Okra (Ochro) Hair Mask
I'm back with another DIY all-natural hair mask. This time, I didn't get any unwanted results, like hair straightening. It was an okra (ochro) conditioner. I used the plain okra juice (slimy liquid derived from boiling or simmering the okra on relatively low heat) without adding any other ingredients such as oils. Why? I wanted to see how the okra worked on its own. I could always enhance it in another application.
OKRA
Okra is a very popular food used in hair care. YouTube is rife with DIY okra recipes.
Characteristics:
- perennial flowering plant belongs to the Malvaceae (mallows) family, and named scientifically as Abelmoschus esculentus. Also called 'lady's finger'
- Vitamins A, E, C & K
Benefits to hair:
- Makes hair bouncy (yep! I agree)
- Adds shine (aha!)
- Moisturizes the scalp
- Alleviates dandruff
- Promotes growth
Typical Applications on Hair:
- Hair Gel
- Moisturizing treatment mask
- Detangler
MY HAIR MASK
Expectations: I was using this mask for the possible shine that okra masks promise, and as usual, I am testing out products to see what works to help smooth my hair ends (make them softer).
Ingredients:
- 8 fairly large okras
- Plain tap water
- Pot / saucepan
Method:
- First, I filled a pot with about 3 cups of water and placed it on a lighted stove
- I washed the okras in water to get rid of any dirt
- I cut off the tip of the 'tail' (about 1/4 centimetre) and I sliced off just a tiny bit of the 'head', the part that looks brownish
- I sliced the okras in two horizontally. I did this to expose as much of the fruit (yes, okra is technically a fruit)
- I placed the okras in the pot and brought to a rolling boil
- I quickly turned the stove down to let the okras simmer for about 10 minutes, until I felt the liquid was congealed enough
- When it was cooling, I added in a bit more water and stirred it in. This was done to increase the liquid.
- I separated (as much as I could) the solid pieces of okra from the liquid.
APPLICATION TO MY HAIR:
- I washed my hair with my favourite sulphate shampoo
- I conditioned lightly in the shower using some of the okra mixture.
- I parted my hair in small sections, and applied the okra juice to each section, then twisted in two-strand twists.
The okra gave me great definition. It had a LOT of slip, no, that's an understatement. It had a TON of slip! Check out my curls in the back section of my hair.
A few minutes later, I untwisted a few of the curls at the front. What shine there was...💖💖💖! Remember, I had NO other conditioner in my hair, not even my Holy Grail detangler.
HERE'S THE VIDEO OF THE APPLICATION:
My final thoughts: The okra mask did just what I thought it would do. It gave my hair some shine, and it softened my ends a bit. During the twisting stage on damp hair, it was excellent as a detangler even on the hardest parts of my hair. What I did is I basically soaked my hair section with the okra juice and it became very pliable.
I will definitely be adding some Dax to my hair next day for greater moisture, but I am pleased with the okra on its own. The slip was great and the curl definition is perfect for anyone with perhaps a lighter hair type. Please note: It does leave a gel cast (a hard feeling) on your hair, similar to any type of gel. It is a much softer gel cast than commercial gels, but it still has it.
The next time I use this mask, I will enhance it by adding one or more oils, not Jamaican Black Castor Oil though. I think that that is a bit too heavy for my intended purpose. I would definitely recommend this natural hair mask to anyone looking to nourish and brighten up their hair.
Extra benefit from this mask: It made my hair shrink back up almost to its original curl pattern. My Plantain and Okra Mask that I made about a week and some days prior to this hair mask resulted in my hair being straightened. My curl pattern was visibly looser. Thankfully, I see some restoration of my bouncy curls with this plain okra mask.
Q. What natural hair DIY treatments have you tried on your hair? If you haven't tried any so far, do you think you will in the future?
Until my next post,
