Moisturizing Hair Care Recipes: DIY Hair Oil and Hair Mask

Moisturizing Homemade Hair Care

Dry, damaged or frizzy hair? These hair care recipes are just what your hair ordered! Learn how to make your own natural recipes for everyday hair care to smooth, hydrate and moisturize those parched strands. My easy beauty recipes are super effective at nourishing hair and restoring lost moisture. They also add shine and help strengthen your locks.

To assist with your hair care routine, I created two hydrating hair care recipes. The first is a hair oil recipe for dry hair. This DIY hair oil is suitable for daily use to control frizz and add shine. It also moisturizes hair to help repair damage caused by heat products, pool chlorine and exposure to the elements.

For deep conditioning for heavily damaged, dry or brittle hair, I’ve also included a recipe for making a homemade moisturizing hair mask recipe. This DIY hair mask offers intense conditioning and can be used on a weekly or monthly basis depending on your hair care needs.

Carrier Oils Used to Make Hair Care Products

There are a number of carrier oils for hair that can be used to make homemade hair oil. Below, I outline the oils commonly used to make homemade hair oil along with their benefits:

Oils for Hair Health

• Argan Oil: Argan oil is one of the most popular carrier oils for hair. It’s high in fatty acids and is very moisturizing for dry hair, but it’s not too oily for normal to oily hair. Argan oil is good to use in a deep conditioner, hair serum, shampoo, or conditioner.
• Jojoba Oil: Jojoba oil is actually a liquid wax and not an oil, but it’s commonly one of the best oils for hair health. Jojoba oil doesn’t penetrate the shaft of the hair, so it sits on top. It helps smooth hair and prevent frizz. It makes an excellent hair serum or leave-in conditioner.
• Camellia Seed Oil: Camellia seed oil is high in Vitamins A and E and squalene. It softens hair and smooths the outer layer to prevent frizz. It’s good for a hot oil treatment, shampoo, hair mask, or hair serum.

Hair Oil for Growth

• Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is excellent for very dry or damaged hair, and it can protect the hair from breakage. It can penetrate the shaft of the hair to make hair stronger and prevent breakage. Coconut oil is often used alone as a pre-wash treatment or hair mask. You can buy both regular coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, as well as fractionated coconut oil, which is always liquid.
• Castor Oil: Castor oil is one of the best carrier oils for hair. It’s a thick oil that coats the hair to make hair appear thicker and fuller. It’s often used in deep conditioning treatments, hair masks and in shampoos. This ingredient is perfect for a hair mask recipe for hair growth.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil is a popular carrier oil for hair because it’s inexpensive and easy to find. It contains natural antioxidants to prevent hair loss caused by free radicals. It’s often used as a hot oil treatment, serum or in shampoos.

Carrier Oils Use to Make Hair Oil

Both of my natural hair care recipes I’m sharing today are made using carrier oils for hair care. Specifically, I use coconut oil, hemp seed oil, and neem oil for their beneficial properties in hair care. Following you’ll find more information on these ingredients and how they work to promote hair health when used in a hair oil recipe.

• Coconut oil works beautifully as a hair conditioner and helps to prevent breakage as well as keep hair looking soft and shiny. The fatty acids in coconut oil are also helpful in preventing dandruff. And coconut oil is also believed to help prevent hair loss and premature greying.
• Hemp seed oil contains gamma-linoleic acid which contributes to keratin formation. This helps to make hair stronger and healthier, improving the overall condition of your hair. The natural lipids, vitamin E and fatty acids found in hemp seed oil help to improve hair’s elasticity, volume and shine while also protecting hair from moisture loss. Because hemp seed oil is a dry oil, it doesn’t leave hair feeling greasy or weighed down.
• Neem oil is wonderful at helping to prevent dandruff, eczema and other irritating scalp conditions. It also helps to prevent hair loss and promotes hair growth. This oil is derived from the fruits and seeds of the neem tree rather than neem leaves, like many other carrier oils.

The other carrier oils included in my moisturizing hair care recipes I’ve left up to you. My favorite choices are argan, jojoba and macadamia nut oils. All of these oils help to strengthen hair’s elasticity, maintain moisture, soften tresses, increase shine and tackle tough frizz. Simply choose your favorite based on the additional benefits they offer.

How Does Hair Oil Benefit Hair and Scalp?

Hair oil has many benefits for your hair and scalp. Of course, the benefits of your homemade hair oil depends on the carrier oils you choose to use in the formulation. Overall, however, you’ll enjoy the following benefits for your hair and scalp when using this type of beauty product.

• The carrier oils used to make hair oil contain natural emollients that soften and condition hair.
• Using hair oil topically on hair smooths the hair cuticle so hair is smoother and has reduced frizz.
• Homemade hair oils add luster and shine. For curly hair, they also help to define curl patterns.
• Using DIY hair oil on your locks creates a temporary barrier on the surface of the hair to protect it from pollution, dust and styling products.
• Some carrier oils found in hair oil recipes reduce hair’s porosity, which helps to prevent damage and breakage.
• Hair oil penetrates the hair shaft to block water from entering. When water enters hair it can make it frizzy or dull. Therefore, using a homemade hair oil can smooth frizz and increase shine.
• Certain carrier oils used to make a hair oil recipe for dry hair soothe scalp irritation and can reduce flakes on your scalp.
• The carrier oils found in this type of product contain vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and antioxidants that can nourish your scalp.

Hair Oil Recipe for Dry Hair

This DIY hair oil is ideal for dry or damaged hair. In addition to the moisturizing carrier oils in this hair care recipe, I also added rosemary essential oil to the formulation. Rosemary oil lends additional properties to this hair oil recipe. It helps to stimulate hair growth to get hair to grow faster by increasing circulation in the scalp. In addition, rosemary oil also helps to cleanse hair, alleviate dry scalp and dandruff, and increase shine.

