Why Use a Hair Oil?

Unlike our skin, our hair has no other way to keep itself moisturized. This is the reason our hair follicles produce sebum, which is a natural oil meant to travel down the hair shaft and keep hair healthy and hydrated.

Unfortunately, this process doesn’t always work the way nature intended it to be! With modern colouring techniques and styling, our natural sebum isn’t just enough to keep our hair moisturized. That’s where oil comes in. A good hair oil provides the protection and moisture that your hair craves for.

The use of oils is nothing new; however, our knowledge about it is expanding. And now we have become much wiser about the various effects of oils. Due to the protective and moisturizing effect the oil can have on hair and skin, it is extremely suitable for softening and nourishing the hair and scalp.

Good hair oil can be used in different ways, depending on your hair type and needs. It might be a good thought to test different hair oils and then specifically focus on one that suits your needs and hair type. 

To get an overview of types of oils, they are broadly of two categories:

Vegetable Oils

Vegetable oils, also known as fatty oils, base oils, or carrier oils, are typically derived from nuts, seeds, flowers, berries, or leaves. Vegetable oils are greasier and oilier than essential oils and don’t evaporate as essential oils do. The function of the oils in seeds is to protect the seed while it’s still part of the plant.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are extracted from various plant parts, including flowers, grasses, trees, roots, leaves, berries, resin, cones, firewood, needles, rhizomes, fruits, and shells as well as other parts of the plant. However, all plants do not produce essential oils.

In fact, essential oils are used as part of the plant's survival mechanism. Essential oils are highly concentrated and very powerful in nature. Direct application of it can cause skin irritation or cause allergies and can even burn your skin. So for optical use, it is necessary to dilute the oil or mix it with a base oil and be sure not to use too much.

Benefits of Using Oil for Hair

• Oil Strengthens Your Hair: Oil increases the elasticity of hair, which means they are less prone to breakage.
• A Good Hair Oil Protects Your Hair from Heat Damage: By coating each hair strand with a protective layer of oil, it may help to defend your hair against heat damage.
• Oil for Hair Hydrates and Prevents Frizziness: Oils that are rich in fatty acids and vitamin E actually make a barrier that prevents your strands from losing moisture and also prevents humidity from entering the hair shaft, keeping frizziness at bay.
• Oils May Promote Hair Regrowth: Since oils hydrate and strengthen the hair shaft, they prevent hair breakage, which may make your hair appear to grow more quickly. So it is suggested to use the best hair growth oil to make your hair appear thicker and shiner.
• Oils Are Naturally UV Protective: Plant phenols found in certain oils have the ability to naturally prevent and even reverse the harmful effects of UV radiation on the hair and skin. In fact, some plant oils provide 30% more protection than your bare hair or skin.

What is the Best Oil for Hair?

Not all hair care oils are good for hair. Oil is good for your hair or not depending on your hair type and the benefits you’re looking for. Some of the best hair care tips and oils to use for the types of hair you have been discussed here:

Best Oil for Hair: Curls

Coconut oil is an excellent choice for curls. Because unlike many other types of oils, coconut oil has a small molecular size which the hair strand absorbs easily. This provides curls with the moisture they need without weighing them down. Avocado oil also has a similar effect.

Best Oil for Hair: Extra Shine

Lightweight carrier oils like carrot oil and jojoba oil are perfect to add an extra sheen to your hair. To add sheen, just rub a very small amount of oil over dry and styled hair. Be careful not to overdo it! Using too much oil can make your hair look greasy instead of glossy.

Best Oil for Hair: Prevent Split Ends

Coconut oil is also a good option for preventing split ends. To use, take some warm coconut oil in your hands, then apply it to your ends. For best results, apply coconut oil to your hair before going to bed, then make a protective hairstyle to prevent split ends from forming overnight.

Best Oil for Hair: Combat Frizziness or Dryness

If you have dry or damaged hair, try using argan oil. This Moroccan oil is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E that provide much-needed moisture to dry locks. 

Best Oil for Hair: Fine Hair

Lightweight oils like apricot kernel oil can add shine and moisture to fine hair without weighing them down. While applying just be careful to avoid your roots, since too much oil near the scalp can make fine hair look flat and greasy.

Best Oil for Hair: Hair Growth

Peppermint oil helps to promote hair growth by stimulating circulation on the scalp. This increased blood flow helps in delivering essential nutrients to the hair follicles, thus helping hair to grow. Thus, peppermint oil is the best hair growth oil.

Best Oil for Hair: UV Protection

Out of some oils for hair, sunflower oil, olive oil, and coconut oil are some of the best oils for sun-protected hair.

Take Away

Hair oiling is a treatment for healthy hair. Regular hair oiling may prevent them from the damage caused by pollution and chemicals present in the shampoo. It may also increase moisture, and shine, and possibly prevent hair loss or hair fall.

There is so much importance in understanding the needs of your hair and then choosing your oil accordingly. Oiling at night provides maximum benefits.