My affinity for hair oil started at a very young age. My mother, a multi-hyphenate and former hairdresser, would grease my scalp often and coat my hair in the best hair oil she could find. But since responsibility for my own life (and the health of my hair) was handed over to me, my hair just hasn’t been the same.
For context, my scalp and hair is naturally dry. In the warmer months it holds up pretty well, as humid air helps, but it’s still dry. The colder months are another story – my hair can get as dry and dull as the Sahara, anyone with my type of hair (4b), or similar will recognise the struggle.
If I think back to times when my hair was as its healthiest, it has always been when I was most consistent with my hair oil regimen. Whether that was applying oils before a wash, adding a few drops to my deep conditioner, using it to seal in my hair moisturiser, or simply applying some directly to my scalp, my hair loved me and thanked me with retention, overall health and shine.
Having recently decided to grow my hair back after shaving it a few years ago, I realised I had stuck to my bald routine, which sadly consisted only of very inconsistent spritzes of oil to the scalp whenever I needed a bit of a Malteaser-like sheen. Now that I’m ready to take my hair health and growth seriously, it’s time to get it back into my old routine.
As I get back into the groove of things, I have enlisted the help and advice of some industry experts on some pressing questions I, and many others I know, have in regards to the best hair oils out there and their great benefits.
Why is the ritual of hair oiling so important for scalp and hair health and strength?
“The ritual of hair oiling, especially as a pre-wash treatment, helps to strengthen and nourish roots, stimulate blood circulation, and promote healthy hair growth,” shares Akash & Nikita Mehta, founders of Ayurvedic hair care brand, Fable & Mane. “After suffering from our own hair loss during a stressful period, we went back to our childhood hair rituals, centring around hair and scalp oiling. The head is the abode of all sense organs and our nervous system. That is why hair oiling along side an (Indian) head massage is a part of an Ayurvedic daily routine. The simple analogy is water the roots and enjoy the fruits.”
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