4 Simple Aloe Vera Mask Recipes for Combating Dandruff

Did you know dandruff is one of the most common types of dermatitis, affecting about 20% of the population?

Known for producing itchy and irritating scalp flaking, dandruff is hard to get rid of. It’s like that one relative that comes late to the party and stays on your couch all night.

For mild dandruff, a regular hair-washing routine may be enough to keep your scalp flake-free. Frequent shampooing is usually adequate to remove excess flaking or oil build-up. But that’s not always the case. For severe dandruff, you may have to use dandruff shampoos that are more effective at removing buildup.

Of course, there’s a catch. You knew this was coming…

Shampoos are really drying for your scalp. While this isn’t usually a problem (as long as you follow up with conditioner), shampooing your hair more often to get rid of dandruff can quickly dry out your scalp. Not to mention that people with dandruff often have dry skin already…

Long story short, shampooing your hair frequently can lead to more skin flaking and a decrease in hair growth if it is drying out your scalp.

Which leads us to aloe vera, our favorite dandruff-fighting hair mask! Moisturizing and cleansing, aloe vera is the perfect ingredient to combat both dandruff and drying shampoos in one swing.

Let’s find the right hair mask recipe for you!

1. Aloe Vera & Honey Mask

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel

• 1-2 tablespoons of honey

• 1 tsp of olive oil (optional)

Honey is a natural humectant (meaning it helps lock in moisture), making it an ideal ingredient to pair with aloe vera. Both honey and aloe vera have anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe scalp irritation due to dandruff. To make this mask, mix the honey and oil and warm them slightly to make the honey more viscous. Then combine with the aloe vera, and apply to your hair.

2. Aloe Vera & Coconut Oil Mask

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup aloe vera gel

• 1/4 cup coconut oil

One of the simplest aloe vera masks for dandruff is made with just two ingredients: aloe vera gel and coconut oil. Coconut oil is an excellent natural moisturizer to soothe your dry scalp, but it’s also a great mask to boost hair growth. For this double-acting hair mask, mix equal parts aloe vera gel and coconut oil. Because coconut oil is a solid at room temperature, you will need to warm it before making this anti-dandruff hair mask.

3. Aloe Vera & Apple Cider Vinegar Mask

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup aloe vera

• 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

• 10 drops tea tree oil

If your dandruff is caused by an overgrowth of yeast on the scalp, apple cider vinegar has antifungal properties that can help get rid of the excess yeast and restore balance. Meanwhile, tea tree oil is a natural cleanser with antimicrobial properties. To make this anti-dandruff mask, simply mix the ingredients together and apply to your scalp.

4. Aloe Vera & Egg Yolk Mask

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup aloe vera gel

• 2 Tbs olive oil

• 1 egg yolk

Like the coconut oil mask, this anti-dandruff aloe vera mask also boosts hair growth. Egg yolks are packed with nutrients like biotin and vitamin A that are essential for hair growth. Plus, did I mention proteins? To make this mask, just mix all of the ingredients together and you’re ready to go.

If you are combating dandruff, try one of these four aloe vera masks! Made with just a few simple ingredients, these masks can be easily whipped up using ingredients you probably already have on hand in your kitchen. Plus, they are all moisturizing and gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

For each of these masks, I suggest you use fresh aloe vera gel scooped straight from the leaf on your counter. But if that isn’t an option for you, you can also buy natural aloe vera gel. Before buying an aloe product to use on your scalp, I suggest reading my basic guide to aloe vera gel ingredients. This will help you choose a gel that won’t be damaging for your hair.

Lastly, check out any of the blog posts below to learn more about using aloe vera in your haircare routine!

How to Use Aloe Vera as a Conditioner

So you’ve heard that aloe vera is a magical fertilizer for growing hair like Rapunzel. But how do you actually use the sticky plant goo as a conditioner?

I’ve tried a few different methods for using aloe vera as a conditioner, and there really is no wrong or right way to use aloe vera gel. It depends on your hair needs, whether you are using fresh aloe vera or commercial products, and how much time you usually spend on your haircare routine.

In today’s post, I’ll walk you through a few different methods of applying aloe vera to your hair, so you can discover which method works best for you!

Substitute for Regular Conditioner

The simplest way to use aloe vera as a conditioner is to replace your regular hair conditioner with aloe vera gel. For this method, you will apply the gel in the shower after your shampoo just like your usual conditioner.

But there is one difference: make sure to apply the aloe vera to your scalp as well.

