If you're looking to improve hair growth, strengthen your strands, or just give your hair the nourishment it deserves, essential oils may be your answer. Whether it's dry hair, an oily scalp, dandruff, or hair breakage, essential oils may help keep your hair healthy.
Certain hair problems may stem from underlying health issues, such as stress, a poor diet, or even hormonal changes. However, adding essential oils to your existing routine may help you have healthier, smoother hair.
Benefits of Essential Oils for Hair Whether you use essential oils to make your own hair mask or add essential oils to your shampoo and conditioner, essential oils for hair have many benefits, including:
Promote hair growth
Moisturize dry hair
Repair damaged or frizzy hair
Add more strength and shine to hair
In fact, various studies have shown that essential oils may help reduce dandruff, prevent hair loss, and reduce some shampoo-induced side effects, such as itching and dry hair.
Best Essential Oils for Hair Each essential oil has multiple properties, meaning the same oil can be used for different hair conditions. Different essential oils may also help with multiple properties, from promoting hair growth to adding more shine. Here are some of our favorite essential oils for hair:
Native to the Mediterranean, rosemary essential oil is known for its refreshing aroma. What’s more, rosemary essential oil is recognized for its benefits for hair care, making it one of the most popular essential oils for hair. It also promotes hair growth by stimulating blood circulation to the scalp.
Rosemary essential oil is also used to add volume and shine to hair while moisturizing hair and relieving dandruff. It may also help slow down graying hair and moisturize the scalp. There are many rosemary plants, and some of the best rosemary essential oils include Rosemary Essential Oil (Morocco), Rosemary Essential Oil (Spain), and Rosemary French (Natural Blend).
How to Use Rosemary Essential Oil for Hair: To use rosemary essential oil for hair, mix rosemary essential oil with a carrier oil at a 1-2% dilution and massage into the hair and scalp; leave the mask on for 20-30 minutes and then wash it off with shampoo.
Lavender essential oil is known for its calming and soothing effects and is also a popular essential oil for hair growth. Not only does it create a relaxing atmosphere, but lavender essential oil also helps promote hair growth due to its ability to stimulate blood circulation in the scalp. Lavender essential oil is also known to reduce dandruff, nourish and moisturize the hair and scalp, and promote thicker hair.
How to Use Lavender Essential Oil for Hair: To use lavender essential oil for hair, mix lavender essential oil with a carrier oil at a 1-2% dilution and massage into the hair and scalp; leave the moisturizing mask on for 10 minutes and then wash it off with your favorite shampoo.
3. Cedarwood Essential Oil
Cedarwood essential oil is known to naturally reduce hair loss and improve hair growth, making it a great essential oil for hair. A small study found that people with alopecia areata (sudden hair loss) experienced significant hair growth when they massaged their scalps daily with cedarwood essential oil diluted in a carrier oil blend of jojoba and grapeseed oils. The study concluded that the essential oil diluted with a carrier oil can be safely and effectively used to treat alopecia areata.
When added to shampoo and conditioner, cedarwood essential oil is known to add volume and shine to hair. It is also a common ingredient in many beard oils because it promotes hair growth by stimulating hair follicles.
How to Use Cedarwood Essential Oil for Hair: To use cedarwood essential oil for hair, mix cedarwood essential oil with a carrier oil at a 1-2% dilution and apply as a hair mask. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then wash out with shampoo.
Bergamot essential oil has a number of different essential oil properties and is considered a great essential oil for hair. In fact, many people use bergamot essential oil to soften and tame frizzy hair. Bergamot essential oil is also known to strengthen hair follicles, stimulate hair growth, relieve dandruff and itching, and soothe scalp irritation.
How to Use Bergamot Essential Oil for Hair: To use bergamot essential oil for hair, mix bergamot essential oil with a carrier oil at a 1-2% dilution and apply as a hair mask. Leave on for 20-30 minutes and then rinse with your favorite shampoo. You can also add a few drops of bergamot essential oil to your usual shampoo.
Other Tips on How to Keep Your Hair Healthy There are other natural remedies you can try to strengthen, restore, and stimulate hair growth. You can try:
Massaging your scalp
Coconut oil (use before shampooing)
Ginseng supplements