The Best DIY Hair Masks For Afro Hair

11 Natural-Hair Experts Share the Homemade Hair Masks That They Are Loving in Lockdown

Oct 31 2020 by Kara Kia

One beautiful thing about staying indoors is having the time to experiment and try new things with your hair. Cardi B is a huge believer in DIY beauty, as the "WAP" rapper shared her own homemade natural hair mask that went bonkers on social media. The success of Cardi's hair mask inspired us to investigate what other hair masks and treatments Black beauty experts are using to keep their curls, coils, and kinks in top shape — and we spoke to nine beauty pros to find out the absolute best homemade remedies for textured hair.

Speaking with the nine editors and hairstylists ahead, we realised that there are a few oils and products that seem to be universally beneficial for various different curl textures. When it comes to oils, olive oil and castor oil are the best for moisture and growth. If you fancy curl definition, then we'd recommend trying macadamia oil. And for a dry and irritated scalp, lavender oil was a surprising find. If growth is your main interest, then a rice-water protein treatment has been recommended by numerous hairstylists and beauty pros. And for supremely nourished strands, honey is the humectant that you've got to try mixing into your treatments for a delicious moisture boost.

Ahead, check out the homemade remedies that nine Black hair experts swear by for strong, healthy, and beautiful hair.

Image Source: Instagram user natashaleeds

Frédérique Harrel Uses Rice Water For Hair Growth

"As a pretreatment before washing my hair, I mix some water with different oils as a pre-poo. And in quarantine, during COVID, I've loved the rice-water mask. I put rice in water and then olive oil, and then the day after, I use it as a pre-poo and rinse with it. You can't do it too much, so I'm wary of that, but It's a very strong protein treatment and some people have sworn by it for hair growth." — Frédérique Harrel, style influencer and founder of RadSwan

Natasha Lee-Duhaney Uses Honey For Boosting Moisture

"Like many curly gals, I am constantly trying to retain moisture. Honey is a humectant, which means it helps to restore moisture, so a DIY honey mask is my go-to for breathing some softness, shine, and moisture back into my strands. The texture of honey is very thick and sticky, so to help with the application process I mix the honey with some cold-pressed olive oil or coconut oil, and then I massage the mixture into my scalp and work from my roots to the tips of my hair. Then, I allow the mixture to sit on my hair for 20-30 minutes under a shower cap. Bonus tip: I also add honey to deep-conditioning treatments that don't have honey in their ingredients. This helps bump up the moisture factor of the product!" — Natasha Lee-Duhaney, lifestyle influencer

Charlotte Mensah Uses Manketti Oil For Healthy Edges

"For my hair type I need more butters and creams. I use a few drops of the Manketti Hair Oil with the pomade, and I've been using it for about two years. I put it on my edges, on my hair, and my scalp, it just really nourishes it. It's like a food, it goes really deep into the hair shaft, and it really penetrates and softens, but it doesn't have this greasy feel. So, I like the mixture of two products, the oil and the Manketti oil pomade is my favourite." — Charlotte Mensah, hairstylist, owner of the Hair Lounge salon, and founder of her eponymous hair-care line

Ava Welsing-Kitcher Uses Apple Cider Vinegar For Banishing Buildup

"I've experimented with so many DIY recipes over the years, and I've finally whittled it down to one foolproof concoction. Take an avocado that's on its way out (if it's perfectly ripe, eat it!), a big spoonful of honey, a shot of apple cider vinegar with 'The Mother', and an egg. Blitz it all in the blender, apply to dry hair and leave for an hour with a shower cap to lock in the moisture. Rinse out with lukewarm water first — any hotter and the egg will cook in your hair — then shampoo out with warm water. The avocado delivers fatty oils to nourish dry hair, the egg provides protein and omega 3 for repair and elasticity, the vinegar clarifies the scalp and strands, and the honey gives some lightweight moisture." — Ava Welsing-Kitcher, freelance beauty journalist

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Dr Ateh Jewel Uses Lavender Oil For Calming Irritation

"I love to make DIY hair masks and leave-in conditioners by whipping up some shea butter and jojoba oil with a few drops of lavender essential oil, which is great at helping to calm the scalp, to help hydrate, and nourish my coils." — Dr Ateh Jewel, journalist, diversity activist, and beauty entrepreneur (you can still pick up her The Glow Box at Space NK while supplies last!)

Nateisha Scott Uses Castor Oil, Olive Oil, and Shea For Protective Styles

"As I wear my hair in a protective hairstyle underneath my wigs it is extremely important for me to utilise the LOC method as well as take advantage of my leave-on hydrating mask. So after towel-drying and applying my base product, which is the Luxju Nourishing Hair Creme, I will take one tablespoon of Jamaican Black Castor Oil, one tablespoon of ORS Olive Oil Fortifying Crème, and one tablespoon of Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Edge Treatment before coating my hair and cornrowing it — locking in the mask. I will then spray Charlotte Mensah's Manketti Oil Finishing Mist and set everything in my silk bonnet." — Nateisha Scott, contributing writer at POPSUGAR

Kara Kia Uses Macadamia Oil For Curl Definition

"Oils are my best friend — especially olive and macadamia oils. As a deep treatment, I add a few drops of macadamia oil to Africa's Best Organics Hair Mayonnaise. Then, I cover my hair in a shower cap and use my bonnet hair dryer for about 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat setting for a deep treatment. I find that the added macadamia oil works best on my hair type for curl definition." — Kara Kia, assistant editor at POPSUGAR

Mimi Koné Uses Castor Oil For Dry Scalp

"A recipe I use at the salon for clients that come in with really dry hair: we start with oiling the scalp with castor oil, then shampoo and conditioner using KeraCare. As a mask, I will mix KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner with Affirm MoisturRight Hair Repair Masque and Olaplex to create a lush combination. You will have amazing, smooth, soft hair instantly!" — Mimi Koné, hairstylist and owner of the Mimi et Mina salon

Keeks Reid Uses Olive Oil and Castor Oil For Moisture and Growth

"I've used an olive oil and castor oil prewash mask on a few occasions, especially after braids. I find castor oil too thick for my hair on a day-to-day basis so I use it prewash mixed with olive oil to make it spread more evenly. I apply root to tip and then put my hair in two braids before bed and then wash out in the morning. Olive oil is nourishing for the hair as it contains fatty acids that are similar to the sebum that your scalp creates. Castor oil is A1 for hair growth!" — Keeks Reid, contributing beauty writer at Cosmopolitan

Baze Mpinja Uses Avocado and Mayo For Softness and Shine

"A couple of months ago, I came across a post on Cardi B's Instagram feed about a simple homemade hair mask that she swears by. It's made with avocado, eggs, mayo, and oil. It caught my eye because the pricey hair treatments that I own don't seem to be giving my hair enough of what it needs (moisture and strength). I figured I would try Cardi's concoction to see if it made any difference. The mask is super easy – I just throw the ingredients in a blender, saturate my hair with the mixture, and leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour before rinsing it out with water. I've tried this mask a few times now and I like the results. My hair feels really soft and has a bit of shine. I'm gonna stick with it!" — Baze Mpinja, freelance beauty editor

Carol Lathbridge Uses Honey, Egg, and Olive Oil For Strong Strands

"Regarding DIY hair masks, I use an egg, olive oil, and honey treatment. There are many variations, including avocado and other things too, but my particular method includes two eggs, one tablespoon of honey, and two tablespoons of olive oil as a deep treatment for shiny and healthy hair!" — Carol Lathbridge, co-owner of Tiwani Heritage