Hair can get dry and brittle, especially in the summer months during time spent outside. Think the beach or swimming in a chlorine laden pool. Harsh hair care products can also damage hair, leading to frizz, breakage, and hair loss. This DIY hair oil treatment helps improve scalp health for healthier, natural hair.

I love that it’s inexpensive and an easy way to get healthy hair no matter your hair type. I even used this hair care routine on my then 4 year old daughter years ago to help make her hair more manageable. Not only did it help make her hair easier to brush, but it also didn’t irritate her tender head. This recipe is so simple it’s hard to even call it a recipe, but I just had to share since it works so well!

It will leave your hair oily, so be sure to shampoo and rinse it out once you’re done!

DIY Hair Oil

I have another DIY hair growth oil recipe that works as a hair conditioner which I keep in a dropper bottle. That rosemary hair growth oil is different from this DIY hair oil, which is more of a deep conditioning treatment. Although both are great for thicker hair and scalp health!

This hair treatment helps improve dry hair with natural oils and has become a regular staple in my hair care routine. It helps reduce hair fall, nourishes hair follicles, and can even help improve dandruff. This DIY hair oil features magnesium rich Epsom salts and conditioning olive oil and coconut oil for a healthy shine.

I’ve also included raw honey for it’s unique ability to help hair. Raw honey promotes skin cell growth, including on the scalp and moisturizes as it adds nutrients to the hair and scalp. Honey is also naturally antimicrobial and antifungal and can be used as a dandruff treatment.

Here’s how to make it!

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DIY Hair Oil Recipe

This easy and inexpensive homemade hair oil naturally improves dry, brittle, damaged hair. Make this luscious scalp massage a regular part of your skincare routine!

Prep Time9

Yield: Hair Treatment

Author: Katie Wells

Equipment

Immersion blender (or whisk)
Small pot

Materials

2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP coconut oil (or other carrier oil)
1 TBSP honey
1 tsp Epsom salt (or magnesium flakes)
1-2 drops essential oils (optional)

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and blend well with the immersion blender. If you don't have a blender, or your ingredients aren't combining well, then heat the ingredients (except for the essential oil) over low heat on the stove. Whisk to combine as the ingredients warm.
If not using the stove, then the Epsom salt may still be somewhat gritty. It will dissolve and work into the hair once it's applied.
Add the essential oils to the warm oil if using.
Stir or shake the mixture well right before applying. Over a sink or shower, massage the warm (not hot!) oil treatment through the hair and scalp.
Put a shower cap on (or old towel) and leave the oil blend on for up to 30 minutes.
Rinse the oil off in the shower then shampoo.

Notes

If hair is still oily after washing, massage a small amount of baking soda through the hair to remove or use dry shampoo after the shower.
If you have really long hair you may need to double or triple this recipe.
Some people have the opposite effect from coconut oil and it gives them dry hair. If so, then use more olive oil, or another carrier oil instead. See the section below for substitute ideas.

Ingredient Substitutions

I use olive oil and coconut oil in many of my homemade skincare and hair care recipes because of their omega fatty acids and other benefits. Some people find coconut oil makes their hair or skin dry though. Other carrier oils will also work well. Try sweet almond oil instead of olive oil if you need something a little less oily. Avocado oil is also very nourishing for hair and a great option.

Adding a little jojoba oil, castor oil, or argan oil to the mix are also a great way to treat your scalp! You can even add some antioxidant vitamin E. There’s some evidence that vitamin E can assist with hair growth and a healthier scalp.

Optional Essential Oils

It’s not totally necessary, but you can add some essential oils to your DIY hair oil for more benefits. You only need a few drops as they’re highly concentrated. Be sure to properly dilute and avoid using on young children.

Try a few drops of rosemary essential oil for hair growth. Cedarwood and lavender essential oil also have proven hair growth benefits. Tea tree oil is good for dandruff and peppermint essential oil has a cooling, invigorating effect. Just don’t get it into your eyes!

This DIY hair oil is a great way to give your hair a little extra love and attention!

