People often ask me if it’s a good idea to grow herbs, and usually want the mean to do is use them for culinary use or for teas. However, there’s another pretty great reason to grow herbs: homemade hair tonic that’s purer and more effective than any store-bought brand. A mix of lavender, mint, oregano, milk thistle, chamomile and sage makes for a amazingly light and effective hair tonic that won’t weigh your hair down or leave it feeling greasy. Add some aloe vera juice and liquid coconut oil and do a happy dance.

Chamomile, lavender, mint and oregano assist in hair growth, softness and shine. Sage also gives shine and facilitates hair growth. Oregano is anti fungal and antibacterial and milk thistle is detoxifying. To make your own, put all the ingredients in a mason jar and put a pot of water to boil–enough to fill the jar nearly to the rim.

Once the water is vigorously boiling, pour it into the jar and cover with a top. You don’t want any of the beneficial oils escaping with the steam as the tonic cools.

Once your concoction cools, strain and drain it into another mason jar. Discard the herbs or compost them. I like to add about 4 tablespoons aloe vera juice and 3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil. Both are extremely hydrating for the scalp and hair.

Pour your mixture into a spray bottle and refrigerate the remaining liquid for future use, and you have a stock of the best and freshest light leave-in conditioner that you can use in between washes, or freshen your twist outs. It’s totally amazing and better than any leave in I’ve bought for my fine 4a hair.