Avocado + Mayo Hair Mask

This South African sun is doing a number on my hair. When I stand in the light I can see the ends of my Afro are starting to turn reddish. This isn’t necessarily bad, but it signals that my hair is being exposed to the sun more than I would like.

It’s not as if I can wear a hat while on my way to shoots or castings because it would give me horrendous hat hair and squish the twist-outs I’ve spent time perfecting. Plus, I don’t think clients would dig it if I showed up looking like a vintage Jackson 5 album cover. So instead I’ve taken to uselessly complaining about  it whenever I walk past a mirror at home. One of the other models heard me complaining and suggested I try her favorite DIY hair mask.

She’s from Trinidad and Tobago and has curly/wavy hair which she often has to straiten for work. I was reluctant to try it when I heard the word mayonnaise because my hair is protein sensitive and always feels a bit hard after I try protein treatments. However, she loves it and said it always leaves her hair feeling soft and supple. So I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it. Here’s our mix. It made more than enough for both of us. We refrigerated the rest which she will use within a week.

Ingredients:

1 Small perfectly ripe avocado (It should be soft when gently pressed)

2 Heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

A squirt of honey

Directions:

Cut avocado in half and remove the seed. Take a spoon and scoop out the insides. Discard the skin and mash the avocado with a fork for easier blending. Add mayo, olive oil and a squirt of honey. Blend with hand blender or whip with a fork until you get a smooth consistency.

While leaning over the sink or counter coat your hair with the mixture, making sure to focus on the middle and ends of your hair. I dampened my hair with a spray bottle before adding the treatment but my roommate applied hers to dry hair – so it’s up to you. Cover with a plastic bag or shower cap and wrap your head in a towel. Let sit for 20-30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Shampoo and condition hair as usual.

To be honest, my hair didn’t hate the treatment as I suspected, but it didn’t exactly love it either. The other model, however, was right about her hair. The treatment left it feeling very soft and conditioned. So I would suggest this treatment for those with wavy hair, color treated hair, or those who straiten often. I would be willing to try this again omitting the mayo which is the protein source. I think using only avocado, olive oil and honey would leave my hair a lot softer than this particular mix did.

Give it a try the next time you’re in the mood for some mixing. But be warned that it smells so good, you’ll probably be craving chips and dip or guacamole the entire time it’s on your hair!