Easy DIY Hair Conditioner (That Actually Works)
Make your own DIY hair conditioner with simple ingredients you can customize. This real conditioner leaves your hair soft, smooth, and easy to detangle and can even be used as a leave-in.
When I first wrote this post, I had just taken the Dressing Your Truth® course, and it changed how I was doing my hair.
Up until then, I had been straightening it all the time. It helped me realize I didn’t need to fight my natural texture, so for the first time in over 20 years, I started letting my hair do its natural curly and wavy thing.
To help support my waves, I started washing my hair less often and using a homemade flaxseed hair gel. I used this conditioner as a co-wash during the week and my homemade clarifying shampoo about once a week. The difference was immediate. I started seeing waves and curls I didn’t even know I had, and now I can just let it do its thing and I love how it looks.
This isn’t just a mix of oils or a quick DIY shortcut. It’s a real conditioner, similar to what you’d buy in a store, but you get to control what goes into it and adjust it to suit your hair.
Watch the full tutorial
Here’s exactly how I make it step by step, along with ingredient tips, troubleshooting, and customization ideas.
Why make a homemade conditioner?
There are a lot of reasons to make your own conditioner.
When you realize that most conditioners are mostly water, it starts to make sense. You can make something very similar at home for much less, even when using high-quality ingredients.
A lot of products highlight a specific oil or “miracle” ingredient, but in reality, those are often only used in small amounts. The rest of the formula may include ingredients you may not love or may prefer to avoid.
When you make your own, you get to decide exactly what goes into it and what to leave out. That’s always been my main reason for making things myself. I like knowing what I’m using and being able to adjust things depending on what my hair needs.
It’s also surprisingly affordable, and you can reuse your containers to cut down on waste. If you’d rather skip bottles altogether, you can also try my homemade conditioner bar.
The ingredients
A basic conditioner only uses a few simple types of ingredients: water, oil, an emulsifier, and a preservative. From there, you can keep it simple or customize it with things like vitamins or essential oils.
To make a conditioner, we’re making a simple emulsion. It’s just like making a simple lotion. The main difference is the type of emulsifier used. In this case, we’re using a cationic emulsifier, BTMS, which is what gives this conditioner its conditioning properties.
What is BTMS?
The main ingredient that makes this a true conditioner is BTMS (Behentrimonium Methosulfate).
This is what gives the conditioner its slip and makes it easier to detangle your hair. Without it, you’d end up with something more like a lotion, which won’t have the same feel or work nearly as well on hair.
BTMS is what’s called a cationic emulsifier, which just means it has a positive charge. Hair has a slight negative charge, so the BTMS is attracted to it. It lightly coats the hair and helps smooth it so the strands don’t catch on each other as much. That’s what gives you that soft, slippery feel and makes it easier to comb through.
When I first shared this recipe, I described it as a “natural” conditioner because I had taken a course that used BTMS in their formulas. Since then, I’ve learned that not everyone considers BTMS to be natural, especially when it comes to stricter certifications.
That said, this is still the version I reach for most often because it simply works better for my hair. I’ve tried other options, but they just don’t give the same slip or leave my hair feeling as soft.
Substituting BTMS
If you’d rather not use BTMS, there are other cationic emulsifiers that can be used to make a conditioner.
That said, they don’t all give the same results. In my experience, BTMS gives the best slip and leaves the hair feeling the softest.
I’ve experimented with a few alternatives, and I’ll be sharing more details about those options in a separate post.
BTMS-25 vs. BTMS-50
When I first wrote this post, I didn’t even realize that BTMS was sold in different versions. My supplier just called it “BTMS,” but after looking into it more, I realized I had been using BTMS-25.
BTMS-25 is a combination of Behentrimonium Methosulfate and cetearyl alcohol, which acts as a co-emulsifier. The amount of the active conditioning ingredient is lower, but it tends to give a thicker, creamier conditioner.
BTMS-50 has a higher percentage of Behentrimonium Methosulfate, along with cetyl alcohol and butylene glycol. Because of that, it usually makes a slightly lighter conditioner.
