Hair Hydration: Avocado Deep Conditioner

Avocado, a fruit well known for it's nutritional, and dietary benefits, it's also been known to increase elasticity and softness when used on the skin, but do you know what it can do for your hair?

Avocado conditioners or masques have been used for years to help stimulate growth and intensely hydrate the hair. For Naturalistas, like myself, this is music to the ears!

After years of blow outs, doobies, and flat iron "torture sessions," my once springy coils have gone limp. I now have multiple textures in my hair as the new, curly, healthy hair grows in and the dry, stringy, damaged hair grows out. Hydration is key for naturally curly hair, when trying to prevent breakage while promoting or maintaining length.

I found this recipe, from stylist Leonardo Rocco on divavillage.com.

Ingredients:
1 Avocado
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil (or your favorite natural hair oil)

Directions:

1. Mix (a) one mashed avocado(b) the yolk of an egg and (c) a tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl.  Be sure to use force when mixing to ensure the ingredients are completely mixed. It should have a yogurt like consistency. (A food processor, or hand mixer is helpful here.)
2. Apply the mixture to clean wet hair to the scalp first and then down towards the ends of the hair. Separate hair into sections and then massage sections in an up-and-down manner for ease of penetration into the scalp.
3. Place a plastic cap over the head.  Sit under dryer for 20 minutes. If you don't have a dryer wrap a towel around your head over the plastic cap (turban style) and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
4. Rinse the treatment from the hair completely, followed by 1 shampoo with "sulfate-free", "no poo" or "low poo" shampoo, (shampoo step is optional)  and your normal conditioner.

I tweaked it a little by swapping out the Olive oil for Almond and Vatika oils and adding a little honey. A word of caution prior to application, it can get a little messy, so keep a towel handy!

Results:
My hair was softer and bouncier than normal. I did not much of my usual oil and products prior to doing a twist out since the deep conditioner seemed to have adequately quenched my thirsty curls. I'm going to keep this deep conditioner as part of my bi-monthly wash routine to see if it really helps with length and over all hair health. I love that it's so inexpensive and easy to make. I'll keep you posted on my progress!