5 DIY Alternatives to Conventional Hair Sprays, Mousses, and Gels

According to the EPA, there are over 10,000 products in your conventional hair products, and only 11 percent of these products have been tested for safety! You wouldn’t eat a pesticide-ridden apple or hormone-loaded Greek yogurt — so why are you applying hazardous chemicals and neurotoxins on your hair and skin?!

Your internal organs have several ways of eliminating toxins from harming your body like your liver and excess fat reserves. But chemicals that are applied to the skin have almost no barrier from entering the bloodstream, making them very dangerous. Instead of subjecting yourself to loads of chemicals, try any (or all) of these DIY alternatives to conventional hair care products. You’ll get the style you want without the gross chemicals or carcinogens.

1. Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioner

This is one of the easiest conditioners ever! Simply pour ½ teaspoon or pure argan oil (more or less depending on your hair type and length) into the palm of your hand and massage into your scalp and hair. Style as you normally would and you’ll be instantly rocking a good hair day. Argan oil has been used for thousands of years as a natural hair product to tame frizz and nourish dry hair.

2. Molasses Pomade

Did you buy some molasses for baking cookies over the holidays, but don’t know what to do with it now? A dab of molasses can create a great hair pomade or wax. Simply dip your fingers in a little molasses, rub between your hands to generate some heat, and smooth onto your hair to condition ends and smooth away flyaways. Molasses pomade works especially great for up-dos where you want every single hair in place.

3. Olive Oil DIY Hot Oil Treatment

There’s no need to waste time or money on expensive hot oil treatments. Often these salon procedures use soybean oil or canola oil, which are highly refined and even toxic. Instead, heat up olive oil for a relaxing hot oil treatment all from the comfort of your home. Working with hot oils could lead to severe burns if not performed properly. Read the full tutorial here.

4. Shea Butter Mousse

If you’ve got long, curly hair, it might seem like you can’t function without a giant dollop of mousse after a morning shower. Conventional mousses actually use loads of alcohol which tend to dry out your hair and promote breakage. Instead, try this all-natural Shea butter mousse recipe. You can make it in about 10 minutes and have enough mousse to last for plenty of days at the office or nights on the town.

5. Natural Lemon Hair Spray

Hair spray is one of the most toxic hair products out there. Not only does it dry out your hair, but you also inadvertently inhale many of the chemicals when spraying it on your hair, especially if you use a non-ecofriendly aerosol can. This lemon hair spray recipe shows you how to use the power of citrus as a natural hair taming agent for bounce and style that will last all day.

You might have steered clear of natural or DIY hair care products, fearing they were ineffective and difficult to make. But DIY hair care has never been so simple! There are loads of tutorials and recipes for simple effective replicas of your favorite hair sprays, treatments, and other products. What are some of your favorite DIY hair recipes?

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