18 Natural Hair Treatments You Can DIY at Home

If you've noticed your hair is feeling limp lately, there's a chance there's too much product buildup in your hair, but don't fret. With this natural product remover, you can bring life back to your hair.

To use: Combine rosemary oil with apple cider vinegar and rinse. The natural treatment will "bring out all of the dirt and build up in your hair and braids," Nigerian American celebrity hairstylist Susan Oludele, founder of Hair by Susy, tells Woman's Day.

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Granted, this particular DIY hair treatment does involve using a regular deep conditioner, but the additional ingredients it's made with will have you feeling like you just left the salon.

To use: Pour some of your deep conditioner into a blender and add mayonnaise, coconut oil, honey, olive oil, and castor oil, Oludele suggests. Apply on damp hair and wash with lukewarm water. "This is good to give your natural hair protein and leave your hair feeling good and natural," she says. "And then you can use tea tree oil to moisturize."

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Rice water can make your hair healthier and even more beautiful, says Ilda Plaka, master stylist at Salon Ziba NYC, thanks to the starchy water that's left after you remove the grain. "It contains many vitamins: vitamin E, amino acid, B vitamins, and minerals," Plaka tells Woman's Day. "It helps hair to be stronger, smoother, and shinier."

To use: Measure one cup of uncooked rice and rinse it thoroughly. Then, pour in 3–4 cups of water and let sit for 30 minutes. When time's up, strain the water into a clean spray bottle. Wash your hair with the same shampoo you always do and rinse, Plaka explains. Then, spray your hair and scalp with the rice water and massage. Leave it in for 20 minutes, rinse, and you're done. You don't need to use conditioner.

"Yogurt contains lactic acid, which typically hydrates hair, preventing frizz and adding moisture," Giovanni Vaccaro, founding member and artistic director of Glamsquad, tells Woman's Day. And the best part about this mask? You can mix in any other ingredients, based on what you want to achieve with your haircare. "If you want shine and strength, mix in avocados," he says. "If you want a PH balance, I like squeezing in lemons and limes. For ultimate shine, I like mixing in a light organic oil, like safflower seed or sunflower seed oil."

To use: Once you mix the yogurt with whatever ingredients your heart desires, leave the mask in your hair for 15–20 min and then rinse, Vaccaro says.

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"This mask is loaded with fatty acids to strengthen hair and antioxidants to help fight off free radicals and impurities," Vaccaro says, adding that it helps especially with over-processed and damaged hair. Not to mention, you probably have all of the ingredients you need to make this mask right now.

To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with half an avocado and a tablespoon of oil. Apply and rinse after 20 minutes.

Coconut oil is one of the most versatile products on the planet: You can use it to cook, clean, and condition your hair. According to Healthline, lauric acid allows coconut oil to be more easily absorbed into the hair shaft, making it a top choice for reducing protein loss from sun exposure or chemical treatment.

And if your hair gets flaky as soon as the weather drops, you're going to want to give this mask a try. "It will exfoliate and moisturize your scalp while smelling delicious," Vaccaro says.

To use: For a coconut oil hair mask, mix 1 tablespoon of raw coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of raw sugar, and 6 drops of peppermint oil. Then, massage the mask into your scalp for 5 minutes and rinse.

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Some of us need tea to get the day started and bring us back to life, and as it just so happens, it can have the same effect on your hair. If you've noticed your dark hair has been looking a bit dull lately, black tea may enhance the color and add a temporary shine, according to Healthline. If you're already a tea drinker, then this at-home remedy is going to be super simple to add to your routine. And even if you're not, it's still pretty darn easy. Bonus: Black tea has also been known to help with curl loss.

To use: Brew some black tea and let it sit until it's cooled off. Pour the tea onto your hair and let it sit for 10 minutes. Wash the tea out and enjoy your shiny hair.

We all know butter is rich and creamy, but as it turns out, it can add softness to your hair as well. The treatment is inspired by a long-standing practice in Ethiopia where people use butter to moisturize their hair and protect it from sun damage, according to Daily Mail. For those with curly hair, using butter is a great way to add moisture and shine, according to NaturallyCurly.

To use: Take a few spoonfuls of room-temperature butter and rub it into your hair. Cover your head with a shower cap and let it sit for up to an hour. Then wash your hair as you normally would.

It's no secret that bananas are good for us — they're nutrient-packed and high in potassium, which helps regulate our bodies. And all of those great benefits help make bananas an amazing choice for hair masks. According to Healthline, bananas contain the mineral silica. The mineral helps your body synthesize collagen, which can make your hair stronger and thicker. A banana hair mask can also reportedly moisturize your hair and help relieve a dry, itchy scalp.

