Making natural keratin masks for your hair
Making natural keratin masks for your hair can be done by yourself. In this blog, we will give you several recipes. But keratin, what exactly is it? Keratin is the substance from which your hair and nails are built. You very often come across it as a wonder drug that makes your hair smooth and supple. For some people, a keratin treatment at the hairdresser's is the way to get beautiful hair, but the effects remain in your hair for a very long time. This is often an advantage, but keratin treatments do not work for everyone. So first try out what keratin does for your hair by making your own natural keratin mask. No harm, no foul!
What exactly is keratin?
Keratin is a protein found in the body and is the main component of your hair, among other things. Due to external influences such as the weather, blow-drying, styling with heat tools and chemical hair treatments, hair loses its own keratin, causing it to age. Unlike the keratin in skin, keratin in your hair will not be replenished. A keratin treatment replenishes the keratin content in your hair. Your hair regains strength, no longer breaks down, gets extra shine and is no longer coarse or frizzy.
Not only for straight hair
Keratin does not make your hair straight as is commonly believed. And keratin treatments are not just for straight hair either. Keratin treatments work well for most hair types, according to experts. However, you do often see super straight, smooth hair in images related to keratin (treatments). The reason for this is that (healthy!) straight hair has a really nice shine. This is because the hair cuticles in straight hair lie completely straight over each other. As a result, it reflects light very well which makes it shiny. With curly hair, the hair cuticles are less close together due to the round shape of the curl. So, unfortunately, curls reflect light less well and as a result shine less. But even if you have curly hair and want your curls to look smooth and cared for, keratin can be a good remedy for you. Even with curly hair, keratin adds shine.
Keratin for dyed hair
Another side benefit of keratin is that it keeps freshly coloured hair vibrant. If you have just dyed your hair, your colour is looking super nice and bright. You can keep the beautiful, freshly dyed colour longer with a keratin treatment. It is therefore best to dye your hair just before your keratin treatment. The treatment will seal the colour, making it last longer and appear brighter. Besides; dyeing your hair right after a keratin treatment is not a good idea. The keratin will make it unable for your hair to take the colour in. So good reason to dye first and then do a keratin treatment.
Keratin treatment
Very well known is the keratin treatment you get done at a salon. You can enjoy a treatment for as long as five to eight months. Keratin does cause your hair to change slightly. The result is different for everyone. Sometimes the result is not what you expected because your hair suddenly falls very differently. After all, you don't just wash a keratin treatment out of your hair. Therefore, if you are not quite sure how your hair reacts to keratin, try a keratin mask. Is the effect not satisfying? Then at least you will not be stuck with it for a longer period of time like with a keratin treatment.
Does your hair need keratin?
If your hair is completely healthy, and you are happy with how shiny, bouncy, soft and supple your hair is, a keratin mask let alone a keratin treatment is an unnecessary luxury. Your hair then basically doesn't need keratin. You will benefit from keratin if your hair is
- dry,
- coarse,
- brittle,
- static,
- weak,
- porous or
- frizzy.
If your hair is dyed, decoloured, bleached or permed, if you use a lot of styling tools or if you suffer from split ends, a keratin mask is also worth a try for you.
Apply natural keratin masks yourself at home
Below are some recipes to easily make a natural keratin mask yourself. One of them is vegan. This applies to all masks:
- First wash your hair with a mild shampoo to get impurities out of your hair. The ingredients can then soak in better. After washing, do not use conditioner or similar products.
- Towel-dry your hair or dry it completely. Comb it through.
- Apply the mask.
- After the soaking time, massage the mask well through your hair for a few minutes.
- Rinse your hair with water and preferably do not use shampoo. Make sure you do rinse the keratin mask well.
- Let your hair dry.
Now your natural keratin mask can do its best work.
Egg yolk, honey and almond oil
This homemade egg yolk mask with honey is an excellent keratin treatment for damaged and dull hair. If you warm the almond oil, it is easier to apply and the effect is even better. This treatment method is completely natural, quite nice right?
The miracle ingredient in this keratin mask is egg yolk. Egg yolk is rich in proteins and fatty acids that settle on your hair follicles and repair damage to your scalp. Natural oils are known for their vitamins and minerals and honey retains moisture in your locks. Together, they work on your scalp and help your hair grow thicker and more beautiful.
Here's how to make it (for longer hair, multiply these quantities):
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon of almond oil
Combine the above ingredients in a bowl and mix well for two to three minutes. Apply the mask to your hair and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Then massage it well into your hair for a few minutes and rinse with cold water. Wash your hair afterwards with a mild shampoo, if necessary. You can repeat this treatment once or twice a week maximum.
Vegan: banana-avocado
When the natural keratin in your scalp is reduced or damaged, you can use this mask to replenish that protein in your hair follicles to help your hair grow strong and smooth again. Bananas are rich in an amino acid that helps repair the protein damage in your scalp. Avocados are rich in essential vitamins like vitamin C and E. This hair mask makes your hair roots supple and prevents your hair from frizziness and dullness in extreme weather conditions. This antioxidant mask not only repairs your dull, dry hair, but also maintains your hair. Just like a keratin treatment at the salon. This homemade protein treatment also stimulates your hair growth.
Here's how to make it:
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon of wheat germ oil
- 1 teaspoon of rose oil
Mash the bananas well before adding the other ingredients, making sure there are no lumps left. Add the rest of the ingredients and make a smooth paste. Apply the mixture to your dry hair and leave it on for 30-45 minutes. Rinse it well. Repeat this hair mask once a week and you will see visible results in no time.
Mayonnaise-avocado
Gone are all the expensive and chemical treatments! Throw away all those excessive chemicals and buy a bottle of mayonnaise and some avocados for super good results. The L-cysteine and eggs in mayonnaise are packed with proteins that nourish your hair and make it soft and shiny. Avocados are a great source of fatty acids that help your scalp produce more keratin and get shiny, smooth and thick hair.
What you need:
- 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise (with egg as an ingredient)1
- ripe avocado
Whisk the mayonnaise with the mashed avocado until it feels slightly fluffy and light. Apply the mixture to your dry hair and leave it on for an hour. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and wash this mask out of your hair with a mild shampoo. Apply a small drop of hair serum to your hair and let it air dry or blow dry. Do you like this combination? Then you can use this protein hair mask once a week to keep your hair well-maintained and looking smooth and shiny.
Is your perfect combo not among them? Several other home-made keratin masks for your hair are circulating on the internet. And if, on second thought, you do not feel like making natural keratin masks for your hair yourself, you can of course always opt for the products from WECOLOUR's hair care range to get your hair healthy again.
