Make Spray Leave In Hair Conditioner

Leave-in conditioners are light-weight conditioning products that typically follow traditional cream conditioners after hair has been washed. These products often have detangling and smoothing properties as well. Numerous leave-in conditioners are available in stores, but they are easy to create and customize at home.

Getting Started

All good homemade leave-in conditioners contain the same basic elements. Most start from a conditioning base: a regular conditioner that contains water, humectants, silicones, light emollients and oils. Several cups of water are typically added to the conditioning base, and from there, users can be creative. A typical homemade leave-in conditioner might contain drops of essential oils for fragrance and lemon or apple cider vinegar to acidify the formula for increased shine.

Conditioning Base

The conditioning base is often a ready-made commercial conditioner. Using the conditioner base method takes the stress out of individually gathering and preparing ingredients to include in the homemade leave-in. In fact, most regular conditioners can be considered super-concentrated leave-in conditioners.

The best conditioning bases for leave-in conditioners are other "rinse-out conditioners." Instant conditioners are better than deep conditioners, as instant conditioners tend to be cheaper and contain more water in their formulas. This high water content makes them excellent for mixing. Suave and VO5 conditioners are perfect examples of great conditioning bases.

Benefits of a Strong Conditioner Base

Using a conditioner base will provide most, if not all, of the following ingredients for your homemade leave-in conditioner. You need only add cups of water to dilute the formula into mist-form.

Water and Humectants

Humectants attract and draw moisture into the hair. Some of these moisture-attracting ingredients are propylene glycol, panthenol, glycerin and sodium PCA .

Silicones

Silicones (any ingredient ending in --cone) bind to the hair shaft and deposit a protective barrier against friction, tangling and heat from thermal appliances such as blow dryers. The presence of silicones is what gives most store-bought leave-in conditioners their detangling properties. Typical silicones in leave-in conditioners include: dimethicone, amodimethicone and cyclomethicone.

Fatty alcohols

Fatty alcohols and acids help patch damaged cuticles. Polyquaternium and stearic acid are examples of desirable fatty acids and alcohols.

Essential Oils

Essential oils such as lavender and vanilla can be added to your formula for fragrance. For additional scalp-stimulating effects, peppermint or rosemary oil are popular. Essential oils are also natural preservatives.

Acidify

Adding a few drops of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar will help acidify your mixture. The lower pH will constrict your hair cuticle and help your hair shine. Lowering the pH of your formula will also give it a longer shelf life.

Tags: homemade leave-in, leave-in conditioners, conditioning base, apple cider, apple cider vinegar