conditioner, which is applied after the shampoo, left on to penetrate a minute or two, and then rinsed
off. There are also leave-in conditioners that you apply before brushing your wet hair and you don’t
rinse out. Finally, there are deep rinse-off conditioners that you apply once a week or whenever you
feel your hair needs a quick fix of nutrients or a boost in shine.
Oily hair benefits most from rinse-off conditioners; dry hair needs a weekly deep hot oil treatment
in addition to a moisturizing conditioner used after every wash. Colored, permed, or sun-bleached
hair benefits from leave-on conditioners with essential oils, amino acids, and plant proteins. Those
lucky few whose hair behaves well but whose scalp sometimes feels itchy can benefit from
conditioners and rinses with aloe vera, zinc, and plant-derived silicones. By all means avoid
propylene glycol, cetrimonium chloride, mineral oil, petroleum-derived silicones, and hydrolyzed
animal protein, found in practically all conventional conditioners.
Green Tip
A good plant-based conditioner is an important part of your hair care routine.
Making a quick and perfectly green conditioner is extremely easy. As with face masks, you usually
already have all the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard. If not, they are readily available in health
food stores and online. While there are excellent, lovely scented conditioners for every possible hair
dilemma, your own conditioner will come at a fraction of the price, and you can custom-tailor the
blend to suit your needs.
“Any of my conditioners can be recreated at home,” says John Masters, who started blending his
own shampoos and conditioners from his kitchen to use on clients in his home salon back in the
1980s. “Olive and jojoba oil make ultimate hair conditioners. Always use organic extra virgin olive
oil on your hair for deep conditioning and massage. It can solve so many problems!” Another praised
natural hair conditioner is avocado, rich in omega-3 oils and proteins, which you can mash and put
directly on your hair. “Essential oils of lavender, rosemary, cedarwood, ylang-ylang, palmarosa, and
geranium are all beneficial for the hair,” adds Masters.
Green Solutions for Oily Hair
If your hair tends to be greasy and you need to wash it every day, you need to rebalance the oil
production in your scalp. Use a mild shampoo, or better yet, an organic baby shampoo, which is
generally more oil-stripping than adult shampoos, and apply an oil-balancing hot oil treatment once a
week. (Don’t be scared, extra oil won’t make your scalp oilier!) The next recipe also works well
against dandruff because dandruff and oily scalp march hand in hand in many people.
If your hair is oily, look for shampoos with natural astringents such as sage, tea tree, juniper, and
lemon.
Apple cider vinegar is a traditional, time-tested treatment for oily hair. You can use vinegar if you
have dandruff, too, even if you think your hair is dry. Splash some vinegar in the palm of your hand
and run it through your hair with your head tilted back. Massage the vinegar into the scalp. The odor
may seem strong, but some people find it uplifting, and it will be gone after shampooing. After just
one application, your hair will be more bouncy and shiny. With daily applications, you will soon be
receiving compliments about your hair!
Honeydew melon makes an express hair treatment for oily hair. Simply mash or blend a quarter of
an organic melon, then massage the puree into your scalp. Cover with a clean towel and relax for ten
minutes, then shampoo and rinse out.