Leave it In: DIY Homemade Leave-In Hair Conditioner

When it comes to your health, hair products are usually the lesser of your worries, given that the majority of what you put on your hair gets washed out. However, when it comes to leave-in conditioners, gels, and sprays, haircare can go from harmless to dangerous pretty quickly. Try out this homemade, 3-ingredient leave-in hair condition to get soft locks without the toxic baggage.
Some sketchy ingredients in the average hair product include alcohol, PEG compounds, sulfate, DEA, and coal tar. Alcohol can cause dryness, PEG compounds strip your hair of its protective oils, sulfates and coal tar are possible carcinogens, and DEA chemicals are hormone disruptors. Did you know the average person touches his or her face or head up to two to four times per minute? So while leave-in hair products may seem to merely be applied to an extension of your body, and not directly on the skin, with the wear and tear of the day, your locks will not only have fallen against your face but you will have touched your hair countless times and, hence, the rest of your body. With harmful substances on your facial skin, you can be sure you’re putting yourself at risk.
Instead of using a mainstream brand of leave-in hair products, try finding an organic, all-natural variety that is devoid of the main culprits. For complete assurance that what you are applying to your locks is of utmost integrity, make a homemade version of a leave-in hair cream that moisturizes, tames, and defrizzes. The following recipe involves three ingredients and can be altered accoridng to your aromatic tastes. Enjoy!
Aloe-Vera Leave-In Conditioner
Makes 1 cup (16 ounces)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup aloe vera
- 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil (or a mixture of 2-3)
Directions
Lightly mix together the water and aloe vera. Pour into a spray bottle and shake. Add essential oils and shake again. Apply to your hair as needed, making sure to shake the bottle lightly before use.
Photo Credit: Martin De Witte