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DIY leave-in conditioner is simple to make and will leave your hair feeling well moisturized. Learn how to make a leave-in conditioner with coconut milk or aloe vera, as well as a DIY  leave-in conditioner for hair growth. Each recipe is made with natural ingredients that are very cost-friendly.

A bottle of leave-in conditioner next to dried flowers and a hair brush.
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I used to struggle with dry, brittle hair. I would use a nourishing homemade shampoo and always follow it with homemade conditioner, but that just wasn’t cutting it.

Finally, I decided to up my hair care game and started using a DIY leave-in conditioner a couple of times a week. It worked amazingly well! I could feel my hair getting softer, healthier, and stronger.

If you are experiencing dryness, breakage, thinning, or you just feel like your hair needs extra TLC, you may love leave-in conditioner just as much as I do.

I am going to share 3 different leave-in conditioner recipes that can help with strengthing the hair, moisturizing the scalp, and promoting healthy hair growth. You can choose which recipe to use based on your hair type and needs.

Making your own leave-in conditioner will take you less than 5 minutes and will cost you next to nothing. Plus, it can be made with natural ingredients! 

Need a quick pick? My go-to recipe is the coconut milk leave-in conditioner!

Why You’ll Love These Recipes

  • Leave-in conditioner spray is an easy way to moisturize and nourish your hair. A quick spritz after your shower is all it takes!
  • I have found leave-in conditioner to be very effective on my hair. It has left it healthier, stronger, and softer. The conditioner spray also helped as a detangler and anto-frizz product! You may have similar results with continual use.
  • With just a few ingredients and a minute or two to make, this leave-in conditioner couldn’t be easier. Pour all of the ingredients into a bottle, shake, and you have yourself a simple DIY leave-in conditioner.

What Goes Into These Recipes

Coconut Milk Leave-In Conditioner

Ingredients for coconut milk leave-in conditioner: coconut milk, filtered water, essential oils, and jojoba oil.

Aloe Vera Leave-In Conditioner

Leave-In Conditioner for Hair Growth

How to Make Leave-In Conditioner

Mixing ingredients in a glass bowl to make leave-in conditioner.

Step 1. Add all of the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk until they are well combined.

A glass bottle with a metal funnel in the top, full of DIY leave-in conditioner.

Step 2. Using a funnel, transfer the mixture to a spray bottle. Shake well before each use and store in the refrigerator.

How to Use Leave-In Conditioner

Typically, you will want to apply a leave-in conditioner to the hair after it has been washed and conditioned. You can apply it to wet or dry hair, but it is best if your hair is slightly damp. 

Spray the leave-in conditioner generously over the hair and then style it like normal.

Expert Tips

  • These leave-in conditioners last for about a week in the fridge. The batches are small so you can make a fresh one each week.
  • If you have greasy or oily hair, avoid spraying the leave-in conditioner on your roots. Spraying it on the ends will moisturize the hair without making your scalp more oily.
  • Limit use of the leave-in conditioner to 1-3 times per week. I like to wash my hair twice a week and use the conditioner right after each wash.
A bottle of leave-in conditioner next to dried lavender and a hair brush.

What Essential Oils are Best for Hair?

  1. Lavenderโ€“ Studies have shown that lavender produces more hair follicles to help thicken and strengthen hair.  Lavender has a beautiful floral smell that can promote calmness and reduce stress; stress can be a major reason for hair loss.
  2. Rosemaryโ€“ Rosemary essential oil is the top oil for hair growth and thickness. It helps to treat dry hair as well as overly oily hair and can help prevent split ends.
  3. Tea treeโ€“ Tea tree promotes a healthy, clean-looking scalp. It can be used to help with a dry, itchy scalp and protect against lice.
  4. Cedarwoodโ€“ This woodsy oil is excellent when you are making products for men because it has a very masculine smell.  In fact, I use cedarwood in the DIY products I make for my husband, and he approves.  It stimulates hair follicles and increases circulation to the scalp, making it a top oil for hair loss.
  5. Peppermintโ€“ Peppermint oil is known for the cooling effect it has on the skin when used topically and for its refreshing minty scent.  Peppermint is also great for the hair as it promotes hair growth and thickness.

Recipe FAQs

What is leave-in conditioner?

Leave-in conditioner is a product that is applied to the hair after youย showered and is meant to stay in. It can be especially beneficial for curly hair and dry hair.ย 

Leave-in conditioners will moisturize the hair leaving itย softer, smoother, and shinier. It can also be used as a hair detangler or a hair styling product.ย 

What are the benefits of leave-in conditioner?

Leave-in conditioner gives the hair and scalp an extra boost of moisture and nourishment. Because it’s left on the hair rather than rinsed out, it has longer to soak in and hydrate the hair.

