Mayonnaise Treatment For Dry Hair

You are probably already familiar with mayonnaise as a condiment used in cooking, such as sandwich preparation and sauces. However, you may not know that mayonnaise has numerous uses for health and beauty purposes, including being a natural moisturizing hair treatment for dry, damaged or frizzy hair. You can use mayonnaise even if you have normal hair to help maintain shine and vitality.

Significance

Mayonnaise is rich in natural oils and nutrients that promote healthy, shiny and moisturized hair. Mayonnaise is also an inexpensive way to treat your hair to a deep conditioning treatment without spending money on costly salon masks and hair packs. You can use mayonnaise purchased in the grocery store or make your own at home.

Function

Mayonnaise acts as a natural conditioning hair pack for dry, damaged, frizzy or brittle hair. According to Janice Cox in "Natural Beauty at Home," mayonnaise helps to restore life and luster to dry, damaged hair. For use as a deep conditioning hair pack, mayonnaise should be used once weekly and left on dry hair for 20 minutes before shampooing. Rinse well with cool water and follow up with shampoo.

Features

The main components of mayonnaise are egg yolks and canola or olive oil, which are rich in vitamins and nutrients. The two primary ingredients in mayonnaise, egg yolks and oil, are rich in essential fats and vitamins A, B and D. These vitamins are important to maintaining healthy hair and promoting a strong, healthy hair shaft. According to an April 1, 2006, article in the Dermatology Times, vitamin B acts as a humectant when applied using topical treatment, which can help the hair shaft retain moisture.

Warning

Mayonnaise contains eggs, which is important to note if you have an allergy to eggs. Additionally, you should avoid using warm or hot water to rinse out the mayonnaise from your hair, as you run the risk of cooking the eggs and leaving a sticky or gloppy residue on your hair and scalp.

Expert Insight

According to nutritionist and author Lisa Drayer, mayonnaise is also an effective lice treatment, since the mayonnaise helps to suffocate the lice. Suffocating the lice makes the eggs easier to remove. To use mayonnaise as a lice treatment, you should apply mayonnaise to your child's hair before bedtime and cover it with a plastic shower cap. Leave the treatment in overnight and shampoo out. You can then try combing out the lice eggs and rising the hair with cold water.