Honey is a sweet, syrupy natural product that most of us are familiar with. It's a common component in both sweet and savory dishes, and it's also been used in traditional medicine for a long time as a therapeutic ingredient. But…

Is honey good for your hair?

Regularly applying honey to the scalp and hair can provide a variety of benefits, including deep conditioning and healthy hair growth. Anyone interested in a natural hair conditioner? Here are a few reasons why you may want to use honey on your hair:

• Because honey is an excellent emollient that soothes the scalp and helps relieve the symptoms of various inflammatory scalp conditions due to its anti-inflammatory properties. 
• Because it's a natural source of antioxidants that prevent oxidative stress, which has been linked to hair loss and inflammatory diseases of hair follicles. It's also high in vitamins and minerals, so incorporating it into your hair care routine will nourish the scalp and help your locks look shinier, feel softer, and be in better overall shape.
• Honey is a humectant, which means it helps prevent the loss of moisture from your scalp and hair. It has a high sugar content, which helps to retain moisture, hydrating the scalp.
• Honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which may be helpful in preventing infections and relieving the symptoms of psoriasis, scalp acne, seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. 
• Honey can help bring back shine to dry, dull, lifeless hair. 
• Honey is a natural lightener for hair, so it can be used to give faint highlights or lighten the overall color of your hair. Combine honey with a dollop of your favorite conditioner, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Apply the mixture on your hair and leave it on for at least 30 minutes, then rinse. 

How do I incorporate honey into my hair care routine?

Whether you use it in a honey hair mask or apply it directly to your scalp, there's no denying that the benefits of using honey for your hair are numerous.

Honey functions effectively as a binding agent, so it makes a fantastic base for a hair mask.

How to make a hair mask with honey?

There are several recipes that you can use for a hair mask with honey. This is the most basic, and it works wonders on dry, damaged hair:

Here is what you need:

• ½ cup of honey;
• A tablespoon of a hair oil of your choice (to dilute the essential oil - you can use coconut oil, or olive oil, or your favorite hair oil blend);
• A few drops of an essential oil of your choice (you can use lavender or geranium for a soothing effect or tea tree for its antifungal properties);
• A bowl in which to mix the ingredients;
• A shower cap.

Use raw, organic honey, whenever possible, as it is the least processed and it contains a larger quantity of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. 

How to make and apply the honey hair mask:

• Dilute the essential oil in the carrier oil.
• In the bowl, mix the honey and the oils.
• Apply the mixture on your hair and scalp. For best results, your hair should be freshly washed and still slightly wet. 
• Using your fingertips, gently massage your scalp.
• Put the shower cap on.
• Wait for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the mask out of your hair and shampoo as usual.

You can, of course, improve this hair mask by adding other natural ingredients, such as yogurt (for protein), apple cider vinegar (to regulate sebum production and help flatten the cuticle) and banana or avocado puree to help nourish dry, dehydrated hair. 

The results will depend on the quality of the ingredients you’re using, so choose them wisely. As a carrier oil you can use coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil or Argan oil, all of which are known for their benefits in supporting healthy hair growth. 

Also, make sure to only use 100% pure essential oils, to get all the benefits, but also to prevent chemical burns. 

The products you use to wash and condition your hair after doing your DIY hair treatments are equally important. Choose a sulfate-free shampoo and a silicone-free conditioner to boost your hair health - to keep your hair nourished, hydrated and easy to manage. There are several gentle, plant-based hair products to choose from, but I can highly recommend you:

WOW Coconut Milk Shampoo & Conditioner

Coconut milk is a well-known superfood that is packed with nutrients. It has been used for hair care in Southeast Asia and Polynesia since ancient times. It strengthens the hair roots, repairs the hair shaft, promotes the production of color pigments, and flattens rough cuticles to ensure that your hair looks and feels softer and healthier. It is rich in key nutrients that are beneficial for hair care such as lauric acid, vitamin e, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and copper.

WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo & Coconut / Avocado oil conditioner

The apple cider vinegar shampoo gently detoxifies the hair by dissolving and removing buildup caused by the accumulation of dust, pollutants, dead skin cells, and styling products. It is sulfate & parabens free and it contains 100% pure, unfiltered, and unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar, Sweet Almond Oil, and Argan Oil. 

And if you didn’t add that avocado puree to your hair mask, get its benefits + much more from this luxurious nourishing conditioner. 

Explore the WOW website for more natural hair care products. From our all natural sulfate, silicone and paraben-free hair care collection we recommend Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Red Onion Black Seed Oil Shampoo. And if you would like to learn more about apple cider vinegar's benefits or onion oil's benefits check out our ultimate guide on how to use them on your hair.