12 DIY Hair Masks That Work Wonders For Curls

I could spend hours in natural hair care aisles obsessing over product descriptions and ingredients, trying to find that holy grail curl cream that literally does it all: moisturizes, detangles, de-frizzes, defines — I'm talking the works. Of course miracle products are hard to come by, but some of the best DIY hair masks for curly hair get pretty damn close.

Excess manipulation and heat damage can leave your curls looking brittle and lifeless. Sometimes the elements just get the best of your locks. You could even suffer from incredibly dry strands from birth like myself. No matter your woes, there's surely a concoction you can whip up in your kitchen to revive your mane. Combined with ultra-nourishing oils, super foods can do wonders for your extremely dry curls, reversing damage from over-styling, repairing hair breakage, and more. You may have some of these miracle working ingredients hiding in your refrigerator already, saving you a trip to the grocery store.

Have fun being a kitchen beautician and even save yourself some moolah in the long run by trying out your own au naturel hair smoothies for a change. Mama may have told you to never play with your food, but these 12 DIY hair mask recipes yielding amazing results prove it's so worth it.

1. DIY Avocado Hair Smoothie

Basically a green smoothie for your hair, this avocado based mixture is the ultimate treatment to strengthen and grow your mane. It combines avocados, olive oil, organic honey, pure avocado oil, and organic unsweetened coconut milk. Natural hair guru Nia Imani breaks down in detail the benefits of each ingredient, and it's guaranteed to blow your mind.

2. DIY Mayonnaise Hair Mask

Putting mayonnaise in your hair is an OG beauty secret — and don’t worry, you'll quickly get over the weird smell when this ingredient starts working its magic on heat-damaged curls. Apply a mixture of mayo, coconut oil, castor oil, and an egg to freshly cleansed hair suffering from over-styling. Even after one treatment, this mask does a pretty bomb.com job.

3. Easy Hair Growth Recipe

There's nothing this hair mask can't do: promote hair growth, add shine, prevent breakage, moisturize, the list goes on. Using egg, avocado, banana, coconut oil, honey, and extra virginal olive oil, this DIY sensation is perhaps one of the best concoctions for your hair. Try not to get too overwhelmed with joy when YouTuber BiancaReneeToday spills all the juicy details.

4. Anti-Breakage Concoction

Okay, so slathering onion juice all over your hair probably doesn't sound super appealing; that is, until you realize it stimulates hair growth. An onion and ginger mask could help cure excessive breakage and thinning hair by nourishing strands with critical minerals. You'll want to clear your schedule to try this DIY, however. But if you must go out, naturalista NappyFu assures adding lemon, peppermint, or orange extract to the mixture will help mask its strong smell.

5. DIY Curly Hair Growth Mask

Doing a honey, egg, and castor oil mask routinely may help grow your tresses to your desired length. Castor oil fights against hair growth inhibitors like dandruff and scalp infections while increasing blood flow to the scalp. You'll also find that this combination increases manageability and adds shine.

6. Deep-Conditioning Curly Hair Treatment

There's no denying the amazing benefits of castor oil. Combined with fresh aloe vera gel for added nutrition and virgin coconut oil for moisturizing, Jamaican black castor oil revives dry, brittle hair. Breathe life back into your coils with this winning combo.

7. Dry Scalp Remedy & Detox

A unique blend of ingredients, this DIY hair mask relieves a dry scalp while drawing out impurities and toxins. It uses bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, activated charcoal, and tea tree oil for a mineral rich combination. YouTuber Jewellianna Palencia explains the benefits with a full breakdown, and you'll want to hear every. single. word.

8. DIY Protein Mask For Curly Hair

A protein boost for your hair doesn't have to include eggs and mayo. Samirah Gilli's tutorial proves it an be done with greek yogurt. Adding extra virgin olive oil, pressed coconut oil, and shea butter amps up the masks' moisturizing factor.

9. Protein-Sensitive Natural Hair Mask

For the protein sensitive, there's a solution. Banana, aloe vera juice, coconut milk, and olive oil are the sweet ingredients to revive your mane. This natural deep conditioner can work wonders for anyone however, whether you're natural, relaxed or not protein sensitive at all. Argan and rose hip oils are optional additions to quench your curls.

10. Aztec Clay Hair Mask

Those with 4C curls should definitely try an Aztec clay hair mask for added hydration. All you need is Aztec Indian healing clay, apple cider vinegar, and distilled water. Chizi Duru explains how to mix it in a bowl until it has a clay-like consistency and work into wet hair. The suggested time to leave it on is 30 minutes, but here Duru does it for five.

This mask will draw out impurities, allows for better product absorption and help give curls definition. Duru does warn viewers that it will feel a bit drying as you work in the mask and suggests detangling hair before attempting this. Once you wash it off with lukewarm to hot water, the mask will melt off and your curls will feel super smooth.

11. Yogurt Hair Mask For 4C Curls

If you’re looking for a deep conditioning mask to promote healthy hair growth, this protein mask is for you. Eugenia Kelcy does this mask bi-weekly for her 4C curls and the results are amazing.

All you need is yogurt, Bhringraj powder, Amla powder, MSM sulfur, and avocado oil. Mix it together until you get that thick consistency. You’ll notice that it will be grainy, which Kelcy says will exfoliate the scalp. She likes to work in the mask in sections, twisting each section once product is thoroughly covering hair. Once she’s done, she says she puts plastic over her hair and leaves it on for an hour.

12. DIY Shea Butter Mask For Curly Hair

You know the benefits of shea butter. Now with Lovette Jallow’s easy-to-follow tutorial, you can make a DIY mask starring this hero ingredient. You’ll need shea butter, coconut oil, organic honey, raw olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil, and eucalyptus oil. Mix together and work it in detangled wet hair. Leave it on for 30-40 minutes underneath a plastic bag and wash it off to reveal shiny and soft curls.

Beauty brands aren't the only ones dishing out the best hair treatments. Give any of these DIY masks a try and your curls will thank you.