This all-natural homemade leave-in Conditioner detangler spray recipe is safe and effective for both kids and adults.
Fight damage, repair split-ends, and easily comb out tangled locks in dry frizzy hair without tears with this simple homemade leave-in conditioner and detangling spray recipe.
Related: Chemical-Free Cleaning Kit for Kids
Related: The Best Eco-Friendly Alternative to Dryer Sheets
How to Make Detangler Spray
I’ll be honest… I never worried about the harmful chemicals in store-bought conditioning sprays until I had my daughter. All of a sudden I couldn’t bring myself to spray that nasty stuff on her. I didn’t want her inhaling it, and I didn’t want it in her hair.
First I went in search of the most natural conditioning detangler spray that I could find, but sometimes even those are misleading. Some of the conditioning sprays contain sulfates, parabens, and/or propylene glycol. Each of these substances is harmful to our environment and even worse for our children.
After a few months of searching for the perfect leave-in conditioner and detangling spray for my daughter, I decided to try to make my own. I started experimenting and testing with different mixtures of natural ingredients to find something natural that would work.
We tried three different concoctions over a two month period, and this detangling spray recipe was our favorite.
Related: Getting Started with Essential Oils for a Healthy Home
DIY Leave-In Conditioner and Detangling Spray Recipe Supplies
This DIY detangling spray recipe makes enough to fill an 8-ounce spray bottle. Double the recipe for 16-ounce spray bottles.
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) distilled water
- 1 oz vegetable glycerine
- 1 oz Vitamin E oil or Argan Oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil or another essential oil of choice (see options below)
- 8 oz spray bottle cobalt blue glass, beach blue glass or multi-color BPA Free
Instructions: How to Make Leave-In Conditioner and Detangling Spray
Time needed: 5 minutes.
Use this easy detangling spray recipe to make a natural leave-in conditioner for kids and adults. Fight damage, repair split-ends, and easily comb out tangled locks full of knots in a young child’s hair without tears.
- Add Distilled Water to Spray Bottle
Add 3/4 cup of distilled water straight into a glass or BPA free sprayer bottle.
- Mix in Vegetable Glycerine
Next, add 1oz of vegetable glycerine directly to the leave-in conditioner spray bottle.
- Add Vitamine E Oil or Argan Oil
Drop approximately 1 oz of Vitamin E oil, or argan oil, directly to the detangler spray bottle.
- Drop-in Essential Oils
Finally, add about 10 drops of lavender essential oil to the leave-in conditioner. Or, substitute another favorite essential oil… We like to use citrus, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, rose or geranium to change up the scent of our detangling spray occasionally.
Note: We use a glass spray bottle because, we do the best we can to limit our use of plastics, and, essential oils tend to keep better in glass containers over time.
How to Use Leave-in Conditioner and Detangling Spray
- Gently shake homemade leave-in conditioner before each use.
- Brush conditioner through the hair to detangle it when hair is either wet or dry.
- Spray detangling spray into dry frizzy hair to condition and add shine as needed.
Related: Caring for the Earth: 12 Ways to Help Kids Get It
This natural homemade leave-in Conditioner and detangling spray recipe is safe and effective for use on both kids and adults. Fight damage, repair split-ends, and easily comb out tangled locks full of knots in a young child’s hair without tears.
I have found that this recipe makes it really easy to comb through my daughter’s hair. Even my husband has noticed a difference. I think it works better than most store-bought leave-in conditioners and detangling sprays. I like it so much I use it myself. 🙂
To learn more about getting started with essential oils click on the link.
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- Glass Cleaning Recipe
- Natural Wood Polish Recipe
- DIY Scented Bath Salts
- Scented Cotton Ball Matching Game
- Kids Chemical-Free Cleaning Kit
- Getting Started with Essential Oils for a Healthy Home
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Would this work as well without the vitamin e? I have vegetable glycerin but not enough vitamin e. My daughter is almost 2 and just after sleeping on her back for one night wakes up with her hair sticking straight out with little mini dreads that can only be removed by gently pulling apart cause using the comb hurts.
Yes, it should work with just glycerine. If there is a Trader Joes in your area they sell bottles of vitamin E that are affordable. Good luck!
As a chemist, here’s a small reminder. Everything in the world is made up of chemicals so nothing is “chemical-free” and to say so is ignorant. Using “harmful chemical free” and the like is much more appropriate and makes it so people like me don’t laugh at your posts. (This is not meant to be a rag on what you’re making, obviously if I am seeing this I am looking for a more natural product than most commercial products, simply this is just a reminder that chemical does not equal bad.)
Yes, I do know this, thank you, Irene.
