L of water to roughly a 10% vinegar in water solution. It's not particularly moisturizing, though. Adding a bit of honey might help, but you'll need to rinse thoroughly after.

A few drops of oil would be my step up. If coconut didn't do it for you, I'd try olive (be very sparing with it, because it can easily look greasy if overdone, and target the driest parts) or avocado oils next. Try applying to damp hair -- it's harder to tell if you've overdone it, but it spreads a lot easier. I tended to use just 2-4 drops on my length and ends right after taking my hair out of a towel, and it made combing a lot better but didn't look oily.
Good tips, Anje. :) I haven't tried vinegar with honey, so I think it's worth a shot. I haven't tried olive oil on wet hair either, so I'll give it a go. :)

[Hairkay]

Thanks for the link, Hairkay. Are there any in particular ones you'd suggest for super lazy people like me? haha

Well there is the babyfood options. You can get 100% banana puree all ready to use. There's also mango and I hear that some places sell an avocado one. If you do want to use a blender you can try one or two fruits at a time.

[pili]

Thanks, pili. :) That recipe sounds doable. Do you use a specific brand of ACV? I used to do baking soda-acv washes years back, and my hair wasn't very manageable then; I was using the cheapest ACV, though. Would something like Bragg's be better?

I haven't tried avocado or sweet almond oil. I think I'll try to get some.

I just make sure to get the on with "the mother". Mine is from Trader Joe's. You can also use regular white vinegar or citric acid to see which one plays best with your hair. My hair is bone dry and loves humectants, hence the honey, but that is not necessary.

[reilly0167]

Don't companies like "Chagrin Valley" do a conditioning bar just like a shampoo bar? You might want to try that?

I adore their butter bar:)

[Chromis]

Thanks for the suggestion, Seventy7. I'll read up. My hair is knee-length, so it does tend to need a little extra help. :)

I too have knee-length hair and have used shampoo bars for many years. They normally just come wrapped in paper btw. I use an acidic rinse with local apple cider vinegar and/or citric acid and do not use conditioner.

[Dark40]

I rarely use conditioner these days because my washes are mild enough that I don't really need it. I do get rough ends though if I don't do anything extra. What works amazingly well for me (and is cheap, easy, and edible), is mixing honey with olive oil at around a 2/3 to 1 ratio and applying this mix to wet ends in the shower either before or after I wash (dilute shampoo, herbs, or WO). It leaves my ends silky and hydrated without being oily, and I notice a big difference if I skip it.

Wow, my hair can't live without conditioner or moisture. I bet you do notice a big difference if you skip the honey and olive oil mix!

[Ophidian]

Wow, my hair can't live without conditioner or moisture. I bet you do notice a big difference if you skip the honey and olive oil mix!

I do use conditioning herb rinses with honey on a regular basis, and I only use the olive oil+honey on the very tips. I think that I'm only able to skip conditioner because I wash with very mild cleansers alternating with water-only.

[Herb]

Well there is the babyfood options. You can get 100% banana puree all ready to use. There's also mango and I hear that some places sell an avocado one. If you do want to use a blender you can try one or two fruits at a time.
I like that idea. Sometimes I see baby food in the sale bin at the grocery store. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for that. :) Though I suppose that could get a little expensive, but I bet it would be worth it to do every so often. :)

[Herb]

I too have knee-length hair and have used shampoo bars for many years. They normally just come wrapped in paper btw. I use an acidic rinse with local apple cider vinegar and/or citric acid and do not use conditioner.
Good to hear; I hope that will be adequate for me after a while. :)

[Herb]

I rarely use conditioner these days because my washes are mild enough that I don't really need it. I do get rough ends though if I don't do anything extra. What works amazingly well for me (and is cheap, easy, and edible), is mixing honey with olive oil at around a 2/3 to 1 ratio and applying this mix to wet ends in the shower either before or after I wash (dilute shampoo, herbs, or WO). It leaves my ends silky and hydrated without being oily, and I notice a big difference if I skip it.
Hi again, Ophidian! I tried this out, but I probably botched it. I made about a teaspoon and a half of this mixture to try (and maybe that was too much?). It was enough to spread on the final length of my hair that needs the extra protection (tailbone to knee section), but it came out really greasy looking. Have you played around with this mixture? I was wondering if upping the honey would help, or if you could help me estimate of how much of the conditioner I actually need per application. How much do you use? If you do have any tips or additional specifications, I'd be happy to hear them! :flower:

And I wonder if some of the issue could lie with my hair's straight texture?

