Essential oils have been used in hair care products for a long time. But do you know what they are and how they can help your hair and scalp? Plant-based natural extracts have potent properties that can significantly affect your hair’s health, appearance, and general well-being. Essential oils can help with many hair and skin problems, from making dandruff go away to making hair grow faster and shimmer.
You have come to the right place if you want to learn how to use essential oils and which ones will work best for you. This guide talks about the benefits, uses, and ways to apply essential oils for hair care with help from Mayara Macedo, a hairdresser and scalp expert, and Justine Park, MD, a board-certified dermatologist.
What Are Oils That You Need?
Essential oils are very concentrated plant extracts that carry the scent and healing qualities of the plant’s essence. They are made through methods such as cold pressing or steam distillation. Because they are so strong, you must always mix them with carrier oil like coconut, argan, jojoba, or grapeseed oil before putting them on your hair or skin. Direct application can irritate or make you allergic.
Not only do carrier oils dilute essential oils, but they also make them work better by keeping the skin and hair moist. When mixed, the right essential and carrier oils can help with problems like damaged, dry, or greasy hair.
Why essential oils are good for hair
Encourages Hair Growth: Some oils improve blood flow to the head, which helps hair follicles grow thicker, stronger hair.
Scalp Irritation: Some oils have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial qualities that help eliminate itching, redness, and dandruff.
Balances Oil Production: Essential oils can control the production of sebum, which keeps the hair from getting too oily or too dry.
Adds Shine and Softness: Geranium and sandalwood oils make your hair shine and feel smoother, making your hair’s structure better overall.
Stops Damage: Essential oils can repair split ends and protect hair from damage caused by the environment because they are full of vitamins and nutrients.
The Best Essential Oils for Hair and Scalp
1. Oil of Tea Tree
What it is: Because it comes from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant, tea tree oil smells like fresh eucalyptus.
Benefits: Tea tree oil is a potent antimicrobial and clarifying agent that removes product buildup, extra oil, and dirt on the hair. It also stops yeast from growing, which helps fight dandruff.
Best for Hair loss and oily, flaky, or inflamed scalps.
Tea tree oil can clean your hair by adding a few drops to shampoo or using items that already have it.
2. Oil of lavender
What it is: This oil comes from lavender flowers and is known for its soothing smell and calming effects.
Lavender oil balances the oils on your hair, eliminates dandruff, and calms inflammation. You can also use it to heal dry hair.
Best for: People with dry, itchy, or irritated scalps or who want an easy way to treat their condition.
How to Use: Mix lavender oil with a carrier oil like coconut oil for a scalp mask. You can also buy haircare items that already have lavender oil in them.
3. Oil of Rosemary
What it is: A plant oil that smells like fresh pine.
Rosemary oil is known to improve blood flow to the head, which helps hair grow and makes hair follicles stronger.
The best for hair loss or slow hair growth.
How to Use: To wake up your hair, add three drops of rosemary oil to your shampoo or massage diluted rosemary oil into your head.
4. Oil of Chamomile
What it is: This oil, which comes from the chamomile plant, is known for calming people down.
Chamomile oil is good for you because it calms you down and helps your hair grow. It also reduces irritation, dandruff, and inflammation on the skin.
Best for: People with sensitive or itchy scalps or who want a relaxing treatment before bed.
It can be used by massaging your hair before bed or adding it to your shampoo.
5. Oil of Clary Sage
What It Is: This oil comes from the clary sage plant and is suitable for your hair in many ways.
Benefits: Clary sage helps hair grow by repairing cells on the scalp and stops the production of too much sebum to get rid of oiliness and acne.
It works best for people with oily scalps, thin hair, or acne.
How to Use It: Mix with a carrier oil as a hair mask before shampooing.
6. Oil of sandalwood
What it is: This oil comes from the fragrant sandalwood tree and smells sweet and woody.
Benefits: Sandalwood conditions and hydrates hair, making it smoother and shiny.
Best for: Hair that is dry or curly and needs more wetness and shape.
How to Use: Add a few drops to your conditioner or use hair oils with sandalwood as a main ingredient.
7. Oil of Geranium
What it is: An aromatic oil made from geranium leaves.
Benefits: Geranium improves the head blood flow, strengthens haircuts, and adds shine. It also lowers swelling and calms irritability.
Best for: People with curly hair or hair that looks dull and dead.
How to Use: Mix with a carrier oil and massage your head and hair to make it shine immediately.
8. Olive Oil
What it is: This oil comes from nuts and contains good things, like Vitamin E and fatty acids.
Almond oil is good for your hair because it moisturizes, strengthens, fixes split ends, and tames frizz.
It works best on broken or brittle strands and hair that is thick, textured, or dry.
How to Use: To moisturize the ends of your hair, add a few drops to your conditioner or put them on straight.
9. Oil of peppermint
What it is: An excellent oil that comes from the peppermint plant.
Peppermint oil is good for you because it wakes your head, makes hair grow faster, and calms dry, itchy, and flaky skin.
Best for: People with dandruff or itchy scalps or who want longer, thicker hair.
Peppermint oil in shampoos can give your hair a fresh, clean scent, or you can mix it with a carrier oil and massage it into your skin.
Tips on How to Use Essential Oils Safely
The Key is Dilution: To keep from getting irritated, you should always mix essential oils with carrier oil.
Patch Test: To see your sensitivity, test on a small skin area.
Do not touch your eyes: Keep oils away from easily hurt areas.
How often: Use essential oil treatments once or twice weekly for best results.
Last Thoughts
Essential oils are suitable for your hair and skin in many ways. You can find the right essential oil for your problem, whether acne, hair loss, or dryness. These natural hair care products can change how you care for your hair. For example, tea tree oil can clear your hair, and rosemary can help your hair grow.
But safety should always come first. Dilute essential oils and talk to professionals if you have any questions. You can use essential oils to make your hair healthier, shinier, and brighter if you do it correctly.
Some of the terms that are used to describe essential oils for hair are “hair growth oils,” “scalp care,” “natural haircare,” “dandruff remedies,” “carrier oils,” “almond oil for hair,” and “peppermint oil benefits.”