Essential oils for hair care
Essential oils for hair care support improving and maintaining the quality of hair. Quality is determined by the thickness of the hair or its volume and the sheen or shine.
Hair quality depends on the quantity of two naturally occurring compounds. Keratin is also responsible for growth of nails, and the other is sebum or body oil, which is produced by the gland at each hair follicle.
Sometimes, the body does not produce sufficient amounts of the two ingredients, or low quality of the ingredients, causing noticeable imbalances in appearance of our hair. The amount and quality of these two properties (thickness and sheen) is based on many factors.
Sometimes, our diets are not very comprehensive and omit some vital elements. Sometimes we indulge in substance use. Hair quality also reduces due to ill-health, tension or stress, restlessness, hydration, hair, and body treatments including tinting. The quality tends to improve if complimentary treatments using essential oils for hair care are incorporated in our routines.
Hair has a mildly acidic pH level around 5 which enables the scalp and hair to prevent any bacterial or fungal growth. However, soap is alkaline and tends to destroy keratin. As a result, over washed hair becomes dry and brittle. The repeated use of very harsh chemical-based soaps and shampoos on hair, in some other instances, erodes the scalp and hair roots of sebum. This promotes the accumulation of flakes, leading to dandruff.
Essential oils for hair care to manage Alopecia
Alopecia occurs when lumps of hair begin to fall off the scalp when the immune system attacks the hair follicles. Many different reasons are to be considered, ranging from stress, using hairstyles that put pressure on scalp, bacterial infections on the scalp, to genetically linked factors (heredity).
The objective of therapy would be to resolve any or all of the reasons highlighted above. Essential oils for hair care are great when used in combination, an essential oil blend and should contain at least 2-3 oils. In order to strengthen hair follicles, for instance, add 3 drops of each of Rosemary, Peppermint, Lavender, and Clary Sage, combined 10ml of jojoba, avocado or olive oil and apply twice daily. Coffee extract is used in rinses, shampoos and treatments, to provide great benefit for enlarging hair follicles and lengthen their growth phase, thereby promoting hair regeneration.
Thickness and Volume
- Lavender – 6 drops
- Rosemary – 4 drops
- Peppermint – 1 drop
Add 5ml of ethanol, and 15ml of clean water or avocado oil and use your fingertips dipped to massage into the scalp.
Reduce dandruff
add 3-5 drops of either
- Clove
- Lemon
- Eucalyptus
- Ginger
- Oregano
- Peppermint
- Tea tree
to your shampoo.
Improve Hair Sheen
add 3-5 drops of
- Chamomile
- Coffee
- Lavender
Use any of the carrier oils
- Jojoba
- Argan
- Coconut
- Castor Oil