Don't throw away those over-ripe bananas! Bananas are packed with beauty benefits just waiting for you to smash up and put on your face & in your hair. This popular and inexpensive fruit is rich in potassium, vitamins, and natural oils, making them great for nourishing both your skin and hair.

Benefits of Banana Hair and Face Masks

Here are some of the benefits you'll experience with a banana hair and face masks:

Moisturizing, Hydrating, & Soothing:
- Bananas are packed with natural oils & vitamins that help moisturize & hydrate dry hair & skin.
- Banana masks have a soothing effect on the skin, making them great for calming irritated or inflamed skin.

Strengthens Hair & Promotes Hair Growth:
- The vitamins and minerals present in bananas may help strengthen hair follicles, reducing breakage & split ends and stimulate hair growth.

Adds Shine:
- Banana masks can add a natural shine to your hair & skin, making it look healthier and more vibrant.

Anti-Aging:
- The antioxidants present in bananas help combat free radicals, which can reduce the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.

Exfoliating:
- The natural enzymes in bananas gently exfoliate the skin, removing dead skin cells and revealing a brighter complexion.

pH Balanced
- Bananas are perfectly pH balanced for your hair and skin! Bananas have a pH of about 5. Healthy hair and skin also have a pH of about 5. Learn more about pH balanced hair care here.

DIY Banana Hair & Face Mask Recipes

You can use these masks on your hair and your face. Start with 1 ripe banana and add in any of the optional add-ins. It's a create-your-own-banana-adventure!

Scroll past this list to get suggested combos.

Base:

1 ripe banana, smashed

Optional Add-Ins:

Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of any of the following. You can mix and match. Get a full list of optional conditioning ingredients here.
- Honey
- Avocado
- Aloe Vera Gel
- Yogurt or Kefir
  - Learn how to make kefir here
- Baking Soda
  - Read about baking soda here
- Lemon Juice
- 1 Egg
- Bentonite Clay
  - Read about bentonite clay here
- Coconut Oil
- Castor Oil
  - Read about castor oil here
- Argan Oil
  - Read about argan oil here
- Apple Cider Vinegar
  - Read about apple cider vinegar here
- Coconut Milk
- Essential Oils
  - Get the latest discount code here!
  - Popular essential oils for hair & skin include:
    - Lavender (soothing)
    - Frankincense
    - Cedarwood (healthy scalp and promotes hair growth)
    - Peppermint (healthy scalp and promotes hair growth)
    - Rosemary (healthy scalp and promotes hair growth)
    - Clary Sage
    - Sage
    - Basil
    - Juniper
    - Ylang ylang
    - Sandalwood (promotes hair growth)
    - Lemon (photosensitive, if you have sun sensitive skin or plan on being in the sun, don't use lemon)
    - Cypress
    - Rose
    - Melrose
    - Purification (my favorite essential oil ever!)
    - Tea Tree (healthy scalp)

3 Banana Face & Hair Mask Recipes

Instructions:
- Mix the ingredients
- Apply generously to hair and face
  - Be sure to brush your hair before applying
- Allow to sit for 10-60 minutes
- Rinse (see tips below)

Repairing Banana Face & Hair Mask
- 1 ripe banana, smashed
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of argan, castor, or coconut oil
- 3-5 drops Purification (my favorite essential oil ever!) or Tea Tree essential oils

Moisturizing Banana Face & Hair Mask
- 1 ripe banana, smashed
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon coconut milk
- 3-5 drops of Lavender essential oil

Glowing Banana Face & Hair Mask
- 1 ripe banana, smashed
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
- 3-5 drops Frankincense essential oil

How to Get Bananas Out of Your Hair

Be sure to brush your hair before you add the mask so banana bits don't get trapped in tangles.
Brush your hair over a trash can before you rinse to minimize how much banana goes down your drain.
Use a drain strainer.
Rinse with cool water so you don't cook the banana into your hair.
Brush your hair after you rinse it to get the last bits out of your hair.

Should I Wash My Hair After a Banana Mask?

Washing your hair after a banana mask is optional. I wash my hair 2-3 times per month and typically do deep conditioners on wash day before I wash my hair. So I typically wash my hair after a banana mask.
- Learn how to your hair to longer between washes here.
- Learn how I wash my hair with the no poo method here.
Bananas are pH balanced for hair so it's not necessary to wash to balance the pH levels.
- Read about pH levels here.