Revive your hair with your own DIY haircare treatments

Pixie crop, mermaid locks, frizzy curls or thick tangly mess. Whatever way your hair rolls, I have the solution for you to tame the mane.

Shop-bought hair products can be really expensive and more often than not they are full of silicones. While silicone originates from a natural source, it undergoes extensive chemical processing that leaves a big ecological footprint and makes the end ingredient synthetic. unless you have time to read every single label top to bottom and know what every ingredient is, buying from a shop can be really hard work and incredibly frustrating. So why not make them yourself with my super easy recipes?

Coconut and orange shampoo (for normal hair)

Coconut is the perfect moisturiser and will leave your hair silky smooth, while the orange essential oil makes you smell good enough to eat. Who doesn't want that?

Makes about 120ml (enough for about 4 washes, depending on the length of your hair)

Ingredients

• 60ml coconut milk
• canned 60ml liquid Castile soap
• 20 drops orange essential oil
• ½ teaspoon olive or nut oil (optional, for dry hair)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a recycled shampoo bottle or an airtight container or screwtop jar.
2. Shake well to mix.
3. This is fine to store in your shower for up to a month, just remember to shake well before every use.

Coconut conditioner

This gorgeous conditioner will leave your hair double smooth.

First use pure coconut oil to moisturise and condition, then follow though with the 50:50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water as a rinse to really clean your hair and help with scalp problems such as dandruff. The acid removes any excess oil from your hair and increases its shine. Try using it once a week or so.

Makes one application

Ingredients

• 1–2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 60ml raw apple cider vinegar
• 60ml water
• 10 drops essential oil: sage (for normal hair), tea tree (for oily hair), or lavender (for dandruff)

Method

1. Make sure the coconut oil is liquid – place in a warm place to melt if need be. Put the vinegar, water and essential oil in an airtight container or screw top jar. Shake well to mix.
2. You can make a larger quantity of the vinegar rinse and keep it in your shower for up to a month – just remember to shake well before every use.
3. Start by rubbing the coconut oil into the ends of your hair and leave for a minute. Rinse thoroughly in warm water. Pour the vinegar mix through your hair and rinse thoroughly.

Detangler

Memories of being pinned down as a small girl wriggling and whinging as my hair would be brushed after it was washed. It was and still is to this day knotty. Wish mum had this to hand back then. May have made for easier bath times.

Makes 200ml

Ingredients

• 200ml distilled water
• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
• 6–8 drops lavender essential oil

Method

1. Using a small funnel, pour the vinegar and essential oil into a recycled shampoo bottle. Add the water, screw on the lid, shake and use as necessary by spraying into the ends of your hair and combing through.
2. Store in your bathroom for up to a year.

Salt spray

Perfect for that ‘just been for my morning swim’ look, without the nasty chemicals. This will work wonders for adding texture and curl to your hair. Spray and scrunch on towel-dried hair for best results. This is a great way to achieve a styled look without the chemicals.

Makes 250ml

Ingredients

• 250ml hot (not boiling) water
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or argan oil

Method

1. Mix the ingredients together and pour into a spray bottle.
2. Shake well before each use.
3. This will keep for up to three months.

Head over to our sister website Gathered.how to learn how to make bath bombs.