Aubrey Ginsberg
Essential oils are used not just to make your hair smell good, but also because they have lots of remarkable beauty and health benefits. These oils have been used since the ancient time for their medical and therapeutic effects. As compared to ordinary vegetable oils, essential oils are potent and highly concentrated oils. They are distilled or extracted from different parts of the trees, fruits, stem, flowers, bark, leaves or roots.
Your hair and scalp can benefit a lot on this because of the gentle power that you can extract from the plants. These aromatic oils can penetrate deeply into your hair follicles and shaft and help produce shiny and healthy hair. Some essentials oils can be very helpful to soothe dry, irritated scalp. Some may affect the sebaceous glands and can normalize their function.
Some of the functions of essential oils include:
- Help concern with dandruff
- Improve your hair’s condition
- Soothe dry and irritated scalp
- Stimulate healthy hair growth
- Strengthen hair shaft
Tips on Choosing which Oil to Purchase
Choosing the right oil for your natural hair is not easy, as there are lots of different choices. Here are some tips on choosing the best oil for your hair type:
- Check the ingredients list. Some labels can be deceiving. Make sure that the oil does not contain chemicals and that can be harmful to your hair. The ingredients should be all natural, if possible organic because it is best for your hair.
- Some oils are pre-mixed and may contain something else.
- Know your hair! Each individual has its own unique type of hair and what is effective to you may not necessarily work for others. Simply because it is highly recommended it does not mean that it is the perfect product for your hair. Make sure that you try it first on your hair and if you feel it is not working for you, try something else.
Keep in mind that oils may tend to be greasy. Using them in excess is not a good idea. It can make your hair greasy even after washing it. Make sure to wash your hair thoroughly with natural, gentle shampoo after treating it. Keep in mind you may not notice the changes right away as they will not happen overnight. Continues and long term use will lead to healthy, gorgeous and shiny hair.
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| Oil (photo cred: Flickr via Cindalana Jones via CC by 2.0) |
Tips on Using the Essential Oils
Essential oils are very potent and highly concentrated, so you should not put it directly on your hair or scalp. You need to combine it with base oil or dilute it in the herbal rinse, or floral water. The essential oil content should be between 1% and 3%.
Evening primrose, ghee, coconut, olive, grapeseed or jojoba oil is used as base oil for thin, fine hair – it will add volume to your fine hair.
If you have thick coarse hair the perfect base oil is to use rich nourishing oils like rosehip, evening primrose, avocado, almond, olive, sesame or hemp – there are essential hydrating components.
Tips on creating massage blend:
- 3 to 5 drops. in 1 tsp. of base oil
- 7 to 25 drops. in 25ml of base oil
- 20 to 60 drops. in 100ml of base oil
If this is your first time using essential oil for your natural hair it is best to start with the least recommended amount and increase if required. Gently massage the essential oils homemade blend in your hair and scalp. Let it stay on your hair for an hour or overnight for better conditioning. Wash using a natural shampoo and allow the hair to dry naturally.
In rinsing, use a few drops of essential oils around 10 to 20 drops in one cup in the herbal or final rinse to improve the condition of your hair and scalp. Make sure to cover the essential oils container right away as they tend to evaporate fast if left open.
Essential oils can be added to your homemade shampoo to boost its effectiveness. You can add a few drops.
It is important that you keep these things in mind. If you are lactating, pregnant, with high blood pressure, with epilepsy or other health related condition it is best that you ask your doctor first before using the essential oil of your choice.
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Aubrey Ginsberg
Aubrey Ginsberg is the co-founder and editor of www.girlswithnaturalhair.com. She works as a professional graphic designer and blogger. Aubrey has a big passion for beauty and hair care.
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