Commercial conditioners are made to hydrate and nourish your hair strands, but they shouldn’t be applied to your scalp, because they can cause product buildup at your hair roots. Plus, commercial conditioners tend to have chemicals that shouldn’t be absorbed into the skin.

Aloe vera, on the other hand, is nourishing and cleansing for your scalp. It also differs from regular conditioner in that you can leave it in your hair. You don’t have to rinse the conditioner out, because there is no risk of product buildup. How awesome is that?

Or maybe not. I personally still recommend rinsing out the aloe vera.

Why?

Fresh aloe vera straight from the leaf can leave behind small flakes after soaking into your hair and scalp. While this isn’t bad for your hair, it may look like your scalp is flaking. This hasn’t been everyone’s experience, so feel free to try it out, but that was a big turn-off for me!

You can buy commercial aloe vera gel instead of using fresh aloe, but make sure the gel doesn’t have any chemicals that might damage your hair. If you’re not sure what to look for, click here to read my basic guide to ingredients in aloe vera gel.

You can also mix your aloe vera gel half-and-half with your conditioner if you don’t want to entirely replace your product with aloe vera.

Leave-in Conditioner

Aloe vera works just as well for a leave-in conditioner as a regular conditioner. For the leave-in method, you will want to use an aloe vera spray instead of a gel. This makes it much easier to apply while your hair is dry, so you are not trying to spread globs of gel through dry hair. (I’ve tried it…and it really doesn’t spread well.)

It’s also much faster to apply spray aloe vera, so you can use it to spruce up your hair on the fly if you are in a hurry.

As a leave-in conditioner, aloe vera will help you detangle your hair and minimize frizz. If you’re the kind of gal who likes to keep your car windows rolled down like me, spray aloe is perfect for taming windblown hair.

I go into more details about using spray aloe vera in this blog post.

You can make your own spray at home by tossing fresh aloe in the blender, or you can buy a commercial product. If you do make your own leave-in conditioner at home, you can mix the aloe with essential oils for fragrance, or other oils to optimize hair growth. Click here for my list of top hair growth oils to blend with aloe.

Aloe Vera Hair Mask

Hair masks differ from conditioners in that the hair treatment lasts much longer – sometimes several hours or even overnight. Depending on your hair type and scalp health, you may not need a hair mask at all. If your hair is already healthy, a regular conditioner should be enough to maintain your hair.

However, if you have damaged hair, poor scalp health, or you are simply trying to boost your hair growth, then hair masks are a great way to deep condition your hair.

You can use fresh aloe vera as a hair mask, or you can blend the aloe with other moisturizing and nourishing ingredients such as

• honey

• rice water

• coconut oil

• egg

• avocado

There is a lot of debate as to how long you should leave a hair mask on. In the end, it just depends as to whether you are applying the mask to wet or dry hair.

If you are applying your aloe vera hair mask to wet hair, just apply it in the shower in place of a conditioner and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t really think of this method as a hair mask, since it’s just regular conditioning your hair with aloe instead of commercial conditioner.

For a ‘real’ hair mask that you can leave soaking for several hours or overnight, apply the aloe vera to your hair while it is dry.

Serum With Hair Growth Oils

Lastly, you can use aloe vera and hair growth oils to whip up highly effective hair growth serums.

While a hair growth serum may not technically be a conditioner, an aloe vera serum is still highly moisturizing and nourishing, so I think it still counts!

Like hair masks, serums are very optional in your haircare routine. If your hair is healthy, you probably don’t need to use a serum. But if you are trying to boost your hair growth, applying an aloe vera serum to your scalp is one of the best methods to make sure your hair follicles are healthy and nourished for optimal hair growth.

When making an aloe vera serum, you can pick and choose complementary hair growth oils based on your haircare needs. For example, if you have a dry scalp, you can pair aloe vera with argan oil for a highly moisturizing serum. If you are looking to enrich your hair with more protein and fatty acids, you can pair aloe vera with castor oil.

For more info on how to combine aloe vera with hair growth oils, go to my guide on six oils you can pair with aloe.

6 Hair Growth Oils You Can Mix with Aloe Vera

I’m a haircare nut, so I’m excited to talk about two of my favorite topics today: hair growth oils and aloe vera.

If you want thicker and longer hair, you have landed in the right place!

I’m sure you’ve heard of aloe vera and oils for hair growth before.

Aloe vera is moisturizing and packed with antioxidants, making it a magical ingredient for skin and hair alike. Although you can apply aloe many different ways, I personally love using spray aloe vera as a leave-in conditioner.

