3 Editor-Tested DIY Hair Masks to Make from Stuff Already in Your Kitchen

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Between blow-drying, straightening, highlighting, and overzealous product application, our strands take a serious beating. Fortunately, hair masks exist to provide some extra love and repair. But finding one that perfectly addresses your issues can be a time-consuming and expensive game of product testing. So with the guidance of some expert hairstylists, we created (and tested!) three hair masks that you can make with ingredients right out of your kitchen cabinets.

If you have frizzy hair

2 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons coconut oil

Blend together and smooth onto wet hair from root to tip. Let rest on hair for 15 minutes, then rinse. “This is a potent combination for all levels of frizzy hair,” says New York City-based hairstylist Daven Mayeda. The coconut oil adds and locks in moisture, while the honey ups shine, he says.

Our verdict: This left our hair smooth, but not flat, with a bit of extra gleam. To our surprise, it also helped quell static.

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If you have oily hair

1 tablespoon baking soda

3 tablespoons water

Stir together and massage into scalp and down wet strands to the ends. Let sit for about five minutes, then rinse. “The baking soda will strip the hair of any residue left by shampoo,” says Mayeda. “And really working it into the scalp will break up those oils that build up overtime.”

Our verdict: We tried this mask after three wash-free days. Our dirty, greasy hair was left light and fresh, and our scalp was squeaky clean.

If you have very dry or damaged hair

1/2 of a ripe avocado

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan over very low heat and mix until well blended (smashing up the avocado beforehand will help). “Use the mixture when it is still warm, as the warmth will lift the cuticle layer slightly and allow the mixture to penetrate the hair—and not just lay on the surface,” says New York City-based hairstylist, Nate Rosenkranz. Starting at the ends and moving up to the roots, work the mixture into clean, towel–dried hair. Let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing well. The avocado, packed with vitamin E and healthy fats, will strengthen and condition hair, while olive oil’s natural antioxidant properties will help maintain shine. The fatty acids in coconut oil make it a moisturizing powerhouse, says Rosenkranz.

Our verdict: The combo left our blow dryer-burned strands full, with seemingly fewer split ends to pick at.