Shave dry damaged hair with this moisturizing DIY Hair Mask this winter. While stopped coloring hair this season for environmental reasons, hair is still healing from the damage caused by the harsh styling chemicals. Enter replenishing hair masks with ingredients like aloe vera, grape seed oil, shea butter, babassu wax, and other nutrients.

Aloe Vera is the most popular, easily available, and healthiest form of natural hair care therapy. It moisturizes, hydrates, and revitalizes hair without irritating it. Aloe Vera juice applied topically is an excellent moisturizer, but you need to use it as directed. Applying it too often can cause irritation.

Grape seed oil and shea butter are both rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which are essential for healthy hair. Grape seed oil works wonderfully as a shampoo, but be careful not to over saturate your hair with it. The less it gets in, the less effective it will be. This oil can also be used to condition and seal the cuticle, and leave it smooth and shiny.

Babassu wax is also an excellent natural emollient and conditioning agent. It works well on dry damaged hair because it has a high molecular density. The molecules don’t get trapped in the hair shaft as they would in other oils, so hair doesn’t become dry and brittle. The wax also leaves the hair silky smooth without the need for a toner or conditioner.

Shea butter is similar to grape seed oil in many ways. It moisturizes and softens hair, leaving it feeling smooth and shiny. Like grape seed oil, it’s a wonderful emollient that won’t clog pores and leave hair looking dull and lifeless. When it comes to conditioning hair, it’s the best option available. It can be used after shampooing to seal in moisture, or as a leave-in conditioner to lock in moisture.

When using any of these ingredients for treating dry damaged hair, always remember to apply them in a thin layer. When using these as a mask, you want to add about half a cup of them per each application to your hair. For an easier application, pour about a quarter cup of the mixture into a small plastic bottle. Use a finger to spread them evenly over your hair while holding the bottle upright.

To keep the hair mask treats dry damaged hair, avoid using hair spray when applying them. Spray can clog the pores and make it difficult for the natural oils in the hair to penetrate. In addition, you should also avoid using curling irons and straightening irons when using this. These products can dry the hair out so that it will look lifeless and unruly.

While these are natural ingredients, they do carry some risk. If you’re using a shampoo and conditioner with any of these ingredients, you should only do it with the advice of a licensed esthetician.