This homemade conditioner bar is a real Mane Tamer

The DIY conditioner your hair will adore

We don’t know about you but we love taking care of our hair! There’s nothing quite like running your fingers through your soft tresses and not getting them caught on a single knot or catching a glimpse of your hair radiating shine and beauty. To help us (and you!) have the hair of our (your) dreams, we’ve created a Mane Tamer: a solid conditioner recipe!

Thanks to its nourishing, hydrating, and detangling ingredients, this DIY conditioner leaves your hair soft and easy to style. Plus, its delicately floral scent makes it a real pleasure to use. Shower time just got even more enjoyable!

Making solid conditioner has many advantages. Indeed, a conditioner bar is both budget-friendly and environmentally friendly. Not only does it avoid waste, the solid product also lasts longer than the liquid version. It’s a perfect pairing with Nettle Head, our solid shampoo recipe.

So, let’s do our hair a solid and try out this Mane Tamer!

How to make a conditioner bar

Ingredients

Oil phase

• 10 g (9.5%) glyceryl stearate SE
• 13 g (12.3%) kokum butter
• 10 g (9.5%) cetyl alcohol
• 2.5 g (2.4%) coconut oil
• 7 g (6.6%) macadamia oil
• 8 g (7.6%) jojoba oil
• 13 g (12.3%) stearic acid

Powder phase

• 23 g (21.7%) tapioca starch

Aqueous phase

• 9 g (8.5%) demineralized water
• 3 g (2.8%) glycerin
• 4 g (3.8%) colloidal oatmeal
• 0.5 g (0.5%) aloe vera powder 100x

Cooling phase

• 1.2 g (1.2%) essential oil of your choosing
• 0.8 g (0.8%) vitamin E
• 0.8 g (0.8%) elderberry extract  

Tools

• 2 small stainless steel bowls
• Components to make a double boiler
• 1 mini silicone spatula
• 1 scale, accurate to 0.1 g
• A few pipettes
• 3 ramekins
• 1 mini-mixer with frothing attachment (the small wheel)
• Silicone mold, in the shape and size of your choosing
• A basin full of water (to make a cold water bath)

Good to know!

• We advise against substituting any ingredients as this may reduce the product’s effectiveness.
• The vegetable oils and butters chosen for this solid conditioner recipe will not leave your hair greasy. The tapioca starch will also absorb lipids and help to harden the final product.
• The glycerin and tapioca starch hydrate hair.
• The cetyl alcohol helps detangle hair.
• Here are some suggested essential oils for different hair types:
  • Normal hair: ylang ylang, true lavender
  • Oily hair: Atlas cedar, petitgrain
  • Hair loss: pink grapefruit
  • Dandruff: tea tree

 Steps to follow

1. Prepare and sterilize your equipment and workspace.
2. In a small bowl, weigh the ingredients for the oil phase. Mix together and melt on the double boiler.
3. In a second small bowl, weigh the demineralized water and glycerin. Heat on the double boiler.
4. In the first ramekin, weigh the tapioca starch. Once the oil phase has melted, add the tapioca starch and combine with the mini-mixer.
5. In the second ramekin, weigh the aloe vera powder and colloidal oatmeal. Add to the aqueous phase and mix well with the spatula.
6. In the third ramekin, weigh the cooling phase ingredients. Mix together.
7. Remove the oil phase and aqueous phase from the heat. Pour the oil phase over the aqueous phase and mix with the mini-mixer.
8. Place bowl in a cold water bath and continue to mix. When the mixture begins to thicken, add the cooling phase. Mix well until it thickens.
9. Pour the mixture into the mold and place in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Unmold. Your homemade conditioner is ready to use as soon as it has hardened sufficiently.

Use and conservation

Moisten your DIY conditioner bar with warm water, remove some product and apply to wet hair. Be sure not to use too much! Let set for a couple of minutes then rinse. This homemade solid conditioner can also be applied to dry hair (no rinse).

Allow the bar to dry between uses. Store in a cool, dry place.

Made in optimal sanitary conditions, the product will keep for 3–6 months.