Essential Oils for Natural Hair

If you have ever read the label on the back of your shampoo bottle you have most likely seen that the ingredients list contains essential oils, such as tea tree...

Essential oils are found in many of our favourite hair care products because there are many benefits for the hair and scalp. These include scalp stimulation, increased hair growth and thickness. I love using natural products on my hair and essential oils are an easy way of bringing natural ingredients into your hair care routine.
Even before I was fully dedicated to a clean beauty lifestyle I used essential oils regularly in my home made hair care products. I still use essential oils in DIY leave in conditioner sprays, deep treatment masks and I find them particularly useful after removing a protective style to refresh my hair.

When choosing an essential oil to use I keep it simple. Two things are important to me, these are what do I want to achieve and do I like the smell? Many naturalistas struggle with common problems such as dryness, irritated scalp and stagnant hair growth. So you can select an essential oil depending on its effects, so it works best for your hair condition.                                  Also the fragrance is very important to me, as some essential oil scents can be very powerful and I do not want to place something on my hair that has an off putting odour for me. As well as treating your hair, essential oils are also used for relaxing or uplifting a person’s mood, so even though the primary focus is your hair the aromas can also be a boost for your well-being. Everyone wants to not only look great, but also feel great too.

​One of the most common essential oils found in hair care products is tea tree; this is because tea tree works well at cleansing the hair, growing hair and it has anti-bacterial properties. If you are looking at reducing hair loss then you can try introducing thyme into your routine, yes that’s right the herb we cook with also comes in the form of an essential oil. Thyme is also useful for scalp stimulation.
For naturalistas who are all about the smell of a products then add a few drops of lemongrass to a leave in conditioner or hot oil treatment. This essential oil has a really fresh and uplifting lemon scent. I like to use lemongrass after removing a protective style as it helps with hair strength, reduces dandruff and scalp irritation. Lemongrass also combines well with tea tree or lavender oil.
For those of you who are looking for a more sensual experience when using an essential oil, then peppermint is your oil of choice. When applied to the scalp you can instantly feel it working with a tingling sensation on your scalp. Peppermint contains menthol which causes blood dilation, this leads to increased circulation and the end result is hair growth. Research shows that peppermint increases the number of hair follicles. Similar to tea tree oil it also has anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties.
The application process is simple as long as you follow the safety rules for using essential oils. Essential oil extraction removes the most concentrated part of the tree or plant. This means it is very powerful and can cause skin irritation or adverse reactions if used incorrectly. That is why you should always mix an essential oil with a carrier oil, such as avocado, coconut or almond.
Try out my DIY deep conditioner mask below for soft moisturised hair. It is really easy to make.
 
 
Deep Conditioner
In a bowl add three drops of tea tree and two drops of lemongrass oil to cleanse the scalp. Then add almond oil to seal and some honey to draw in moisture. I then massage the mixture all over my hair and into my scalp. The deep conditioner is then left on for thirty minutes, preferably with heat by a steam cap or wrapping your hair in a towel. I use this deep conditioner mix every two weeks and I have seen amazing results in terms of hair growth and length retention.
 
Caron
Let me know in the comments what is your favourite essential oils for hair care?