Have you ever used oil on your hair? How did it work? Leave a comment and let us know!
This hair oil uses olive oil and coconut oil with honey to add moisture and epsom salts for a magnesium boost. This creates a moisturizing conditioner for the hair.

Sources

Beoy, L. A., Woei, W. J., & Hay, Y. K. (2010). Effects of tocotrienol supplementation on hair growth in human volunteers. Tropical life sciences research, 21(2), 91–99.
Yaghoobi, R., Kazerouni, A., & Kazerouni, O. (2013). Evidence for Clinical Use of Honey in Wound Healing as an Anti-bacterial, Anti-inflammatory Anti-oxidant and Anti-viral Agent: A Review. Jundishapur journal of natural pharmaceutical products, 8(3), 100–104.
Phong, C., et al. (2022). Coconut, Castor, and Argan Oil for Hair in Skin of Color Patients: A Systematic Review. Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD, 21(7), 751–757.
Ezekwe, N., King, M., & Hollinger, J. C. (2020). The Use of Natural Ingredients in the Treatment of Alopecias with an Emphasis on Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia: A Systematic Review. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 13(8), 23–27.

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

61 responses to “DIY Hair Oil Treatment”

Karen

May 31, 2019

Need to be at one with nature hence very interested in natural products.

Love your recipes.

Reply
Lorna

November 20, 2018

I have not been able to find Magnesium flakes but I have magnesium oil. Can I substitute & if yes, how much?

Reply
Tana

June 13, 2018

Following up… Scary feeling in the shower but hair is is totally fine. In fact it’s very soft and shiny when I eventually took the towel off my head and combed through it. This is the second time I used this recipe. The first time this did not happen but I did not have epsom salt the first time.

Reply
Tana

June 13, 2018

Help! I didn’t read the part about no longer than 30 minutes and left this in for several hours. I just rinsed it, lightly shampooed and then realized I have this big patch of coarse sticky straw-like hair that I could not get unsticky in the shower even when adding more shampoo and conditioner. I also did a apple cider vinegar and water rinse which I had planned to do to clean my scalp. I noticed this sticky patch before the vinegar so I know that has nothing to do with it. How the heck do I get this out of my hair?

Reply
Elizabeth

May 19, 2018

Any suggestions for FINE, thin, curly hair? 2 of my three girls have hair like this. I also do and mine is really dry. It is also thin as you described, in large part to pregnancy and nursing as well. (#6 will be born about the time our oldest will be 9.5!!)

Reply
Karen

September 15, 2017

I believe i read somewhere else on this site that you could make a dyi hair treatment with essential oils so I have been mixing castor oil coconut oil argan and olive oil with a few drops of aloe vera from a live plant. I had just experienced some major hair loss and breakage after my hair for some unsure reason became very dry and brittle. It’s a total mystery why this happened. I had been using rogaine beauce I have had nutritional hair loss and a lot of dead follicles I believe for a very long time. Never been evaluated by a doctor but have been anorexic or very very calorie conscious and protein deficient for like 30 years. Well, my hubby added more chlorine than usual to our pool and the next day after swimming in it I became sick..totally not related but I didnt wash my hair for a few days after swimming in it from being sick. So it was left in my hair so my thoughts are maybe the chlorine reacted with the rogain or something, I also got a spray tan but wore a cap, so unless it somehow seeped through, I dont know still baffled but for whatever reason my hair became so dry and brittle kind of like out of nowhere and about 50 % broke off so I am treating with this dyi oil treatment. I was reading to increase hair growth apply to scalp, what about applying to the hair and scalp, to treat the hair as well?

Reply
Cassie Hughes

August 24, 2016

Do you use the whole recipe all at once or can I store it for later use. I have short hair and I don’t think I will need it all.

Reply
1. Jaime
  
  February 2, 2018
  
  Yes, I am wondering this, too!
  
  Reply
Mary

March 18, 2016

This worked amazing on my hair! I warmed it all, blended it & applied the sticky mess to my hair, focusing on the bottom half of my hair. I have loads of fine, straight hair down to the middle of my back and a scalp that tends toward oily. Will double it next time. Two washes with regular shampoo (which is free of all the stuff…) & my hair came out beautiful! Thanks again, Katie!!

