Have you always wondered how the princess in the old movies and the paintings of the empress back in the age always had thick, long black hair? We can barely manage to keep our short hair shiny and healthy. So we dug out their secret only to know that our mothers have been singing out the secret for years. It is oiling. Yes, you heard it right. Pick up your pen and note down which hair oil will suit your current hair concern and how to oil your hair correctly!
Is oiling necessary?
This has been a long-standing debate. However, hair oiling is an old practice that delivers results to many. It is just like saying that your skin doesn’t need moisturiser just because your skin is oily. The scalp is just like your skin. It has a barrier and needs nourishment to maintain it and allow the hair follicles to do their job. Think of it more as the soil where the seed sprouts to form a plant. You water the soil to nourish the seed, right? Something like that goes around the scalp too. Here are the benefits of oiling your scalp:
1. It is nourishing the scalp to avoid flakiness.2. Protecting the scalp from damage by acting like a protective sheath.
3. Conditioning your hair and reducing frizziness by providing structure to the hair strands.
4. Antimicrobial and Antibacterial properties in some oils help in avoiding infection.
5. Improving blood circulation which leads to improved hair growth.
Learn more about the benefits of hair oiling here.
Which hair oil suits whom the best?
The choice of hair oil can make all the difference. What you should look at while picking a hair oil is the condition of your scalp. So one hair oil cannot fit you for all seasons since your scalp also changes with the season. For example, during winter it is more likely that your scalp will be dry. Learn here, how to pick a hair oil to treat your scalp rightly.
1. Dandruff
Dandruff is when your scalp does not have the right balance of oil and water. It could be due to the environment or if you have used drying products on your hair. Your scalp will start to flake and itch. To treat dandruff, you must drink a lot of water and use oils religiously. However, since your scalp is dry right now, overwhelming it with heavy oil can block your pores. So use a lightweight oil that can lock in the moisture and bring back the balance in your scalp. Lightweight oils generally tend to have a lower comedogenic rating. These are also the oils that have high Linoleic acid(Omega 6) content. Learn more about Linoleic and Oleic acid in oils here.
Oils to pick: Argan, Jojoba, Hemp seed, Rosehip Seed oil, etc.
Sublime recommends Wishcare 100% Pure Cold Pressed Argan Oil or Skog Jojoba Oil. These are both pure oils and so you can relish the benefit of one oil at a time.
2. Hair loss
Hair loss should be looked at multi-dimensionally. It could be the lack of a strong scalp barrier or lack of nutrients. Another reason to explain this is that your hair is going through the Telogen phase which is also called the resting phase. In this phase, your hair sheds while the new hair grows in the next stage. It can go on for 2-3 months or even 4-5 months. But to stimulate hair growth in the next stage, you must oil. In case the hair loss is because of environmental stress or a weak scalp barrier, you need a nourishing and growth-stimulating hair oil to protect your scalp from damage and improve the volume.
Oils to pick: Bhringraj, Onion, Gooseberry, etc.
Sublime recommends Brillare Real Mahabhringraj or Himalayan Origins Bhimal And Black Onion Seed Hair Oil. Bhringraj oil and Onion oil both have additional properties to even reduce frizz and improve the shine of your hair. Worth your money, don’t you think so too?
3. Damaged and frizzy hair
Damaged and frizzy hair calls for nourishment and a good dose of Antioxidants. Hair damage could be caused due to lack of protein intake, staying in a polluted environment, etc. Damaged hair is usually frizzy with high porosity and low strength. To address frizzy and damaged hair, you must nourish them twice a week and run a comb once a day to improve blood circulation. This will nourish your hair.
Oils to pick: Olive, Almond, Castor, Coconut, etc.
Sublime recommends The Earth Collective Hair Oil which has a blend of 18 oils to heal and repair your hair. It has Castor, Sesame, Coconut, Almond, Lemongrass, and Olive as some of the key oils. Perfectly what your damaged and frizzy hair needs.
4. Greasy and smelly scalp
If your scalp is greasy and smelly then it could be due to the overgrowth of bacteria or fungal infection. This is more common during monsoon season. In such cases, you don’t need to use oil but rather consult a trichologist to know the right treatment plan. However, if it is just greasy and does not smell then it could be due to lack of hydration, damaged scalp barrier, or overtly active sebaceous glands due to environmental stress. To address this challenge, we recommend using healing potions and using lightweight oil that won’t add to the greasiness but rather be absorbed easily.
Oils to pick: Rosehip, Rosemary, Hempseed, Sea Buckthorn oil, etc.
Sublime recommends Neemli Naturals Rosemary & Jojoba Oil Hair Oil. It does not just have Jojoba and Rosemary hair oil but also Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon to disinfect and soothe your scalp.
How to oil your hair?
Always remember that hair oiling doesn’t have to take up more time or oil. All you need is a couple of pumps to cover your entire scalp. Here’s how you can oil your hair in a simple and effective method:
1. Create clean sections
Divide your hair into three parts. One is left, the other is right and the last one is the hair near your neck. Comb your hair and create three such clean sections. Combing before oiling also helps you warm up your scalp and make it more susceptible to soaking in the goodness of oil.
2. One pump for one section
One of the biggest mistakes one makes is using too much oil. All you in 7-8 drops for one section. If your hair looks like they’re dripping oil after oiling your hair then that’s a sign that you overdid it. Also, remember to oil your scalp and not your strands. The excess oil on your palms can be used to dab on your strands to reduce the frizziness.
3. Massage
If you don’t know how to gently tap on your scalp to improve blood circulation then it is best to skip this step. When you massage, it increases blood circulation and enables the pores to absorb oil. But since you have oiled your hair, high chance that your hair follicles are already in receptive mode due to the softness of the scalp right now. Therefore, if you harshly massage your scalp right now then you will face a lot of hair fall.
4. Warm towel
All the efforts after oiling your scalp should be towards ensuring that your scalp is absorbing this oil. For that, after massaging for 5 minutes, use a warm towel to wrap around your hair. Make sure that the towel is not hot, but warm. The reason why you need a warm towel is that it helps open up your pores and improve the absorption of oil.
How long should you keep the hair oil and how to wash it off?
There are multiple answers from each. Some would say that it is okay to keep it overnight or some would say, you can keep it for the entire weekend. But if you have oiled your hair exactly the way that is mentioned above then all you need is a couple of hours to let the oil work its magic. Keep it on for 2-3 hours and wash it off by shampooing twice. Make sure to really massage and slather shampoo on your scalp to get the last bit of oil out of your hair. After shampooing for the first time, keep the shampoo for a minute or two while you wash your body. Then go in for the second round of shampoo.
Take home points
Hair oiling is a good practice that suits all. But it all depends on the oil that you’ve picked to address your hair concern and how you have oiled it. While some do consider that if you have an oily scalp then you must skip the luxury of hair oiling, that’s completely untrue. It’s the science of Ayurveda and you just need the right set of information to break that myth!
- Divya Salvi
