Nicole Ezeh: 20 Easy & Simple Do-It-Yourself Deep Conditioner Recipes For All Hair Types

Do you have hard, dry, thirsty/parched hair? Does your hair lack that ‘soft’ feel when you touch it? Do you just shampoo and condition your hair on washdays? If yes, have you tried deep conditioning (DC)?

This 30-minute to two-hour process moisturizes and softens the hair wonderfully well. It doesn’t matter if you are relaxed, you should deep condition your hair at least biweekly to decrease your salon visits, increase your ‘stretch time’ and maintain healthy hair.

Deep conditioning treatments are done to re-moisturize the hair. The moisture loss may be due to daily activities or environmental conditions. The word ‘deep’ is added to the term because of it’s effectiveness and overall results. Conditioning after shampooing does not work as well as when you deep condition because of the absence of heat and less conditioning time. Deep conditioning weekly for naturals is ideal if you want soft/healthy hair that experiences little or no breakage and damage.

Store-bought deep conditioners are not 100% safe just like every branded product which is why it is advisable to make yours with ingredients from your kitchen. There are organic fruits, spices, butters and oils with amazing softening abilities which can be used as substitutes for branded deep conditioners to get the same or even better results so why waste your money on products made with cheap ingredients, a colourful tub or bottle and a bloated price which will do your hair more harm than good.

The problem? Many naturals do not have recipes to make their ‘concotions’. That will be hopefully addressed in this article. It should be your choice to deep condition before cleansing or on clean, damp hair. Deep condition with heat for 30 minutes, leave on for 15 more minutes and if you deep condition with body heat, leave for an hour or two. Never deep condition overnight. Theoretically speaking, deep conditioners do their jobs within the first few minutes of application. Heat is applied to further the effectiveness. Deep conditioning overnight causes breakage due to over-moisturized hair (Oh, it’s possible to over-moisturize). Monica (Moknowshair on youtube), gave a few adverse effects of deep conditioning overnight at her blog, curlyhairlounge.com.

In this article, I will be listing 20 deep conditioners you can make at home which cost so much less and are 100% safer than the branded ones. These are outlined so you don’t just stick to one but use different recipes weekly and know the ones which work for you and stick to them. Here are some recipes:

Disclaimer: You may have seen or read about some of these recipes. It does not belong to anyone. I mentioned where I read and saw each of them. The natural hair community was created to share tips with and help one another. It is not a book. There are no copyright laws regarding these recipes.

1. Fenugreek DC: This is an amazing deep conditioner which I picked up from Naptural85 on youtube. It is very easy to make and gives awesome results.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Aloe Vera Juice/Water (for Low porosity girls)
• 1 Ripe Banana
• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 1/4 Cup Fenugreek Powder

Put everything except the fenugreek powder into your blender and blend. Blend them thoroughly to avoid small chunks that may get caught in your hair. Add the fenugreek powder and blend some more. Use.

2. Avocado/Banana DC: This is a recipe gotten from CurlyPenny, a youtuber and it may be the simplest one yet.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 1 Ripe Banana
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Mash them together in the blender with a spoon to mix them well. Blend and Use.

3. Avocado/Coconut Milk DC: This is a recipe I picked up from a BBM channel post. It is super awesome and very simple too. Just buy a Coconut, shell it, cut into little pieces, blend in the blender with 4oz of water, press out the milk and use immediately. It is a protein treatment.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 4oz (1/2 cup) Coconut Milk

Blend it to a creamy texture and use. You can add your oils if you like.

4. Banana/Coconut Milk DC: This is a recipe from a youtuber, AlopeciafreewithJass. This is the same with it’s avocado counterpart except the obvious difference but I’ll mention the specific oils she used but you can use anything you have. It does not matter.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Banana
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
• A few drops of Argan, Tea tree, Jojoba, Rosehip and Lavender Oils
• 1 teaspoon Vegetable glycerin

Method #1: Blend the banana with an ounce of coconut milk. Add your oils, the remaining coconut milk, stir and use.

Method #2: If you have a strainer with tiny holes, you can blend the banana with one cup of water, strain, add the coconut milk and oils then use.

It’s too messy so I hack it by deep conditioning on dry hair using the first method before cleansing so that I can wash off the small chunks if they do remain after blending.

5. Avocado/Mayonnaise DC: This is something I also saw in a BBM channel post. I have not tried it because Mayonnaise and eggs do not condition my hair but if it works for you, try it out. It is a protein treatment.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 of a Ripe Avocado
• 2 tablespoons Coconut oil/Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Honey

Blend them together but mash the ingredients together in the blender with a spoon before blending so that it mixes well. Use.

6. Avocado/Banana/Egg DC: This is a recipe by JudithsNaturalHair, on YouTube. It is a protein treatment.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 1 Ripe Banana
• 1 Egg-yolk
• 4 tablespoons Honey
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil

Blend thoroughly and use. Mash with a spoon before blending. I’m stressing this so you don’t end up with particles in your hair. It will make your hair turn into a remix of Fat Joe’s ‘Make it Rain’ that week or even more. So be careful and blend thoroughly.

7. Avocado/Shea Butter DC: This was picked up from a BBM channel post and I confirmed how awesome avocado was with this deep conditioner. Melt the shea butter before measuring. It’s simple yet totally effective.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 oz Shea Butter
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Blend and Use.

