There are several No Poo deep conditioning methods that can help to introduce moisture into your hair; leaving it feeling soft, nourished, and manageable. This No Poo deep conditioning guide will help you establish which method is the right one for you.
Honey and Aloe Vera are two of the most popular No Poo ingredients to use to deep condition your hair. However, there are also many other natural products that can be used to keep your hair looking and feeling great. Some No Poo conditioners can be used regularly, whilst others should be used less frequently.
We have all suffered from dry hair at some point in our lives, leading us to reach for the nearest conditioner to help restore life into our tresses.
If you are interested in No Poo deep conditioning, then this article will give you some great ideas of No Poo ingredients you can use, and the best way to keep your hair looking healthy and well-nourished naturally.
No Poo Deep Conditioning
The No Poo Movement has been growing in popularity over the last few decades.
No Poo followers use natural products to keep their hair shiny and healthy rather than using traditional shampoos and conditioners.
No Poo’ers reject traditional shampoo and conditioner products as they often contain sulfates that dry out our hair.
Silicons can also be found within these commercial hair care products, and are considered damaging to the hair since they load your hair with silicons, preventing necessary nutrients and moisture from reaching the individual hair strands. This leaves your hair feeling brittle and weighed down.
No Poo deep conditioning treatments are used to nourish the hair shaft so that the hair is as strong and moisturized as possible.
Most conditioning products coat the outside of the hair but do not penetrate the hair shaft fully; either because the product is not left on the hair long enough, or because the ingredient is unable to penetrate the tight cuticles successfully.
There is a multitude of No Poo-friendly conditioners and many natural ingredients that you can use to make a homemade deep conditioner.
Below are the most effective and popular No Poo deep conditioner treatments, that you simply have to try (sources 1,2,3,4):
1. Raw Honey
Honey has so many superb properties, that the fact that it is also a great deep conditioner can sometimes get lost in the list of its other benefits.
It is a superb humectant; improving your hair’s ability to retain moisture, and is often used in conjunction with another ingredient to boost all-round benefits.
Honey that is locally produced gives the most all-round benefits, but even if you cannot find honey produced nearby your home, then try the recipe below for brilliantly conditioned hair:
Honey And Avocado Recipe
The avocado is full of fatty acids that are perfect for dry and damaged hair. Here’s what you need to do:
- Use a blender to turn the flesh of an avocado into a smooth paste.
- Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey and mix fully.
- Once you have washed your hair as usual allow it to air dry before applying the avocado from root to tip.
- Leave the mixture completely coating your hair for up to an hour before washing it out.
2. Aloe Vera
The great thing about aloe vera is its simplicity.
If you have the ability and space to grow aloe vera at home, then this recipe could be a game-changer for you.
This No Poo deep conditioning treatment below can drastically improve your hair health if used once a week.
Recipe
You will need:
- Half a cup of Aloe Vera gel (either homegrown or store-bought).
- Wash your hair and run the gel through from your scalp to the tips of your hair.
- Sit back and relax for half an hour before rinsing the Aloe Vera from your hair using warm water.
3. Argan Oil
This oil is incredibly versatile. You can use it both on your hair, but also on your skin to improve its smoothness and health.
Recipe
Below is another simple deep-conditioning method.
Just remember not to use too much oil as it’ll be difficult to remove:
- Wash your hair as normal
- Smooth in a small amount of warm argan oil.
- Wrap your hair in a warm towel
- Leave the towel on as long as you like, even overnight (if this option is taken, use a shower cap to keep your bedding clean).
- Rinse argan oil out with warm water.
4. Coconut Milk
Coconut contains proteins that can help dry damaged hair.
Coconut Milk Recipe
- Take half a cup of canned coconut milk.
- Mix in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a little hot water.
- Pour mixture over your hair.
- Leave the product on your hair for up to 15 minutes before washing it out as normal.
- If you do not want to wash your hair, then rinse your hair with warm water, but keep in mind that the water might not rinse out the olive oil from your hair entirely.
5. Clay Mask
If you have curly hair, this mask is a great option to keep your curls well defined.
Leaving the mask on for half an hour will improve your hair incredibly.
Below is a clay mask deep conditioning recipe:
- ½ cup of Rhassoul clay mixed with distilled water to a paste
- Add essential oils to the mixture if preferred
- Smooth through your hair to leave your hair feeling moisturized, well-nourished, and less prone to frizz.
My article No Poo Essential Oils For Hair will give you all the information you need to know, to help you decide the best essential oil for use in your hair.