Some people prefer BTMS-25 because it has fewer ingredients, while others choose to avoid BTMS-50 due to the butylene glycol. While it’s generally considered safe, some people prefer to avoid glycols or more processed ingredients.
You can use either one in this recipe, just keep in mind that the final texture may be a little different.
The oil phase
In this recipe, I use a small amount of oil to help soften the hair and add a bit of shine. I often use argan oil, but you don’t have to use it.
You can swap it out for another oil or even use a combination of oils, depending on your hair type and what you have on hand. Just try to keep the total amount about the same so the consistency stays similar.
Some oils are lighter, like jojoba or argan oil, while others like coconut, olive oil, or avocado oil can feel heavier. Shea butter can also be used, especially for thicker or curlier hair, but it may be too much for finer hair.
The water phase
The main ingredient in most conditioners is water, and this recipe is no exception.
I like to use distilled water because it doesn’t contain minerals or impurities that can affect the final product. If you don’t have distilled water, you can use filtered water that has been recently boiled and cooled.
You can also replace part of the water with something like a hydrosol or aloe juice if you want to customize it a bit.
If you start adding a lot of things like aloe, hydrosols, or other botanicals, just keep in mind that they can make the conditioner a bit harder to preserve, so it’s best to keep things fairly simple.
About glycerin
Glycerin is a humectant, which means it helps draw moisture into the hair.
That said, it doesn’t work well for everyone. In very dry or very humid climates, it can sometimes make hair feel dry or sticky instead.
If you’d rather not use it, you can simply leave it out and replace it with more water.
Adding a preservative
Because this conditioner contains water, it needs a preservative. There’s really no safe way around this if you plan to store it at room temperature.
Without one, it can grow bacteria or mold, even if you can’t see it right away. So this is one step you don’t want to skip.
The good news is that there are several preservatives available for home use that work well in recipes like this. I’ve used options like Cosgard (Geogard 221), Sharomix, and others over the years.
If you want to learn more about the different preservative options, I have a post about natural preservatives that goes into more detail.
Beginner’s Guide to Natural Preservatives
Just make sure to use a broad-spectrum preservative and follow the recommended usage rate for the one you choose. Most are used at around 1% of the recipe, but always check your specific product.
It’s also important that the pH of your product works with your preservative, since some only work within certain ranges. I go into more detail about that in my post about pH in cosmetics.
Optional ingredients
You can also customize this conditioner with a few optional ingredients.
For scent, I usually add essential oils. I like lavender and rosemary, but you can use whatever you prefer. Keep the total amount low, usually around 0.5–1% of the recipe.
You can also add things like d-panthenol or proteins like rice or wheat protein to help support the hair.
If you’d like to see a full example of how this recipe can be customized, I’ve shared an example of a customized conditioner using aloe juice, different oils, and added ingredients like panthenol and protein.
How to make it
Making this conditioner is very similar to making a simple lotion. You’ll heat the water phase and oil phase separately, combine them, and then blend everything together until it forms a smooth, creamy emulsion.
Start by heating the distilled water in a double boiler. (1) At the same time, in a separate heat-safe container, combine the oil and BTMS and heat them until the BTMS has fully melted. (2) Once both phases are hot and roughly the same temperature, slowly pour the water into the oil mixture while blending or stirring.
At first, the mixture will look thin, but as you continue blending, it will quickly turn creamy and opaque. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Once it has cooled down to around 30°C/90°F, you can add the preservative, essential oils, and any other heat-sensitive ingredients.
After that, check the pH and adjust if needed. Then transfer the finished conditioner to your container and let it cool completely before closing it.
How long does it keep?
With a preservative, this conditioner should last around 3 months when stored properly. It will probably keep longer than that, but since we’re not doing formal stability testing at home, I like to stay on the safe side.
I still prefer to make smaller batches so it’s always fresh, and I keep an eye on it and remake it if anything seems off.
If you choose not to use a preservative, you’ll need to treat it more like a food. Keep it in the refrigerator and use it within about a week.
How to use it
I usually use this as a rinse-out conditioner after washing my hair.
Apply a small amount to the ends of your hair, work it through, and comb it through to help detangle. Then rinse it out.
