Guacamole Can Save Your Dry Winter Hair

I'll be honest with you — living, as I do, in Chiberia, the ends of my hair feel like straw. (Fine, maybe it's not Chiberia; maybe it's the DIY ombré dye job I gave myself a few months ago, but whatever.) I need help, and I'm willing to bet that you do, too. Go ahead. Feel those split ends. Pretty depressing, right?

I've always know about the topical benefits on avocados — put them on your face, your hair, your weary, callused feet — but stumbling across this Lush hair mask recipe changed everything. It's got olive oil for extra moisture and lemon for a bit of acidic shine, and the first time I washed it out of my hair, the difference was remarkable. My dead-of-winter hair was as soft as the ears on a recently conditioned baby bunny. I'd always thought hair masks were kind a joke — in case you weren't aware, your hair is dead — but this mask changed my mind.

Unfortunately, the Lush recipe is also sort of ridiculous; it calls for soaking rose petals in olive oil overnight (um, no) and something called "millet flour," which I do not own and probably never will. So I've been stripping it down to the bare bones, and it still works perfectly. And I should warn you: I don't measure. What's the point? There's no yeast involved. This thing doesn't have to rise. All it has to do is keep your hair hydrated, and hydrate it does.

You will need:

One entire avocado. Moisturizes and nourishes your hair like no other.

A generous squeeze of lemon, for shine.

A generous squeeze or two of honey, also incredibly moisturizing.

A "glug" (scientific term) of olive oil. Can't have too much moisture in these cursed winter months, you know?

Smash all ingredients together, either by hand or in a cheap little blender that WON'T MAKE IT SILKY SMOOTH LIKE YOU WANTED FOR THE PHOTO. The result will look exactly like guacamole. If your unsuspecting boyfriend tries to eat some, let him — and laugh in glee at his horror when he realizes it's "like, sweet or something, gross."

Here comes the semi-nasty part. You gotta work this stuff through your dry hair by hand. Your hair will feel all tangled — and also full of avocado chunks, which is knee-quiveringly icky. Persevere, brave soldier. This oily horror will turn into silky smooth hair flips in a few hours, I promise. Tie the whole thing up with a hair elastic.

Next, you're going to cover your head not once, but twice. First, use a plastic grocery bag. Cover your hair (NOT YOUR FACE) and secure with another hair elastic.

Top off the plastic bag with an old towel that you don't mind getting dirty. It will get a little avocado on it, I'm warning you.

Now it's time to watch a movie. Or do the dishes. Or go on Facebook.

Seriously, put this mask on when you have an hour or so to kill. This allows all the oils to soak into your hair and work their magic; also, it lets your head heat up. When you pull off the towel and plastic bag, your head will actually feel hot, but in a good, cozy way. The wrappings trap the heat emitted from your head, meaning the mask just sits there in its own private sauna, oozing hydration.

Once the movie's over, unwrap your little head and hop in the shower. You'll need to shampoo everything out, of course. Comb through your hair to remove any "tangles" (AVOCADO CHUNKS) and condition the ends.

Go to bed. Wake up with shiny, tousled, winter-who? hair.