DIY Aloe Vera Mask to Moisturize Dry Hair
This aloe vera mask is a godsend!
I read somewhere that an aloe vera deep conditioner was amazing on natural hair and so of course, I ran to try it since I had a plant in my yard. Now let me tell you, the heavens opened up that day and angels sang! Aloe vera is super awesome for natural hair and I’m going to show you how to deep condition natural hair with aloe vera in this post for super moisturized and fluffy curls.
By now I’ve tried many different combinations so this aloe vera mask for hair is the best by far to quench the thirst of my coloured strands. For those of you that probably want a store-bought aloe deep conditioner instead of an aloe vera deep conditioner diy, check out my favorite lazy aloe deep conditioner here.
For those of you that prefer to watch a video and see how I put together my aloe vera hair mask, check out my tutorial below. Follow me on Instagram for more hair tips too!
In this post you'll find:
That Bitter Taste of Aloe Vera
My granny, bless her soul, has been trying to get me to take aloe vera or sinkle bible (and even tuna plant) as we Jamaicans call it, internally forever. I don’t know how in the world she gets that horrid bitter, slimy thing down but I’m sure
it has something to do with her still kickin’ til she kicked! I distinctly remember her attempt as a child to force it down my throat and I ran to the bathroom for cover, grabbing the sugar bowl as I dashed, trying to erase the taste from my mouth. YUCK!
Fast forward to now and low and behold the miracle aloe vera plant has become the very vein that runs through my natural hair regimen. If I could figure out how to stabilize and preserve aloe vera I would for sure bottle it and make my millions. Alas, I can tell you from experience that it was meant to be used as fresh as possible and even with methods found online to preserve it, it must still be kept in the fridge and used within a couple days to get any kind of benefit.
But with that said, here in Jamaica aloe vera is quite easy to come by. The plant thrives in our climate and has been at every home I have moved to over the past decade (I’ve moved over 7 times.) I even see a plant at my office that I’ve got my eye on! If you want the softest, shiniest hair known to your fingers, cut a leaf and get to work!
No aloe vera plant where you are to make this diy deep conditioner with aloe vera? Get a couple fresh leaves from Amazon.
How to Apply Fresh Aloe Vera on Hair
Now, how exactly do I use and apply aloe vera? In my deep conditioner! When I first big chopped, I didn’t think my hair was particularly dry even though a fellow recent big chopper friend had mentioned it might come. I think I avoided it the day I discovered aloe vera though.
The results were immediate in my hair. I was hooked! It was so soft and amazing! I cut a whole leaf off my plant, processed it in my food processor and mixed it with honey and some oils. I went under my steam cap and dryer and enjoyed the most amazing hair results of my life. Don’t sleep on this!
Here’s the full recipe for my aloe vera and avocado deep conditioner.
How to Make Aloe Vera Deep Conditioner
- Cut open the Aloe Vera leaf.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the meat from the fattest part of the leaf.
- Blend the aloe vera meat to make a gel or get your gel here.
- Use this aloe vera gel directly in your hair or mix with your favourite oils such as Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil or Coconut Oil to make a hair mask.
- Wrap your hair that has been saturated with the Aloe Vera mask in a plastic steam cap.
- Wrap a warm towel over this for 15 minutes or leave in your hair without the towel for up to 1 hour.
- Rinse and cowash your hair. Style as usual.
I deep condition every Sunday and this mask is the base for my homemade aloe vera deep conditioner each time. I put yogurt in the mix whenever I feel I need some protein in my treatment, but really it’s just aloe, honey and whatever oils you have on hand. My favourite deep conditioner oils are currently extra virgin olive oil, argan oil and Jamaican black castor oil that’s very good for hair growth. This blend of Olive, Lavender, Almond and Grapeseed Oils is also SO GOOD for hair (and as a moisturizer at night for my face!) so I use it in my mix sometimes.
Aloe Vera Mask Recipe
If you want a specific recipe for your aloe vera hair mask, try the one below.
- Gel from one aloe vera leaf or 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- a few drops of lavender essential oil
Blend all together in your favourite personal blender to create your aloe vera deep conditioner. Use as above once weekly for super-soft, deeply moisturized tresses.
A lot of times the first reaction to me going natural is “but you can do that, you have pretty hair” so I made sure to test out my aloe vera mask on one of my very good friend’s hair. She’s going natural too and has very thick 4B maybe even 4C hair. She hates the smell of aloe vera so I had to put a few drops of sweet orange essential oil in the mix to mask the smell for her but even she is hooked. Her hair was so soft and manageable after the treatment and she had a great hair week!
There are a million articles on the web that speak about the miracle plant aloe vera whether drinking it in a smoothie or putting it on your skin and in your hair. I wish I could remember the one I came across that convinced me to try deep conditioning with aloe vera but the proof is in the pudding! I hope you’ll try it too and do away with relying solely on chemical deep treatments as mother nature provides us with all we need! (do I sound like a hippie yet?)
After you’ve done with your treatment, follow up with my favorite leave-in conditioner then use my DIY shea butter mix in your hair to seal in all that moisture for soft hair all week!
