If you want long, strong, shiny, and healthy locks, then according to Ayurveda, you must oil your scalp and hair regularly. Ayurveda offers many Ayurvedic hair oils to promote hair growth.
Massaging the scalp and hair with hair oil not only improves hair quality and promotes healthy hair growth, but it also enhances the quality of sleep, relieves headaches, and keeps you calm.
Right before bedtime is the perfect time for oiling the scalp and hair. This promotes hair growth and prevents premature graying and split ends.
To promote hair growth, you can apply Ayurvedic hair oils to the scalp, the root of the hair, and along the length of the hair.
Looking for a versatile Ayurvedic hair oil for your scalp and hair? Try iYURA Keranya Pure Black Seed Potent Hair Potion, a powerful colorless oil that suits all hair types and hair colors to get that long, lush voluminous look!
Keranya’s astounding power comes from this mysterious secret seed – Nigella Sativa or Kalonji – which’s packed with nutrients to strengthen your hair, improve the health of your hair follicles, and properly condition your hair. This miracle-like oil is also a multi-layered blend of 3 additional excellent hair oils and 3 master hair herbs – Amla, Bhringraj, and Licorice – the golden trio for beautiful, strong hair, according to Ayurveda.
Learn More about Keranya Oil, here!
Read More: Ayurvedic Hair Conditioners + Remedies
Tips to apply oil to your hair
Plan to oil your hair according to your hair-washing schedule. You can oil your hair at night and wash it off the next day. You can do this twice or three times a week.
Applying hair oil right after washing your hair isn’t advisable. Oily hair attracts dust which makes it rough and brittle.
If you want to oil your hair during the daytime, you can cover it with a scarf or cloth. Even prolonged sun exposure can damage hair and make it dry and brittle. Let’s see what the preferred Ayurvedic hail oils for hair growth are.
Ayurvedic Hair Oils For Hair Growth
Sesame Oil
In Ayurveda, sesame oil or tila tailam is the preferred oil for promoting hair growth. It is even used for scalp massages. Sesame oil is also known as gingelly oil.
It is enriched with Vitamin E, B-complex, and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and protein that strengthen the hair from the roots and deeply nourishes it.
In Ayurvedic medicine, regular head massages with sesame oil help relieve headaches, prevent hair loss and premature greying of hair, strengthen the roots, calm the mind, and enhance sleep quality.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil promotes hair growth, improves hair quality and strength, and nourishes the hair root. The Ayurvedic scholar Sushruta, in his text ‘Sushruta Samhita’, described the benefits of using coconut oil for hair.
He stated that coconut oil has a sheet virya which means that it has a cooling potency, and it acts as a natural coolant.
Sushruta also mentioned that it is an aphrodisiac and promotes hair growth, calms Vata and Pitta, and supports Kapha. Coconut oil has wound-healing properties as well.1
Coconut oil deeply conditions the hair when applied overnight. It softens frizzy hair and prevents or minimizes dandruff.
Amla Oil
Amla oil is an excellent hair conditioner. It deeply conditions the scalp and hair follicles. It is beneficial for healthy growth and hair shine. This miracle oil has been used for centuries by both men and women for haircare.
Coconut oil when used with Amla oil helps prevent protein loss from the hair shaft.
The flavonoids and polyphenols present in the amla oil prevent premature graying of hair. This mixture can be very easily prepared at home.
Almond Oil
Almond oil softens, strengthens, repairs, and promotes hair growth. It contains high amounts of vitamin E, a natural antioxidant. Antioxidants help combat environmental stress to make your hair look younger and healthier.
Almond oil can help with scalp conditions. It can also be used as a treatment for a flaky scalp (seborrheic dermatitis) and psoriasis.
Almond oil has been used to treat dry scalp and dryness-related conditions in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.
Castor Oil
Castor oil has been an age-old remedy for hair and skin-related issues. It is an elixir for beautiful hair and supple skin.
Castor oil contains Vitamin E, proteins, and Omega 6, and 9. These constitute the key components responsible for good hair and skin.
It helps in reducing hair fall, premature greying of hair, fighting any scalp-related problems along accelerating hair growth.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is known to be a very good smoothening agent. It helps to smoothen and soften dry hair. It also helps in making the roots stronger and healthier thus promoting hair growth.
Neem Oil
Neem oil is a known disinfectant and antibacterial Ayurvedic hair oil. It prevents hair thinning by reducing scalp infection and dermal conditions. Neem oil can be used with other herbal extracts.
