You may love the effects of professional hair treatments (shiny, healthy hair is always in style). But it can be such a hassle to get to the salon--or it can end up costing you a fortune in fancy products. Instead, try these easy at-home fixes from your pantry.
12 Foods You Can Put in Your Hair
Your next hair treatment is waiting in your kitchen
•
Published May 27, 2015
The Fit Fork
To Add Shine: Avocado
Chances are you've got some avocados ripening on your counter. Try mashing some into your hair from mid-shaft to the ends. After 20 minutes, shampoo and condition as usual, then be prepared for super-shiny hair.
To Nourish Split Ends: Coconut Oil
Skip the expensive hair oils. Instead, rub a few drops of coconut oil into the tips of your mane to calm split ends.
Scaling Back Blog
To Remove Product Buildup: Apple Cider Vinegar
Dull strands got you down? A monthly rinse with light-colored vinegar removes residue to increase shine and volume. (Rinse well, though, or you’ll smell like a salad.)
Cake Whiz
To Degrease: Cornstarch
Out of dry shampoo? Light- to medium-haired types can sprinkle a bit of this on their roots to sop up oils. Just be sure to really shake out the excess.
The Knot
To Enhance Highlights: Champagne
Didn’t finish all your bubbly? Perk up your highlights by rinsing with it.
Somewhere Over the Kitchen
To Strengthen: Egg
To strengthen your hair and add shine, apply a whipped egg to dry hair, then wrap it in a towel for 20 minutes--just make sure to rinse well with lukewarm water to avoid cooking the egg.
Livestrong
To Soften: Mayonnaise
After shampooing, massage mayo through your locks, then tuck it all into a shower cap for 20 minutes. When you rinse, you’ll have silkier locks.
Paleofondue
To Boost Blonde Color: Ketchup
If your hair turns green after a dip in a chlorinated pool, massage a couple palmfuls of ketchup in, then let it sit for 20 minutes. Wash out with baby shampoo and your strands will be normal-colored again. Bonus: This is also a great odor remover.
Mandy Mortimer
To Boost Brunette Color: Tea
Want a lustrous dark sheen? Brew a few cups Earl Grey, let it cool and then rinse your hair with it post-shampoo.
Whole Living
To Help It Grow: Yogurt
Massage a pint of plain yogurt into your scalp so that its lactic acid can clear dead-skin buildup and help your hair grow faster. Wash out after 15 minutes.
Naturally Curly
To Deep Condition: Honey + Olive Oil
Mix a quarter cup of honey with a quarter cup of olive oil for a hair mask. The honey moisturizes while the olive oil adds shine.
