Avocado Deep Conditioner

Last weekend I fell in love with avocado as a deep conditioner. I loved it so much, I made more and gave it away at my last natural hair and health meet-up, because I wanted everyone else to experience this wonderful conditioner!

I had read so much about it, but still had not tried it so I was ready to give it a shot. I was eager to get the process started once I found time to do it! These are the ingredients I used in my recipe and the reasons:

1. Avocado (ripe, near rotting)- Ranked in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Nutritious Fruit! High in monounsaturated fats and omega fatty acids. Contains over 20 beneficial nutrients including vitamins A, B6 (combats alopecia), C, E, and K. Hydrates the hair and skin. Contains almost twice the potassium of a banana.

2. Yogurt (plain, fat included)- Excellent detangler, works to soften the cuticle encouraging slip. Acts as a natural alpha hydroxy acid clarifying hair of build-up and enhances shine. Lactic acid works as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal which can sometimes work to slow hair growth or cause unhealthy hair growth. 

3. Honey (raw)- Great humectant (draws in moisture), softens hair and increases elasticity, enhances shine

4. Coconut Oil (pure or virgin) Great hair conditioner, strengthens and protects hair from damage, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, absorbs well into air and skin, closely mimics our natural oils.

5. Olive Oil (extra virgin)- High in monounsaturated fats, high in antioxidants. Conditions and softens hair improving elasticity.

6. Rosemary Essential Oil-Follicle stimulant, strengthens hair roots. Helps eliminate dandruff.

7. Red Palm Oil- Softens hair, adds shine, increases elasticity. Antibacterial properties.

I used one avocado, 1/3 cup of yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, 5 tablespoons of coconut oil, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and a 5-6 drops of rosemary EO. I mashed and whipped it with a fork. I find that using a hand mixer, however, gets out a lot of the pulp which can get trapped in your hair.

I had a busy day with clients so I left it on for about 6 hours and then co-washed it out with Giovanni conditioner about twice. I applied coconut oil to my dripping wet hair and then massaged it into my ends and the length of my hair and then focused on my scalp. I then blotted with my towel and applied a dime sized amount on Giovanni Direct leave-in conditioner. I banded my hair in about 12 sections using my personal shealoe blend (shea, aloe, rosemary and lavender EO) and let it set for about 48 hours. I wore scarves and kente head wraps along with knit caps during this period. I could tell from the hair that was exposed that the conditioner worked well. I could see the shine and my hair looked stronger and healthier! These are the results after I took down the bands.

I left my hair like this and wore a satin bonnet to bed. In the morning my hair was still in tact. I finger-combed my hair and used the tail of the rat-tail comb to blend the sections. I loved how my hair looked and felt. It was very soft and fluffy. I barely had to use my pick, because finger styling was such an ease after this conditioner. This preserves the hair by reducing the styling stress which can cause breakage and increase shedding. I noticed my banding lasted longer also. Later that week I did a braidout after applying some coconut oil and was very pleased with the results. I wanted to see how my hair behaved with my next cleansing. I noticed very minimal shedding. Usually when I go extended periods of time without combing my hair, I experience major shedding during my cleansing routine, but this was not the case this time!

My avocado mixture will now be a part of my deep conditioning family! I wish I did not wait so long to try it! I hope you love this conditioner as much as I do! Feel free to leave me feedback about your experience with this conditioner! Thanks for reading! Blessings!

*Update (2.6.11)- I have added palm oil to my Avocado Deep Conditioning recipe! Check out my article about red palm oil to find out its benefits!

2 comments December 21, 2010