Reply
Brenda

September 22, 2015

Hi Kate, I’m wondering if you can double/triple… this batch to have it on hand for the next few applications. Does it stay nicely blended for a while or does it separate and go bad?

Thanks!
Brenda

Reply
1. Shelley
  
  October 28, 2015
  
  I’ve noticed a lot of comments on here about not being able to wash the oils out of the hair. I recently read that washing your hair with eggs, then a very small amount of castile soap helps a lot. I recently did a coconut oil mask on my hair and washed it out with egg, and a little bit of castile soap. It came out great! Only downside to washing with eggs is….no warm or hot showers. You have to wash your hair in cool water or you will end up with scrambled eggs in your hair. And make sure you rinse your hair really well.
  
  Reply
Shweta

September 19, 2015

I used this recipe and added little bit of castor oil. What I used was store brought organic blue agave honey. During and post shower I lost lot of hair…LOT of hair. I wonder if it was because of the type of honey I used. I’m really worried about my hair loss and not sure if it’s going to get any thicker. Please help!!!

Reply
Rifat Tabassam

August 9, 2015

Both olive oil and coconut oil nourishes hair and contribute in reducing hair fall. Thank you for this useful hair oil recipe. I will try it this weekend.

Reply
Jaz

June 16, 2015

I used to have really pretty hair that looked like it had just been brushed all day. Then I started getting into dying it and that pretty much ruined it. So now i’m back at my original color and I just had to chop half of my hair off because it was SO damaged. I have pretty thin hair and I live in a place were it’s sunny all year round and i go to the beach a lot, which i hear isn’t good for hair. I’m pretty desperate for something to work, because right now it just coarse rope if I didn’t just brush it. I just read ALL of your hair recipes like the shampoo and the hair growing stuff and it all sounds really great, i’m just wondering which ones I should do. should I try them all at once? Or just try each one and see the best results?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  June 16, 2015
  
  I would try each of them and see how they work. It will depend on your personal hair properties, so you may like some, and not others.
  
  Reply
ZONIA ZUNIGA

April 2, 2015

AFTER YOU DRY BRUSH AN APPLY THE OIL , DO YOU WASH IT OFF OR LEAVE IT ON???

Reply
George

March 7, 2015

Linda, sounds like you could add some red wine vinegar & pepper & have salad dressing. I hope you guys are doing well. George

Reply
Raven T

March 2, 2015

Coconut oil is not good for everyone’s hair. I have dry, thick, curly hair, and have been battling dry, itchy scalp for forever. coconut oil does not absorb well into my scalp, and makes the itchiness worse. I also had split ends, and coconut oil was useless in getting rid of them.
I think it’s good in a shampoo or conditioner, but for those of us who have to oil our scalps and ends on a daily or every other day basis, I recommend jojoba oil or avocado oil. They absorb much easier, and properly absorb into the scalp and hair shafts. I use jojoba oil on my scalp every other day, and the itchiness, dryness, and split ends are gone.

Reply
laiba

October 9, 2014

I haven’t had great luck with coconut oil. It gives me dandruff 🙁 Could I replace it with some other oil like almond oil or sesame oil?

Reply
Caryn

October 3, 2014

Are honey and the magnesium flakes safe to use on babies? I would like to try this on my 3 month old for a dry scalp. Just want to be sure all the ingredients are ok for babies too.. Thank you!

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  October 6, 2014
  
  Babies are just not supposed to eat the honey, so as long as it does not get in his mouth it should be fine. The magnesium should be fine. You may just want to go easy on them in the recipe if you are concerned they might tingle too much for him, and test it first.
  
  Reply
Amy

October 2, 2014

Hi,

Is the honey necessary? I have used unpasturized and now raw honey and I am unable to get it to emulsify with the oils. It stays as a clump. Is this the epsom salts that are doing it? Should I omit the epsom salt altogether??

Amy

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  October 2, 2014
  
  You honey might be too cool. It can clump up if it is cold. It usually helps give the oil a little body so that it stays in the hair better. It’s also really good for your hair as a natural anti-humectant and moisturizer.
  
  Reply