Meanwhile, hair growth oils come with a whole basket of benefits, depending on which oils you use.

Sure, aloe vera and hair growth oils work fine on their own.

But, let’s be honest. Hair growth oils are tricky to apply by themselves. Some are applied as a concentrated serum, with a few drops applied to your scalp. Other times, you can work oils into your hair using your palms – but it’s hard to evenly spread the oil across your scalp. Meanwhile, some oils are so potent that they need to be mixed with a carrier oil.

You can solve all of these problems when you mix your hair growth oils with aloe vera!

With both ingredients, you can create a hair growth blend that is super easy to apply as a hair mask or leave-in conditioner. All you have to do is pick an oil!

Do Hair Growth Oils Actually Make Hair Grow Faster?

Time for a quick reality check.

Most hair growth oils don’t technically speed up hair growth. Aloe vera doesn’t either.

But that doesn’t mean your hair won’t grow faster with the use of hair growth oils.

That’s because these oils help strengthen and protect your hair from damage. They also promote scalp health…which can increase hair growth speed. The healthier your scalp, the healthier your hair.

Okay, now that we got that out of the way, we can get into the list.

Argan Oil

Argan oil is at the top of the list because, well, it’s probably the top hair growth oil.

Like aloe vera, argan oil is packed with antioxidant vitamins that protect your cells from damage and breakdown. This popular oil basically functions like a conditioner, hydrating your hair and forming a protective coating that can increase shine and softness. The unsaturated fats in the oil sink into the hair strands, boosting strength and volume.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a top-tier natural cleanser. The oil can help keep your scalp clean and your hair follicles healthy, without the use of drying chemicals or harsh surfactants. In fact, rather than drying out your scalp, tea tree oil is moisturizing too.

Castor Oil

Castor oil is pretty interesting, because the castor beans that it is derived from are highly poisonous. Eating just a few beans can be fatal!

Toxins aside, these beans are high in protein and fatty acids.

What does this mean? Well, lipids (comprised mostly of fatty acids) make up about 2-6% of your hair’s weight, and are vital for keeping your hair healthy, shiny, and strong.

Lavender Oil

Ah, this oil is a winner for the fragrance alone. There’s nothing lavender to make you feel like a fairy queen. Soothing scent aside, lavender helps promote scalp health by stimulating circulation and preventing microbial growth.

Jojoba Oil

Rich in fatty acids, jojoba oil is one of the best natural moisturizers - so pairing jojoba oil with aloe vera just make sense. Jojoba oil is also a great source of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that absorbs quickly into the skin. It’s one of the top cuticle oils.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a lot thicker than typical hair growth oils. Even though it is called an oil, it is actually a thick, pasty solid a room temperature. For this reason, too much coconut oil can weigh down your hair, especially if you have thin hair like mine.

However, coconut oil also nourishes your scalp, soothes scalp irritations, helps prevent sebum build-up at your hair follicles, and contains lauric acid – a fatty acid that moisturizes hair strands.

Since coconut oil is very different in texture and consistency than the rest of the oils in this list, it is easier to make a coconut oil aloe vera hair mask than hair growth serum.

How to Mix Aloe Vera with Hair Growth Oils

To make your own ultimate hair growth formula, pick up one or two of your favorite oils from the list above. Then whip out your cutting board, a sharp knife, and a whole aloe vera leaf.

If you want to remove the aloin (the yellowish latex under the peel), you can chop your leaf into a few chunks and let them soak in a bowl of water. I usually recommend rinsing out the aloin for making drinks, since it is a strong laxative, but it doesn’t really matter for making skincare and haircare formulas.

To remove the gel, slice off the spiny edge of the aloe vera leaf, then cut the leaf open lengthwise. Now you can scoop out the goopy mess in the middle.

Toss your sticky aloe vera gel into the blender and blend it until it forms a foamy liquid. Now you can add your hair growth oils! Add your oils in very small amounts, because they are typically very concentrated and potent.

Pour your fresh mixture in a small spray bottle, and it’s ready to go! (You can skip blending the aloe and just spoon-mix it with the oils to make a hair mask instead, but I prefer using a liquid spray.)

Don’t have fresh aloe vera leaves lying around? No problem. Just grab a bottle of Seven Minerals spray aloe vera instead.

Feel free to add fragrant essential oils to make your hair growth serum smell really really good.

