Getting Rapunzel-esque strands is no easy feat – ask anyone who’s gobbled down countless Vitamin E supplements and biotin pills only to be greeted with lackluster strands stuck at the same length. Here is a quick reality check: no matter what product, pill, or prayer you try, you can’t do much until you have a happy scalp. If your hair never seems to grow to its full potential, allow us to introduce you to an ancient at-home practice that’s blowing up on Instagram.
Enters Ayurvedic hair oiling. We didn’t know much about Ayurvedic hair oiling until we started seeing success stories flood our IG feed. What we can 100% get behind with the practice is that it’s easy to incorporate into your regular hair care routine and offers some pretty compelling health benefits along the way. What’s particularly intriguing about the practice is its ability to help promote healthy hair growth, which we’re sure many of you will be interested in. Did your ears perk up? Don’t worry – we’ll explain. If you’re curious to know about the practice yourself, scroll on and find the full rundown along with a few products recs.
What Is Ayurvedic Hair Oil?
Ayurvedic hair oiling happens to be an ancient form of haircare that does wonders for the locks. It’s a centuriy-old self-care ritual where you apply herbal oils to your scalp and hair in order to moisturise, strengthen, and thicken your hair. In addition to hair health, oiling is also used to boost overall wellness, as it helps with stress relief and promotes better sleep.
Sounds pretty great, right? What’s even better is the fact that you don’t even have to think twice before adding it to your haircare routine ‘coz it’s so easy. Hair oiling is performed by massaging a few drops of herbal oil into your scalp and then working it through your hair from root to tip, ensuring you cover every strand. This practice is known as abhyanga in Sanskrit and can be a relaxing form of self-care. The oils used for this practice feature herbs including ashwagandha and bhringraj.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Ayurvedic Hair Oil?
Wait, there are additional benefits to hair oiling that we hadn’t mentioned previously. Incorporating this practice can prevent breakage, combat dandruff, and even boost hair growth. How often you do it will depend on your #hairgoals. We recommend practicing hair oiling once a week to reap maximum benefits. It also depends on how often you wash or style your hair. When used as a treatment to restore dry and damaged hair, it should be performed two to three times a week with the oil left on overnight before shampooing.
We know most of you are probably interested in how it can promote longer, thicker hair. DW – we have the scoop on that too. The oils used in this practice help nourish the scalp and stimulate blood circulation, which increases the oxygen supply to the hair follicle and thus promotes faster growth.
What Are The Best Ayurvedic Hair Oils To Use?
Rosemary herbs, amla, bhringraj, and a nourishing carrier oil like jojoba or sesame make for effective Ayurvedic hair oil. Amla is a great source of Vitamin C, which helps strengthen your hair and prevent breakage. Bhringraj is also known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help keep your scalp healthy and promote healthy hair growth. Rosemary has infinite benefits for the hair, including strengthening and preventing hair loss.
Luscious locks ahead!
Featured Image: Instagram
