We have seen it on the internet and heard it from our grandmothers; when it comes to hair health, there’s nothing better than nourishing your hair strands with hair oiling. Coming from someone who has been hair oiling for more than 10 years, there’s no hair product that has transformed the health of my hair like oiling. I have tried everything from root serums, thickening sprays, DIY hair masks, and the most expensive hair products on the market.
Not only is hair oiling a relaxing experience, but it’s also a way to counter damage from all the heat styling, hair coloring, bleaching, and hair coloring. Even though I have bleached, chemically straightened, and used heat on my hair for 10 years, I still have thick and healthy hair thanks to the magic of hair oiling.
So, let us get into the benefits of hair oiling…
1. Hair growth
This is one of the most common reasons why people oil their hair. Of course, the hair grows naturally without anything, but to give it a push to grow faster, it’s important to use hair oiling techniques. Hair oils give your hair the needed push to grow faster with more blood circulation in your scalp, and nourishment to help the strands grow.
When you apply hair oil to your scalp and massage it, it stimulates blood circulation and helps the scalp absorb the nutrients in the oil.
2. Hydration and protection
Because most oils are rich in fatty acids, they provide nourishment to the hair and form a protective barrier around the hair strands which helps against moisture loss, which leaves your hair looking dry and frizzy.
3. Relaxing
Having a weekly hair oiling session is like giving yourself a scalp massage. For the oils to deeply penetrate your scalp, you need to gently massage it with your fingertips (not your nails). You can use this time as a relaxing moment for yourself to take care of your hair while getting a scalp massage! Also, a scalp massage helps get rid of bacterial and fungal infections.
The Dos and Donts of Hair Oiling:
Do gently massage the oil in your hair. As mentioned, massaging the oil stimulated blood circulation, which helps in hair growth and relaxation. However, make sure that you are doing it gently because it can break the hair if done harshly. Also, try not to tangle the hair in the process, which can cause breakage.
#1 Do apply the oil on dry or damp hair. The larger molecules in oils won’t penetrate the shaft of wet hair so the oil won’t be absorbed.
#2 Do warm up the oil before applying. You can probably hear a lot of people saying “hot oil treatment”, that doesn’t mean the oil is boiling hot, but it is warm enough to increase the chances of absorption. If you don’t want to warm the oil, you can apply a hot towel on your head after applying the oil.
#3 Do section your hair when applying oil. You don’t want to apply too much oil that won’t reach the scalp, so section your hair before directly applying the oil in the right pots.
#4 Do introduce oil to your hair gently. If you are someone who is completely new to hair oiling, you want to oil your hair once every 10 days to two weeks before you start doing weekly treatments.
#5 Do wash your hair twice or thrice after hair oiling. One mistake that is common with hair oiling is that people shampoo their hair once, which can leave oil residue behind, which can lead to clogged pores on the scalp. The first rinse melts the oils and dirt, while the second rinse ensures that the scalp is clean. Remember, lather indicates that the scalp is clean.
#6 Don’t use too much oil. Using too much oil in your hair will lead to a counterproductive result. That is because you’ll need to use too much shampoo to remove oil, which can dry out the hair, and it can clog your pores. With hair oiling, a little goes a long way.
#7 Do put your hair in a protective hairstyle when oiling. You don’t want to do a harsh hairstyle like a tight bun or ponytail because your strands are fragile with oils in them, so you can put your hair in a loose braid or a gentle hairstyle.
#8 Don’t use heavy oils like castor oil alone. Use another light barrier oil to dilute it so they’re not too heavy on your scalp. You can mix a few drops of castor oil with jojoba oil or argan oil for a lighter application.
#9 Don’t leave the oil in for too long. While it’s not necessarily bad to leave the oil overnight, leaving it for around two hours is enough for the scalp to absorb the nutrients.
#10 Don’t brush your hair after oiling. The hair strands are fragile after oiling, so you want to make sure that you brush your hair before oiling not after.
And most importantly, enjoy the process. The journey of achieving healthy hair is a long process, so don’t expect things to work overnight and enjoy the journey of discovering which oils work best for your hair, the frequency of application, and most importantly, enjoy the scalp massage!