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4.65 from 14 votes

DIY Leave-In Conditioner Recipe

Coconut milk softens and conditions without weighing hair down, and only takes minutes to make into a conditioner spray. This DIY leave-in conditioner recipe has gotten rave reviews from our readers!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Calories
Author Heather Dessinger

Equipment

  • fork and whisk
  • 2 oz spray bottle
  • ice cube tray

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup distilled water (or tap water that has been boiled for 5 minutes and allowed to cool)
  • 1 tbsp full fat coconut milk ((or 2 tbsp homemade coconut milk, although canned tends to work better)
  • 2 - 10 drops essential oil (optional)

Instructions

How To Make Leave In Conditioner Using Canned Coconut Milk

  • Start by adding the essential oils (if you're using them) to the coconut milk and whisking together thoroughly.
  • Add the water and whisk again.
  • Pour the mixture into a 2 ounce spray bottle. See the section below for how to use your homemade leave in conditioner.
  • Store in the refrigerator. Because it doesn’t contain any preservatives, I make small batches and use within about a week.
  • Note: To save the rest of the coconut milk for future batches, use an ice cube tray to freeze it in 1 tablespoon increments.

How To Make Leave In Conditioner Using Homemade Coconut Milk

  • After straining the coconut milk as described here, whisk it together with the essential oils (if using).
  • Add the water to the coconut milk and whisk again.
  • Place mixture in the fridge for a couple of hours. As it cools a thin layer of cream will harden on the top.
  • Remove mixture from the fridge, give it a whir in the blender, and then pour it into a spray bottle. See the next section for how to use your homemade leave in conditioner.
  • Store in the refrigerator. Because it doesn’t contain any preservatives, I make small batches and use within about a week.

How To Use Leave In Conditioner

  • Shake the bottle well, then spritz the the conditioner on clean, damp hair. Use your hands, a comb or a brush to distribute it evenly.

Notes

Because this recipe doesn't contain a preservative I keep it in the fridge and use it within a week. When the mixture chills (as it will in the fridge) the coconut milk can separate from the water.
If the coconut milk used was store-bought it will typically mix back together when shaken.If homemade coconut milk is used I suggest chilling the mixture and then blending it before pouring it in the bottle. After that it should stay pretty well dispersed. 
 
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