Homemade Pumpkin Hair Mask

by Tasha Swearingen via NaturallyCurly.com

Every fall, you go crazy collecting beautiful pumpkins and stocking up on canned pumpkin while it’s available in stores. Halfway through the fall season, though, you realize that you’ve run out of ideas of things to do with that fresh pumpkin you scooped out and saved. You’re also still staring at the same cans of pumpkin you bought early on in the season. Before you go baking up that pumpkin and eating pumpkin flavored leftovers all month, how about making a moisturizing homemade hair mask?

Pumpkin is rich in vitamins A, C and potassium. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and is excellent for the scalp. Vitamin C helps for overall hair health and growth. In addition, potassium can promote re-growth of hair.

“Pumpkin hair masks are good for all hair types,” says Mo from Modern Rosies and creator of Madd Science Cosmetics. ”But they are especially helpful for dry or damaged hair.” Mo also suggests adding about 1/8C apple cider vinegar if you’re concerned about over-moisturizing your hair.

Fresh Pumpkin Hair Mask

1. Cut a medium-sized pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Chop the pumpkin into smaller chunks and place the chunks in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Spray the pumpkin chunks with cooking oil, cover, and heat on high for approximately 15 minutes.
3. Measure out one cup of your freshly cooked pumpkin and set aside in a medium bowl.
4. Fold one cup plain yogurt into the pumpkin, then stir in 2 tablespoons of honey. Mix in up to 4 tablespoons of coconut oil.
5. Apply mixture to your hair, cover with a shower cap, and let the mixture sit on your hair for 15 minutes.
6. Rinse the pumpkin mask out of your hair and style as usual.

Canned Pumpkin Hair Mask

1. Measure one cup of canned pumpkin, then set aside in a medium bowl.
2. Fold one up plain yogurt into the pumpkin, then stir in 2 tablespoons of honey. Mix in up to 4 tablespoons of coconut oil.
3. Apply mixture to your hair, cover with a shower cap, and let the mixture sit on your hair for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse the pumpkin mask out of your hair and style as usual.

Hard & Fast Tips

• A few drops of peppermint oil will create a sensational fragrance for your hair as well as a soothing feel on your scalp.
• If you have any allergies to pumpkin or other squash foods, do a test run on a small section of your hair before applying the homemade hair mask to your entire head.
• Vegans may substitute agave nectar for the honey, but there’s no good substitute for plain yogurt that we know of.
• There is little to no significant difference between using raw pumpkin and canned pumpkin on this homemade hair mask.