Avocados are rich in vitamins and minerals and also loaded with healthy fats [source]. The high fatty acid content means this fruit and its oil are great for conditioning dry skin and repairing hair damaged by styling, sun, or harsh winter weather.
How to Use Avocado for Your Hair
You can mash fresh avocado for a nourishing face mask, but it can be just as beneficial for your hair. So next time you have leftovers after making yummy avocado toast, turn it into a hair mask to hydrate, add shine, and strengthen your strands.
Upgrade your hair mask
Wrap your hair up with a warm towel to take your hair mask to the next level. The heat opens the hair cuticles, allowing the active ingredients to penetrate strands, so the hair gets rehydrated from the inside out.
7 Homemade Avocado Hair Mask Recipes
1. Get glossy hair with a coconut oil and avocado mask.
Avocados are rich in potassium, amino acids, and protein—all keys to keeping your hair healthy. The fatty acids in avocado and coconut oils quickly absorb into the hair shaft for instant moisture and shine.
- ½ avocado
- 2 tablespoons fractionated coconut oil
Mash the avocado in a small bowl, and stir in coconut oil until you have a smooth consistency. Massage into damp hair from roots to tips. Let sit for 20 minutes, then shampoo out.
2. Hydrate hair with a honey and avocado mask.
Got dull or brittle hair? Then try this nourishing mask to restore softness and shine. Avocado and honey both replenish moisture levels for parched strands.
- ½ avocado
- 2 teaspoons honey
Mash the avocado in a small bowl, then stir in the honey. Apply to damp hair from roots to ends. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then rinse.
3. Tame frizz with an avocado conditioner.
Avocado oil's vitamin E seals the hair's cuticle to help puffy strands lie flat. Plus, it's a lightweight oil that easily absorbs into the hair without looking or feeling greasy. Add in an essential oil like rosemary or lavender to simultaneously boost hair growth and your mood!
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 5 drops essential oil of choice
Combine the oils in a small bowl. Apply the oil mixture to damp hair, cover with a warm, damp towel, and let sit for 10–20 minutes, then shampoo as usual. Use once a week.
Make an extra batch to battle everyday flyaways. Store in a small, dark bottle. When ready to use, pour a few drops of oil onto your palm. Rub your hands together and then pat onto hair, concentrating on the ends rather than the roots.
4. Volumize thin hair with a castor oil and avocado mask.
Dull, limp hair can make thin hair look even thinner. This nourishing mask includes avocado and olive oil to strengthen and condition hair strands, while castor oil increases circulation to the scalp to help reverse thinning.
- ½ avocado
- 1 teaspoon castor oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Mash the avocado in a small bowl and add castor and olive oils. Apply to damp hair and let sit for 15–20 minutes, then rinse with shampoo and cool water. Repeat 1–2 times a week.
5. Tame flyaways with a yogurt and avocado mask.
Keep static from turning your hair into an unkempt mess with this enriching mask. The protein in yogurt seals the hair's cuticle, preventing moisture from escaping, so the hair is less prone to static.
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Combine the yogurt and oil in a bowl. Apply the mixture to damp hair from roots to tips, then cover the hair with a warm, damp towel or shower cap. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then shampoo out.
6. Strengthen strands with an olive oil and avocado mask.
The fatty acids in avocado give long-lasting hydration to your hair, and its proteins help strengthen strands and repair damage. Add olive oil and honey to boost hydration and add shine.
Mash the avocado in a small bowl and stir in olive oil and honey. Apply to damp hair from roots to ends, then brush through with a comb to evenly distribute the mask mixture. Put your hair in a bun and cover with a warm towel for 10–15 minutes, then rinse and shampoo.
7. Moisturize scalp and hair with a banana and avocado mask.
Bananas are a rich source of antioxidants, carotenoids, and vitamin C [source], nutrients that support healthy hair. Combine with avocado and coconut milk to leave your hair and scalp soft and conditioned.
- ½ banana, very ripe
- ½ avocado
- 3 tablespoons coconut milk
Mash the banana and avocado together in a small bowl until you have a very smooth consistency. Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. Massage the mixture into dry hair, then wrap your hair with a warm towel and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse your hair and shampoo as usual.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician with more than 20 years of practice experience. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
References:
1. Bhuyan DJ, et al. The odyssey of bioactive compounds in avocado (Persea americana) and their health benefits. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019.
2. Singh B, et al. Bioactive compounds in banana and their associated health benefits - a review. Food Chem. 2016.
Related
Looking for more ways to care for your hair? Try these homemade treatments:
Leave a Comment