Green Ways to Condition Your Hair

We all want full, shiny, beautiful hair - there's nothing wrong with looking luxurious. However, you don't have to invest in toxic, harmful hair products to achieve this look. Yes, you can go green and get the same level of performance from your conditioning routine. Let's take a look at some of the green ways to condition your hair.

Using Oils

Traditional conditioners are basically trying to imitate the natural oils of the world, which we place on us to imitate the natural oils of our head. Using olive oil is perhaps the closest we can get from nature, with coconut oil a close second. You may also safely use conditioners with castor oil, argan oil and jojoba oil as active ingredients.

If you have dry, brittle or damaged hair, try argan oil as a pre-shampoo conditioner:

How to:

15 to 20 minutes before you get in the shower, prepare hair by working in about 10 drops of argan oil all over. Massage the oil into scalp in a circular motion to stimulate your hair follicles, and then comb it through to coat the ends of your hair. Not only does this oil soften and moisturize, it also protects sensitive or damaged hair from harsh shampoo formulas. To remove oil from hair, wash with a gentle shampoo.

Using Proteins

Your hair is basically protein that extends out of your head - the same idea that makes your hair strong are what makes your muscles strong as well. Proteins work well as conditioners if your hair is damaged. You can find the best ones from mayonnaise and egg yolk. They make a huge mess, but they get the job done and leave your hair shiny and soft to boot.

"The [raw] egg is really the best of all worlds," says Janice Cox, author of Natural Beauty at Home. The yolk, rich in fats and proteins, is naturally moisturizing, while the white, which contains bacteria-eating enzymes, removes unwanted oils, she explains.

How to:

For normal hair, use the entire egg to condition hair; use egg whites only to treat oily hair; use egg yolks only to moisturize dry, brittle hair, Cox says. Use 1/2 cup of whichever egg mixture is appropriate for you and apply to clean, damp hair. If there isn't enough egg to coat scalp and hair, use more as needed. Leave on for 20 minutes, rinse with cool water (to prevent egg from "cooking") and shampoo hair. Whole egg and yolks-only treatments can be applied once a month; whites-only treatment can be applied every two weeks.

Using Acids

If your hair is already oily, then you may have more success using acids. You should definitely shy away from this as a solution if your hair is naturally dry, however. You can find the best acids from healthy foods such as lemon or apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar removes residue from product buildup and acts as a natural detangler. Used consistently, apple cider vinegar will revitalize hair, leaving it soft and smooth. Vinegar works by closing the cuticle of the hair, which causes light to reflect off of it making hair super shiny.

Plus, its easy.  Here's a simple recipe:

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

1 part apple cider vinegar
1 part water

How to:

Simply mix the apple cider vinegar and water together. After shampooing, pour the mixture into your hair. Alternatively, you can fill a spray bottle with the mixture and spritz hair and massage into scalp. Let the apple cider vinegar mixture set for 10 minutes then rinse thoroughly with water. Use this in place of conditioner. The apple cider vinegar will leave hair soft and smooth.

Using Honey

Honey is another active ingredient that may work very well as a conditioner in your hair. One recipe is to combine honey with your favorite oil mentioned above to give yourself a conditioning mask that is ultra creamy. Honey is one of the more innocuous ingredients here, but it is definitely great for your hair. It gives a good shine as well.

Whatever your hair-dehydrating demon—hard water, sun overexposure, your trusty flat iron—nature's sweetener can help. "Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and locks in moisture," says Cox.

How to:

Massage about a half cup of honey into clean, damp hair, let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Try adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive or argan oil to loosen the honey for easier application. For extremely sun-damaged hair, trying mixing honey with 1 to 2 tablespoons of a protein-rich ingredient, like avocado or egg yolk, which will help replenish the keratin protein bonds that UV rays attack.

Change Your Technique Based on Your Hair

You can safely apply the ingredients above with a bit of heat to get a deep conditioning treatment that works for hair that is extremely damaged or dry. You can also use a shower cap to help retain the moisture for a while if you have dry hair. Leave it on for 60 to 120 minutes to let the ingredients penetrate.

If you do not have two hours, try using a damp towel that you heat with hot water on top of your shower cap.

You can get rid of frizz using coconut oil or olive oil on your dry hair. If you follow a three day cycle of washing, you can put these ingredients in your hair on the third day if you need a bit of taming before the next day's wash.

Everyone's hair is different, so different methods of conditioning may work better for you than others. Have fun experimenting with green conditioning solutions until you find the best one for your unique hair style and texture.