Homemade leave-in conditioners for 4C hair

We all know that when it comes to 4C hair, hydrating and moisturizing your hair is what comes first. Moisturize is of utmost importance to 4C hair because our 4C hair is inherently dry and fragile. It needs to be hydrated oftentimes to avoid breakage. I used to suffer from breakage every now and then. My hair would retain some length, but then I would lose that length due to breakage that results from dryness. So, I took it upon myself not to ever let this happen again!

Leave-in conditioners are a great option for moisturizing hair, but sometimes we find it hard to obtain one of those for many reasons, and sometimes we are just simply seeking the pleasure that comes from preparing our things with our own hands and enjoying the results of our work. In this article, I will show you ways to prepare your own homemade conditioner. I tried most of them myself, and I found them to be truly satisfying. So, with no further ado, let's dive in!

1. Roselle Hibiscus

Roselle Hibiscus is a favorite for me. The spray that results from it has a PH of around 5, which is perfect for type 4C hair or black hair. Because our hair is non-porous, it needs a PH of around 5, or heat, for the pores to open and let in the water. The dried flowers of hibiscus are widely used in Africa for their many benefits and delicious taste. You can drink it either as a hot tea or cold juice and enjoy all the benefits that come from drinking it. What concerns us, though, is how to make a leave-in conditioner from it. 

The steps to making a leave-in conditioner from hibiscus are as follows:

1. Heat the water until it boils. 

2. Add the dried petals to the boiling water and let it boil for a minute or two.

3. Take the mixture out of the fire and leave it to cool.

4. You can leave it for a few hours before using it.

5. Put it in the fridge and spray it on your hair daily or day after day, according to your hair needs.

2. Rice water

Rice water leave-in conditioner is a pretty famous homemade conditioner. You probably heard of the saying that the secret behind long Asian hair is rice water. Well, till today, there has been no concrete research on the matter, but if we look into historical evidence, you will find that Japanese and Chinese women who had floor-length hair attribute that to rice water. In our time, there is a village in China. The women in this village are famous for their long and black hair, for they don't start going gray until they are 80 or more; the healthiness of their hair is thought to come from the fact that they bathe in rice water.

Some of the people who tried rice water claim that it makes their hair shiney, smooth, and helps them detangle it, which is something we with 4C hair can use. So, if you want to give it a try, let's see how! 

1. Wash and rinse a half cup of rice.

2. Add two to three cups of water to the rice and leave it to soak for 30 minutes.

3. Move the water into a clean container. 

4. You can use it fresh, or you can leave it to ferment and then use it. 

3. Glycerin and aloe vera

 Glycerin and aloe vera can be the ultimate moisturizing mix for 4C hair. Aloe vera is famous for its moisturizing properties, and glycerin is a humectant that's used in a lot of beauty products, both for hair and for the body. Glycerin works by drawing moisture from the air to your hair, which makes it a nice addition to most of the hair conditioners that you can make. In addition to that, if you have dandruff, then this conditioner can be helpful to you. A study done on the effect of high-glycerin leaves in conditioner concluded that glycerin can reduce dandruff.

To prepare this conditioner, you can follow the steps below: 

1. Take one tablespoon of organic aloe vera gel.

2. One tablespoon of glycerin. 

3. Add them to a half cup of water. 

4. Rosemary 

Rosemary is used fresh and dried as a flavoring agent in a lot of recipes, and you can also drink its tea. Rosemary is rich in iron, vitamin B6, calcium, and antioxidants, which makes it great for health in general. Lately, using rosemary for hair has become widespread. Women who use it claim that it does indeed benefit their hair and increase its growth. What's great about rosemary is that its effect on hair growth is supported by evidence. It was found that rosemary gave about the same results as minoxidil.

Here are the steps to prepare rosemary conditioner for your 4C hair: 

1. Take a tablespoon of dried or fresh rosemary.

2. Boil a cup of water.

3. Add the hot water to the rosemary.

4. Close it tightly and leave it in a dark place for 5 hours.

5. Put it in the fridge and use it according to your hair needs.

5. Clove

Clove water is rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. It might increase the blood circulation to the scalp and, by doing so, enhance the strength of the hair. There are a couple of methods to prepare clove leave-in conditioner for type 4C hair; one of them is as follows: 

1. Take a tablespoon of clove.

2. Boil a cup of water.

3. Add the clove to the water.

4. Cover it and let the water soak the clove for a couple of hours.

5. Use it, and then put it in the fridge. 

6. Cinnamon

Cinnamon as a leave-in conditioner for type 4C hair can be good for some conditions like dandruff and itching, not to mention that its effect on improving hair growth has been proven by studies (source). 

How to prepare cinnamon homemade leave-in conditioner for 4C hair:  

1. Grind a couple of cinnamon barks.

2. Take a tablespoon of the ground cinnamon. 

3. Boil it with the water. 

4. Use it on your scalp and hair, then store it in the fridge. 

7. Frankincense 

You might have heard of frankincense for skincare routines, but have you ever heard of it being used for hair? Well, there are leave-in conditioners from Frankincense out there. It's rich in antioxidants and vitamins that are good for your scalp and hair.

Prepare frankincense leave-in conditioner using this method:

1.  Take a teaspoon of frankincense resin.

2. Add a cup of hot water to the resin. 

3. Wait for it to form a cloudy solution. 

4. Shake it before you apply it to your hair.

5. Keep it in the fridge.

8. Frankincense and Myrrh

Frankincense and myrrh are a popular combination, both for skin and for hair. They can help you keep the frizz at bay.

Here are the steps to prepare Frankincense and Myrrh leave-in conditioner for 4C hair: 

1. Take half a teaspoon of both resins.

2. Add a cup of hot water to the mixture.

3. Wait till it dissolves. 

4. Shake it, and then apply it to your hair.

5. Keep it in the fridge.

9. Moringa

Morginga is a plant that's very famous and known for its many benefits. People use it for so many things, from remedies to lower blood pressure and diabetes to skin remedies—the sky is the limit. Moringa is rich in vitamin C and multiple antioxidants; it nourishes and strengthens the hair.

For this recipe, you will need a leave-in conditioner cream. Prepare it by following the steps below:

1. Grind the moringa leaves until they turn into a fine powder. 

2. Add a carrier oil until it becomes a green, homogeneous suspension. 

3. Use a rag to distil the oil from the powder.

4. Add a leave-in conditioner cream until you have a homogeneous mixture.

5. Apply it to your hair and scalp and enjoy the nourishing effect of moringa.

10. Ginseng 

Ginseng is a well-known plant in East Asian countries; it's used in a lot of recipes. It's a very healthy plant and can be used to treat a lot of conditions. Studies have also shown that ginseng extract can promote hair growth, which makes it a great choice for women who want to grow their type 4C hair.

You can make a homemade ginseng leave-in conditioner using the guidelines below:

1. Boil the ginseng root in water.

2. Take a tablespoon of coconut oil and add it to the ginseng tea.

3. Apply it to your hair and massage your scalp with it.

All of those homemade leave-in conditioners have ingredients that can nourish your 4C hair and make it healthier, but remember that what works for someone else might not always work for you; in the end, we are all different. So, experiment until you find the one that works the best for your hair, and if you suffer any itching or a side effect from using it, change to something that doesn't give you side effects.