To use: Blend together two ripe bananas and half a cup of coconut milk. Coat your hair in the mixture and let it sit for 30 minutes, then wash the mask out of your hair.

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

To use: For normal hair, use the entire egg to condition hair. Use egg whites only to treat oily hair. And use egg yolks only to moisturize dry, brittle hair, Cox says. Blend about 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, while whites-only treatment can be applied every two weeks, Cox says.

Anything from harsh styling products to air pollution can zap moisture and dull shine — but dairy products like sour cream can help to reverse this damage. "Lactic acid gently strips away dirt while the milk fat moisturizes," Lisa Belkin, author of The Cosmetics Cookbook, tells Woman's Day. While this mask can work for all hair types, the protein in the yogurt is especially great for enhancing natural curls.

To use: Massage 1/2 cup sour cream into damp hair and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, followed by cool water, then shampoo hair as you normally would. Treatment can be applied every other week.

To fight winter dryness, try a lemon juice and olive oil mixture in your hair. "The acidity in lemon juice helps rid your scalp of any loose, dry flakes of skin, while the olive oil moisturizes the [newly exposed] skin on your head," Cox says.

To use: Mix 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, and 2 Tbsp water, and massage into damp scalp. Let mixture sit for 20 minutes, then rinse and shampoo hair. Treatment can be applied every other week.

To add body to hair, reach for an unlikely beauty beverage: beer. The fermented drink contains generous supplies of yeast and B vitamins, which works to plump tired strands, Cox explains.

To use: Mix 1/2 cup flat beer (pour beer into a container and let it sit out for a couple of hours to deplete carbonation) with 1 tsp light oil (sunflower or canola), and a raw egg. Apply to clean, damp hair, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water. Or, add flat beer only to a spray bottle and spritz onto dry hair. "When the liquid evaporates, the remaining protein residue (from the wheat, malt, or hops) continues to strengthen and structure hair," Belkin says. Treatments can be applied every other week.

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Whatever your hair-dehydrating demon is — hard water, sun overexposure, or your trusty flat iron — nature's sweetener can help. "Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and locks in moisture," Cox says. While this honey mask may seem like a bit of a sticky situation, it works well on all hair types.

To use: Massage approximately 1/2 cup honey into clean, damp hair, let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. You can also add 1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil to loosen the honey for easier application. For extremely sun-damaged hair, trying mixing honey with 1 to 2 Tbsp of a protein-rich ingredient, like avocado or egg yolk, which will help replenish the keratin protein bonds that UV rays attack. Treatment can be applied once a month.

"Used properly, [cornmeal or cornstarch] is an inexpensive way to remove oil and grease," Belkin says. Plus, corn meal is a great source of iron, which helps generate the growth of hair cells.

To use: Pour 1 Tbsp cornmeal or cornstarch into an empty salt or pepper shaker and sprinkle onto dry hair and scalp until you've used it all. After 10 minutes, use a paddle hairbrush to completely brush it out. Treatment can be applied every other day.

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Use this shine-enhancing hair mask from Tata Harper, the founder of Tata Harper Skincare, to repair dry and dull hair during the winter months. The apple cider vinegar helps to remove product buildup that dulls hair and vitamin E-rich argan oil nourishes and softens unruly strands. Apple cider vinegar also helps to de-frizz hair, according to NaturAll, making this a great choice for those with more texture.

To use: In a blender, combine 1/2 avocado, 2 Tbsp argan oil, 10 drops of rosemary essential oil, and 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar, and pulse together. Work the mask through dry hair from roots to tips (if your hair's oily, skip your scalp). Clip hair in place and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse and cleanse with shampoo. Do this at least once a month.

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Rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, biotin, and vitamins A and E, avocados boast the best combination of nutrients for smoothing and weighing down unruly hair, Cox explains.

To use: Mash up half an avocado and massage into clean, damp hair. Let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing with water. Amp up moisturizing power by combining mashed avocado with 1 to 2 Tbsp of a hydrating ingredient, like sour cream, egg yolks, or mayonnaise. Treatment can be applied every two weeks.

Sodium bicarbonate essentially breaks acids to remove excess oil and restore shine, Cox says. Overuse of baking soda, however, can lead to excessive dryness, so those with already dry hair should use sparingly.

To use: Mix 1 to 2 Tbsp baking soda with small amounts of water until a thick paste forms. Massage into damp hair and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with water, then shampoo hair. Treatment can be applied every two weeks.