We have tried all of the recipes below, and as with all homemade mixes we’ve altered the ratio of items to suit our own needs. Please feel free to experiment with ratios, as well as swap out items with your favourite oils, to get them to serve you best. The aloe base for all of these recipes is the homemade version that we previously wrote about (not the store bought brand). Because the homemade aloe already contains Vitamin C, adding additional preservatives could alter the acidity content of the mix. Just something to keep in mind. In addition, the consistency of the homemade version is much thinner than a store-bought brand. Again, something else to keep in mind when trying the recipes below, as the consistency of you mixture may vary based on your source of aloe.
1. ALOE AND HONEY SHAMPOO
About the Recipe
This recipe does not produce the typical suds of regular shampoos, but don’t be fooled. It works. Honey and aloe are both great humectants, so they draw moisture into the hair. The ACV is great for breaking up oils and build-up on the hair as well as for closing cuticles. Not to mention the numerous antifungal and andibacterial benefits of aloe, which makes it great for thos who are suffering for minor scalp irritations and/or dandruff.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup aloe gel
2 T honey
2 T apple cider vinegar (ACV)
Method
I blend ingredients together in a small 1-cup chopper that I have. You can use a blender or hand-held mixer if you like, or do it by hand. It will be frothy and sorta slimy (much like the aloe gel was after whipping).
Our Notes
Without any essential oils, this recipe doesn’t smell the greatest, but remember it’s just for shampoo and will be rinsed out entirely. A few drops of your favourite essential oil can be added to help with smell if absolutely necessary. I do not pre-make this ahead of time, but actually blend ingredients right before using. When used in mixes, honey can go bad quickly so anything I mix with it gets used immediately. I have used this both on my hair and on Boo’s hair. When using on my hair, I actually add more ACV because my hair gets pretty oily.
2. ALOE DETANGLER
About the Recipe
I had to play with this recipe a while to get the amount of slip needed for good detangling. I’m still not as happy with it as I am with our store-bought detangler, but it does work really well. And if you’re looking for a way to save money on hair products, this is definitely worth it. As mentioned above, if smell is an issue you can add an essential oil. I don’t usually add any because I use a moisturizing product on top of this and I don’t want too much smell and/or for the smells to compete with one another.
Ingredients:
1 cup distilled water
2 T aloe gel
4 drops glycerin
Method
I actually put all items into an old shampoo or conditioner bottle and shake until everything is well-blended. You can also use a spray bottle, too. However, I like my mixture a little thick and I’ve found that the conditioner bottle works better when squeezing it out. I squeeze it onto my hands and then work it through the hair with my fingertips. Then I detangle as normal. I do not rinse it out.
Our Notes
The amount of glycerin is what really helps with the slip; the aloe gel does provide good slip, as well, but as it thins out it gets sort of sticky which doesn’t help with detangling. Glycerin is actually the opposite; it’s sticky at full-strength, but actually becomes very slippery as it’s extremely soluble in water. If you find that you don’t get enough slip for detangling, more glycerin should help. Or you can even add a bit of a your favourite oil (olive oil or melted coconut oil).
3. ALOE DEEP CONDITIONER (MOISTURIZING)
About the Recipe
Pretty much the easiest recipe we have. This is the one that we often use for Boo’s hair, as her DC’s are moisture-based.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup aloe gel
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed in the microwave for mixing
Method
Blend both ingredients together using method of your choice. I get a creamier mixture if I use my hand-held blender than my personal chopper. Apply to hair according to our instructions for deep conditioning.
Our Notes
We use coconut oil because it works better in Boo’s hair than olive oil does. If you child’s hair does better with olive oil, then swap that out in the mix for deep conditioning. Do note that the coconut oil makes this mixture smell fine, but olive oil and aloe gel don’t smell the greatest in my opinion. Considering the fact that you’ll be expecting your child to wear it for at least 10-15 minutes, you might want to consider adding few drops of their favourite essential oil might make it easier on their little noses.
Source:
http://blackgirllonghair.com/2013/01/8-amazing-homemade-aloe-vera-recipes-for-natural-hair/