Moisturizing and nourishing a dry, itchy scalp can enable hair to grow stronger and thicker, which may help with thinning hair.

If you are experiencing hair loss or a lot of hair breakage, try using a leave-in conditioner a few times a week.ย 

How often should I use leave-in conditioner?

You shouldn’t use a leave-in conditioner on your hair daily. In fact, you should only condition your hair 1-3 times a week, depending on your hair type.ย 

Overconditioning the hair can cause build-up and make the hair look greasy. If you have super fine hair that is oil-prone, then you may need to consider less conditioner or use a homemade dry shampoo to help absorb excess grease.

Which of these recipes should I use?

That depends on your hair type and what you’re dealing with! The coconut milk conditioner is ideal for dry hair, while the aloe vera conditioner is ideal for those with oily hair as it’s a lighter recipe. The hair growth recipe is perfect for anyone who wants thicker, stronger hair.

Of course, all of the recipes are made with moisturizing and nourishing the hair in mind, so you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Related Content

If you tried this DIY Leave-In Conditioner or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐Ÿ“ comments below. Thanks for visiting!

4.32 from 60 votes

DIY Leave-In Conditioner

Prep: 2 minutes
Active: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 8 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Yield: 1 bottle
You will love this simple hair conditioner recipe made with natural ingredients. This easy recipe lets you create a leave-in conditioner for soft, manageable hair. Made with ingredients to target frizz, dryness, and curls!
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Ingredients 

Coconut Milk Leave-In Conditioner

Aloe Vera Leave-In Conditioner

Leave-In Conditioner for Hair Growth

Instructions 

  • Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl.ย 
  • Whisk the ingredients together until they are well combined.ย 
  • Using a funnel, transfer the liquid to a 4-ounce glass spray bottle.ย 
  • Shake well before each use.ย 

Video

Notes

  • To use: Spray generously onto damp hair and style as normal.ย 
  • Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • Find a full list of essential oils for hair in the above post.ย 
Tried this recipe?Mention @our_oily_house or tag #ouroilyhouse!
This recipe is for your own viewing pleasure and is not meant for healing purposes. Readers must perform their own research and tests before making any recipe.

About Laura

Welcome to Our Oily House, Iโ€™m so glad youโ€™re here! Explore DIY cleaners, homemade soaps, skincare and hair care recipes, fragrance-free solutions, and sustainable laundry tips for a naturally inspired home.

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4.32 from 60 votes (60 ratings without comment)

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40 Comments

  1. Madeline says:

    Hi, i love your recipes but can i eco preservatives to keep it for more time please?

    1. Laura says:

      You can add an antioxidant like vitamin E antioxidant or rosemary antioxidant to help extend the shelf life of the product if desired.

  2. Lari says:

    Most of your recipes have a coconut products in them but I’m allergic. For the conditioner for example, do you think I can use Shea butter instead of the coconut oil? And for these leave in conditioners, do you thi k I can replace the coconut water with regular water? Or is there any substitute for the coconut milk?

    Thanks

    1. Laura says:

      Yes! You can use water instead in this recipe. Shea butter should work in the conditioner, but I have not personally tried it.

  3. Amanda says:

    I really loved the smell of this recipe! I’ve been looking for a good conditioner to make and stumbled upon this. To be honest, I’ve been using this as a detangler for my girls, and it has been working much better than a traditional detangler recipe. I just leave it in for a couple of minutes and the tangles come out much easier! Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Laura says:

      That is a wonderful idea, thanks for sharing! I am so glad you are enjoying it!

  4. Anyathub says:

    Hi,
    Thanks for the amazing recipe. I wanted to ask if it is possible to use natural coconut milk directly from the coconut fruit itself instead of the canned coconut milk?
    Thank u

    1. Laura says:

      Yes!

  5. HALEY JEAN WATSON says:

    Is something like this safe on color treated hair?

  6. Alexis says:

    Is there a replacement that could be used for the vegetable glycerin? Would it be possible to add aloe to the first recipe that has coconut milk in?

    1. Gabby says:

      Should this be stored in the fridge? Or is it fine to leave it room temp for the whole month?

      1. Laura says:

        I keep it in the fridge.

    2. Michelle W says:

      Hi Alexis, I’m new to the essential oil world so forgive me for commenting on such an old post but… I was specifically looking through these comments to see if this exact question was asked before I tried to ask her:) I don’t see a reply though. Did you find out if there is a substitution? Everything I look up comes back with, substitute with another type of glycerin. LOL I HATE when I want to make something and I’m missing one thing, I’m finding that to be the most frustrating part of being a newbee bc I’m so impatient, if I don’t have an ingredient I go and try to order it to be delivered now hahahaha Hope this finds you well thanks for listening/reading:)

  7. SANGEETHA DSOUZA says:

    what is the shelf life of the spray ?? Thank you.