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Your hair can make you look good in any picture. Isn’t that so? Our tresses are more than just about style—it’s all about the emotional appeal! After all, don’t most of us avoid going out or facing the camera on bad hair days, but good hair days make us want to step out and groove.
Having healthy and lustrous mane demands a good haircare regime. Our hair is exposed to a lot of environmental toxins that can severely damage them. In today’s stressful times, the damage is even higher, so hair health is a major concern for most us. After nutrition, oil massage plays a vital role in giving life to our locks. Yes, your grandmother’s oil massage at home wasn’t just full of love and warmth—it was also loaded with goodness for your hair.
Oil massage for hair is quite beneficial as it protects and strengthens the hair. It also prevents split ends, hair breakage, and premature greying. Apart from oiling, hair masks also work to boost the well-being of hair. They moisturize the hair by restoring the keratin, thus making your mane look smooth and shiny. That gives birth to a query jumping in many minds- can we apply the hair mask after oiling? Wash your hair with a shampoo and then apply a mask for best results.
Now let’s uncover, how to use hair oil. But before we get to that, just have a glance at a variety of oils that you can utilize for head massage. You can use each oil separately or blend 2-3 oils together to reap maximum gains.
Best oils for hair
Dry, damaged, and dull hair are common problems. Dryness is one of the major causes of hair fall because when hair is unable to hold moisture, it becomes fragile. Add the following hair oils to your hair care routine to add lustre to your locks:
1. Coconut oil
The moisture-retaining properties of coconut oil help treat damaged hair and prevent breakage. It also prevents hair loss as it penetrates well into the scalp and makes hair silky and shiny.
2. Olive oil
The olive oil also has moisturizing properties and can greatly benefit dry hair. It also acts as a heat protector and conceals damaged hair strands.
3. Almond oil
It helps to nourish dry hair and strengthens the density at the cellular level, as it is enriched with biotin.
4. Avocado oil
It helps in hydrating and repairing damaged hair. It prevents dandruff, breakage, and detangles thus protecting the hair.
5. Argan oil
This wonderful oil is extracted from the argan tree. It has hair-benefitting ingredients like vitamin E and fatty acids that can nourish and moisturize your strands. It is one of the best oils for dry hair. It also reduces the frizz and boosts sheen.
6. Castor oil
Castor oil comes from castor beans and is enriched with vitamin E, minerals, and proteins. It moisturises dry and itchy scalp, and helps in controlling hair fall, dandruff, and various scalp infections.
HOW TO APPLY HAIR OIL
- Remove all the knots and tangles from hair with a wide-toothed comb or a hairbrush.
- Warm the oil. Section your hair and apply the warm oil on the roots with your fingertips in a circular motion. Do not be very vigorous in your application as it might tangle your hair and lead to breakage.
- Ensure even distribution of oil, and drench your locks from roots to tips.
- Cover your head with a warm towel for better absorption. The minimum time to keep oil in hair is one hour. Some people prefer overnight, however, there are not many additional benefits of oiling hair overnight. It might lead to blocked follicles resulting in infection.
HOW TO WASH HAIR AFTER OILING
- Rinse your hair with water and then apply shampoo, lathering it well. Rinse thoroughly to remove all the oil and shampoo.
- After shampooing, condition your hair well either with a conditioner or with a hair mask.
- Towel dry your hair—but do not wrap your hair in the towel for long, as it might draw out the moisture. Pat dry with soft knitted fabric instead.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU OIL YOUR HAIR
Well, oiling your hair once or twice a week is enough.
HOW MUCH OIL TO PUT IN HAIR
This depends on the length of the hair. If you have long tresses, you might require as much as 1/8th to 1/4th of a cup.
WHEN TO APPLY HAIR OIL
Any time of the day according to your routine is good to go. Ensure that you keep the oil in your hair for one to two hours for deep conditioning benefits.
Please note, in case you are suffering from dandruff or psoriasis, stay away from oiling as it might increase the flaking and itching.
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