This post is part of a series about natural beauty and skin care. Other posts in this series:

• Natural beauty treatments
• Natural beauty treatment ingredients
• Natural hand and nail care
• Natural hair care treatments (current page)
• Natural body care treatments
• Natural skin care recipes

Keeping our hair looking its best is a top priority for many of us. Since you’re reading this post, you’re probably already avoiding or minimizing the use of chemicals for hair care. Perming, heat styling, coloring etc can do a serious number on the health of your hair. By using all-natural treatments on our hair, we can make it fuller, shinier and healthier.

Natural Hair Care Treatments

Easy natural shampoo

If you’re looking for a safe and natural way to clean your hair, give baking soda a try. Just wet your hair thoroughly, pour a little baking soda into your hand, and work it through as you would regular shampoo. Rinse thoroughly.

Many people swear by apple cider vinegar as a treatment for the hair. Use a little of it on the scalp as a shampoo, rinsing thoroughly (the smell will go away when your hair dries). You might want to keep a spray bottle of diluted ACV in your shower for this purpose. It even serves as a natural conditioner!

Note: The “no poo” method, as this is commonly referred to, may not work well for you if your hair is coarse and wavy or curly. It doesn’t work for me. I do best with “poo lite”, meaning I wash my hair (with a natural shampoo) only every 4-5 days. Inbetween times I rinse well with warm water and apply conditioner. Sometimes I “shampoo” my hair with conditioner as well. Don’t feel bad if no poo doesn’t work for your hair type.

Easy natural conditioner

Those with dry, frizzy or damaged hair need to condition it regularly. An easy way to do so is with coconut oil. Just apply after shampooing and rinse out. Coconut oil is amazing for the hair because it absorbs quickly and deeply and its antifungal properties help cure dandruff.

Deep conditioning your hair can be just as simple. Mashed ripe (brown) bananas make a wonderful deep conditioner. Apply them to the hair, cover with a shower cap, leave on for 20 minutes and wash out. Your hair will feel and smell wonderful. You can do the same with ripe avocados (which you’ve probably noticed is an ingredient in some hair conditioning products).

Here are some more hair care recipes.

Herbal Shampoo

* 2 cups distilled water
* 1/2 oz. fresh sage
* 4 oz. castile soap

Boil the distilled water, add herbs and remove from heat. Let stand for 30 to 40 minutes, then strain. Add castile soap and water to a plastic bottle and shake to mix. Use only a tiny amount for shampooing.

Egg Yolk Conditioner

* 1 egg yolk
* 1 tsp. almond oil
* 1 cup water

Beat egg yolk until frothy. Beat in almond oil. Mix in water. Apply to the hair and scalp, then wash out. Use immediately.

Egg Shine Treatment

* 2 eggs
* 1 tbsp. milk (use raw unpasteurized milk from grass fed cows)

Beat eggs and stir in milk. Apply mixture to hair and leave for 5 minutes. Rinse in cool water with a small amount of vinegar added. Use immediately.

Vinegar Shine Treatment

* 1 cup water
* 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
* Juice of half a lemon

Mix ingredients together. Pour on freshly washed hair, and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Vinegar Dandruff Treatment

* 3 cups water
* 1 cup apple cider vinegar

Mix vinegar and water. Apply to the scalp at bedtime and put on a shower cap. Leave on overnight. Rinse hair with the same solution in the morning. Continue until dandruff is gone.

Dry Scalp Treatment

* 4 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
* 2 cups aloe vera gel
* 1 tsp. Vitamin E oil

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend at low speed until thoroughly mixed. Apply to scalp and hair after washing and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse.

Natural Hairspray

* 2 cups water
* Juice of one lemon or orange

Combine water and juice in a saucepan. Boil. Cool the mixture and strain if necessary. Pour into a spray bottle and use for styling.