Essential oils have so many uses. One is to potentially keep your hair healthy. That’s why these highly concentrated plant extracts are often generally found in high-end all natural shampoos and conditioners.
I used to think they were added just to make the formula smell good. Then I started learning more about essential oils. And I realized that they’re really good for your hair, in and of themselves.
In fact, ylang ylang essential oil is often used for hair conditioning. I’ve used this aromatic myself, after showering. It left my hair feeling so soft. Lavender essential oil is also highly regarded for dry hair. Out of all the aromatics, lavender oil has a strong soothing quality. It’s good for your skin, as well as your hair. It’s also one of the ingredients in a widely publicized recipe to restore thinning hair.
There’s now scientific evidence that essential oils can halt hair loss. In fact, one study found that a mix of four oils stopped thinning hair, and even led to regrowth, in a significant number of people.
The Best Essential Oils for Healthy Hair
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A number of essential oils are used for hair care. For condition lavender and ylang ylang essential oil work really well. For instance, after showering, I rinsed my hair with ylang ylang. It was really easy. All I had to do was add a couple of drops of ylang ylang oil to a cup of warm water. Then I worked it through my scalp. After a few minutes, I rinsed it out.
The addition of ylang ylang oil left my hair so soft. I realized why this tropical flower has long been used as a natural hair remedy. For instance, I read that ylang ylang oil is typically mixed with coconut oil and applied to the hair, similar to how we apply chemicals to our hair. In fact, this all natural mix is so popular that it even has a name. It’is called Macassar oil.
Macassar oil is all natural. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for many of the hair care products on the market. They’re filled with chemicals, some of which are tentatively linked to cancer. One particularly worrisome class of compounds are known as parabens. They mimic estrogen, a hormone known to drive some types of cancer.
Essential Oils that Promote Healthy Hair
Essential oils have become wildly popular in recent years. Most of what we know about them is from their traditional use, as folk remedies for a wide range of physical and emotional conditions. There’s been relatively little scientific research into their potential health benefits.
One notable exception, though, is a study involving essential oils and hair loss. One study found that a certain combination of oils used together, along with a certain carrier oil, stopped the hair loss. Even better, it often led to new growth. One study that ran in the JAMA Dermatology journal found that nearly half of patients who used a special essential oil recipe enjoyed regrowth.
Essential Oil Recipe to Stop Thinning Hair
It’s possible that a number of different types of aromatic oils can potentially stop thinning hair. But not all of them have been studied, at least to my knowledge. Just because something doesn’t have research behind it doesn’t mean it won’t work. However, we also have no solid proof that it will. Even though I don’t live and die by medical studies, I know some people only want to use something backed by modern science.
Anyway, it’s been found that four essential oils, mixed with a carrier oil, can help thinning hair grow back in again. This is a recipe I’ve used myself, following a period of stress. It seems to have helped.
Benefits of Essential Oils for Hair Growth
The biggest benefit of using essential oils for hair growth is that you don’t have to rely upon potentially dangerous drugs. These may not help your problem. But they put you at risk of serious side effects, including dizziness, fainting and irregular heartbeat. Or, if you’re a woman, you can develop another cosmetic problem. You may get more hair on your head. But you may also see new growth on your face.
So, if you’d like a more natural approach, here is the combination of oils used in the JAMA Dermatology study.
1 ounce of jojoba oil (You can get it here)
3 drops of lavender oil (You can get it here)
3 drops of rosemary oil (You can get it here)
3 drops of cedarwood oil (You can get it here)
3 drops of thyme oil (You can get it here)
How to Make an Essential Oil Hair Loss Recipe
Mix the above ingredients together in a clean covered glass jar, and use as needed. I tend to put this mixture on my head about 1/2 hour before I shower. Store the oil away from heat, light and electrical sources. Rosemary oil is also considered a good aromatic for adding shine to your hair, which is why it’s often found in high-end all natural shampoos.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional.
Hi there.
Thanks for sharing all the great info on EOs.
My question is this for the Hair Growth blend is it possible to
put it on at night before you go to bed and leave it on all night?
Shampoo and rinse in the morning?
Thank you.
Hi Elizabeth, I’ve used the hair growth blend during a period of stress. I put it on my head about 1/2 hour before showering. I guess if I needed to be at work, and showered in the morning, I could put a very weak dilution (1 percent or less essential oil in a carrier oil) on my head at night.
What is the difference between essential and carrier oils?
Millie, that’s a really good question. Essential oils are the highly concentrated aromatic plant extracts. We probably shouldn’t call them oils because they’re not true oils. Carrier oils are true oils, such as coconut oil, grapeseed oil and avocado oil. You need carriers if you plan to put essential oils on your skin. Carriers protect the skin because the oils are too strong to use without them. It’s also believed they “carry” the aromatic compounds into the body. Otherwise, they would likely evaporate before reaching the bloodstream. So carrier oils are necessary, not option. I like to use olive oil mixed with essential oils on my hair before I wash it. The olive oil has benefits of its own.