You can also use a small amount as a leave-in conditioner, especially on damp hair. Just be careful not to use too much, as a little goes a long way.
You can also use it as a co-wash if you’re trying to wash your hair less often. Just massage it into your scalp and rinse it out well.
I’ve also used it between washes to help refresh my curls. I lightly mist my hair with water, then mix a small amount of conditioner with a bit of homemade hair gel (or flaxseed hair gel) and scrunch it through to bring the curls back.
You can store this in a pump bottle or another reusable container. I also like using silicone travel tubes since they’re easy to squeeze and work well if you’re taking it with you.
If your hair is very fine, start with a very small amount and adjust as needed.
FAQs
You can, but it won’t really be the same. BTMS is what gives the conditioner its slip and detangling ability. Without it, you’ll end up with something more like a lotion, which doesn’t work nearly as well on hair.
Yes, but results will vary. Other cationic emulsifiers can work, but in my experience, they don’t give the same softness or slip. BTMS is still the one that consistently works best.
If you’re storing it at room temperature, no. Because this recipe contains water, it needs a preservative to prevent mold and bacteria growth.
If you really want to skip it, you’d need to keep it in the fridge and use it within about a week.
It’s best to use distilled water. Tap water can contain minerals or impurities that may affect the final product or reduce shelf life. If needed, you can use filtered water that’s been recently boiled and cooled.
This usually happens if:
The oil and water phases weren’t at a similar temperature
It wasn’t blended enough
The emulsifier wasn’t fully melted
Try blending a bit longer next time and make sure everything is fully heated before combining.
Small changes can affect the texture:
Too thick: reduce the BTMS slightly or increase the water
Too thin: increase the BTMS a bit
It will also thicken more as it cools, so don’t judge it too early.
Yes, but use a very small amount. A little goes a long way, especially for finer hair.
Absolutely. You can swap the oil for something else or use a blend. Just keep the total amount about the same so the consistency doesn’t change too much.
Yes, but keep it simple at first. Adding more ingredients can make the conditioner harder to preserve, so make sure your preservative can handle the final formula.
With a preservative, about 2–3 months is a safe estimate. Without one, about a week in the fridge.
Prefer a faster overview?
Easy DIY Hair Conditioner
Equipment
- pump bottle
Materials
- 83 g distilled water
- 5 g BTMS
- 5 g glycerin
- 5 g argan oil or other oil(s)
- 1 g preservative (or use your preservative at its recommended rate)
- 1 g lavender essential oil or other essential oils
- lactic acid (for pH adjustment, optional)
Instructions
- Clean your work surfaces, utensils, and packaging. (You can use alcohol to better sanitize surfaces.)
- Weigh out the distilled water.
- Heat the water over a double boiler while you measure out the oil(s) and emulsifier.
- Weigh out the oil (or oils) in a double boiler insert.
- Tare the scale and add the BTMS (or another cationic emulsifier) to the oil(s).
- Heat the oil and BTMS mixture over the double boiler until the BTMS has melted. Fully stir the ingredients together until well combined and remove from the heat.
- Slowly add the hot water to the hot oil mixture while stirring or blending, keeping both phases at a similar temperature (around 70–75°C / 160–170°F).Blend with an immersion blender (or stir vigorously) until the mixture comes together and begins to thicken.
- Allow the mixture to cool, stirring occasionally, until it reaches around 90ºF/30ºC. Then add the preservative, essential oils, and any other heat-sensitive ingredients. Mix well to fully incorporate.
- Test the pH of the conditioner. Ideally, you want the pH to be in a good range for both your hair (around 4.5–5) and for the effectiveness of your preservative. (It’s easiest to choose a preservative that works in that range rather than adjusting the whole recipe.) Adjust the pH down with a couple of drops of lactic acid (or, less likely, up with a solution of NaOH).
- Bottle your conditioner. Wait until fully cooled to cap the bottle to prevent condensation from forming above the conditioner. You can now use it as needed!
Notes
- Make small batches and use within about 3 months.
- You can substitute the argan oil with another oil or a blend of oils.
