Table of contents:
- Choice of oil for hair
- 1. Coconut oil
- 2. Olive oil
- 3. Avocado oil
- 4. Argan oil
- What about essential oils?
- Peppermint oil
- Lavender oil
- Other essential oils
Caring for hair can be done without spending a lot of money, especially with hair care at the salon. You can use natural ingredients around you to treat your hair to make it healthier, one of which is oil for hair.
Choice of oil for hair
Healthy hair makes most people look more confident. To make your "crown of the head" appear shinier, some people choose to use chemical hair care products.
Whereas chemical-based products have the risk of damaging the health of the scalp and hair. That is why, you can try some of the natural oils for hair below that are somewhat safer.
1. Coconut oil
One of them is coconut oil for hair. This is probably because the fatty acid content in coconut helps repair damaged hair, texture, and adds shine to hair.
Numerous studies have also shown that this ingredient can penetrate the hair roots better than other ingredients in conditioners. As a result, this material can be used to keep hair moist and treat the scalp.
In addition, this ingredient is also believed to help stimulate hair growth and make it appear thicker. Unfortunately, coconut oil cannot treat the causes of hair loss, but it can help fight infections of the scalp.
How to use it:
- Prepare warm water in a small bowl
- Pour 2 teaspoons of virgin or organic coconut oil into a glass
- Mix a glass of coconut oil in a bowl filled with warm water
- Let stand for a few minutes until the coconut oil melts
- Apply coconut oil all over your hair and scalp, both dry and wet
- Comb the hair so that the oil is more evenly distributed
- Wait 30 minutes and rinse your hair thoroughly
Although it is beneficial for all hair types, especially dry and frequently colored hair, it can cause side effects when used too often. Coconut oil is used too often can actually cause stiff hair in the hair with a coarse texture.
2. Olive oil
There is also olive oil for hair. It works the same way as coconut oil, which penetrates the hair shaft and locks the hair in moisture. That way, the hair will be softer and the roots will be much stronger.
In fact, this material can also smooth the protective layer of hair (cuticles), so hair looks shiny.
The shine is obtained from oleic acid, palmitic acid, and squalene in olive oil. Therefore, many shampoo, conditioner, and pomade products contain these three ingredients so that hair looks shiny.
If you have dry and thick hair, branched hair, and often do hair care at the salon, it may be appropriate to use olive oil.
How to use it:
- Provide 2 - 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- Rub your hands together to heat the oil on your palms
- Apply the oil to the scalp, starting from the roots of the hair to the tips of the hair
- Massage the scalp gently
- Cover hair with shower cap and let stand for 15 minutes
- Rinse hair with warm water and shampoo
3. Avocado oil
Apart from being beneficial for the health of the body, avocado extract can also be used as oil to maintain healthy hair. The reason is, this oil is easily absorbed by the hair roots, making it suitable for treating dry hair and other hair problems.
The advantage of avocado oil compared to other oils is that it is lighter. As a result, this oil is easier to absorb and leaves no oil residue.
Avocado oil also contains fat, antioxidants, anti-inflammation, minerals, and vitamins A, B, D, and E which keep hair moisturized. In fact, the nutrients and vitamins in avocado can also clean the scalp and repair damaged hair follicles.
Do not stop there, the high content of amino acids in avocado also functions as keratin so that hair looks more radiant.
This also makes the oil, which can be used as a hair mask, to help cover the cuticle cells. The closed cuticle cells prevent hair breakage.
How to use it:
- Get a saucepan and set the stove to low heat
- Add 3 tablespoons of avocado oil and let it simmer for a few seconds
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp honey
- Leave it on for 30 seconds until it reaches a comfortable temperature
- Turn off the heat and let the oil lukewarm
- Apply the oil and massage the scalp gently for 10 minutes
- Leave the hair for 1 hour
- Rinse and wash hair thoroughly with shampoo
4. Argan oil
Natural oil from argan otherwise known as liquid gold This (golden liquid) has been used for a long time to treat hair problems, especially hair loss. This ingredient, which comes from the seeds of the argan tree in Morocco, contains compounds that are good for hair.
For example, the oleic and linoleic acids in argan oil have been shown to lubricate the hair shaft and keep it moisturized. Apart from that, argan oil is also rich in vitamin E which can provide a layer of fat on the hair and scalp.
The antioxidants in argan oil also protect the skin by fighting free radicals that come from the sun. This is certainly beneficial for your head and hair, which may often be exposed to sunlight.
How to use it:
Actually, there are many ways you can take advantage of argan oil as a hair care, starting from shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask. Here are tips for using argan oil when shampooing your hair.
- Pour the shampoo as needed in the palm of your hand
- Add 1-2 drops of argan oil to shampoo
- Rub your hands together until they are well blended
- Apply on hair and rinse thoroughly
What about essential oils?
Not only useful for relaxing the mind, essential oils can also be used to treat the crown of the head. However, these essential oils or essential oils are different from other oils in general.
The essential oil contains no fatty acids and is completely pure from plant extracts. You can apply this material directly to the skin or inhale the aroma. However, you must first dilute it with a melted carrier oil, such as olive oil and coconut oil.
Well, there are various choices of essential oils that can be used for your crown. One of the benefits of essential oils that are quite popular is to thicken the crown of the head.
Here are some types of essential oils that you can use for hair care.
Peppermint oil
Apart from being famous for its health properties, the natural content of peppermint oil is also believed to have good benefits for hair growth.
Plants with Latin names Raw piperita This is indeed quite often processed into essential oils that are sold freely. The menthol content in the oil plays a big role in lengthening the hair.
This is evidenced by a study from Toxicological Research which used rats as experimental animals. The research shows that peppermint oil can be used as a way to lengthen hair faster.
The reason is, animals that have been smeared with this material experience a smooth circulatory flow in the dermal papillae of hair. The dermal papillae is the part of the skin that is responsible for distributing blood to the epidermis, so that hair grows faster.
How to use it:
- Mix 1 tablespoon of peppermint oil with coconut or jojoba oil
- Apply the mixture on the scalp and massage
- Let stand for 15 - 20 minutes and rinse with shampoo
- If the cold sensation from the menthol is too strong, mix it with another oil
Lavender oil
Apart from peppermint, another essential oil that is good for hair is lavender oil. Lavender oil comes from an extract of the lavender plant that was previously refined.
In the past, lavender oil was used to relieve migraines or just to freshen the air. Now, this ingredient is also known in hair care.
There are various benefits that you can get from lavender oil, namely:
- supports hair growth,
- prevent hair loss by relaxing the mind due to stress,
- reduce inflammation of the skin and musty odor in hair, as well
- help treat head lice.
How to use it:
- Dilute lavender oil with jojoba oil or coconut oil
- Apply it on the problematic scalp and spread it evenly
- Massage the head gently and cover with a towel
- Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes
Other essential oils
Apart from the two essential oils that have been mentioned, there are various other essential oil options that can be used to treat hair, namely:
- rosemary oil to stimulate hair follicles,
- bergamot oil to protect the scalp and reduce skin inflammation, as well
- Chamomile oil to stimulate faster hair growth.
In fact, how to use essential oils in hair care is similar to other oils. However, you need to dilute essential oils with a solvent oil, such as coconut oil or olive oil.