Homemade Hair Treatment

Homemade Hair Care

We've all had bad-hair days. Home-craft expert Kathi Cardinalli shows how to use items from the kitchen to make natural hair-care products.

Hot-Oil Treatment
To make a hot-oil treatment for dry hair, place 1/4 cup of canola oil in a glass measuring cup. Place the cup in a bowl of hot water, and allow the oil to warm. Canola oil is a good choice because it contains no added ingredients or fragrances.

Natural Hairspray
To make a natural hairspray, combine 2 cups water with the juice of one lemon, one orange, or two limes in a saucepan. Simmer until it comes to a boil. Cool and strain the mixture. Pour into a spray bottle. It can be used on wet hair to add body or applied to dry hair. The lemon will not significantly lighten hair.
Cleansing Rinses

1. To remove shampoo residue, combine 1 cup vinegar and a couple of tablespoons dried rosemary. Simmer the mixture and stir, crushing the rosemary on the side of pan to release the fragrance. Strain and cool the mixture before using. Apply to hair after shampooing.

For light or blond hair, combine 2 cups water with 1/4 cup lemon-juice concentrate. Apply to hair for 10 minutes, then rinse.

For dark hair, combine 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons apple cider and 1 teaspoon oil of cloves.
Dry-Scalp Treatment
To improve dry scalp and dull-looking hair, mix the following ingredients in a blender: 4 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar, 2 cups aloe vera gel and 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil. Blend at low speed. Apply to wet hair.
Oily-Hair Treatment
Massage finely grated carrots into wet hair for 15 minutes before rinsing.

Dry-Hair Treatment
Massage mashed avocado into wet hair for 15 minutes before rinsing.

Normal-Hair Treatment
Massage mashed cucumber into wet hair for 15 minutes before rinsing.