- Glycerin is optional and can be replaced with more water if preferred.
- If your conditioner feels too thick, you can reduce the BTMS slightly or increase the water a bit in your next batch.
- Use a broad-spectrum preservative suitable for water-based products and follow its recommended usage rate. Most are used at around 0.5–1%, but always check your specific product.
- Make sure your preservative works within the pH range of this recipe (around 4.5–5).
- For a full example of how to customize this recipe, see my example of a customized conditioner.
This post was originally published on March 9, 2017. It has been updated with new photos, clearer instructions, and a step-by-step video.
I’m impressed by your recipe and would love to try it. I’m searching for a homemade conditioner because I seem to be allergic to something in most commercial conditioners. I believe I’m allergic to Behentrimonium Methylsulfate. I laughed when I discovered it was one of your main ingredients!
Do you have any ideas about other emulsifiers I could try?
Thanks so much for your excellent site!
Hi Amber,
I may be able to help you! 🙂
Would you be opposed to me writing you next week with an unpublished recipe to try out? I’m in the process of taking a professional haircare formulation course and have learned a lot this week.
I’m planning on trying out a couple of conditioners that I’d obviously like to test for a bit before publishing them, but having others test out the products also helps me. My husband and my son aren’t as good for these sorts of things because they don’t really need the same sort of conditioners as I do.
Obviously no pressure- but,
When I wrote this post, I had bought the BTMS from a place that normally sells only products for natural and organic cosmetics. It turns out, though, that while it is a pretty safe emulsifier (and great for conditioners) and that it does come from natural sources, it is pretty highly modified and not really an ingredient for certified organic conditioners.
There is really only one cationic emulsifier (The ones that are great for conditioners) that is allowed in organic haircare as far as I know. It can be kind of hard to source, though, I think.
That said, there is another option- but I need to study for a couple more days and then want to test something out before trying to get someone else to test it.
If you’re game, I’d love to work with you. I checked out your website and I think we’d jive in a good, non-competetive way! 😉
I would like to try that if you are game.
Hi Julie-
Great!
I can send you a recipe later on today. (I’m getting my son ready for his first day back from school this morning!)
I’ve since made a batch and it’s OK, but I’m not sure. I really like the feel of the ones that use cationic emulsifiers better. For somebody that is sensitive to them, though, it may be “good enough.”
Hi Tracy,
I was wondering whether you ever designed a new recipe without BTMS? I am allergic to wool-alcohols. Cetaryl alc, stearyl alc, and linool are among those, and there isn’t a single conditioner on the market to which I’m not allergic :/ . It doesn’t help that I am also allergic to perfume/fragrance and beeswax, propolis, among other things…I am currently using your apple cider vinegar recipe as a conditioner but it’s not as detangling or moisturizing as I need it to be. I have pinstraight hair so using plain coconut oil would be too heavy or greasy.
I hope you have something new to try! I’m loving your site.
Thanks a bunch for all you do either way.
Nathalie
Hi Nathalie,
I’ve actually been experimenting with this, and am working on getting a few conditioners up on the blog too.
I have since found that BTMS isn’t as “natural” as I was first led to believe by my supplier. I still love it and use it because it is a safe ingredient and works well for those of us who tolerate it well- and overall, I think the recipe is still quite clean, but…
Yes, some people have issues with it- and I did find a more natural alternative. (The only problem is it’s harder to source.)
The problem with making a conditioner is that the best ones are made with emulsifiers that are also cationic surfactants. There is only one “natural” one that I know of.
You can make a conditioner with other emulsifiers- just as you’d make any lotion. (I’ve recently experimented with Olivem.) It works, but the feel isn’t as silky or as nice as with BTMS.
I just bought a new cationic surfactant emulsifier and was going to experiment with it in the next week or two (I’m close to running out of my last batch of conditioner 😉 ), and can work to try to get up a post about my findings ASAP. I don’t really want to say much more about it yet as I don’t like recommending something that I haven’t tried yet.
I’ll definitely keep you in mind, though, and work on getting up a post either way as soon as I can- OK? 🙂
Is it possible to make this without the water and use it as a solid bar? Would adding shea butter make it creamier?