Remember not to use metal bowls or utensils when using clay.
6. Yoghurt
Greek yogurt is fantastic for curly hair.
Below is a useful recipe that you might like to try:
- Take some plain yogurt
- Mix with 2 tablespoons of raw honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Wash your hair and smooth the yogurt mixture through your hair, whilst your hair is still damp (not wet).
- Cover your hair with a shower cap
- Leave the product on hair for 30 minutes
- Wash mixture out of your hair
Benefits Of Deep Conditioning Natural Hair
A No Poo deep conditioner recipe can do wonders for your hair.
With a deep conditioning treatment, you can help your hair to be:
- Stronger
- Softer
- Shinier
- More Manageable
Depending on the ingredients used in your deep conditioning mask, you can rid your hair of:
- Dryness
- Dandruff
- Improve your hair’s tendency to breakage
Eggs and other protein ingredients can improve the strength of your hair, whilst honey has antibacterial properties that can improve the health of your hair and scalp.
How Often Should I Deep Condition My Hair?
There is no hard and fast rule about how often you should deep condition your hair.
The frequency will ultimately depend upon:
- Your Hair
- The environment in which you live
- Your Lifestyle
If you start off with a deep conditioning treatment every two weeks you will see the difference in your hair within a month or two.
At this point, if your hair still feels dry and not as healthy as you would like, then you have the option to increase the deep conditioning frequency e.g to every 10 days, rather than 14 days.
Alternatively, take a closer look at the exact problem you are experiencing with your hair and alter the treatment accordingly.
It is worth keeping in mind that just because one type of mask has worked in the past, it may not be the right treatment for how your hair at this exact moment in time.
The best thing about DIY No Poo recipes is that you likely already have the ingredients in your pantry, and can make up individual conditioner treatments according to your needs at one particular time, therefore reducing the chances of wasting product.
How To Apply Hair Conditioner
When considering how to apply hair conditioner, several questions are quite often asked:
- Is Conditioner Applied On Wet Hair?: Although conditioner can be applied to dry hair, the best results will be seen when used on wet hair.
- Does Deep Conditioner Work Better On Wet Or Dry Hair?: A deep conditioning treatment is normally applied to wet hair after washing.
- Do I Deep Condition All My Hair?: Deep conditioning masks are usually applied to the entire head and scalp as the ingredients are often designed to improve scalp health as well as nourish the hair. Alternatively, you can just deep condition the ends, especially if you have problems with an oily scalp. However, there are masks that will combat excess sebum production, so it may be a good idea to use one of these instead so that your whole head benefits from the treatment.
How Long Should You Leave Deep Conditioner In Your Hair
Whilst each DIY conditioning treatment is different, most are safe to leave in your hair for up to 30 minutes.
Oil treatments differ in that they can be left in your hair overnight, allowing your hair to fully benefit from their positive properties.
Deep Conditioner Do’s And Don’ts
The great thing about deep conditioners is that they are quite forgiving, and there are many No Poo DIY recipes available on the internet to treat almost any hair problem.
There are some simple Do’s and Don’ts of deep conditioning though, which you need to consider
Do’s
- Condition your hair.
- Change the recipe if your hair needs change.
- Use the conditioner according to instructions.
- Use a heated towel to aid your hairs acceptance of nourishment.
- Remember that most conditioners have cleansing properties.
- Squeeze out excess water before applying conditioner.
Don’t
- Overuse conditioner.
- Allow conditioner to sit on hair too long.
- Use metal bowls with clays.
- Cover hair unevenly (make sure that all your hair is evenly covered)
No Poo Deep Conditioner Questions And Answers
To save you searching the whole internet for answers, here are the most regularly asked questions relating to No Poo deep conditioning treatments:
1. What Is The Best Conditioner For No Poo Method?
There is not one conditioner that can be said to be the ‘best.’
Instead, there is only the best conditioner for your hair at a specific moment in time.
All No Poo conditioners should be free of man-made chemicals.
No Poo conditioners can be made at home or purchased online.
If your hair needs moisture and shine, then honey or aloe vera is one of the better recipes to use.
If you have curly hair, using clay is a good choice as it can help define the curls.
2. How To Deep Condition Curly Hair
Curly hair is generally more porous and dry than straight hair, and as such there are some recipes that are more suited to this type of hair.
If you have curly hair then try recipes containing the following ingredients, to achieve the best results:
- Rhassoul Clay: Helps with frizz and curl definition.
