I Made a DIY Hair Mask for Under $10, and It Was Better Than Most I've Bought
If you've ever read any of my hair stories before, then you already know that I'm obsessed with good conditioner and treatments — it comes with the territory when you've got natural hair.
I've tried countless products throughout the years, and while I've absolutely ran into some goodies, the latest treatment I've tried is among the best. And believe it or not, I made it myself using clean and organic ingredients.
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The Cherry Lola treatment is nothing new, I'm just late to the game (like, over a decade late), but I'm glad I'm here. This concoction, which you can make at home with three simple ingredients, completely transforms my hair in just one to two hours.
There are a few variations of the recipe floating around the internet, but I decided to go with the OG mix. To make, simply mix two cups of full-fat, plain organic yogurt, two tablespoons of liquid aminos (I like Bragg's), and two tablespoons of baking soda.
Now before we move on, I already know that the latter ingredient sounds nuts, but baking soda works to open up the cuticle and allows the treatment to penetrate the hair shaft. That said, applying baking soda to the hair too often can also dry the hair out, so it's best to only do the Cherry Lola treatment once every two weeks.
Anywho, once everything has been stirred up and the baking soda has been activated, I wash, condition, and detangle my hair, then part it into four sections and slather on a generous amount of the treatment to each section. Afterwards, I put on a shower cap, wrap a towel around that, then chill out for an hour or two.
Fair warning: the mixture kind of smells like dinner and is quite drippy, so just be prepared to wipe your face off every few minutes. I promise it's worth it, though.
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After the treatment has sat in my hair for a chunk of time, I head back into the shower and make sure it's thoroughly rinsed out, then wrap my hair in a microfiber towel.
Once I take my hair out, it is soft, moisturized, blessed, and so well-defined. If I do a wash-and-go, I apply a leave-in, some oil, and a gel. If I'm doing a braid or twist-out, I'll apply the same products, then style afterwards.
With a plethora of hair products on the market for curls (many of which I've tried myself), I can honestly say that not everything is worth the hype. However, the Cherry Lola treatment has long been, and will long be that girl.
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