Learn how to make this homemade conditioner with all-natural products scented with essential oils. Great for strengthening, thickening, and healthy hair. 
After sharing my DIY shampoo recipe, I had several readers ask about conditioner. I have the hair type that doesn’t necessarily need conditioner. My hair is pin straight and extremely fine. I don’t even need to brush it after showering, or really ever.
My husband has the opposite thing going on. His hair is thick, coarse, and curly. And yes, all my kids got my hair! I was really praying for one head of curls, but apparently, straight hair is dominant. He uses conditioner every time he showers and really needs it to tame and moisturize his hair.
This simple homemade conditioner has amazing benefits for your hair, and the best part; it is toxic-free!
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HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CONDITIONER
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons cocoa butter (Find it here.)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (Find it here.)
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil (Find it here.)
- 1 teaspoon aloe vera (Find it here.)
- 15-20 drops essential oil (Check out my favorites below!)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a double boiler, melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil together. You can make your own double boiler by placing a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water.
- After the cocoa butter and coconut oil are melted together, remove from heat. Let cool for 5 minutes, and then add in the jojoba oil, aloe vera, and essential oils.
- Stir well and pour into a storage container.
- After washing hair with shampoo, add about a teaspoon of the conditioner to the scalp and massage in. Allow the mixture to sit on the hair for 2-3 minutes and then rinse out.
10 BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HAIR
Several essential oils can be used to promote a healthy scalp and hair. I use these oils in a lot of my homemade hair care products, like my hair growth spray, dry shampoo, hair spray, and my moisturizing hair mask.
1. Rosemary
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.
2. Lavender
Studies have shown that lavender produces more hair follicles to help thicken and strengthen hair. Lavender has a beautiful floral scent that can promote calmness and reduce stress; stress can be the biggest reason for hair loss.
3. Peppermint
This essential 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.
4. Sandalwood
My personal favorite smelling oil of all time! Sandalwood can stimulate hair growth, help against dandruff, and promote a healthy scalp.
5. Bergamot
Bergamot has been very successful at promoting hair growth when massaged into the scalp. With cleansing and purifying properties, it is also effective at keeping the scalp healthy.
6. Lemongrass
This essential oil has a citrusy yet woodsy smell making it a perfect scent for men or women. I make a beard oil with lemongrass that my husband loves, and he is pretty picky about having products with manly smells! 😉 Lemongrass is great for the hair and can help to strengthen and thicken.
7. Clary Sage
Adding clary sage to the conditioner will help with hair growth by strengthening the hair and preventing split ends.
8. Wild Orange
I love the refreshing and uplifting aroma of wild orange. Wild orange is amazing for supporting the mood, the immune system and can benefit the hair.
9. Melaleuca
Melaleuca promotes a healthy, clean-looking scalp. It can be used to help with a dry, itchy scalp and protect against lice.
10. Roman Chamomile
Roman chamomile is a delicate essential oil that is sensitive enough to use on young children. It can help to soften the hair while adding shine. I love using this oil on my kid’s hair.
ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS FOR HOMEMADE CONDITIONER
HEALTHY HAIR
- 8 drops rosemary
- 8 drops lavender
- 5 drops peppermint
BEST BLEND FOR MEN
- 8 drops sandalwood
- 5 drops bergamot
- 5 drops lemongrass
BEST BLEND FOR WOMEN
- 8 drops lavender
- 5 drops clary sage
- 2 drops wild orange
- 2 drops lime
BEST BLEND FOR CHILDREN
- 5 drops lavender
- 3 drops Roman Chamomile
A LITTLE ON THE INGREDIENTS
COCOA BUTTER
You may notice that I like to sneak this ingredient into almost all my DIY products, and that is probably why I am tempted to eat things like my homemade lip balm and body butter. This stuff is amazing for the skin, hair and can be used to make delicious chocolates.
Cocoa butter is extremely moisturizing for the skin and works well at conditioning the hair. It provides shine, protects against split ends, and softens hair.
COCONUT OIL
It is no secret that coconut oil can be used for basically everything. It is a known superfood and is found in many natural beauty products. Coconut oil is very beneficial to the hair and can add moisture, strengthen hair, and protect against split ends.
Coconut oil has antibacterial properties making it great for protecting the scalp against infections and lice. It is also effective for nourishing the hair and removing build-up.
JOJOBA OIL
Jojoba oil is often used as a natural remedy for dandruff because of its moisturizing properties. Using jojoba can also prevent hair loss and help hair to thicken. If you have oily hair, you can eliminate this from the conditioner and try adding in a few drops of lemon instead.
