a bowl of hair oil | How to Choose Best Hair Oil for Your Hair Type?

How to select the Best Hair Oil for Your Hair Type?

When hair oils are used properly they can provide so much benefit to the health and appearance of your hair, and also offer protection while heat-styling your hair.

So, if you are eager to try some hair oils and want to know about the right oil for your hair type, read on to know more about this.

How do Hair Oils work?

It’s very difficult for the natural oil on your scalp to travel to the ends of your hair to moisturise them completely (especially if you have long or curly hair). Hair oil can add a protective layer to this part of your hair because it's made of fatty acids and antioxidants that will replenish the lipid layer on the scalp and penetrate into the hair strands to strengthen weak spots and prevent any damage.

Why use Hair Oil?

Oils act as a lubricant, so they work great for detangling wet hair.
They act as a sealant and help to smooth down the cuticle.
Oils provide heat protection when styling your hair.
If your hair looks dull and less shiny, oil can make a reflective surface for light to bounce off.
Oil can be a quick fix for flyaway hair.
Oils can encourage hair to look healthier.
They contain fatty acids which aid to replace the lipids present in your hair and thus help to prevent it from splitting.

Which Oil is Best for Your Hair?

It’s very important to understand which type of oil you need to use depending on your hair type and the problems associated with your hair. There are two kinds of hair care oils – sealing oils and moisturizing oils. Sealing oils like jojoba, olive and castor oils just seal or lock in moisture from water or conditioner. Moisturising oils coconut, olive and avocado oil have smaller molecules that penetrate and moisturize hair. If you are concerned about your black hair it is suggested to pick the right oil for your black hair.

Whether you should use heavy oils or lighter oils, depends on your curl pattern, hair density and porosity.

Best oils for wavy hair

Lighter oils work better on this hair which can get weighed down. Wavy hair is prone to be less dry than curlier hair so lightweight jojoba and sweet almond oils are good for locking in moisture already present in the hair. Argan oil is also light enough to be used daily, easily absorbed by the hair and thus good for moisturising your waves.

Best oils for curly hair

Curlier hair can handle heavier oils like olive and avocado oil in small quantities. Alternatively, you can mix heavier oils into lighter ones to thin them out.

Best oils for Coily hair

Denser textured hair needs heavier oils, like Jamaican Black Castor Oil, to travel along with the tightly-packed curls. The thick consistency is good for sealing the moisture. Olive Oil and avocado oil are other great sealants for Coily hair.

Porosity is the measure of your hair's ability to absorb and hold moisture, which means that your porosity has a huge effect on how your hair reacts to different products and ingredients you apply to it.

Best oils for low porosity hair

Argan oil works wonders on low porosity hair because its small molecules easily penetrate the hair shaft, providing them with moisture. Other oils having excellent absorbent properties are jojoba and grapeseed.

Best oils for high porosity hair

Coconut oil is perfect for high porosity hair which is unable to retain moisture; as well as being great for your scalp, it strengthens the gaps in high porosity hair, providing it with protein and locking in moisture.

Hair density is the number of hair strands that you have per square inch on your scalp. A quick way to know if your hair is low density or high density is if you can easily see your scalp through your hair then you have lower density hair, and if it is hard to see your scalp through your hair then it is high density.

Best oils for low density/thin hair

Jojoba oil is similar to sebum (the natural oil in your hair) and is perfect for low-density or fine hair that is easily weighed down. Sweet almond oil is also apt and light for finer hair.

Best oils for high density/thick hair

Coconut and olive oils are beneficial for thicker and higher-density hair as they are heavier oils and can be easily soaked in the hair. Avocado oil is also suitable for thicker hair and with its amino acids, vitamins and minerals, it can enhance hair growth as well as health.

Take Away

Hair oiling is an Ayurvedic hair treatment that has been in use for years. Hair can be protected from pollution and toxins in shampoo by regular oiling. Boosting hydration, gloss, and shine may help prevent hair loss. Understand your hair’s requirements and choose a hair oil accordingly that meets those needs. The best outcomes come from oiling every night with the best suitable oil.