Our hair is such a huge part of our identity and our looks- it’s hard not to get a bit obsessive over wanting it to look its absolute best! If you’ve dealt with hair loss or breakage, you know the rabbit hole on DIY and natural hair growth recipes is a deep one. I’ve had my own struggles with thinning hair so I am right there with ya!
While trying to figure out how to help my hair grow, I’ve experimented with plenty of the DIY remedies you may come across on the internet. I’ve splurged on plenty of supplements, serums, and masks too, but that’s for another post. Today we’re focusing on all the things you can do right at home- whether that’s whipping up a DIY hair mask or scalp oil or using simple tools to promote hair growth. While I love a good messy bun, there’s no need to turn to it everyday when you can have beautiful, healthy (and thick!) hair to show off! So what do you say – ready to take your hair health into your own hands? Let’s do it!
Before You Make Your Own DIY Hair Growth Recipes…
Before you jump into creating your own hair and scalp treatments, is important to identify the specific issues you are trying to address. Is your hair thinning or breaking? If it’s thinning, meaning you have less hair growing from your scalp- think about what could be causing it. Could you be undergoing hormonal changes, experiencing stress, or maybe wearing hairstyles a bit too tightly?
If your hair is breaking, your hair may appear to be thinning, too. Look at the volume of hair on your scalp versus the middle and ends. Do you see lots of frizz- perhaps a layer of shorter hair? Does your hair reduce in volume rapidly as you look from the follicle to the ends? You may be dealing with breakage rather than hair loss. Consider the state of your hair- is it typically dry, stringy, or straw-like? Some breakage issues can be addressed simply by making changes to your haircare habits and the products you use. It also helps to incorporate beneficial hair-health foods into your diet. I think I need a separate post just to dive into healthy hair care practices!
Anyway, the point here is that you need to use solutions that address the root cause of your hair loss. As you read on, you’ll see some ingredients that can help with hormonal hair loss and some that help nourish dry hair. Remember, you’ll only see results if you match the solution to the cause. When in doubt, ask your doctor or a hair care expert.
DIY Hair and Scalp Oils for Hair Growth
Oil treatments are very popular home hair growth remedies for good reason. They can nourish your scalp, smooth the hair shaft, and deliver essential oils right to the root of your hair. If using oils proven to tackle your particular hair thinning cause, this can be a great way to send help right to the problem areas!
So, let’s dive in, shall we? Which essential oils and carrier oils deserve the hype?
Castor oil and hair growth
Though some swear castor oil is a miracle worker, there does not appear to be any solid evidence that it can improve hair growth, as mentioned in this Allure article. However, it still makes a great carrier oil for essential oils that can have an impact on your hair growth. Castor oil is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores, and instead will penetrate and nourish your scalp. If the consistency is too thick and sticky for you, try combining it with almond oil or jojoba oil – both are nourishing for the scalp and hair as well. These oils can also be helpful if you need to moisturize a dry scalp.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary is one of the few home remedy ingredients out there that really works. It is considered a DHT blocker. So, it may help if your hair loss woes are hormone-related. In fact, one 2022 study found it to be as effective at aiding hair growth as Minoxidil, a hair growth medication targeting hormone-related hair loss issues. Check out more details and some other studies linked in this post by Medical News Today.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Blood flow is an important factor in hair growth, and that’s where peppermint oil comes in. The invigorating feeling of peppermint oil on the surface of your scalp actually stimulates blood flow. This can aid your body in growing new hair as all that blood flow brings the essential building blocks for hair growth right up to the follicles on your scalp.
Other Essential Oils for Hair Growth
Once you start down the essential oil rabbit hole you realize just how many different ways they can help with hair growth. From cleansing properties to cell growth, there are many claims to sift through. Here’s a quick summary of the ones I’ve seen. This post by Healthline covers most of the claims and refers to studies where applicable, so it’s a great resource to start on some fact-checking.
- Lavender essential oil – some claim it can help speed up hair growth by improving the rate of cell growth. Lavender is also known to help reduce stress, a contributor to hair loss for many women. It also happens to smell amazing, so why not incorporate it?!
- Cedarwood essential oil – with antifungal and antimicrobial properties, cedarwood can possibly help with hair growth issues related to scalp health.
- Clary sage essential oil – Clary sage works similarly to lavender oil to improve hair growth through cell growth, and some claim it will help to improve hair strength as well.
- Tea tree oil – tea tree’s well-known cleansing properties lend themselves to many scalp health benefits. Tea tree oil can help keep your hair follicles clean and clear. This is especially important if you’ve turned to using heavy (though nourishing) oils and hair masks that can create buildup over time.
DIY Growth Recipes for Masks, Rinses, and Treatments
Hair growth oils tend to get most of the hype when it comes to hair loss treatment, but I love a good DIY hair mask! Depending on the cause of your hair thinning or hair loss, some of these treatments may be a better option than many hair oils. They can also be a great way to add one more tool to your DIY hair growth arsenal. Read on for simple recipes that may just be the game-changer you’re looking for.
Aloe
I love the soothing effects of aloe vera on my skin, but did not realize it could also be helpful for hair growth until researching for this post! Apparently, aloe can help with scalp health and hair growth because it is rich in fatty acids and vitamins essential to hair growth. It can also help if you struggle with a greasy scalp as it contains enzymes that will help to break down excess sebum. Check out this article on WebMD for tips on using Aloe for your hair.
