15 DIY Hair Masks for Thinning and Damaged Hair

Between pollution, heat styling, and frequent hair coloring, our strands endure a lot of stress. While store-bought products can be useful, few treatments match the nourishment of a homemade hair mask.

Made with natural ingredients and tailored to your hair’s needs, these DIY recipes, often passed down from grandmothers and great-grandmothers, are enjoying renewed popularity for good reason.

Whether you want a mask that promotes hair growth, tames frizz, or adds shine, these formulas can deliver results with softness and radiance that might make you feel ready for a shampoo commercial.

What is a Hair Mask

You have likely heard of or even tried a face mask. Just as a face mask nourishes and hydrates the skin, a hair mask works in a similar way to improve the strength, texture, and overall health of your hair. Hair masks are also known as deep conditioning treatments or intensive hair conditioners.

Unlike instant conditioners, hair masks contain more concentrated ingredients and stay on the hair for a longer period, usually from 20 minutes to several hours.

You can make many types of hair masks at home with simple ingredients found in your kitchen, such as bananas, honey, or egg yolk. If you prefer convenience, a wide range of ready-made hair masks is available in stores.

Benefits of Using a Hair Mask for Thinning Hair

Using a hair mask offers a range of benefits that can vary based on the ingredients and your hair type. In general, regular use can help:

• Make hair shinier and softer

• Increase moisture levels

• Reduce breakage and repair damage

• Minimize frizz

• Improve scalp health

• Strengthen strands

• Protect against environmental stress and product buildup

15 DIY Hair Masks for Different Hair Needs

Whether your goal is to restore moisture, promote growth, control frizz, or protect color, there is a mask for every hair concern. The recipes below use simple, natural ingredients that are easy to find and gentle on the hair and scalp. Choose the one that best fits your needs, or rotate between them to give your hair a complete care routine.

Ingredients you’ll see in the recipes:

Choose the mask that best fits your needs, or rotate between them for a complete hair care routine.

1. Batana Oil and Rosemary Mask for Thinning Hair

Batana oil is rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants that nourish the scalp, strengthen hair strands, and help reduce breakage.

When combined with rosemary oil, it can help stimulate circulation to the scalp, creating an environment that supports healthier, fuller hair. This mask is ideal for anyone looking to restore vitality to thinning hair while keeping it soft and manageable.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons pure batana oil

• 1 tablespoon rosemary oil (or 5 drops rosemary essential oil diluted in a carrier oil)

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel

• 1 egg yolk

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Apply the mixture to clean, damp hair, starting at the scalp and working through to the ends. Massage gently for a few minutes to boost circulation. Cover with a shower cap and leave the mask on for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with cool water, then shampoo as usual.

2. Coconut Oil Mask for Dry Hair and Scalp

Moisturizing your hair is key to preventing split ends, frizz, and breakage. If your regular conditioner is not enough, try an intensive overnight treatment with coconut oil. Coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft to help repair damage.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Directions:
Before bed, warm the coconut oil in the microwave and massage it into damp hair, avoiding the roots. You can tie your hair into a bun and cover it with a shower cap or hair wrap if you like. Shampoo it out in the morning.

3. Castor Oil Mask for Frizz Control

Frizz can result from damage, environmental factors, or a combination of both, and some hair types are naturally more prone to it. To control frizz, smooth and seal the hair’s cuticle with an emollient such as castor oil.

Castor oil acts as a protectant and helps strengthen strands. It is derived from castor plant seeds and is rich in ricinoleic acid, which coats and conditions the hair to improve smoothness.

Ingredients:

• Castor oil

Directions:
Rub a small amount of castor oil between your hands, then lightly smooth it over frizz-prone areas of dry hair in a thin layer.

4. Rosemary and Castor Oil Mask for Hair Growth

Try combining castor oil with rosemary oil, it’s a blend that we recommend to promote hair growth.