Hi Cassie,
I think you could probably add some shea butter to the recipe to add extra oils to it. I haven’t personally tried it, though, so I’m not sure how the BTMS would react to different amounts of it in the recipe. Emulsifiers tend to work best at certain oil percentages, so by altering the percentages, the emulsifier may not work as well. As you add more oils, you may also have to add more emulsifier.
I don’t think you can use it without water, but I haven’t tried it. You can actually use it without oils, though, from what I’ve read, and it still works pretty well as a conditioner on its own.
Any luck using essential oils? As a certified aromatherapist, I’m going to try substituting 1/2g rosemary and 1/2 g grapefruit essential oils instead of the leucidal. I can’t find a supplier that doesn’t charge ridiculous shipping fees to Canada. 🙂
Hi Angie,
While EO’s do have antimicrobial properties, they aren’t really able to provide broad spectrum protection against the bacteria and molds that could grow in your lotions and conditioner. You need to use a real preservative of some sort.
There are plenty of other preservatives that you should be able to find in Canada.
I use/have used Rokonsal, Geogard/Cosgard, Sharomix 705, and a few others. They are all pretty safe preservatives that work pretty well. (Most, if not all of them, are allowed by Ecocert for natural cosmetic formulations. I’d have to look them up again to be sure if all of them are.)
Hi – I would love to try this recipe, but would hope to make it last longer than the suggested 3-4 months using Leucidal. Do you have a suggestion for increasing the shelf-life of this product?
More Leucidal?
Or perhaps Optiphen Plus (Paraben and Formaldehyde Free)?
Liquid Germal Plus?
Germaben II?
Hi Wendy,
Well, to be honest, it’s a difficult question to answer without doing testing. I’ve had lotions and conditioners made for many months without showing any signs of anything going wrong, but that doesn’t mean that nothing is wrong with it. You can typically see mold growth, but not necessarily bacterial growth.
My guess is that the Leucidal would be enough to make a product that would last much longer, but because most home DIY-ers aren’t going to do any sort of microbial testing, I give the 3 months as a guideline to err on the safe side. That’s the time given to me by my supplier here in Spain that caters to home DIY-ers.
I have since read that Leucidal seems to differ from supplier to supplier, and that some seem to be more effective than others. Some of the natural cosmetic formulators that I have since met think that there are other stronger broad spectrum preservatives.
Germaben isn’t a natural preservative, so I’m guessing it is probably a preservative that will give a long shelf life, but it also has propylene glycol and parabens, something that many people who make their own cosmetics are trying to avoid.
Optiphen plus would be the more natural of the other options that you have mentioned, but I’m not sure about the shelf life.
I often use Cosgard/Geogard or another preservative called Sharomix 705. It’s an Ecocert certified preservative that seems to work pretty well and I quite like it. There are a lot of options, but, of course, when you aren’t testing your products for microbes, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and throw away anything that starts to look iffy in any way. 😉
Have you tried any polyquats?
Hi Tonia,
No, I haven’t tried them.
I’ve always read that they can bind the hair and leave a buildup, so I’ve stayed away for the most part. I look for gentle ways to cleanse my hair, and try to avoid anything that will leave a buildup so as not to have something else to remove.
Is it okay to use a microwave instead of double boiler, as long as the temperature is the same?
Hello Imogene,
To be honest, I’ve never tried melting anything like this in a microwave. I think if I were you, and didn’t want to use a double boiler, I’d probably just try melting it in a pot over very low heat. The double boiler is mostly just to make sure that you don’t burn the oils/waxes, but if you use gentle heat and keep an eye on everything, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Dear Tracy
I just love your blog
I’ve been using a lot of products that you’ve been sharing and I am so happy with it.
I also been using your hair conditioner.
Unfortunately I’ve been experimenting some hair loss lately and I just want to ask you if some product of the ones used in a recipe like this one can cause that – like btms, lactic acid or leucidal, for example. Also I would like to ask you about what can help to stop and prevent such a problem.
Thank you so much for sharing.
maria
Hi María,
Nothing that is in the conditioner should be contributing to any hair loss. (At least not as far as I know.)