Before you leave…know that fresh aloe vera has a very short shelf life. Mix your hair growth serum in very small amounts and keep it refrigerated to preserve it longer. Then you can warm it up right before using it, for an all-natural and super effective hair growth blend.

Aloe Vera: A Natural Remedy for Thinning Hair?

Does aloe vera actually thicken hair?

It’s a tough question to answer. There are many of us (me included) who have gone on the quest for healthier, thicker hair. But once you go down the rabbit hole of natural hair remedies, you get hit with a barrage of options.

Rice water, argan oil, coconut oil, jojoba…all sound familiar?

With so many options to choose from, it’s hard to know what actually works. Personally, I’ve tried rice water, coffee, hair supplements, and gelatin on my quest for thicker and faster-growing hair.

While I can’t say that aloe vera is the crowning natural remedy for thinning hair, I can say that it’s worked better for me than anything else I have tried. Click here to read my post on how I use spray aloe vera for healthier hair.

Will my method work for you? Maybe, and maybe not. Due to the lack of case studies, it’s never actually been proven that aloe vera is an effective treatment for thinning hair.

But…aloe vera does contain a lot of amazing compounds that, individually, are super beneficial for your scalp. While this doesn’t guarantee thicker hair, maintaining a healthy scalp is one of the best ways to promote hair growth and prevent hair thinning.

How Aloe Vera Promotes Scalp Health

Aloe vera gel is about 99% water, meaning there isn’t much dry matter in the gel. But the remaining 1% is very nutrient-rich.

There are at least four ways that aloe vera can promote scalp health.

1. Moisturize your scalp. Aloe vera contains glucomannan, a type of fiber. Glucomannan is actually what makes aloe vera a succulent, because it helps the plant retain water. Applied topically, glucomannan can help lock in moisture instead of letting it evaporate. This property also makes aloe vera a great ingredient in hydrating facial serums.

2. Soothe inflammation. For those with seborrheic dermatitis or other skin conditions, aloe vera can help ease inflamed skin and reduce irritating symptoms. The same properties that make it a wonderful remedy for burns can also help inflammatory scalp issues.

3. Increase circulation. Did you know that good circulation is vital for a healthy scalp and optimal hair growth? As an article in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences explains, “Dermal microcirculation is essential for hair maintenance, and an insufficient blood supply can lead to hair follicles (HF) diseases.” Fortunately, aloe vera contains flavonoids (a type of polyphenol also present in tea) and vitamins A, C, and E. Both the flavonoids and vitamins are antioxidants, which protect your cells from free radical damage and can increase blood circulation.

4. Cleanse your scalp. While you may not associate aloe vera with soap, aloe vera gel contains saponins, which have antimicrobial properties. Due to the saponins, aloe vera can function as a mild cleanser, preventing build-up on your scalp and promoting skin health. Click here to learn more about using aloe vera in facial cleansers.

Aloe Vera Alternatives to Thicken Your Hair

If you are looking for ways to combat thinning hair naturally, aloe vera is far from your only option! You may also be interested in hair growth oils, rice water, and caffeine.

Hair Growth Oils

Hair growth oils are a popular choice for natural haircare. Because they are highly concentrated and can easily be applied to the scalp as a serum, hair growth oils are often more effective than diluted hair products.

There are many hair oil blends on the market, such as Nutrafol’s hair growth activator or the Mizani miracle nourishing oil.

You can also create your own blend at home, using some of the oils below.

• Castor oil

• Jojoba oil

• Coconut oil

• Lavender oil

• Tea tree oil

• and many more!

Be sure to check out my guide to blending hair growth oils with aloe vera. Just be aware that fresh aloe vera has a very short shelf life, so you may want to blend a small amount at a time.

Rice Water

Another natural option for gaining thicker hair is using fermented rice water. Rice water contains large proteins that coat the hair, adding volume and protecting the strands from breakage.

Personally, I tried using rice water a few times then gave up. It’s messy, smelly, and it takes time to ferment the rice beforehand. Plus, I have very fine hair. Rice water can actually be a little too protein-rich and cause unwanted buildup on fine hair strands - which means rice water probably isn’t for me.

Still, some people have achieved some amazing results with rice water, so I wouldn’t discount it immediately. If you want to try fermented rice water without all the mess, I suggest using Viori’s rice water shampoo and conditioner bars.

Coffee

If you’re a coffee addict, you can take your love for caffeine even further and incorporate it into your hair routine. When applied to the scalp, caffeine can stimulate hair growth, and can even combat certain types of alopecia.

