10 Best Ingredients for Steaming Hair in Nigeria: Including Hair Steaming with Egg

There’s an endless list of ingredients for steaming hair in Nigeria.

Perhaps you’ve tried out some of these natural ingredients before.

If you have, here’s your chance to explore other options and find the perfect ingredient(s) for your hair.

And if you haven’t, well, I guess it is time to stop missing out on the fantastic benefits of steaming with natural products.

I will be providing 10 unique ingredients for steaming hair in Nigeria, many of which I have tried and with excellent results.

And yes, these ingredients are for steaming both relaxed and virgin hair.

But first, let’s briefly talk about an important aspect of any hair care routine; it’s effect on hair growth.

Here’s how hair steaming can affect your hair growth.

Hair Steaming for Hair growth

If you are wondering, ‘does hair steaming help hair growth?’

The happy answer is yes.

Here’s how:

The moist heat applied to hair during steaming opens and lifts the hair cuticles, allowing moisture to penetrate.

When you steam with natural ingredients, you’re not just letting moisture in your hair; you are also letting in nutrients necessary for hair growth and sealing them in.

You see, it’s not just that.

Moist heat also promotes blood flow in the scalp.

These, and more, all work together to enhance hair growth in the follicles.

Natural Ingredients for Steaming Hair in Nigeria

Here are 10 easy-to-get ingredients for steaming hair in Nigeria, as well as their benefits.

1. Banana

Rich in potassium, vitamins, and natural oils, bananas nourish and moisturize the scalp.

As a source of silica, they also improve the hair’s strength and thickness.

Their antimicrobial properties make them practical for improving scalp health.

Banana is, therefore, an ingredient you should let in your hair during steaming. Here’s how to.

What you’ll need

  • 1 fully ripe banana
  • 2 teaspoons of glycerine
  • 3 teaspoons of olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons of honey

Steps

  • Blend the banana and add all other ingredients
  • Mix thoroughly until there are no lumps.
  • Wash and softly towel-dry your hair
  • Apply the prepared paste to your hair, starting from the roots to the ends.
  • Cover with a shower cap for 15-20 minutes (using the dryer method) or 30-40 minutes (using the hot towel method). Read here for a breakdown of each method of hair steaming.
  • Rinse out using cold water.

Tip: When buying bananas for your hair, look out for the significant, long type, commonly referred to as Igbo bananas.

It is often said that the small species leaves residue in the hair for a long time.

However, they both provide the same benefits for hair.

Photo Credit: Stevepb

2. Avocado

Avocado is one of the natural ingredients for steaming hair in Nigeria that you shouldn’t deprive your hair of.

Potassium, magnesium, vitamins, and proteins – essential nutrients for healthy hair – are all contained in avocado.

Avocado also adds shine to the hair, moisturizes it, and prevents it from breaking.

Use this recipe to avail your hair of all these benefits and more.

What you’ll need

  • 1 fully ripe (preferably overripe) avocado
  • 4 teaspoons of coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons of honey
  • ½ cup of coconut milk

Steps

  • Mix all ingredients in a blender to make a smooth paste.
  • Apply to hair as described above.

Tip: You may also make an Avocado-banana hair mask by including a banana in this mix.

3. Shea Butter

We all know Shea butter (ori) to be an excellent moisturizer.

Many naturalistas count on it for easy detangling and styling.

But that’s not its only benefit for the hair.

Apart from its high fatty acid content, which makes it an excellent moisturizer, Shea butter also contains vitamin A, vitamin E, and catechins.

These make it effective for soothing scalp irritation and nourishing the hair.

You can read about other benefits of Shea butter here.

Here’s how to use Shea butter for hair steaming.

What you’ll need

  • 3 scoops of Shea butter
  • 3 teaspoons of olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons of coconut oil
  • 1 cup of coconut milk
  • 3 teaspoons of glycerine

Steps

  • Melt Shea butter by placing it in a double boiler or a pot over boiling water.
  • Add other ingredients and whip.
  • Apply to hair as above.

4. Honey

You might have noticed that most of the recipes for steaming hair above include honey as an additive.

This is because honey contains humectant and emollient properties.

As a humectant, it bonds with water molecules, providing moisture to the hair.

And as an emollient, it provides and seals shine in the hair.

For moisturized and lustered hair, use honey for hair steaming.

What you’ll need

  • ½ cup of honey
  • ¼ cup of olive oil

Steps

  • Mix ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Microwave for about 20 seconds.
  • Apply to hair as above.
Image source

5. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera contains essential vitamins, folic acid, and fatty acids, nutrients that help fortify and moisturize the hair.

Its anti-inflammatory properties also make it effective for soothing scalp irritations.

It is, therefore, one of the excellent ingredients for steaming hair in Nigeria.

What you’ll need

  • 4 teaspoons of aloe vera gel
  • 2 teaspoons of coconut oil

Steps

  • Add coconut oil to the aloe vera gel and mix thoroughly.
  • If you are using an aloe vera leaf, use a spoon to extract the gel and mix it with coconut oil.
  • Apply to hair as above.

6. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is known for its benefits for the body; weight loss, digestion, and all.

However, it also has benefits for the hair.

Vitamin C contained in it helps to stimulate hair growth by encouraging collagen production.

Citric acid also helps to remove oil buildup from your scalp.

What you’ll need

  • 4 teaspoons of lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel

Steps

  • Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
  • Apply to hair as above.

Note: There is evidence to suggest that lemon juice lightens the hair.

You may want to avoid it if you would not like any slight alteration in your hair color.

7. Yogurt

Yogurt is one of the fantastic ingredients for steaming hair in Nigeria.

It contains lactic acid, which helps to cleanse the scalp, remove dead skin cells, and encourage hair growth in the follicles.

For good results, opt for full-fat yogurt and not the diet type.

You can easily make your own full-fat yogurt by following these steps.

What you’ll need

  • 4 teaspoons of yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • 2 drops of lemon juice

Steps

  • Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir well.
  • Apply to hair as above.

8. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Vinegar restores shine to the hair, cleanses clogged pores, and leaves the hair soft and smooth – exactly what one would want after a steaming process.

So that bottle of vinegar doesn’t always have to be opened for cooking purposes only; it goes well on your hair.

What you’ll need

  • 5 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
  • 3 teaspoons of water
  • 2 teaspoons of olive oil

Steps

  • Mix all ingredients thoroughly
  • Apply to hair as above.

9. Natural oils

Natural oils individually serve as great options for hair steaming.

Natural oils you can use for hair steaming include olive oil, almond oil, and grape seed oil – all of which are excellent moisturizing oils.

Argan oil and castor oil are great moisture sealants.

And of course, my fav, coconut oil.

Steps

  • Apply your choice of natural oil(s) to your hair and scalp.
  • Massage gently.
  • Cover hair with a shower cap for 15-20 minutes (using the dryer method) or 30-40 minutes (using the hot towel method)
  • Rinse out thoroughly.
Photo Credit: Clker-Free-Vector-Images

10. Egg

This is an all-time favorite because it works effectively for almost all hair types!

You can never go wrong with hair steaming with egg; well, that’s as long as you do it right.

Here are some of the benefits of eggs for hair.

Benefits of Hair Steaming with Egg.

1. Softens and smoothens hair.

Eggs contain moisturizing properties, making your hair soft and smooth with repeated use.

Coping with dry hair can be pretty frustrating; hair steaming with egg can save you a great deal of that stress.

2. Strengthens hair

Hair is primarily made up of keratin protein; eggs, as a rich source of protein (containing about 6g per egg), strengthen the hair shaft.

This practically means healthier hair, more resistance to damage, and breakage due to inevitable manipulation.

3. Panacea for Hair Damage

As mentioned earlier, eggs improve the strength of your hair shaft.

Therefore, damaged hair can be restored to good health by the nourishing effects of egg steaming.

4. Adds Luster

Eggs contain a high amount of fatty acids – precisely what is needed to maintain your hair’s natural shine.

If your hair has gotten dull over time, egg steaming might be just what you need to restore your hair’s shiny look.

5. Enhances hair growth

Applying egg to the scalp saturates your hair roots with vitamins.

These vitamins help to strengthen newly grown hair, preventing it from shedding.

When this is prevented, hair growth becomes accentuated.

Many peeps have found it more beneficial to steam the hair with egg and mayonnaise.

Mayonnaise combines the benefits of egg yolks, oil, and vinegar.

So you get all the benefits mentioned above and the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits of vinegar for the scalp.

Great, right?

Exactly why you shouldn’t miss out on hair steaming with egg and mayonnaise.

Now that you know what you stand to gain, here is how to steam hair with egg and mayonnaise.

How to Steam Hair with Egg and Mayonnaise.

What you’ll need

  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup of mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons of olive or coconut oil
  • Few drops of apple cider vinegar.

Steps

  • Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
  • Wash and softly towel-dry your hair
  • Apply the prepared mixture to your hair, starting from the roots to the ends.
  • Cover with a shower cap for 15-20 minutes (using the dryer method) or 30-40 minutes (using the hot towel method)
  • Rinse out using cold water.

Note: Ensure that you rinse your hair with cold water after an egg steaming process.

Rinsing with hot water will cause the egg to ‘cook’ in your hair, and that would require multiple washes to get out.

Conclusion

There, you have your list of natural ingredients for steaming hair in Nigeria.

Try out one or a combination of these ingredients, and you can be sure to get the best out of hair steaming.

Have a lovely, healthy, and moisturized hair journey!

Are there other natural ingredients you’ve enjoyed steaming your hair with?

Feel free to share with me in the comment section!

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13 thoughts on “10 Best Ingredients for Steaming Hair in Nigeria: Including Hair Steaming with Egg”

  1. Dear Sir/Madam,
    Please shear me valuable information from your side when possible as it is a good source of /info. for hair treatments.
    TQ!

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