It’s a bummer when you’re down to the very last drop of your favorite leave-in and you know your order won’t come in for at least another week. It’s also definitely not cool, when you’re traveling far from home only to realize you’ve forgotten your favorite pomade and moisturizer.
This is exactly what happened to me during our 39 hour drive to the state of Washington 3 years ago. While moving, I packed up every last one of my hair products and unfortunately, they were packed deep in the trailer.
Usually, I could make it work by skipping moisturizer all together for a night or two. However, this time that option could render some really bad results. The trip would take about a week and my hair really needed the moisture since it had been flat ironed a few days prior. I knew if I didn’t get some moisture in it fast, then I could kiss my length goal for the year goodbye.
Just when I thought all hope was lost, my resourceful (sometimes even ghetto fabulous) side showed up. I made the most out of my situation and learned some things along the way that might help you should you face a hair care emergency.
Lotion Potion
You know that lotion in your glove compartment? Yes, you can grab that and use it as a makeshift hair moisturizer. Lotion can be a little tricky, if not specifically made for hair. Ingredients that would normally do wonders for your hands could wreak havoc on your hair. If the first few ingredients include water, glycerin and cetearyl or cetyl alcohol they’ll definitely provide the moisture your hair needs in this emergency.
Truthfully, conditioners and lotions have a lot in common. Using conditioner and hand lotion on your hair could mean the difference between having a few more cationic agents and hair loving ingredients and just a seriously bad ingredient for your hair.
Just watch out for any lotion that has denatured alcohol in it. It’ll probably dry out your hair (and skin for that matter!)
Grab The Mayo!
That rest stop at KFC could bless you with more than just chicken! Grab a handful of mayonnaise condiments and make a beeline to the bathroom to get some of that fatty goodness onto your ends.
Mayonnaise is chock full of fat with an excellent pH level.
To get this to work, you’d want to wet your strands just a bit then add the mayo to your ends. Put your hair in a top knot or some kind of rolled hairdo where your ends can stay covered.
When you get to your destination, you can figure out washing it out. This might be a little too resourceful for most ladies, but it might be worth it, if you really want to add rich moisture to your strands while diligently working to conserve length by keeping damage at bay.
Staple Maple
At breakfast, but have to board your flight soon after? Grab the maple syrup! (Cue the side eye.) But seriously, maple syrup works like just like our favorite humectant, honey. For an on the go deep moisture treatment, mix water with maple syrup and place on your dried ends. Next pull your hair up into a top knot. By placing the mix on your ends only and putting it into a high bun, you keep the product working on the parts your hair needs it most while minimizing the sweet smell you’ll be rocking (seriously though, there are much worse things to smell like while on a packed plane!)
Kitchen Grease
I know, I know. Our hair is WAY too fabulous for cheap kitchen oil, but look beggars can’t be choosers and if that’s all you’ve have around, then give it a go!
Since using oil for our hair is basically second nature for most naturals, this is an easy add in for any lady who just has to make something out of nothing. Go ahead and oil your hair as usual!
When have you ever used unconventional hair products on your hair? What were your results?
I don’t mind experimenting with products..but this is just too much for me. I’m not walking around smelling like Mrs Butterworth or Hellmans. Sorry but no bueno.
Let me say that I love all the the names you came up with. Staple Maple? *cues the giggles like an adolescent * But my twin cousins used to use the lotion in their hair when we were younger (seems like they did on to something back then lol). But yeah, maple syrup is something I never tried and my granny used to use the kitchen grease for her hair too. Wow, I never knew that my peoples were trailblazers lol.
Correction: Staple maple section- that is not maple syrup! As a Canadian, I am outraged! How dare you pass high fructose crap syrup as maple? Just kidding, I’m not outraged :-P). Curious though, are people using real maple syrup? Cause that stuff is not cheap…I reserve mine for french toast. :-). Has anyone tried agave?
Updated with an accurate photo! I’m inclined to agree with you on the maple syrup being expensive. I’ve seen it at Whole Foods at almost $20! It’s more probable that regular pancake syrup is used because most diners and fast food restaurants don’t hand out maple syrup packets like ketchup…and if they did I need to know where they are like yesterday!
I love reading about life hacks! I think i’d prefer buying regular corn syrup instead of pancake syrup because I don’t want to smell like breakfast. 🙂 I’ve also used lotion before when I ran out of moisturizer. Oh, and just as a note I must mention that maple syrup is different than pancake syrup. You have pancake syrup in the photo. The pancake syrups (usually $1–5 in stores) are made from artificial colors, corn syrup, and artificial flavoring. Maple syrup (usually over $12 in stores) is actually made from the tree sap. Pancake syrup companies seemingly are also very careful about avoiding… Read more »
I use Dial soap bar to wash my hair. If you’re curious about my results, you can read about my experience with it here: http://www.2KinkyLadies.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/true-story-i-used-a-bar-of-soap-to-wash-my-hair/
I want to know from woman who have tried the maple/honey successfully how do you keep the bugs/bees away, thanks in advance
The only one of these that I would even attempt to use would be the mayo. Otherwise, I am avoiding the rest of these like the plague!
haha! Yeah, I don’t blame you. They are weird. But if you’re feeling adventurous or really desperate I see no reason not to give the others a try!
Actually a lot of natural lotions and
butters are great for hair. The Burt’s Bees line is wonderful for this. They don’t advertise this because I think that they see their overwhelming market as people with naturally oiler hair. If you read the ingredients of their moisterizers a lot of them contain the good stuff, shea butter, olive oil, avocado oil, ect.
Yeah, they have really nice ingredients. Maybe I’ll try it out one day.
I’ve used the lotion when I had nothing& I use the mayonnaise regularly. It stinks but my hair definitely feels so much better after.
My little sisters used to rub baby lotion on their Barbie dolls hair. I thought that it was a waste of good lotion… until I saw how soft, shiny and manageable their Barbie dolls hair became after this special treatment. Now I see that they were onto something. Unconventional methods? Well I tried washing my hair with only milk for a few weeks. My hair was doing great using that method and it had the best curl definition that I’ve had so far, during that time. My problems with the milk wash were: 1. Visible milk residues. 2. Noticeable build up(… Read more »
ooo Jacky! Your milk wash isgiving me ideas.…
I’ve used lotion to slick back hair that was sticking up. Unfortunately I didn’t notice the hair mishap until I pulled in to my job’s parking lot. Lol. It worked like a charm. 🙂
My hair would just have to look dry that day if I can’t get to a store cause Um not going to use any of that
Aqueous cream from ECOLAB the same kind I use for my skin to stave off eczema flare-ups. It makes my hair really slippery, which in turn makes detangling more pleasant especially in my crown area. Downside of it, is if any of this stuff goes near my scalp then I’m shedding white flaky stuff until it’s time to wash which then comes VERY quickly.
my grandfather uses “kitchen grease” as you called it as a lotion, lard, canola oil you name it, i keep imploring him to at least use this olive oil since he insists on going into the kitchen to grab his lotion but …no go… just can’t tell a 90 year old man nothing
Hey desperate times call for desperate measures. I wouldn’t use any of these in lieu of my usual hair products but in an emergency I surely would put some baby lotion in my hair!
BlackGirlLongHair, I am beginning to wonder about your articles as of late…
Same here.
hmm…I think I’ll pass.
I wash my hair with conditioner & cooking grease/olive oil.
I have had to use cooking oil in my hair before it actually made my hair sprout and my roots had gotten so thick.