Similar to aloe vera, caffeine can increase scalp circulation. And it can help inhibit DHT, a hormone that induces hair loss.

Can you make a aloe vera and coffee spray for your scalp? I don’t see why not!

How to Use Spray Aloe Vera for Healthier Hair

Guess what my favorite natural hair product is? It’s spray aloe vera!

I try to buy natural skincare and haircare products as much as possible. Most haircare products are full of preservatives, fragrances, and other chemicals that can actually be very harmful to your hair.

Aloe vera, on the other hand, is very safe to use topically, unless you have a rare allergic reaction. Aloe is a natural moisturizer, which makes it a wonderful conditioner for healthier hair. I primarily use aloe vera on my hair for four reasons:

·       To soften my often hair

·       To moisturize my scalp

·       To detangle my hair

·       To decrease hair loss

Although aloe vera also boosts hair growth for some people, I’ll be honest. I haven’t seen any proof of that yet for my own hair. But aloe vera is still my go-to natural hair product, and it just might become yours as well.

Aloe Vera Spray vs. Gel for Hair

Before using spray aloe vera for healthier hair, I used aloe vera gel. The benefits of using aloe vera gel instead of a spray is that you can spread it through your hair like shampoo, and you can apply a thicker layer of aloe. However, spray aloe vera is much easier and quicker to apply.

So which one is best for healthier hair?

When to Use Aloe Vera Gel for Hair

If you want to replace your deep conditioner with aloe vera, then I suggest using aloe vera gel. You can apply it just like a regular conditioner, and let it soak in the shower before rinsing it out. Some people don’t rinse out the aloe vera at all, but I prefer to rinse it out because the gel can leave a sticky residue behind.

Just be sure to use aloe vera gels that are almost 100% aloe, instead of having a lot of added ingredients that could harm your hair. You can also use aloe vera straight from the plant, although fresh aloe vera gel may leave small flakes and particles in your hair after soaking in.

For more info, check out my post on four ways you can use aloe vera as a conditioner.

When to Use Spray Aloe Vera for Hair

While aloe vera gel makes a great deep conditioner, aloe vera spray is the perfect replacement for leave-in conditioner. It’s less sticky and it doesn’t leave flakes in my hair. If my hair is extra windblown, tangled, or just feeling dry and frizzy, aloe vera spray is the perfect product to spruce it up.

I also use spray aloe vera as a scalp treatment to follow-up my hair-washing routine. After I get out of the shower, I apply it to my scalp before brushing out my hair. For the best results, I apply the aloe directly to my scalp. I normally start by spraying down the center where my hair parts. Then I work down both sides of my head, lifting my hair in sections so I can spray the aloe directly onto my scalp. Finally, I make sure to spray the back of my scalp as well.

Afterwards, I gently brush out my hair to help distribute the aloe more evenly across my head. It’s as simple as that! 

How to Make Your Own Aloe Vera Spray

Although you can make your own aloe vera spray at home, it’s a little bit tricky. That’s because fresh aloe from the leaf is a goopy, jelly-like solid.

But wait…don’t most aloe vera gels actually have the gel component added?

Yep! The inner part of the aloe leaf is up to 99% water! Thickening agents like carbomer and sclerotium gum must be added to create a gel.

Yet, despite being mostly water, the inside of the lead is still a fleshy pulp and not a liquid. So in order to make a spray, once you remove the aloe vera gel from the inside of the leaf, you will need to blend it until it becomes a liquid.

For maximum benefits to your hair, once you blend the aloe vera, you can combine it with argan oil, jojoba oil, or other hair growth oils. Adding hair oils will also help thin out the aloe vera spray and make it easier to apply.

Once you are done making your spray aloe vera, make sure to store it in the fridge so that it doesn’t go bad. Fresh aloe vera has a very short shelf life, so I suggest you make your spray aloe vera in very small amounts so it won’t go to waste. Even refrigerated, it will only last 1-2 weeks. 

Buying Spray Aloe Vera

Making your own aloe vera spray is the best way to go, but sometimes the short shelf life isn’t practical. If you aren’t committed to making a new batch of spray every week or two, then you can buy an aloe vera spray instead.

Although using an aloe spray on your scalp can help you maintain healthier hair, be careful who you buy your aloe from. Many aloe products contain ingredients like alcohol, which aren’t beneficial to your hair.

Personally, I use the spray aloe vera from 7 Minerals. It is 99% organic, with no added ingredients except for Vitamin C and safe preservatives. It’s worked wonders for my hair!