BTMS is very common in conditioners, and it’s so good at detangling, that, if anything, it should help against losing as much hair to knots and tangles. I looked up all of the ingredients, and can’t find a link to any of them and anything like that. (I guess it’s not impossible that you have a sort of allergic-type reaction to something which could possibly cause an unusual reaction for you.)
I would look more into other changes in your life- like are you under more stress than usual? Have you been trying to lose weight and changed diets? (I find that even when I’m eating a very healthy diet, when I’m in actual weight loss mode, I lose more hair than normal until I move towards maintenance mode.) Certain medications are known to cause hair loss (like steroids).
I’d probably take a look at lifestyle changes, and if you can’t figure it out, I’d definitely consult with a doctor to see if they can help you pinpoint the issue. I wish I could be of more help!
I make my own conditioner, following a recipe very similar to yours, though I skip the glycerin as I live in a very humid area and I found it didn’t work for me. Instead I use inulin, it works wonders. I also prefer to use coconut oil, it’s more readily available and smells wonderfully. I usually make a larger batch and add Lamesoft to half of it to make a sort of cleansing conditioner or low shampoo or whatever you want to call it. My hair gets clean and it doesn’t feel dry nor heavy with it. I suggest you experiment with it. Greetings from Spain.
Hi Danielle,
Thanks so much for your comment! Lately, I’ve been making mine with coco betaine and/or a few other surfactants to use as a co-wash too. I haven’t completely gotten to a recipe that I’m 100% happy to share, though, as they seem to thin out the conditioner in a way. I have some Lamesoft at home and am running out of my co-wash, so perhaps I’ll give that one a try next time.
If you’d like to share your recipe on the blog- I’d be happy to post it after trying it myself and taking pictures- obviously giving you credit and the opportunity to say as little or as much as you like about it. (No pressure- I just know a lot of people are looking for one. I’m pretty happy with mine, but I’m not sure how long it will take me to be ready to post mine.)
So, you’re also in Spain. Your name doesn’t look Spanish (Daniela would be more so) 😉 , so I’m curious as to where you are from originally (if not here). 🙂
Great hearing from you!
I know this post is a year old but I’m hoping you might be able to answer my question. I use a shampoo bar with an ACV rinse. I would love to make a conditioner as well but I really don’t want to do 3 steps.
Do you think it would be possible to substitute some of the water with ACV to make the conditioner a little more acidic to restore my hairs pH?
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
Hi Dell,
You could try it-
What may be even easier, though, is just lowering the pH with a few drops of lactic acid after making it. (A little goes a long way.)
I don’t think you’d need to do the vinegar rinse if you get a decent pH on the conditioner.
I was never able to use either soap nor vinegar on my hair (after trying many times), but I do like the idea of compensating for the high pH of the soap with the vinegar.
Have you tried just washing with the conditioner itself? (How about 1 step instead of 3!) 😉
Lately, I’ve been adding a slight bit of surfactant to this conditioner recipe and it’s been working marvelously as a co-wash. I haven’t posted yet because I’ve been experimenting with when/where to add it (before or after heating), how much, etc.
It sometimes comes out a bit thin, which is why I’m trying to perfect that recipe before posting, but it’s worked perfectly for my hair.
I need to make 32 oz. Otherwise 9 times your amounts. If I do this and exactly put 9 times each weighed amount will the recipe still work? Also what are any substitutions? Is argan oil needed?
Hi Caitlin,
In theory, yes. It should work if you make sure to multiply every ingredient by 9. In practice, it may be trickier just because it’s a bit harder to emulsify larger amounts since it will take longer to cool, and you’ll want to stir while it’s cooling. I did have somebody write me to tell me that the recipe had worked well for them when they made it as written, but that it turned out much thinner when they doubled the recipe. I’m not quite sure why that happened- if everything was measured and multiplied correctly, or what.
As for the argan oil…
No, it’s not necessary. You can switch it out for another oil. You can also theoretically make it without any oil, but I haven’t tried it so I’m not exactly sure the result.
I hope that helps!