I have thick, curly hair which means I go through conditioner like crazy, and my hair is prone to frizz. I also have dark under eye circles (thanks, insomnia) but I hate the idea of spending a lot of money on cream. After doing some research I found some natural alternatives to hair conditioner/hand cream/eye cream that I've found work well. Keep in mind everyone is different in terms of hair texture and it may not work for everyone. I am using coconut oil+vitamin E oil for eye circles and coconut oil+ vitamin E oil+ raw cocoa butter for conditioner and hand cream (I use it to tame hair frizz too).
Coconut oil and cocoa butter both moisturize, protect hair from damage, strengthen hair strands. Coconut oil has shown to reduce dandruff in some people and promote scalp health. It can also lighten dark eye circles when used daily. Vitamin E oil increases hair shine, protects against damage, and stimulates hair growth (when applied at the scalp).
Vitamin E oil: I found at Walmart but you can search online!
Coconut oil: Make sure it's unrefined and cold-pressed so there's minimal processing. Again, I found it at Walmart but it's easily found online.
Tips: Never melt any of these in the microwave, it destroys a lot of the benefits. Coconut oil and cocoa butter tend to have a strong scent which is why I prefer to rinse them out of my hair. Also, less is more! If you're prone to oily scalp and skin you may want to find alternatives or simply use less. Keep in mind these will be solid at room temperature as well.
Eye Cream Instructions:
1)In a double boiler (or in a bowl over a small pot of simmering water), melt 1/4 cup of coconut oil slowly.
2) Once melted, remove from heat and add 10-15 drops of vitamin E oil, stir to combine. Pour in a small container (You can find small containers at your local store in the travel-size products section or you can use a leftover eye cream container like I did). Place in fridge to harden or allow to cool at room temperature
3) To use: Melt a very small piece (like 1/4 a pinky nail length, a little goes a long way!) in your fingers and gently massage under your eyes under absorbed.
Conditioner/Hand Cream Instructions:
1)Melt 1/2 cup each of cocoa butter and coconut oil in a double boiler (or a bowl over a small pot of simmering water). The coconut oil has a much lower melting point so you may want to start with the cocoa butter first.
2) Remove from heat and add 20 drops of vitamin E oil, stir to combine. Pour in a container (glass is better) and place in fridge to cool or allow to cool at room temperature
3) To use as a conditioner: After shampoo, melt a quarter-sized amount in your hands and work through you hair avoiding the roots. Allow to sit for a couple minutes. You may need to use a small amount of shampoo to get rid of the conditioner as it can leave hair greasy. You can also use this as a deep conditioning treatment: Melt the same amount in your hands (or more if your hair is very dry) from the roots to tips, leave on for 30 minutes and wash as normal. After washing and my hair is dry, I melt a tiny amount in my fingertips to tame frizz, avoiding the roots so it's not oily.
To use as a hand cream: Use as any other hand cream, but use less than what you think because it goes a long way. Can you use this as a general lotion? Definitely! All these ingredients work wonders for skin as well. I prefer not to due to the strong scent and I find them a bit oily for my liking.
Comments