5 Homemade Hair Packs to Treat Dry, Dull and Damaged Hair

Dry hair problems? Is your hair looking dull and lacking that healthy luster that you are yearning for? Well, this is not uncommon or unheard off. Daily hair baths, excessive shampooing and conditioning, hair styling or coloring using chemical based products, pollution, improper diet, over-exposure to sun are all reasons for dull, dry and damaged hair. 

But then what do you do? Try out a new hair oil claiming to give you healthy hair growth or a new shampoo that promises to reduce hair fall and give you shiny and bouncy curls? Well, I won’t be surprised if your answer is positive. And there is no harm in doing that too, especially, if you are getting some good results. But then do not depend on these hair product/s completely.

What Can You Do?

You can do your bit by first ensuring that you are having a healthy diet. Take care to include fruits, foods rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids (ex: eggs, fish, walnuts, spinach, etc.), as they help in promoting healthy hair growth and prevent hair fall. See to it that you are drinking at least 1.5 liters of water everyday and getting a good night's sleep. 

In addition to these, there are some simple home remedies that you can try on your hair. These homemade treatments can be effortlessly made from your kitchen items. Besides this, these cures give an extra dose of nourishment to your hair and scalp in its raw form, treat dry and dull hair and aid in bringing health, shine, strength and bounce to it.

1) The Protein-Rich Egg Pack

One of the easiest and most popular hair packs is the egg pack. It has been tried and tested by many world over, including me. I remember shouting ‘yuck’ and ‘no’ a number of times when my mother used to apply this runny, cool egg pack on my hair when I was a kid. But apart from the eggy smell on the hair, I cannot fault a thing. 

Eggs being rich in protein, vitamins and even sulphur help effectively in hair fall reduction and bringing shine and health to your hair. Also hair feels more soft and manageable after application and subsequent hair wash.

Method: Take a bowl and crack an egg into it. Add two spoons of water and 2 spoons of olive oil or coconut oil, to it. Blend this mixture properly. Apply this runny mixture on hair and scalp and massage it gently. Make a bun of your hair and cover it with a shower cap or plastic, to avoid your clothes and your house getting dirty due to the drippy egg mixture. Keep this egg mask on your head for 25-30 minutes. Thereafter, wash your hair thoroughly with cool water so that the egg mixture oozes out from the hair. Do NOT use hot water to wash off your egg hair pack, as it will be difficult to rinse it off completely. Follow this up with a gentle shampoo hair wash. Try this hair pack once a week and feel the shiny and healthy bounce it brings to your hair.

2) The Hair Oil Treatment

Oil massages are proven to be effective in improving circulation of blood to the scalp, moisturizing the hair and scalp and helping hair growth. And this is exactly what we are going to do with a combination of oils. If you have an essential oil like rosemary, lavender, rose or mint then it is all the more better.

Method: Take a bowl. Add 2 spoons of virgin coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil (optional) each. Add 1 spoon of castor oil (arandi tel in Hindi) to it. If you have any of the above mentioned essential oils, then add 5 drops of it. Combine all these oils and heat it, till it turns lukewarm. Do NOT turn it hot or there are chances of harming your scalp. Now use this warm oil to massage your scalp and hair roots and work it out till the ends. Clip your hair into a bun and leave this hair oil mask for 30 minutes. Wash it off with a mild shampoo afterwards.

You can personalize the quantity of oils as per the length of your hair. You can also skip an oil as per its availability. A regular weekly hair oil treatment of these wonderful blend of oils is sure to give you nourished and lustrous tresses.

Also Read: 10 Best Hair Oils for Faster Hair Growth and Thickness

3) The Banana Hair Pack

Bananas are not just a wonderful fruit to be eaten but they also work amazingly well to relieve dull, damaged and fizzy hair problems. Bananas have good amount of vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. The vitamins and minerals present in the fruit help in moisturizing and strengthening hair. It also helps in restoring the hair’s natural elasticity and thus prevents breakage and split ends.

