Oil acts as a sealant for moisture in our hair and protects the hair against damage from ultraviolet rays.
A good hair oil should stimulate hair growth, combat dry scalp and dandruff, remedy damage, add shine and nourish the hair.
To use oils on your hair, dampen your hair with water using a spray bottle then you can add a leave-in conditioner or moisturizing cream and then your oil or just apply the oil straight away to your hair after you've dampened it with water.
Before choosing an oil for your hair you are to first understand the type of hair you have and the type of oil to use on it.
For one with low porosity hair type using heavy oils may just add shine to your hair but won't easily penetrate into your hair strands because your hair strands have a tightly bound cuticle layer that lays flat and tends to repel liquid. So lighter oils will work best for this hair type such as argan oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, aloe vera oil etc
Hair with high porosity on the other hand allows moisture into the hair shaft easily but doesn't retain it for long. So using heavier oils on this hair type will help lock in moisture in the hair and will be easily absorbed into the hair regardless of the fact that it's heavy. Example of these heavy oils are coconut oil, black castor oil, shea butter oil.
When it comes to oils you should use on your scalp, it's best to use lighter oils. Using heavier oils may lead to clogged pores.
A list of oils you can use on your hair includes;
Olive oil
Argan oil
Jojoba oil
Almond oil
Grapeseed oil
Coconut oil
Black castor oil
The list is not limited to these ones but I will be talking about the benefits of these oils and hopefully you will get to make a pick of the oil you would like to try on your hair.
You can try out more than one of the oils till you find the one that suits your hair texture best. You can as well use a mixture of your favourites.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a lightweight oil that easily penetrates the hair and scalp. It is rich in high levels of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, which is good for healthy hair growth.
Olive oil also contains anti-inflammatory properties that promote the scalp health and prevents dandruff and dry scalp.
This oil can be easily found in supermarkets and pharmacies. If you're going to be adding this oil to your hair routine it's best you go for Extra virgin olive oil which is made from pure cold-pressed olives. The regular olive oil is made from both cold-pressed and processed oils.
Argan oil
Argan oil is known for how it effectively moisturizes the hair. The oil is contains antioxidants and vitamins that the hair easily absorbs. It forms a non-evaporating layer around the hair thereby sealing in moisture in the hair properly.
Argan oil contains vitamin E, ferulic acid, carotenoids, phytosterols, polyphenols and 80% unsaturated fatty acids (Oleic acid, Alpah-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, Stearidonic acid, Linoleic acid and Myristic acid).
To achieve healthy strong hair which has a natural shine, massage pure Argan oil into your scalp and coat your hair strands with it as well.
Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil contains some nutritional ingredients such as Vitamin A, D and E, and Antioxidants. This makes it a great addition to your natural hair care routine.
The antioxidant properties present in jojoba oil helps to fight both bacterial and fungal infections on the scalp which might cause hair damage. You can apply this oil both on your scalp and hair strands.
Adding a few drops of jojoba oil to your conditioner for deep conditioning could be helpful in treating dry scalp, itching scalp or dandruff.
Almond oil
Sweet almond oil particularly contains high levels of vitamin A, B, D and E which is good for the hair.
It is said that sweet almond oil helps your hair grow, this is because the oil makes the strands of your hair stronger, in turn, causing less breakage and therefore more retained length. This will go for every other oil I listed above. They don't particularly make your hair grow, they only keep it healthy thereby promoting hair growth.
Grapeseed oil
Grapeseed oil has been used as an effective natural hair treatment and moisturizer. It is very lightweight and hence easily absorbed into the hair. It is generally recommended to people with low porosity hair but can be used by all porosity types.
The Oil is composed of Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Palmitoleic Acid, Vitamin E, and beta-Carotene. All of which contain nutrients that promote healthy hair growth.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is solid at room temperature so it's best to melt it on fire or under the sun before using it on your hair. This is to avoid it causing buildup on your scalp.
Coconut oil is a heavy weight oil and is best for people with high porosity hair. People with low porosity hair can as well use it but in small quantity so it can be easily absorbed into their hair shaft.
Coconut oil contains lauric acid that helps prevent protein loss from our hair. If you're experiencing protein loss from your hair this is a good oil to use and bind in the protein in your hair thereby strengthening it.
Black Castor oil
Castor oil is a vegetable oil pressed from castor beans. It’s usually colorless, although you now see the yellow and brown versions, Jamaican black castor oil is one of the more popular variations—it has a thicker consistency because the castor beans is first roasted, grinded into a thick paste and then boiled in hot water, which gives it a warm, roasted scent. Castor oil contains vitamin E, fatty acids, and minerals.
It helps to seal in moisture, thicken, strengthen and promote hair growth. It also increases blood flow to the scalp, supplying valuable nutrients to hair follicles by massaging it into your hair and scalp.
Keep in mind that this is a heavy oil so it's best you apply in small quantity.
Other oil options you can use on your hair includes avocado oil, aloe vera oil and -'Essential oils’ which I will talk about in my next post.
If this post was useful to you please like, share and comment. I'll see you in my next upload.