Note: If you’re using single-herb oils like above, make sure that these are pure, of the highest quality, and are cold-pressed, meaning they haven’t been processed in any way. Check the ingredients list carefully to ensure this. Sometimes, it won’t be explicitly mentioned like, if you see a “dry” oil, that means the oil is treated and is actually no longer natural. As seen above, you can use these oils for your hair, of course, but apart from that, each of these oils has many other significant uses that are unique and highly effective too. For example, did you know that Almond Oil is excellent at reducing the appearance of under-eye bags and ‘crepey’ skin around your eyes? Or, that Castor Oil naturally support the look of healthy eyelashes/eyebrows?
Yes, these really are versatile oils that can come in handy for various purposes. Plus, you can even add a few drops of these single-herb oils to your favorite polyherbal formulations to boost their effectiveness!
Bhringraj Oil
Bhringraj oil is actually one of the best Ayurvedic hair oils. It is made by combining the goodness of False Daisy or Eclipta alba with sesame oil.
It is considered to be greatly beneficial in reducing hair loss and premature greying. Moreover, it also promotes hair growth.
Brahmi Oil
Also known as Gotu Kola or Indian Pennywort, it is used for preventing premature hair loss and increasing the thickness and volume of hair.
Brahmi oil is made by mixing it with sesame oil or other carrier oils which is then applied to the hair and scalp.
Brahmi helps in calming down the mind and nervous system in addition to deeply nourishing the hair.
For better and faster absorption of the oil along with an upgraded massage experience, use a Kansa Wand, an all-natural, non-electronic (no batteries, no wires) massage wand for a calm, relaxing, and spa-like experience even when you’re oiling your head.
Not only does it help regulate the oil better but also gives a revitalizing effect for a pleasurable and relaxing experience!
Learn More about Kansa Massage Wand, here!
What are the root causes of hair problems, according to Ayurveda?
The root cause of hair problems, as in the case of skin problems, could be due to an aggravated dosha. Hair types are also determined on the basis of the doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha as per Ayurveda.
Most likely, your hair will be similar to your prevalent dosha. Let’s see how these doshas affect the quality of your hair:
Vata Hair: If your hair is thin, dry, frizzy and prone to split ends.
Pitta Hair: If your hair is thin and fine, and prone to premature greying
Kapha Hair: If you have thick and oily hair
A person’s Ayurvedic hair type can be Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, or sometimes even a combination of these.
Over time, your hair type may change because of external factors like climate, diet, lifestyle habits, or environmental pollution. Hormonal changes may also affect your original hair type.
Such deviations in your natural hair type, according to your Prakriti or dosha type, should also be taken into account when choosing a hair oil.
If you have questions or doubts, ask for an assessment with an Ayurvedic expert.
Make Your Own Ayurvedic Hair Oil Combinations
You can make your own Ayurvedic hair oil combination as well, according to your hair type.
- Boiling curry leaves in coconut oil is very good for hair growth, preventing hair loss.
- You can mix coconut oil with castor oil and almond oil for long shiny hair.
- Almond oil with sesame oil as the base is said to be good for those with Vata hair type, as both oils are very nourishing for the scalp and help reduce stiffness in the scalp.
- For the Pitta hair types, cooling coconut oil may be the ideal choice, as coconut is pitta-pacifying and can solve hair problems associated with aggravation of Pitta dosha.
- For those with Kapha hair, sesame or olive oil are good choices, as olive oil has purifying properties that help keep pores open.
- Kapha hair types should opt for hot towel steam after oiling their hair. It will open the clogged pores.
It is believed that head massages or hair oil applications during the evenings are most beneficial. When you divide the day’s timings according to the three doshas, evenings are dominated by the Vata Dosha.
Read More: How Ayurvedic Massage Works + Ayurvedic Massage Oils
However, if sesame oil is applied in the evening, it can calm down the increasing Vata dosha. Coconut oil is best applied in the morning, as it has the tendency to increase Kapha and Vata when applied at night.
People prone to regular coughs and colds should apply coconut oil 30-45 minutes before showers instead of leaving it on overnight.
To improve the quality of hair, promote hair growth, and prevent early greys and split ends, it is best to apply hair oil at night and wash it off the next morning.
For even better hair growth, oil can be applied to the scalp, hair roots, and length of the hair. It is good to heat the oil a little bit before applying as it helps with absorption.
Consult your Ayurvedic practitioner before trying any Ayurvedic hair oil or home remedies for hair.
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