Rosemary Water
Here’s one that’s all the rage on social media lately- rosemary water. We discussed the benefits of rosemary oil above, now let’s dive into rosemary water! Many have claimed to have seen improvements in their hair health and thickness from using their own homemade rosemary water. To make it, they simply boil a bunch of rosemary and then use it in a spray bottle or scalp applicator (I link some examples below). However, I have also seen some claims that the active compounds in rosemary are only extracted through oil. If this is true, rosemary water may be nothing more than a nice-smelling rinse for your hair. The verdict is still out on this one if you ask me!
Onion Juice
I must say, this one really threw me for a loop when I came across it in my research. If it turns out to be false, you don’t even get the benefit of a beautiful smelling treatment for your hair! This post by Healthline dives into some of the science, but here’s the basic idea: Onions are rich in sulfur, and sulfur is essential in forming amino acids. These amino acids are the building blocks of proteins such as keratin and collagen that make up healthy hair. So what do you think? Will you be rinsing your hair in onion juice? Personally, I’ll pass!
Rice Water Rinse
Rice water rinses are another one I feel like I’ve seen a lot of on social media. To make a rice water rinse, start with washing your rice. It’s important to still wash your rice even if you’re just using it on your hair. Then, you’ll need to boil it for a few minutes until the water is cloudy. That cloudy water is your new DIY hair treatment! For detailed instructions, read up on a good tutorial like this one.
It’s important to know how your hair responds to protein before using rice water. Try out a protein-rich product first to see how your hair reacts. For instance, I know my hair is super sensitive to protein-rich gels, masks, etc, and gets extremely brittle after I use them. For that reason, a rice water rinse is probably not the best way for me to improve hair growth.
DIY Egg Mask
This one goes back the farthest at least in my own memory. I remember my mom telling me eggs were great for hair when I was a kid and thinking the idea of putting eggs in your hair sounded a bit too gross for me. I’ve come around to the idea since then. Egg yolks contain sulfur, which as we just discussed above is a key building block for your hair. Beyond that, some believe the high levels of protein in eggs can help with hair growth and strength.
Good news if you have dry hair – egg yolks contain lecithin. This fat can be found in some hair products and is meant to help nourish dry or damaged hair. Create a DIY mask with egg yolks (or the whole egg) and olive oil. Consider adding a tablespoon of honey for extra moisturizing benefits! For more information on using eggs for hair health, check out this article.
Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
This one has been a favorite among fans of the “Curly Girl Method” and natural ingredients for a long time. Apple Cider Vinegar is known for its cleansing effects, so it is often used as a clarifying or rebalancing treatment for the scalp. It helps to remove sebum and product buildup on the scalp, which as we’ve discussed can be essential to hair growth. It can also help if you’re dealing with an itchy scalp due to dandruff. Whether it will help with hair loss, however, always depends on the specific causes of your hair loss. Either way, this one is a great DIY hair care solution to include in your routine!
Tools to Use at Home For Hair Growth
Ok, now let’s move on to tools you can use to support healthy hair growth at home! These tools mostly work by increasing blood flow to your scalp, which as we discussed above, is super important to encourage increased hair growth! Use any of these in conjunction with the DIY treatments we’ve discussed to create your ideal DIY hair growth routine at home.
Derma Rollers
One of the few home-use tools proven to help with hair growth, derma rollers have skyrocketed in popularity lately (source). These are small, very affordable tools consisting of a handle with a roller at the end covered in teeny, tiny needles. Meant to mimic the effect of microneedling, the tiny needles stimulate blood circulation and trigger your body’s healing mechanisms. This is thought to help increase cell growth, and in turn, hair growth! It’s important to note, however, that the studies often cited in derma rollers’ effectiveness usually involve use alongside other hair growth treatments.
Scalp Massagers
For a slightly more pleasant way to increase circulation to the scalp, try a simple scalp massager. These can come in all shapes and sizes. I recently purchased a small one that vibrates and acts as an oil applicator as well, and I love that it checks multiple boxes at once. There are also shampooing massagers or those lovely wire scalp massagers that make your whole head tingle. Honestly, these are such enjoyable ways to help hair growth, it seems like a no-brainer to me!
Light Therapy
Red light therapy is all the rage right now. While most claims focus on skin benefits, I’ve seen lots of suggestions on using red light therapy for hair growth, as well. It’s actually been studied and shown effectiveness in hair growth, so it seems like a worthwhile solution to try out (source).
Tools You Can Buy Online
Interested in trying out some of these at-home solutions? Here are some of the tools and materials you may want to check out. These are all available online and won’t break the bank.
I haven’t linked any specific individual products because they’re all pretty similar and I haven’t encountered any that are truly
Good Luck on Your Hair Growth Journey!
I hope you are feeling motivated and empowered to embark on a DIY hair growth journey after all those helpful and approachable DIY hair growth recipes! Be sure to let us know if you have any tips that work for you in the comments! Looking for more hair care tips and content? Check out our posts on super cute hairstyles for women over 50, curly hair updo ideas, and DIY hair masks next!
