What if I told you, I know a secret to healthy, lustrous, long & shiny hair. Sounds like some lines I picked up from a TV commercial for a new hair product but I am sure you will be amazed by the results & moreover the ingredients of this hair product which are readily available on your kitchen counters.
*Drum Rolls* ..... it's Hair Oil!.
In this blog, you can expect to read, the individual benefits of each ingredient that will then be combined into a hair elixir, my personal experience with it, its feasibility & storage and lastly, a comparison between the old era vs modern era.
Growing up in a desi household, there was never a day when my mother did not send me to school without oiling my hair. Growing up, I believed it was just me who felt 'weird' but this was a story of every child who has/had a caring parent. From Being called an "oil shop" & with many such lude comments, I threw every possible tantrum to convince my mother to not put oil, but she wouldn't budge.
It is only when I matured, I understood good habits at a young age do take you a long way in life and got complimented a lot on my hair & I truly owed all of that to my mom.
To understand how this Hair Oil could help you & do wonders, it's imperative to break down the benefits of each oil used.
Coconut oil
- Blocks bacteria & irritants from causing more damage.
- lauric acid in coconut oil has nourishing & moisturizing properties that aid in taming frizz & healing breakage.
Castor oil
- Applying fats like castor oil to the hair on a regular basis helps lubricate the hair shaft, increasing flexibility and decreasing the chance of breakage
- benefit those experiencing dandruff
- applying castor oil to the scalp will help moisturize dry, irritated skin & may help reduce flaking.
- some claim anecdotally that using castor oil once a month can spur growth 3-5 times the normal rate. There is no clinical evidence to support this, however, this has worked for me.
Vitamin e oil
- Vitamin E help support a healthy scalp & hair
- as it has natural antioxidant effects that could assist with maintaining hair growth.
- antioxidant properties in the oil help reduce the amount of oxidative stress & free radicals that cause the hair follicle cells in a person’s scalp to break down.
Black Seed (optional)
If you are planning on storing this oil for a longer time, then adding 1tsp of black seeds will give you the added benefit as longer this oil sits, the better infusion of black seeds will happen with the oil as combining black seeds with other carrier oils will boost its efficiency.
- Maintains Scalp Health
- Stimulates Hair Regrowth
- Treats Hair Fall
- Prevents Graying
- Conditions Hair
- Prevents Damage
- Promotes Blood Circulation
Black seed contains omega-3 and 6 biomolecules that encourage blood circulation hence promoting rapid hair growth within weeks.
Olive oil
- Eliminates split ends, treats dandruff, smoothens hair, makes hair management simple, moisturizes your hair,
Mustard oil
- Richness in natural fats makes it a good conditioner for hair. It coats & seals each hair strand making it shinier & smoother preventing dryness frizz & split ends.
- anti-bacterial & anti-fungal properties help prevent or reduce scalp conditions like dandruff or acne/pimples.
Almond oil
- Hydrates dull & dry hair.
- Smoothes hair texture.
- Strengthens hair
- Fight inflammatory scalp conditions
- Promotes hair growth: When applied directly to the scalp, almond oil bulks up hair and reactivates dormant hair follicles. "Almond oil contains a substantial amount of the vitamin B7 or biotin," Gonzalez explains. "Biotin can help thicken and grow thinning hair, as it assists in follicle regrowth and keratin production."
All these oils have so many potent properties & infuse them together; I guarantee you it would give you flip worthy hair.
All my life I have been in a constant battle of living life in the traditional way or the modern way, with my mother & grandmother narrating how they lived a pure life, free from toxicity & I would usually sit imagining & only wishing if I could just time travel to witness & live that life. So natural that nowadays one can only highly price a fragment of it, by labelling it "ORGANIC". I may not go back in time but surely I can adapt & implement some of their lifestyles so I could proudly pass it to the next generation.
Back in the day, women used to heavily oil their hair every day & would never experience hair falls like we do now; their hair would be butt reaching long, darker, thicker & slowed grey hair.
As opposed to the modern way of applying oil for 20 mins & washing it away with chemical concoctions ie shampoos & conditioners; to first strip your hair of good oils only to claim to provide nutrients to the hair.
Moving on to the magic potion.
Recipe for one time use hair oil but for larger quantities, maintain the same ratio just increases the volume. This oil can be stored for a longer time in a glass jar/bottle.
2tsp Coconut Hair Oil
2tsp Olive Oil
2-3tsp Mustard Oil
1tsp Castor Oil
2 Vitamin E capsules
1tsp Almond Oil
1tsp Black Seed (optional)
Directions to apply:
Massage your scalp with this oil for good 30 mins. Heavily oil your hair for 24 hrs (highly recommended) but the minimum would be 6hrs in order to really soak in all the benefits of the oils. The more the better. Duly note this isn't your typical 20 min hair oil.
Overall this oil is so nourishing that even if you are, not an avid oil applier, once a week should suffice to compensate for the impending hair damage you do for the next week.
(Disclaimer) Be mindful that this hair oil may give off a strong smell during its application but it is completely bearable & will go away after a hair wash. It should be okay if your hair smells like fritters for a day because your hair will be thankful to you. If you are applying this for the first time make sure you do a patch test to see if you aren't allergic to any of the oil(s) mentioned above. If these oils are store-bought patch test is highly recommended.
Being an old school in a tech advanced world is nothing but a curse, where most answers arent found on google, and mother's recipes & advice ALWAYS come in handy. And to end it indeed I can truly say Mother Knows the Best.