- Egg: Adds protein for strength.
- Yogurt: Great for curl definition.
- Honey: Great for your scalp and improves hair softness.
- Avocado: The oils in avocado penetrate deeply into the hair.
3. Deep Conditioning Overnight
If you are looking for a conditioner for No Poo method treatment that you can leave overnight then oils are the way to go.
Every oil has its own characteristics, but one of the best will always remain olive oil.
You can also use essential oils with olive oil as a carrier.
By using essential oils you can really make sure that your conditioning treatment is specifically tailored to your hair’s needs.
4. What Happens If You Deep Condition Your Hair Too Much?
Regular use of conditioner will benefit your hair, however, it is possible to over condition your hair.
The saying ‘too much of a good thing’ is very relevant here.
The main signs of over-conditioned hair are shown below:
- Crunchy
- Difficult to manage
- Oily
- Lack of volume
- Too soft
5. Do You Shampoo After Deep Conditioning?
This is a personal choice and will depend upon the conditioning treatment you use.
With most conditioners, especially those that are used for deep conditioning treatments and masks, then washing out the product is necessary.
For some conditioners though, a simple rinse with warm water is enough.
Just remember to never wash out your deep conditioner with hot water as this will open up the hair cuticles and leave your hair prone to frizz.
If you do choose to shampoo your hair after deep conditioning then try to use the mildest No Poo shampoo wash that you can as you do not want to undo all the good that the conditioner has done.
6. Is Pre-Poo The Same As Deep Conditioning?
Pre-poo is a conditioning treatment that is used before using a No Poo wash.
The idea is that the pre-poo will moisturize the hair and protect it from becoming too dry from the shampoo.
Individuals with curly hair that sucks up all moisture often use a pre-poo conditioner to make sure that the wash does not enter too far into their hair shaft and damage it.
A deep conditioning treatment is usually used after a wash to nourish the hair and add shine and softness.
Once the specified time for the deep conditioner to sit in your hair has passed you often shampoo it out. This is not the same as a pre-poo.
Pre-poo is used to protect the hair from taking in too much product, whilst a deep conditioning treatment is used to give the hair every chance to take up as much of the moisturizing product as possible.
7. Can You Use Leave In Conditioner After Deep Conditioning?
Whilst you can use a leave-in conditioner after deep conditioning, if you are having to do this then you may need to ask what is lacking in the treatment that you are using?
Once you have washed out the deep conditioner, it may be sensible to use a light spray-in conditioner, but be careful if using a leave-in conditioner as you do not want your hair to become heavy and limp.
No Poo Troubleshooting
Moving over to a No Poo regime can do wonders for your hair.
Without sulfates and silicons your hair is allowed to be how nature intended:
- Clean
- Healthy
- Naturally Nourished
However, especially when you first dip your toes into the No Poo ocean, the choices can be overwhelming, and it may take a while for you to find the right No Poo method for you.
Why Is My Hair Frizzy After Deep Conditioning?
If your hair is frizzy after deep conditioning there are several things that could be the problem.
These include (source 1):
Hot Water Rinsing
You should always rinse your hair with cool or lukewarm water, never hot.
For the final rinse always use the coldest water that you can stand. It may not feel pleasant, but your hair will thank you for it.
Cold water closes the cuticles and leaves hair shiny and tangle-free. Whereas hot water raises the cuticles to let in environmental moisture leading to frizz, making knots and tangles more likely.
Deep Conditioner Makes My Hair Greasy
If you over-condition your hair then it can end up looking greasy.
Too much conditioner in your hair leads to too much moisture within each hair strand.
Normally, the naturally produced sebum from our scalp soaks into our hair and is drawn down the shaft through brushing, leaving it naturally moisturized and nourished.
If you have over-conditioned your hair though, then there is nowhere for the sebum to go. Instead, it ends up sitting on top of your hair leaving your hair looking greasy. The weight leaves your hair limp and without volume.
Deep Conditioner Makes My Hair Dry
This may indicate a product build-up on your hair that is not allowing the moisturizers in your conditioning treatment to do their job.
Using a clarifying shampoo could be the answer.
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed reading my No Poo deep conditioning guide.
As you will have seen, No Poo deep conditioner treatment recipes are widely available, ranging from honey to aloe vera, to egg or oils.
The trick is to work out what exactly is missing from your hair so that you know what ingredients are required to get your hair back to full health.
Whilst most ingredients work for all hair types, some produce better results on curly hair.