Coconut fresh water on vintage plank
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Natural ingredients are often used when creating homemade hair care products to soften, moisturize and strengthen black hair, as well as to promote healthy hair growth. Because African American hair tends to be more fragile and prone to breakage, many people rely on natural and organic products to manage black hair instead of using products made with harsh chemicals. Experiment with oils, fruits and other ingredients commonly found in your home, or use some of the recipes below to get started creating your own natural hair care products for black hair.

Natural Ingredients

Use oils to create your own natural hair products. Coconut oil, olive oil and castor oil are often found in natural hot oil treatments, conditioners and hair moisturizers. Rosemary and lavender essential oils are also used in natural products to soften hair, stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss, according to HairInformation.Com.

Use foods such as bananas, cantaloupe, avocado, eggs, mayonnaise, honey, limes and yogurt to create natural hair conditioners for black hair. These ingredients soften and moisturize your hair—making it much more manageable. According to Black Women Beauty Central, eggs and avocado also encourage hair growth in African Americans.

Use ingredients such as Epsom salt, baking soda, aloe vera gel, liquid castile soap, apple cider vinegar and chamomile tea to create natural shampoos that make black hair softer and shinier as well as improve dry scalp and dandruff.

Natural Shampoo Recipes

Steep 6 organic chamomile tea bags in about 2 cups of boiling hot water for about 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and pour 4 tbsp. of pure soap flakes into the tea. Allow the soap flakes to soften completely. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. of pure vegetable glycerin into the tea. Mix the ingredients until they're thoroughly blended. After allowing the mixture to cool, use it to shampoo your hair as you normally would.

Fill a bottle or container with about 1/4 cup of warm water. Pour 1/4 cup of organic liquid castile soap into the bottle. Add 1/2 tsp. of an organic oil such as sunflower oil or olive oil to the bottle and shake well until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Use the mixture to shampoo your hair as you normally would.

Pour 1/4 cup of organic liquid castile soap into a bottle or container. Add 1/4 cup of organic aloe vera gel, 1 tsp. of pure vegetable glycerin and 1/4 tsp. of an organic oil such as avocado oil, sunflower oil or olive oil to the bottle. Shake the bottle well until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Use the mixture to shampoo your hair as you normally would.

Natural Conditioner Recipes

Pour a 1/2 cup of pure honey into a small container. Add 3 tsp. of olive oil, 1 tsp. of guar gum and 4 drops of essential rosemary oil to the container. Mix the ingredients well until they're thoroughly blended. Apply the mixture to damp hair, making sure to coat the hair completely. Cover your hair with a plastic cap or shower cap for about 30 minutes. Motown Girl recommends shampooing your hair lightly and rinsing thoroughly with cool water to remove the conditioner.

Peel one avocado and remove its pit. Mix 1 small jar of mayonnaise and 1/2 of the avocado inside a medium-sized bowl until the ingredients are well blended into a greenish color. Apply the mixture to your hair and cover with a plastic cap. Allow the mixture to penetrate your hair for about 20 minutes before rinsing it out with cool water.

Crack 2 eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Add a 1/2 cup of distilled or purified water into the bowl. Pour 1 tbsp. each of olive oil and vegetable glycerin and 1 tsp. of apple cider vinegar into the bowl. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Apply the mixture to freshly shampooed hair and cover with a plastic cap. Allow the mixture to penetrate your hair for about 20 minutes before rinsing it out.

Natural Hair Treatment Recipes

Pour 1/4 cup each of vitamin E oil and castor oil into a container. Add 15 drops each of rosemary and peppermint essential oil to the container and mix the ingredients well. Apply a small amount of the mixture to your hair often. According to Motown Girl, this mixture promotes hair growth.

Pour 4 cups of warm water into a bottle or container. Add 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice and 2 tsp. of pure honey to the bottle and mix thoroughly. Apply the mixture to freshly washed hair to add moisture and sheen to your hair.

Dissolve 1 tsp. of plain unflavored gelatin inside 1 cup of warm water. Pour the gelatin into a sealed container and place it in the refrigerator. Apply a small amount of the gelatin to your hair as a natural hair gel.