Method: Take 1 ripe banana in a bowl. Cut it into small pieces. Then put it in a blender. Add 2 spoons of coconut oil (or olive oil), 2 spoons of honey and half a cup (small sized cup) of coconut milk to it. Blend these ingredients till you get a fine cream-like paste. If needed you can add a bit of water, to attain this consistency. Ensure that there are NO lumps in it or it will be difficult to remove the banana lumps from your hair. Now that the banana pack is ready, apply it gently, starting from the roots till you reach its ends. After making a bun of your hair, put in a shower cap and leave it for half an hour. Rinse it off thoroughly thereafter with lukewarm or cool water. Follow it up using a gentle shampoo. A weekly treatment of this banana pack is advisable for healthy, moisturized hair.

4) Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds Pack

In India, when you hear methi, the first thing you remember is methi parathas. But here I am neither talking about yummy parathas or methi leaves. It is the brownish-yellow colored fenugreek (methi) seeds that I am speaking about. 

These bitter tasting seeds have high amount of protein (helps strengthen hair and fights baldness), iron, Vitamin C, potassium (helps in fighting premature graying of hair), nicotinic acid (aids hair growth) and lecithin (strengthens and nourishes hair from its roots, also treats issues related to hair follicles). The properties of these lovely looking seeds help in tackling dry hair and split ends, promoting hair growth and bringing natural luster to the hair.

Though there are a number of ways of making fenugreek hair packs, I am mentioning two of them, as they have been tried and loved by my near and dear ones. 

Method 1:  Take around 4 spoons of methi seeds and soak it in water for about 8 to 10 hours. See to it that the seeds are fully submerged in water. After about 10 hours, the seeds will feel slippery and slimy when touched. Take these seeds and grind it into a fine paste using coconut milk. Apply and massage this hair pack thoroughly from the roots to your hair ends and leave it on for at least half an hour. Wash it off thereafter with  water and mild shampoo.

Method 2: For this method I prefer using methi powder. You can either use ready-made fenugreek powder packet or dry-grind the methi seeds in your grinder. 

Take 2 spoons of methi powder. Add 5-6 spoons of plain yogurt and 1 spoon of coconut (or olive) oil to it. Combine these ingredients well and keep it covered in a bowl for 3 hours. The mixture will thicken in the meantime. After 3 hours, check its consistency. If you feel the mixture is very thick, then add a bit of water to thin it. Apply this pack on your scalp and hair and leave it for half an hour. Wash it off thereafter with lukewarm water and a mild shampoo.

5) The Avocado Hair Mask

The avocado hair mask is a brilliant deep conditioning home treatment for dry and damaged hair. Avocado has good amount of fatty amino acids, vitamins (A, D, E and B6) and minerals (like iron and copper) that aid in deep hydration and conditioning. The nutrients present in avocado help prevent hair damage and stimulates healthy hair growth. 

Honey is a humectant and helps in curbing loss of moisture from hair. Both these ingredients along with oil blend amazingly and work on hair to relieve dull and damaged hair problems. 

Method: There are tons of avocado based preparations for hair masks but I have written down a combination that has really worked for me. For this, take one medium-sized ripe avocado and peel its skin (not needed). Take the fleshy part of the fruit in a blender and add 2 spoons of raw honey, 2 spoons of olive (or coconut) oil to it. If you have an essential oil, then add 5 drops of it. Blend this mixture to a smooth green paste like consistency. 

Now dampen your hair with water and apply this mask gently from the roots to the ends. Clip your hair into a bun and then cover your head with a shower cap or plastic. Leave this mask for about 30 to 45 minutes and then rinse your hair to remove the avocado mixture. Wash your hair as you do regularly.

This hair mask works especially well, if your hair is really dry and has lost a lot of hydration. A weekly treatment with this mask will really help. However, if you feel your hair is dry but does not need a lot of conditioning then you can apply this hair pack in a gap of 15 days or maybe a month (whichever fits your hair needs).

Note: 

* The quantity of ingredients in the above mentioned methods can be increased/decreased proportionally, depending on the length and volume of your hair. 

* A shower cap or plastic is usually advisable after application of hair masks to prevent its dripping on clothes and spoiling it with stains.

* Some hair packs do not always show instant results. Regular weekly application is suggested.

* If you feel a hair pack doesn't suit you, even after applying it on your hair for a month (once a week), then you can switch to another method. After all, these home packs are natural, packed with nutrients and made with your regular kitchen ingredients.

Also Read: How to Grow Your Hair Thick and Strong