Not a DIY gal? Check out my favorite store-bought deep conditioner here.
Let me know if you try using aloe vera in your hair.
Read Next:
- My Big Chop Story
- How to Keep Natural Hair Moisturized
- My Wash and Go Routine for 3-day Hair
- 21 Best Moisturizers for Natural Hair
- DIY Hair Spritz to Refresh Curls
- Best Portable Hair Steamer for Black Hair
- My Favorite Aloe Vera Pre Poo
- Best Protein Treatments for Curly Hair
- DIY Aloe Vera Mask
- The Best Skincare Products for 30+ Gals
Some images from Depositphotos. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I LOVE aloe vera juice!!!! It’s funny because when I was growing up, I was a chronic thumb-sucker (I actually still have the teeth indentations on my left thumb decades later!) and, as you know, a Jamaican remedy to discourage finger-sucking was to coat the finger with aloe.
We had aloe vera plants in our backyard growing up and it was so easy for my parents to cut off a piece and literally BATHE my thumbs (they did the right one just in case I got any ideas) in the bitter-tasting gel. EW.
Little did I know that years later, as an adult, I would re-discover aloe and the myriad of benefits it would have for my hair, skin and body! I don’t have aloe vera plants at my home now (boo) so I had to go to the health food store and purchase the juice (WHY is it so expensive in Jamaica?!) which I use in my hair spritz, conditioners (leave-in) and drink daily!
Great post, Monique! This took me back a couple of years 🙂
i know right!!! the price is ridiculous but then it is imported, it seems no Jamaican company has yet invested in the benefits of aloe?!?!?! how crazy is that LOL i would if I knew where to start!
and i’ll soon have to start rubbing it on munchkin’s thumbs too!
As I read this, I immediately remembered my parents using this stuff on my fingers to discourage thumb-sucking! LAWKS!
It’s fabulous for my hair and skin now though 😛
omg, what is ugly hair and how can this concept be erased from the minds of the people?!
i have a couple posts lined up with pictures of different hair types looking SO fly! I’m on a mission to try and convince people that all hair is “good hair!!!”
Does it have slip…I mean good slip for a 4c hair?
Yes, you will love it!
Totally agree, Aloe is a great product to use on the hair. I recently tried it and I am absolutely in love with the the immediate results I had. I am going to add it in my hair regime.
Oh my goodness this sounds amazing I have to try this on my daughters! Laughing at Nick Mack and the aloe as thumb-sucking deterent. We have been trying it on my son for months now and he grumbles, he cusses but he still sucks that darn finger.
yup trying this on my daughter for sure!
Yay Gayle! I hope it works as well for you as it does us 🙂
I love aloe too! I use the juice in my hair spritz and just yesterday I made a shea aloe mix to use as my styler. I was very lucky to find a plant at the plant nursery over here!
Way back when my parents also used the aloe remedy on my sister’s thumbs. Didn’t work though lol
yaaaaay for finding the aloe plant! score!! i keep replanting and watching mine as im so scared i’ll use it all up! lol
hey, does anyone know if aloe vera is a good (holding) gel for hair? I’m in the process of locking my hair but the fuzz is what gets to me (after a week, my neat hair is fuzzy). I would appreciate any recommendations from anyone. I’ve tried 2 locking gels, honey and flaxseed gel – not all together of course and none of them have achieved what I’ve wanted. (the flaxseed gel works for a couple hours – if so long). Help please.
Hi Jodi, I have read fine-haired naturals say that they have successfully used aloe to seal moisture into their hair and control fizz…who knows if it will work for your locks but it definitely won’t hurt to give it a try! let us know
thanks. will try. Now, it get my hands on it. I can’t believe the plant that we have here died 🙁
Great post! Just wondering if you know of anywhere in JA that sells/ships the whole Aloe Vera plant to North America (Canada)? Thanks in advance!
no clue but a few flower shops are close to my home so i’ll ask for you 🙂
Thanks for that! I’ll be patiently awaiting your reply.
Happy New Year!
you know, i called so many places and it seems it grows so wildly here that it’s overlooked?
Hey Irie Diva!
I thanks so much for getting back to me. I’ll be sure to contact them within the week.
Thanks again!
Alex
I received some Jamaican tuna while visiting Jamaica this year. Do you know what its good for? Do I use it the same way as aloe vera?
Hey Karen, yes the tuna is the same thing and can be used in this format. It also has great health properties and I’m trying to work it into my diet, but it’s rather bitter X_X
UH! I have finally found it! An awesome Jamaican blog that talks about hair, that is both practical and interesting. Too happy lol :D.
Anyways, I have yet to try out aloe vera on my hair even though I have a plant and I use it too… but you have convinced me to try it on my next wash day
Hey Steph! Welcome, welcome, cock up yuh foot pon di ‘assack and enjoy! 🙂
Aloe vera is a wow,I just tried it ones on my short,natural hair,and to say the truth,I really love the outcome,that’s why am searching for more ways to make it more active.Thanks for this. I will try this.