How to Make a Ginger Hair Mask

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 1, 2021 References

Ginger has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, so it has a warm, spicy flavor that has made it a popular ingredient for cooking.^{[1]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Ginger’s warmth may also promote blood flow to your scalp, which may help to promote hair growth. If you have been looking for an all-natural hair mask treatment to improve the health of your hair, then you may want to give a ginger hair mask a try.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Making the Mask

1
Gather ingredients and tools. Making a ginger hair mask is simple, but it does require some special ingredients and tools. To make a basic ginger hair mask, you will need:^{[2]
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- fresh ginger
- coconut oil
- a vegetable peeler
- a bowl
- a grater
- a sieve or colander
- a spoon
- cotton balls
- a shower cap or plastic wrap
2
Peel and grate the ginger. To help you extract the juice from the ginger, you will need to peel and grate it. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the ginger and discard the peels. Then, use the fine side of a box grater to grate the ginger directly into your sieve.^{[3]
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- Place the bowl under the sieve to collect any juice that runs out as you are grating the ginger.
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3
Strain the juice from the ginger. Use your spoon to press the ginger against the bottom of the sieve. Keep pressing different spots until you have pressed most of the juice out of the ginger. After you have gotten plenty of juice into your bowl, you can discard the ginger pulp or use it for something else.^{[4]
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4
Mix in the coconut oil. Pour in a generous amount of coconut oil. Make sure that you use more coconut oil than ginger. Stir the oil and ginger together until they are well-combined.^{[5]
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- Aim for two or three parts coconut oil and one part ginger juice. If there is more ginger than oil, then the ginger may sting your scalp.
- If your coconut oil is solid, then warm it slightly to liquefy it, but do not allow it to get hot. Placing your coconut oil in a pan over low heat should be enough to turn it into a liquid.
5
Add boosters if desired. While ginger and coconut oil make a great simple hair mask, you may also consider adding some boosters to make your mask even more effective. Some ingredients that seem to promote hair growth and health include:
- Green tea. Green tea may help to stimulate hair growth.^{[6]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source} Try adding a cup of fresh brewed green tea to your mixture.
- Onion juice. Onion juice has been shown to promote hair growth in people with hair loss.^{[7]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source} Try grating an onion and adding the juice to your mixture.
- Garlic. Garlic has been shown to stimulate hair growth as well.^{[8]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source} Try peeling and grating a few garlic cloves and adding them to your mask mixture.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Using the Mask

1
Test a small amount of the ginger mask on your skin. Before you put the ginger mask all over your scalp, you should test it on a small area of your scalp or on your inner wrist. After you apply the ginger, wait about 30 minutes and then check the area.
- If you notice any redness or irritation, then do not use the ginger mask on your scalp. You may be allergic or at least sensitive to the ginger.
2
Apply the ginger mask to all areas of your scalp. If your skin looked and felt fine after your spot test, then go ahead and use the cotton balls to apply the ginger mask to your entire scalp. Soak a cotton ball in the mask and then press the cotton ball against your scalp. Keep soaking and pressing until your entire scalp is covered in the mask.^{[9]
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3
Give yourself a three minute scalp massage. After your scalp is coated in the ginger mask, use your fingertips to give yourself a three minute scalp massage.^{[10]
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Research source} To massage your scalp, press your finger pads (not your nails) into your scalp and rub your scalp with small circular motions.^{[11]
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- Do not scratch your scalp when you have the ginger mask on your skin. Scraping your skin while you have ginger on it will hurt.
4
Put on your shower cap, plastic bag, or plastic wrap. After you finish your scalp massage, put on the shower cap, plastic bag or plastic wrap. Make sure that the plastic covers your entire scalp and all of your hair as well. Otherwise, ginger and oil may drip onto your clothes while you wait.^{[12]
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5
Leave the mask on for 20 minutes. Allow the mask to stay on your scalp for 20 minutes so that it can fully penetrate into your scalp. Set a timer and relax.^{[13]
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- If the mask starts to burn, itch, or irritate your scalp, then wash it off your scalp right away.
- After your time is up, rinse, shampoo and condition your hair as you normally would.