Kefir is a fermented yogurt that is similar in consistency to a yogurt smoothie. It is readily available in most places, but if you have a health food store nearby, you can find high-quality kinds there. It doesn’t taste the best, but people swear that it will do wonders for your health – but what about your hair?
A kefir hair mask is the most common way to take advantage of kefir for hair care. The mask is made with kefir and supporting ingredients based on hair care needs. Kefir can also be used by itself to help improve:
- Hair loss
- Dry scalp
- Split ends
In addition to how kefir helps repair your hair and keep it healthy, we are also going to share some DIY hair mask remedies to get you started. There is one pretty important tip that we are going to give you right here in the beginning: make sure you use plain kefir. The flavored versions will make your hair sticky.
Is Kefir Good for Your Hair?
Kefir is healthy for your hair just by you drinking it. This may be surprising to some of you, but not to die-hard kefir fans. Kefir is pretty bitter, and if you have tried, you know what we mean. However, it’s packed with good bacteria that keep your body in balance from your toes to the tips of your hair.
When the bacteria balance in your gut is off, one of the side effects is dull, weak, brittle hair (and in the worst cases, hair loss). When your gut is healthy, the rest of your body is positively affected, including your hair feeling softer, stronger, and growing longer.
But it has other topical benefits as well:
- Protein is the main building block of your hair’s structure, so if it’s feeling weak, the proteins in kefir can help to rebuild the follicles.
- The probiotics in kefir are also beneficial for balancing the scalp.
These two main benefits serve to further your hair health in three main areas that we are going to explore a little more in-depth right here.
Kefir for Hair Loss
Kefir is great for hair loss because the fermented drink has protein, amino acids, and vitamins like B12, niacin, biotin, iodine, and choline that help your hair grow long and strong. The nature of milk products like kefir keeps your hair’s natural moisture intact, while the probiotics and natural acids gently cleanse away impurities.
In short, a kefir mask stimulates the hair follicles for growth.
Just putting some plain kefir on your hair a few times a week will help stop loss and regrow the hair. There are also some recipes for masks that can target issues like baldness and regrowth. We will talk about those masks later in the recipe section, but for now, you just need to know they exist.
The best results come from using the mask often and in addition to drinking some every day, too.
Kefir for Dry Scalp
Because dairy products are known for their moisturizing properties, it is not surprising that kefir can help those suffering from a dry scalp. Using kefir as a topical product on your hair can also help with the itch that can sometimes come with dry scalp.
The natural vitamin E and potassium in kefir aid in your scalp’s ability to maintain a healthy moisture balance.
If you happen to also suffer from dry hair, it will be a double benefit. And, fun fact, some people can have dry scalps, dry hair, and oily greasy roots at the same time. For those people, kefir might be the holy grail of natural hair care products as it gently removes the excess oil with its amino acids but imparts moisture and protein to the dry scalp and follicles.
Kefir for Split Ends
The same vitamins that help you grow your hair back, long and strong, also help seal up split ends temporarily so you can hold off on a trim. They also strengthen the hair, so it’s less likely to develop breaks in the future. While this problem might not be worse than hair loss, they are very irritating to deal with, especially if you are hoping to grow your hair out.
The general remedy for split ends is a trim, but that doesn’t solve the root of the problem. Your hair may be missing balance, which leads to chronic split ends. You need to find a different approach to deal with those split ends. One of those approaches is with, you guessed it, kefir.
Kefir has the fat, protein, and vitamins to strengthen your hair from the root to tip.
Funny enough, that’s how you’ll want to apply it, too: root to tip. That way, you’re getting nutrients to all parts of your hair and your scalp for fully healthy hair. Is there anything this fermented delight can’t do? It is amazing and has many wonderful benefits for your hair.
DIY Kefir Hair Mask Recipes
We thought it would be a fun idea to add a few DIY recipes for you to try on your hair during your next self-care weekend. Now that the kids are back in school, you might need to try it tomorrow!
Honestly, you will be sitting around the house with kefir on your hair for at least half an hour each time you do this, so make sure you don’t have any pressing plans when you are doing your treatments.
The best thing about these recipes is that other than the kefir, you will probably have most of the ingredients. Plus, kefir is easy to find. It was even spotted at Aldi not long ago. We wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to try these DIY kefir hair masks.
Kefir + Gelatin Hair Mask for Split Ends
This mask is great for all hair types but is specifically beneficial for hair that has been damaged or is generally weak. If you have issues with split ends, as we mentioned earlier, then this is a great mask to try. Gelatin is another amazing beauty product that most people stock in their pantry.
Make sure the gelatin is plain gelatin (and, just to reiterate, please use plain kefir). It may be tempting to use up that old box of Jell-O from last summer, but please don’t. The sugar will make it very sticky, the color may temporarily stick to your hair, and the mask won’t do what you want it to.
What we love the most about this simple mask is that it is three ingredients.
- 1 Tbsp gelatin
- 1 cup kefir
- Mild hot water (just 3 Tbsp to mix with the gelatin first to soften it)
Once the gelatin softens, mix it with the kefir and put it on your hair. 30 minutes should be plenty. You can do this weekly or monthly, depending on how damaged your hair is.
Kefir + Egg Hair Mask for Hair Growth
This is a great mask to promote healthy hair growth. While it is pretty simple in terms of ingredients, preparing it and executing it is a little bit more complicated because it involves some animal proteins from the egg.
A few things that you need to remember is that you do not want to heat the mixture or your hair after applying. You will start to cook the egg. It is weird but true. If you do accidentally cook the egg, it will be very hard to get out of your hair.
Another important note is that you need to whip the egg before you add it to the kefir. The egg yolk needs to be foamy.
- 1 egg yolk
- 250 g or slightly more than a cup of kefir
The last thing you need to know is that the mask should not dry on your head. Leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes unless it is drying quickly, then you need to rinse it. Just like with the cooked egg, it will be hard to remove if it dries and becomes crusty.
Kefir + Yeast Hair Mask for Hair Repair
The last but definitely not “yeast” DIY mask is the kefir plus yeast recipe. While this is another two-ingredient recipe, the yeast is not your typical bread yeast. So, unless you run a small in-home brewery, you may have to go to the nearest store that sells brewer’s yeast.
Yeast is a powerful ingredient that contains a lot of benefits in a small package. Because of the live bacteria, yeast promotes hair growth and regrowth. It is also really good for dry and damaged hair because of the amino acids and proteins it has.
- 2 Tbsp brewer’s yeast
- 1 cup kefir
Mix the ingredients well and apply to your hair. You will want to leave it in for at least 30 minutes but no more than 45 minutes. Make sure you rinse it well.
Final Thoughts
Whatever your reason for wanting to try kefir in your hair care routine, you won’t be disappointed. Whether it is simply preventative self-care or trying to repair existing damage, kefir is a great start. If you don’t want to use a mask, you can simply apply plain kefir.
“Kefir grains” by Pain Chaud is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