[Ophidian]

Hi again, Ophidian! I tried this out, but I probably botched it. I made about a teaspoon and a half of this mixture to try (and maybe that was too much?). It was enough to spread on the final length of my hair that needs the extra protection (tailbone to knee section), but it came out really greasy looking. Have you played around with this mixture? I was wondering if upping the honey would help, or if you could help me estimate of how much of the conditioner I actually need per application. How much do you use? If you do have any tips or additional specifications, I'd be happy to hear them! :flower:

And I wonder if some of the issue could lie with my hair's straight texture?

My hair is much shorter than yours (CBL), so I have honestly never done it on more than the last inch or so or hair that tends to be dry. Literally just the ends. To use it I apply with my fingertips to wet hair and then rinse out well. My hair is thick and wavy and doesn't tend to show oil except around my temples. If you have finer or straighter hair and/or want to use it on a greater area, it might be less heavy if you use a lighter oil (olive is pretty rich) and/use use less, like just a few drops.

ETA: bear in mind that this is very anecdotal. I didn't have to play around much because it just worked for me but this is just my experience and I've never heard of it being a thing that other people are specifically doing (though of course honey and oil are common diy things). I imagine the principle is somewhat like ROO--a small amount of oil is more evenly distributed on wet hair and the honey is just a boost of moisture. Good luck with whatever you try! :flower:

[Anje]

For what it's worth, I find olive oil makes my hair look oily a lot more readily than most other oils. My hair (when it was long) wouldn't absorb very much of the mix simply because it doesn't absorb much for oil in general, so I'd probably use less, but I'd also try something lighter. Sunflower oil is my normal general-purpose cooking oil, and it's pretty light and beneficial for hair. :) Maybe give that a try? You can always cook with it if you don't like it in hair -- it has a high smoke point, so it's good for frying.

[EdG]

Sebum can't be beat for being easy and natural. ;)

The trick is to avoid washing it out completely, and to distribute it from the scalp to the ends through combing.

This may or may not work for everyone.
Ed

[Ophidian]

Sebum can't be beat for being easy and natural. ;)

The trick is to avoid washing it out completely, and to distribute it from the scalp to the ends through combing.

This may or may not work for everyone.
Ed

This really is the foundation of my routine. I like WO a lot but started doing herb washes and dilute shampoo along with WO washes to get a little more cleansing. But it's not enough to strip my hair unless I am intentionally trying to clarify a bit and I still massage and preen to keep a thin but even sebum distribution root to tip.

[pili]

Sebum can't be beat for being easy and natural. ;)

The trick is to avoid washing it out completely, and to distribute it from the scalp to the ends through combing.

This may or may not work for everyone.
Ed
I wish my scalp actually produced sebum.

[EdG]

pili - maybe try water-only or no-wash?
Ed

[pili]

I've gone over a month before (surgery) with no sebum production. My sister and mother are the same. Must just be genetics. Switching to handmade shampoo bars has been good for my scalp. I'm no longer getting the reactions I used to get from shampoo and conditioner.

[Hairkay]

I like that idea. Sometimes I see baby food in the sale bin at the grocery store. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for that. :) Though I suppose that could get a little expensive, but I bet it would be worth it to do every so often. :)

Well it's not something to do all the time so that it wouldn't end up costing too much. I do WO so I also have my sebum working for me.

[Ophidian]

I've gone over a month before (surgery) with no sebum production. My sister and mother are the same. Must just be genetics. Switching to handmade shampoo bars has been good for my scalp. I'm no longer getting the reactions I used to get from shampoo and conditioner.

Pili, your hair looks amazing in your new avatar! Your new routine must be working well for you :flower:

[pili]

Pili, your hair looks amazing in your new avatar! Your new routine must be working well for you :flower:

Thank you so much, Ophidian! I'm liking it so far, but the curls only last a day as I keep it gunned after it dries. My hair does feel way healthier, though.