It might sound strange, but putting mayonnaise in hair has been a popular DIY beauty treatment for years. Mayonnaise makes an effective deep conditioner, and it will leave your locks feeling soft and looking shiny. Ahead, learn how to turn your favorite condiment into your favorite beauty product.



What Does Mayonnaise Do for Hair?
Some people claim that putting mayonnaise in hair can strengthen strands prone to breakage. This isn't true as the proteins found in DIY mayonnaise hair treatments aren't small enough to penetrate the hair cuticle. What mayonnaise hair treatments can do, however, is add shine and softness to dry, frizzy hair. This treatment is especially beneficial for people with naturally curly hair.

How Does It Work?
When you put mayonnaise in your hair, you're dousing your locks in a rich combination of oils, vitamins and acids. The soybean oil in mayonnaise, for example, contains fatty acids that effectively hydrate hair. Mayonnaise also contains eggs, which give your hair a healthy dose of Vitamins A, B, D and E. These vitamins do everything from promote scalp health to enhance shine.

Lemon juice is another beneficial ingredient found in most mayonnaise. It is a great way to treat itchy scalps. Mayonnaise contains a small amount of vinegar as well. Vinegar is often found in DIY hair treatments as it can restore the hair to a healthy pH balance. By regulating the hair's pH balance, it helps hair cuticles retain moisture.

How To Make a Mayonnaise Hair Treatment?
To get the most of your mayonnaise hair treatment, use it like a deep conditioner. First, clean your hair as usual. When it is damp, apply the mayonnaise throughout the length of your hair. Pay special attention to the ends as they tend to be drier than the roots of your hair.

When your hair is thoroughly coated in mayonnaise, place a shower cap over your head. This will keep your skin and clothing clean. Leave the mayonnaise in your hair for about 30 minutes, and then rinse it out. Use a shampoo to get rid of any unwanted residue.

What Are the Benefits?
Mayonnaise is a great way to condition dry, brittle hair. It can add shine to frizzy locks, smooth wayward curls and soften coarse hair. If you have scalp concerns, mayonnaise can also help to relieve itchiness and irritation.

What Are the Downsides?
If you're thinking about putting mayonnaise in your hair, this beloved DIY treatment isn't without its downsides. For one thing, mayonnaise doesn't have a nice floral scent like a store-bought conditioning treatment. When you use mayonnaise as a conditioner, your hair might smell like a chicken salad sandwich for a few days.

Mayonnaise can also be difficult to get out of hair. Because of its thick consistency, sometimes it takes a few rinses to remove all traces of mayonnaise from your freshly conditioned locks.