This hair oil recipe for dry hair yields about 1 oz. of product and will fit inside a 1 oz. glass bottle or plastic container. A little goes a long way! Therefore, this beauty product should last you some time. You only need a few drops on the ends in most cases.

Homemade Hair Oil Ingredients:

These are the ingredients necessary to make my moisturizing hair oil for dry hair:

• .25 oz. refined or virgin coconut oil
• .45 oz. hemp seed oil
• .3 oz. macadamia nut, argan or jojoba oil
• .05 oz. 100% neem oil
• 12 drops rosemary essential oil
• 3 drops rosemary antioxidant extract, optional

How to Make Hair Oil

Once you’ve gathered the ingredients needed for this DIY beauty project, here is how to make hair oil with coconut oil for dry hair:

1. Using a digital scale weigh out the coconut oil into a small glass Pyrex measuring cup. Heat briefly in the microwave just until melted. Alternately, you can also melt the coconut oil over low heat in a double boiler on the stovetop.

2. Next, weigh out the other carrier oils and stir into the hair oil mixture.

3. Using a dropper or transfer pipette add the rosemary essential oil. If desired, you will also add the rosemary extract at this time.

TIP: I recommend the rosemary extract to help lengthen the shelf life of the hemp seed oil. Otherwise you can keep this hair oil recipe for dry hair refrigerated to further extend the shelf life during storage.

TIP: If you’re not a fan of rosemary essential oil you can substitute this essential oil with one of your favorite essential oils based on your hair type. Lavender essential oil, rosemary, lemon, geranium, cedarwood oil, thyme and clary sage essential oils are suitable for normal hair.

While lavender, rosemary, sandalwood and geranium essential oils are great for dry hair. If you have oily hair, try lavender, rosemary, lemon, peppermint oil, tea tree oil and cypress essential oils. You can learn more about the best essential oils for hair for here, including how to dilute them in a carrier oil for use.

How to Use DIY Hair Oil

To use this DIY hair oil blend, simply pour a small amount of the cooled oil into the palm of your hand then rub your hands together. I recommend starting with a few drops until you’ve determined how much of the product you will need.

Apply the hair oil for dry hair to the ends of your hair first. Then lightly rub your hands over the rest of your hair and massage in.

As this homemade hair oil recipe for dry hair is a leave on product, there’s not need to rinse or towel off the formula after application.

You can also try this hair oil recipe for dry hair on beards as a natural beard oil for men!

Variations and Optional Ingredients

I was inspired to create this particular hair oil recipe for dry hair after sampling the Obliphica Treatment Hair Serum. While my recipe doesn’t have sea buckthorn fruit in it, you can add 5-10 drops of sea buckthorn oil to the formulation if you like. I loved that this added shine and tamed frizz without weighing my hair down or making it look greasy.

Want to make a DIY hair growth oil? You can find a recipe for a homemade hair growth oil here.

Moisturizing Hair Mask Recipe for Dry Hair

If your hair is super damaged from winter weather or pool chlorine, dependent on the time of year of course, then you’ll also want to try my moisturizing hair mask recipe for dry hair. In addition to the oils used in my hair oil recipe for dry hair, this DIY hair formula also contains cocoa butter for its superior moisturizing properties. It is also effective at relieving the symptoms of a dry, itchy scalp.

Homemade Hair Mask Ingredients:

The ingredients used to make this moisturizing hair mask are the same as the ones used to make my moisturizing, homemade hair oil with coconut oil. The only differences are in the quantities used for each ingredient and the addition of cocoa butter.

Here’s what you’ll need to make a DIY hair mask for dry hair:

• .5 oz. refined or virgin coconut oil
• .25 oz. macadamia nut, argan or jojoba oil
• .25 oz. hemp seed oil
• .1 oz. 100% neem oil
• .4 oz. cocoa butter
• 18 drops rosemary essential oil
• 6 drops rosemary antioxidant extract, optional

How to Make a Hair Mask for Dry Hair

Here is how to create this hair mask recipe for dry hair:

1. Use a digital scale to weigh out the cocoa butter. Melt in the cocoa butter in the microwave at reduced power or in a double boiler, until melted.

2. Now weigh out the carrier oils. Mix them into the melted cocoa butter.

3. Then, use a dropper or transfer pipette to add the essential oil and rosemary extract.

4. Next, pour the moisturizing hair mask into a container of your choice. Then allow the hair mask to thicken. Once thickened, the product is ready for use.

TIP: You can pop this mask in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.

How to Use a Hair Mask for Hair Care

To use this product, apply the hair mask evenly to hair concentrating on the ends first, much in the same way as my hair oil for dry hair. Then work your way up.

Leave the hair mask in your hair for 10 minutes up to overnight. You can cover with a shower cap to keep your clothing for soiling.

After the desired amount of time has passed, shampoo and condition your hair as usual to remove the hair mask and any remaining residue.

If you’d like a longer lasting hair mask for your hair care routine, try this herbal hair conditioner recipe. It works similarly to a DIY hair mask to condition and strengthen hair. However, it doesn’t need to be used as often and provides a number of additional benefits for hair health.

For more moisturizing hair care recipes like my hair mask and hair oil for dry hair, be sure to also try my winter mint moisturizing hair mask recipe as well as my natural hair mask recipe for dry hair formulated with shea butter, avocado and coconut oils. Or find more hair mask recipes here to employ as part of your hair care routine.

For more moisturizing hair care recipes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest for collections of my favorite bath and beauty recipes from around the web. You can also discover new recipes for hair care, along with my other skin care and beauty recipes, by following me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.