This article was co-authored by Lorena Barcal. Lorena Barcal is a Clinical Herbalist, Clean Beauty Specialist, and Writer for IslandBeauty.co, a blog dedicated to sharing the benefits of using all-natural beauty products and recipes created by herbalists. Lorena specializes in studying and developing natural alternatives for beauty products. After finishing her herbal studies, Lorena managed an herbal lab in Barcelona developing natural beauty products. As a writer for IslandBeauty.co, she shares knowledge and insights to promote the natural beauty industry.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Fenugreek seeds, also called methi seeds, are rich in protein, iron, and vitamins that are thought to prevent both hair loss and dandruff. Soaking the seeds and creating a paste or grinding them into a powder that you can mix into hair masks is believed to help treat these conditions, as well as boost your hair's shine and softness. The masks are easy to make, and only require the fenugreek seeds or powder and other ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (22 g) fenugreek seeds, ground
- 1 tablespoon (13 g) coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon (11 g) fenugreek seed powder
- 5 to 6 tablespoons (90 to 108 g) plain yogurt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 ml to 30 ml) olive or argan oil
- Distilled water, to thin out the mixture (optional)
- A handful fenugreek seeds
- Water
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
Steps
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Grind the fenugreek seeds. For the mask, you need fenugreek seed powder. Place 2 tablespoons (22 g) of the seeds in a spice or coffee grinder, and grind them until they are a fine powder.
- You can find fenugreek seeds at many grocery stores, but if your local store doesn’t carry them, visit an Indian grocery, organic grocery store, or a health food store. You can also order the seeds from online spice retailers.
- If you don’t have a spice, nut, or coffee grinder, you can use a blender or food processor to grind the seeds.
- You can also find fenugreek seed powder at the grocery store. However, you’ll get better results if you grind the seeds fresh for your mask.
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Mix the fenugreek seed powder with the oil. Add the ground fenugreek seeds and 1 tablespoon (13 g) of coconut oil to a small bowl. Stir the ingredients well with a spoon so they’re fully blended.[1]
- You can substitute olive or argan oil for the coconut if you prefer.
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Apply the mask to your hair and let sit it for several minutes. Once the mask is mixed, use your hands to carefully apply it through your hair. Pay special attention to areas where you’re experienced thinning hair or hair loss. Allow the mask to dry for approximately 10 minutes.[2]
- You can warm the mask before applying it to help it penetrate your hair more easily. Mix the ingredients in a glass bowl, measuring cup, or jar, and place the container in a pot of warm or hot water for several minutes to heat it gently.
- You can also place a shower cap or plastic wrap over your head with the mask on to generate some heat.
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Rinse off the mask and wash your hair normally. When the 10 minutes are up, wash the mask out of your hair with warm water. Next, use a mild shampoo to wash your hair as you normally would and follow up with a conditioner.[3]
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Combine the fenugreek seed powder, yogurt, and oil. Add 1 tablespoon (11 g) of fenugreek seed powder, 5 to 6 tablespoons (90 to 108 g) of plain yogurt, and 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 ml to 30 ml) of olive or argan oil. Mix the ingredients well with a spoon to ensure that they’re fully combined.
- You can grind your own fenugreek seeds, but store-bought powder works just as well.
- For the mask, full fat yogurt usually works best. It delivers protein to the hair to help strengthen it and heal damage.
- Add more of the yogurt and oil if you have long and/or thick hair.
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Allow the mixture to sit for several hours. When the ingredients are combined, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Next, let it sit for 2 to 3 hours to allow the mask to thicken up.
- If the mask is too thick after it’s sat, you can add up to ¼ cup (59 ml) of distilled water to thin the mixture.
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Smooth the mask on your hair and scalp and let it sit. Once the mask has thickened for a couple of hours, apply it to your hair and scalp. Allow the mask to sit on your head for 20 to 30 minutes.
- It’s not necessary to cover your head because the mask won’t drip. However, placing a shower cap or plastic wrap over it can help warm the mask so your hair absorbs it more easily.
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Wash your hair as normal. When it’s time to take off the mask, rinse it away with warm water. Next, use your usual shampoo and conditioner to wash your hair, and allow it to air dry.
- You can use the mask once a week for soft, shiny hair.
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Soak the fenugreek seeds in water. Fill a cup or bowl with water. Add a handful of fenugreek seeds to the water, and allow them to soak for six hours to overnight.
- For the best results, use distilled or filtered water.
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Create a paste from the seeds. After the seeds have soaked for several hours, drain the water. Place the seeds in a seed or coffee grinder, and grind them until they form a coarse paste.
- If you don’t have a seed or coffee grinder, you can create the paste in a blender.
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Mix the fenugreek paste with the lemon juice. Add the fenugreek paste that you’ve created to a bowl with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice. Stir with a spoon until the ingredients are fully blended.
- For best results, use fresh lemon juice. However, you can use a bottled version as long as it’s pure juice.
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Apply the mask to your scalp and let it sit. Once the mask is mixed, carefully smooth it over your scalp. Pay careful attention to the areas where you’re prone to dandruff. Leave it on for 10 to 30 minutes.
- Lemon juice can be very drying on your hair. If your hair is extremely dry or damaged, only leave the mask on 10 minutes.
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Rinse off the mask and wash your hair. When you’re ready to remove the mask, wash it off with warm water. Use your usual shampoo and conditioner to wash your hair as usual.
- Use the mask once a week to help control dandruff.
- The other natural products that work well in a hair mask are eggs and shea butter. They help with many aspects of your hair.
- Rosemary essential oil is an excellent ingredient for homemade hair products.[4]
- It has a strong anti-inflammatory effect on the scalp and hair. It stimulates your scalp helping it heal faster.[5]
Expert Q&A
Video
Reader Videos
Tips
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Fenugreek seeds have many health benefits, including inflammation reduction and calming stomach ailments. In addition to using it on your hair, you may want to incorporate more into your diet for overall health.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- Don't throw away the water that you soaked the seeds in. It contains healthy elements too if you drink it.
- Mix 1/2 tbsp of curd into the mask to give your hair extra shine.
Things You'll Need
Fenugreek Hair Mask for Thinning Hair
- A spice or coffee grinder
- A bowl
- A spoon
Miracle Hair Mask with Fenugreek and Yogurt
- A bowl
- A spoon
Fenugreek and Lemon Hair Mask for Dandruff
- A bowl
- A spice or coffee grinder
- A spoon
Sources and References
About This Article
To make a paste for a hair mask out of fenugreek seeds, start by grinding 2 tablespoons of the seeds in a coffee or spice grinder until they are a fine powder. Next, mix this powder with 1 tablespoon of an oil of your choosing, like coconut, olive, or argan, in a bowl. At this point, you can also add about 5 tablespoons of plain yogurt for a more rejuvenating hair mask. Mix the ingredients together until they are fully blended into a smooth paste. Lather this mixture into your hair, let it sit and soak for 15 to 30 minutes, and then wash it out as you normally would in the shower. To learn how to make fenugreek seed hair masks that treat dandruff and thinning hair, read on!