8. Avocado/Egg DC: This recipe is also from a BBM channel post and is very easy. It is also a protein treatment.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 1 Egg-yolk
• 2 tablespoons of any oil of your choice

Blend and Use.

9. Aloe Vera Gel/Coconut Oil DC: This was a simple recipe I got from a BBM channel post. It is best for high porosity hair. If aloe vera does not dry out your low porosity hair, you can check it out if you like.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Aloe gel
• 2 oz Coconut oil

Whisk or Blend until they are thoroughly mixed. Use.

10. Mayonnaise DC: Also from a BBM channel post, this is a light protein treatment.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon Castor Oil/Jamaican Black Castor Oil
• 1 teaspoon Honey

Whisk/Mix well and Use.

11. Carrot/Banana DC: This is something I stumbled upon on a website. I haven’t tried it yet but here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 Medium-sized Carrot
• 1 Ripe Banana
• 2 tablespoons Creamy Yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Honey

Cut the carrot into small cubes and boil for 5-10 minutes or until it softens. Add the boiled carrot cubes and the other ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Use.

12. Chocolate/Yoghurt DC: I saw this on Pinterest. It’s a hair mask but it can also act as a deep conditioner.

Ingredients

• 4-6 oz Creamy Yoghurt
• 1-2 oz Raw Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Peppermint/Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Silver Bird for babies sold at pharmacies is eucalyptus oil. Tea tree oil or any mentholated essential oil will also do. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Use. Avoid the essential oils and substitute with honey if pregnant/asthmatic and if you have a low tolerance for menthol.

13. Banana Hair Mask: I got this recipe from an Indian youtuber. I can’t remember her username. This is a treatment I used when I was paranoid about hair fall/loss and I found that it softens the hair amazingly.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Banana
• 1 oz Methi (Fenugreek) Powder
• 1 oz Water

Blend the banana with water until smooth. Add the methi powder and blend some more. Use. It’s kinda gross but I’m more interested in results and it’s worth it. It works best on dry hair.

14. Conditioners/Oils DC: This is a recipe I picked up from India of My Natural Sistas (youtubers). It’s very simple and easy to make.

Ingredients

• 4 oz of your favourite silicone-free conditioner
• A tablespoon of each of your carrier oils
• 1 teaspoon Honey

Whisk/Mix well. Use

15. Banana/Coconut Oil DC: This is a recipe I got from Natural Neiicey, a youtuber. The way my coils pop with this deep conditioner is indescribable. Even my mom who scoffs at my entire hair regimen commented on it. You can use any oils you want but I’ll list the ones she used. It is best on dry hair because the banana chunks still remain no matter how much you blend.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Banana
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon Grapeseed Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Glycerin
• 1 teaspoon Honey

Blend until smooth. Use.

16. Banana/Conditioner DC: This is a recipe from another youtuber, AprilBee. This is my staple deep conditioner. It is amazing. You can use any oil(s) you want. I literally add ALL my oils. It does not matter. It works best on clean, damp hair. The banana chunks do not remain after blending.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Banana
• 2-3 oz silicone-free Conditioner
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 2 tablespoons Jojoba Oil
• 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Peppermint/Tea tree/Eucalyptus Essential Oil
• 1 teaspoon Honey

Blend until smooth. Use.

17. Mayonnaise/Yoghurt DC: I got this on a website. I’m not planning to use it because my hair hates Mayonnaise and Eggs. This is a protein treatment for those whose hair accept Mayonnaise.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Mayonnaise
• 2 oz Creamy Yoghurt
• 1 Egg

Whisk until smooth. Use.

18. Coconut Oil/Glycerin DC: This was a recipe I got from a BBM channel post. It’s for those days when you just can’t be bothered.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable Glycerin

Mix well. Use.

19. Banana/Mayonnaise DC: This is a recipe I got from a natural hair blog. The writer has 4c hair and she praised it so here it goes.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Banana
• 1 Egg
• 3 tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon Honey

Blend until smooth. Use.

And Last but not Least… *Drumroll Please*

20. Super Moisturizing DC: This is also from a natural hair blog and it looked sooo good, I cried when I saw Mayonnaise. It is a protein treatment.

Ingredients

• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 1 Ripe Banana
• 4 oz Coconut Milk
• 2 oz Mayonnaise
• 1 oz Honey

Blend until smooth. Use.

Useful Tips:

• Adjust the measurements according to your hair length. You can halve everything if you have short hair.
• Low porosity girls can warm up their deep conditioner in the microwave for 30 seconds or more before applying. If you don’t have a microwave, simply boil some water, put the bowl containing your deep conditioner in a pot. Add the hot water, cover the pot tightly and let it sit for about 10 minutes before use.
• Store any excess in the refrigerator if you like but it is advisable to only prepare an amount enough for one use (some of these ingredients are perishables).

I hope you benefit from these simple recipes. Like I said, use the oils you have; it does NOT matter. The tricky part when it comes to deep conditioning is that your hair may actually accept what it’s supposed to hate as regards porosity type. I got to understand why Mayonnaise and Eggs did not condition my hair after I read up on porosity but they still condition some low porosity hair.

Add your concotions below, please. I’m still looking for more options to try. Have a blissful hair journey. See you in the next one. Peace and blessings!

Photo Credits: Dreamstime