I am highly educated (you can check my facebook profile if you want all the details) and have dyslexia (which creates plenty of issues on this blog), but I know that I am far from ignorant. At least I do my best not to be. 😉 The problem is this silly thing called SEO (Search Engine Optimization). In order to rank well for the post in googles search algorithm, I need to use the terms that people are searching to find it. Chemical-Free has become a buzzword, and I choose to use it in this case to generate traffic. So sorry you found it laughable, but the terms will stay as they are. Thank you for your concern, and for letting my readers know the truth of the matter.
You come across as just completely rude and high and mighty. If you don’t like her word choices don’t use them yourself. Pretty simple concept.
Thanks for sticking up for me Artemisia. It’s all good. I’m used to it. It’s impossible to have a blog without a few nasty comments here and there. They just give me the opportunity to rise above it. Have a great day!
Some great hints and tips here. Thanks all keep them coming. We’re currently moving to another house and were contemplating what cleaning chemicals can be used in cleaning tiles, bathrooms etc, with non-toxic chemicals. Be great to know which eco-friendly cleaning solutions think works best?
Tiles can be tough! I find a lot of success with using a combination of our DIY glass cleaner and baking soda for scrubbing power. Hope that helps!
In the list of ingredients it list the amount of vitamin E oil as 1 ounce but in the instructions it says 1 ounce. Which amount should we use? Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Hi Kimberly,
Sorry for the delayed response, my family was out of town last week. I saw the error that you mentioned and corrected it, thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I think you were trying to ask if you should use 1/2 or 1 ounce of Vitamin E oil in the detangling spray recipe. I changed the supplies and instructions so that they now read “1/2 to 1 ounce.” Over time we have learned that too much Vitamin E can weigh down the hair, so we use a bit less than an ounce. I hope that helps!
Nell
Should this mix be kept refrigerated?
I don’t think so, Jess. I’ve never refrigerated it and it always stays fresh until it’s gone.
Is there something I could put in place of the vitamin e, maybe fractionated coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, or I have some Rosehip seed oil ? I am allergic to vitamim e and try to avoid it in all of my family’s products.
And I’m not laughing at you at all. I think what you are doing is awesome!
I would try fractionated coconut oil. Let me know how it works!
Can you leave out the veg glycerin and replace with coconut oil?
I’m not sure Mandi but it sounds like it might work! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Can you use an amber-colored glass bottle?
Yes, of course! That would be just fine Tiffany!
Does the glass bottle have to be colored? I have a brand new clear glass bottle! Thank you!
And kudos to you for the way you handled that tacky comment! Way to rise above!!
Essential oil’s should be stored in colored bottles so they keep, but I don’t think it will matter if you go through it as quickly as we do!!
Can I substitute distilled water with boiled tap water?
Thank you very much! Works like a charm!
Thanks, Hannie! I’m so glad that you like it and it works for you!
How long can we store it for?
Good Question Sonam! It should store for a year or two.
Is there something I could put in place of the vitamin e, maybe fractionated coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, or I have some Rosehip seed oil ? I am allergic to vitamim e and try to avoid it in all of my family’s products.
And I’m not laughing at you at all. I think what you are doing is awesome!
Hi Junaid, I totally get it. Not all ingredients work for everyone. I would try the fractionated coconut oil first. Let me know how it goes!
How long can this leave in conditioner stay
Hello Elizabeth, This detangling spray can be left in your hair until the next time that it is washed. 🙂
I made HOMEMADE LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER but my hairs are not getting as much shine as I desired.
That’s interesting because I find that this leave-in conditioning recipe looks really shiny in my daughter’s hair. You can try adding a bit more glycerin to see if that helps. 🙂
Hi!
Can I use it as a heat protector?
Thanks in advance.
Great question Gaby!
Yes, it can work as a heat protector if you add Argan oil instead of Vitamin E oil to the detangling spray recipe. Argan oil naturally contains Vitamin E and is a wonderful heat protectant oil.
You may need to add a bit more than an ounce to your bottle of homemade leave-in conditioner if you use hot tools daily. 🙂
Nell
Does it last longer if you don’t use water or what preservatives can you use to longer shelf life ?
I’m sorry Kim, I don’t know what could be added to this solution to extend shelf life, but it lasts a long time just the way it is!
Can I substitute distilled water with homemade rose water?
Hi Toni, I’m not sure, but it sounds like it could work. Give it a try using a small sample and let me know how it goes!
I was wondering which you prefer in your solution, Vitamin E or Argan Oil? Also, would it be ok to use both the Vitamin E and Argan Oil or would that be too much? Thanks so much for the article and taking the time to read my comment.
Hi Sena! I have been enjoying the argan oil more lately, and yes, they can be mixed. All hair types will act a bit differently, so test which you like best!
What is the shelf life for your DIY leave-in Conditioner and detangler spray? Thank you
Hi Les, great question. I would give this DIY leave-in conditioning and detangling spray a shelf life of 6 months to a year. Thanks for asking!