Ingredients:

• Equal parts rosemary oil and castor oil

Directions:
Mix the oils together and apply to dry hair as a scalp treatment. Massage the blend into your scalp, using a scalp massager if available, to stimulate circulation and help open the hair cuticle for improved growth.

5. Rice and Avocado Mask for Curly Hair

Curly hair often needs extra hydration since it is more prone to dryness and damage. We recommend using a mask with rice water, which contains inositol to help repair damaged hair and support curl retention. The avocado in this mask provides added nourishment.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice

• 2 cups water

• 1/2 avocado

Directions:
Soak the rice in water, then strain out the grains using a sieve. Mash the avocado and mix it into the rice water. Apply the mixture to your hair, leave it on for 20 to 25 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

6. Honey, Banana and Coconut Oil Mask for Color-Treated Hair

Color-treated hair, especially bleached strands, often needs extra hydration. Choose ingredients that will not compromise your color. This mask boosts moisture while keeping your shade intact.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 peeled banana

• 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Apply the mixture to your hair, leave it on for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

7. Coconut Oil, Sugar and Essential Oil Mask for Dandruff

When colder weather sets in, the increased indoor heat can dry out your skin, including your scalp, leading to flakes.This exfoliating treatment helps remove flakes and also works as a facial scrub. Coconut oil provides fatty acids and anti-inflammatory benefits, peppermint oil stimulates circulation, and tea tree oil offers antifungal, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons raw unrefined coconut oil

• 4 teaspoons raw sugar

• 5 drops peppermint oil

• 2 drops tea tree oil

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together. Using your fingers or a hair color brush, apply the mixture to two-inch sections of clean, damp hair in the shower. Once applied evenly, gently massage your scalp for 1 to 3 minutes. Clip your hair up and let the treatment sit for the rest of your shower before rinsing.

8. Egg White and Lemon Mask for Oily Hair

If your hair tends to get greasy, an egg mask can be very effective. Use only the egg white, as it contains protein enzymes that help absorb and remove excess oil.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg white

• Juice from half a lemon

Directions:
Apply the mixture evenly from roots to ends and leave it on for 30 minutes to 1 hour for best results. Rinse with lukewarm water, avoiding hot water to prevent cooking the egg.

9. Almond Oil, Mayo and Yogurt Mask for Dry Scalp

If you have a dry scalp, almond oil or coconut oil can help strengthen and hydrate the skin barrier. These oils are often combined with mayonnaise and yogurt or honey, as each offers anti-inflammatory benefits. As a bonus, yogurt can also help smooth flyaways.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons almond oil (or coconut oil)

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon yogurt (or 1 teaspoon honey as a substitute)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Apply the mixture to your scalp and leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse well.

10. Avocado, Honey and Olive Oil Mask for Damaged Hair

Several factors can damage hair, including excessive use of styling tools, coloring, and chemical treatments. To help repair and restore your strands, try an avocado and olive oil hair mask. This treatment is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help add shine. Avocado also helps rejuvenate and moisturize the scalp.

Ingredients:

• Half an avocado

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 3 drops of your preferred essential oil

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Apply to wet hair with your fingertips, starting at the ends and working upward. Wrap your hair into a bun and cover it with a shower cap. Blow dry over the shower cap for 10 minutes to help activate the ingredients, then leave the mask on for an additional 20 minutes. Shampoo to rinse thoroughly.

11. Honey, ACV and Coconut Oil Mask for Shine

Keeping hair hydrated and healthy improves its overall appearance. If your strands start to lose shine, try a treatment with apple cider vinegar to clarify and smooth the outer layer, enhancing luster.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon raw honey

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  (Adjust amounts as needed, keeping equal parts for long or thick hair)

Directions:
Apply the mixture to damp hair, working it through from roots to ends. Leave it on for at least 20 minutes, then shampoo. This treatment suits all hair types and can also help maintain color.

