A 3-Ingredient Fix for the No. 1 Winter Hair Problem

A record-breaking blast of bone-chilling temps has made daily life harsh for much of the U.S. While hair problems are definitely not the most pressing issue people are facing during the polar vortex, they’re still downright irritating. If you’re going to lock yourself indoors to escape the cold, it might also be a good time to restore some moisture to hair that’s been parched by dry air.

An all-natural, three-ingredient mask is just the ticket to healing winter hair woes. Put the yogurt you’ve been skipping in favor of warm oatmeal to good use in this DIY. It’s worth the weirdness of putting it on your head—the fat and protein inside can nourish brittle locks [1], while lactic acids help clear dead skin cells from the scalp and promote healthy follicles [2].

Not to mention, yogurt is even more powerful with coconut oil, which has been shown to penetrate the hair shaft and prevent protein loss. It’s no secret that moisturizing is one of coconut oil’s finest assets. Add honey into the mix to attract and retain moisture, and you’ve got hair care gold [3].

Ready to transform dull, frizzy locks into a soft, luscious ’do? Here goes.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plain yogurt  (regular or Greek)
¼ teaspoon coconut oil, melted or whipped
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in bowl. With hands, massage mask into scalp and work it from roots to tips, spreading evenly among strands. Wrap hair in towel, and leave on for 20 minutes to 1 hour, or as long as you can handle. Then, rinse well and wash with shampoo and conditioner. Allow hair to air dry and style as usual.

Now if only the weather would let up, because hat hair … that’s a different problem.

Photo credit: Alicia Cho