ALOE VERA
Some people use plain aloe for a hair conditioner, which works fantastic, especially as a hair conditioning treatment. You can apply aloe to the hair and allow it to soak for 2-4 hours or overnight, and then rinse to heal damaged hair.
Aloe can reduce dandruff by repairing dead skin cells on the scalp and leave your hair fuller and shinier.
Have you tried a homemade conditioner? How did it make your hair feel? What essential oils did you add? Share your stories with us in the comments below!
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PIT IT FOR LATER
Lauren says
This is my favorite! I add orange and lavender and it smells amazing!
Laura says
That is a great combo!
wilhelmina says
I am so happy to have the conditioner recipe! Thank you!
Laura says
You’re welcome! I am so glad you like it!
Veronica Travers says
All of the conditioners that I have made with coconut oil or olive oil leave my hair incredibly greasy. Will this do the same or do you have a recommendation for a substitute that I should try to avoid that…my hair gets greasy incredibly easily.
Laura says
If your hair is prone to being greasy this might not be the best recipe for you. I do know that it will take your hair a little while to adjust to any natural shampoo and conditioner.
Veronica Travers says
I will give it some time to adjust. If that doesn’t seem to do the trick, do you have any other recommendations for conditioner recipes? I LOVE the shampoo one.
Laura says
I am so glad you love the shampoo! I currently only have this conditioner recipe, but I am working on more options!
Katie says
Could I use shea butter instead of cocoa butter?
Lora says
Interested to know if this substitution works.
Abbey says
Question for you….you have a cocoa butter linked in this post and then you have a cocoa butter in your Amazon store. Do you recommend one over the other for this conditioner? AND for use in other DIY’s as well?
Laura says
I like both of them. Sometimes products sell out and come back so depending on when I linked it, it may be different.
Abbey says
Makes sense!!
Abbey says
Another quick question, the shampoo says it’s good for about a month. What about the conditioner?
Laura says
I keep them for the same amount of time.
Holly says
Hi, I love the shampoo. Can you keep it longer than a month ? I made the conditioner it got hard . Did I put too much of one ingredient in I measured out following the recipe ? The only thing I used slightly different was I used pure aloe I had froze.
Thank you for all your recipe .
Holly
Laura says
Yes I have kept it longer and it was fine, I am glad you like it! It is normal for the conditioner to harden, scoop a little in your hand and rub it together and it will melt and be ready to put in hair.
Brigitte says
With coconut oil do we have anything to worry about drains clogging etc…
Laura says
It hasn’t been an issue in my home.
Jaime says
I’m in the process of making the conditioner and the aloe Vera keeps sinking to the bottom no matter how much I stir it. How can I get it to be mixed in so that when it cool completely it’ll be included in what goes on my hair and not just at the bottom?
Laura says
Make sure to add it slowly and you can use an immersion blender to mix it.
Lau says
hi Laura!
Can you use anything else instead of aloe vera? or could i just leave it out? I am allergic to it so i would love to make one without!
Laura says
Yes you can leave it out.
Katrina Hardeman says
I mixed mine by weight (30g coconut oil, 30g coconut butter, 15 jojoba) i left out the aloe and essential oils. Was that wrong to do? Cause now it’s fairly solid like a bar in a jar. Is there a way to fix this? Should I melt and pour it into a bar mold?
Laura says
Yes, you can remelt and try again!
Anna says
I love this homemade conditioner! It does harden after a little but I transfer it into a jar! I have tested it with many different EOs! I just made it with blue tansy and it made it kinda smell like apples! I really enjoy all of your posts! This is my go-to DIY website! Thanks!
Adrienne says
Do you know how to make this non-greasy? It made my hair very oily. Also, this hardens very fast. Do you know how to help with this? Thanks!
Megan says
A lot of the canned coconut milks I’m finding have guar gum in them. Does that work, or should I keep looking for straight coconut milk?
I tried your shampoo recipe and absolutely love it! Can’t wait to make this, too!
Laura says
I am so glad you love the shampoo! You can try that coconut milk and see how it works! I have found one brand from Trader Joes that has just coconut milk in it, it is hard to find!
Tracy says
This conditioner along a few others I’ve tried from other sites makes my hair greasy. I massaged it on my scalp as directed but find I have to wash it again to get the oils out.
Laura says
Sometimes it takes a while for your hair to adjust to natural products, it took my hair a couple of months to fully switch over. It could also be hair type.
Heidi says
How many bars does this recipe make?
karen turner says
Could I substitute shea butter instead of cocoa butter?
Laura says
Yes!
Ashlie says
What can I substitute coconut for? I have a coconut, peanut and tree nut allergy. I can’t seem to find anything in stores so I figured I’d try my hand at making my own. TIA!
Laura says
You can use a different carrier oil.