12. Green Tea and Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse for Scalp Irritation

Green tea is known for its many health benefits, it can also work as a “scalp soother.” A tonic made with antioxidant-rich green tea and peppermint oil can help calm dry, irritated scalp skin.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green tea

• 2 drops peppermint oil

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well, massage the blend into your scalp, and let it sit for at least five minutes before rinsing.

13. Baking Soda Mask for Scalp Buildup

Haircare and styling products can leave behind residue that builds up over time, making hair look greasy, flat, and even flaky. We recommend this clarifying “baking soda power cleanse” to break down excess oil and buildup.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shampoo

• 1 to 2 tablespoons baking soda

Directions:
Mix the shampoo and baking soda together until well combined. Apply the mixture to wet hair, gently massaging it into the scalp. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

14. Coconut, Argan and Almond Oil Mask for Split Ends

Coconut oil supports healthier, thicker, and longer hair by delivering vitamins and fatty acids that nourish the scalp. It also smooths split ends, tames frizz in humid weather, and helps repair damage.

Argan oil is a powerful moisturizer rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, improving elasticity, reducing breakage, and adding shine. Almond oil softens hair follicles, provides anti-inflammatory benefits, locks in moisture, and keeps both hair and scalp hydrated to prevent dryness and flaking.

Ingredients:

• 1 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 to 3 tablespoons argan oil

• 1 to 3 tablespoons almond oil (Use equal amounts of each oil and adjust based on hair length and thickness)

Directions:
Mix equal parts of all three oils in a small bowl. Apply the blend to dry hair for maximum absorption, starting at the scalp and working down to the ends while massaging gently.

If you are concerned about heaviness, you can apply it to damp hair after washing instead. Leave the mixture on for at least 15 to 20 minutes, then wash thoroughly with a gentle shampoo. You may need to shampoo twice to fully remove the oil.

15. Oats, Almond Oil and Milk Mask for Flat Hair

Revive dull, lifeless hair with a protein-rich treatment made from oatmeal, milk, and almond oil. For best results, we recommends applying it to damp, not soaking wet, hair.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oats

• 2 tablespoons almond oil

• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:
Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Apply the mask evenly throughout your hair and leave it on for 20 to 40 minutes, then shampoo.

How to Apply a Hair Mask at Home

Most hair masks deliver the best results when applied to clean, towel-dried hair that is still damp. However, if your mask is oil-based, such as one made with coconut or olive oil, it may be better to apply it to dry hair. Since oil can repel water, some experts believe that dry hair absorbs oil more effectively than wet hair.

Once your mask is ready, follow these steps:

1. Protect your clothing by placing an old towel over your shoulders or wearing an old T-shirt.

2. Section your hair with clips if it is long or thick.

3. Apply the mask with your fingers or a small paintbrush.

• For dry hair, start near the scalp and work toward the ends. Once the ends are coated, gently apply to the scalp.

• For dandruff treatment, begin at the scalp.

• For oily hair, start at mid-length and work toward the ends.

4. Distribute evenly by running a wide-tooth comb through your hair.

5. Cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap, then wrap a towel around your head. This prevents drips and adds warmth, which can improve ingredient absorption.

6. Leave the mask on for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Depending on the ingredients, you can leave it on for several hours or overnight.

7. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm or cool water, avoiding hot water. Cooler water helps seal the hair cuticle and lock in moisture.

8. Remove all residue — it may take two or more rinses to get the mask out completely.

9. Style as usual, whether air-drying or using heat tools.

For dry, frizzy, or damaged hair, use a hair mask once a week. For oily hair, once every two weeks is often enough.

Revive Your Hair with Keyoma’s Nourishing Batana Oil

DIY hair masks are an affordable and effective way to care for your hair. They cost less than store-bought options, are simple to prepare, and use natural ingredients that are gentle and non-toxic.

You can experiment with different recipes to find the one that works best for your hair needs. With just a few natural ingredients, you can achieve healthy, shiny, and frizz-free hair.

For an extra boost, add Keyoma Pure Batana Oil with Rosemary to your routine—rich in nutrients that deeply nourish, strengthen, and restore your hair from root to tip.