Our hair often forms a big part of our identity, and when it starts to thin or fall out it can really get us down.
While long and luscious hair doesn’t grow overnight, there are many things that you can do and treatments you can try to protect and promote hair growth.
Amongst these options is using essential oils for hair growth and thickness. Great for those who prefer natural remedies, this has been shown to be a highly effective option to achieve healthy, long locks.
And what’s more, essential oils for hair growth can be mixed and blended at home cheaply and easily.
In this article on the best essential oils for hair growth and thickness, we’ll cover:
- What are essential oils?
- How can essential oils help with hair growth and thickness?
- DIY hair growth treatments: our essential oils for hair growth recipes.
- Homemade Herby Hair Oil
- Homemade Banana Essential Oil Hair mask
- Homemade Coconut Oil Conditioner
What are Essential Oils?
Whenever you peel an orange, pluck a stalk of lavender, strip a sprig of rosemary, or smell a rose, the lovely fragrance that fills your nose is the essential oil of the plant.
Essential oils are liquids containing the natural fragrant essence extracted from flowers, leaves, bark, roots, fruit peel, berries, and other natural sources.
Essential oils are named so because these liquids capture the plant’s unique fragrance or “essence”, by concentrating their unique aromatic compounds through the process of refinement and extraction.
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So, how do essential oils for hair growth and thickness work?
Obtained from various plant matters through methods like distillation, pressing, or solvent extractions, essential oils not only smell amazing but also have powerful chemical properties that can be beneficial for various aspects of our health.
These chemical properties come in the form of various macronutrients such as fats, and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals – which is what makes essential oils for hair growth work.
Our hair needs various fats, vitamins, and minerals to grow. Applying essential oil blends topically can be a great way to make sure that your scalp and hair are getting these nutrients needed for hair to grow, renew and stay healthy.
Applying essential oils for hair growth on a regular basis can also enhance lubrication of the hairs shaft (the bit just under the skin after the follicle) and in doing so eases growth and helps prevent hair breakage.
And it’s not just which oils you apply, but how you apply them. Massaging the head can increase hair growth by improving your blood circulation to the scalp and also stimulating your hair follicles.
Saying this, it should be noted that while essential oils for hair growth can be very effective, the health of our hair and skin can be a mirror to our inner health.
As such, issues such as hair thinning, loss or slow growth often require external and internal remedies for effective, long-term relief.
Ensuring that you’re eating a varied and balanced diet, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated are all important steps to take to make sure you’re absorbing all of the necessary nutrients for healthy hair and all-round health.
3 recipes for DIY Hair Growth Oils and Treatments
In this section, we’ll run you through three essential oils for hair growth recipe templates. Through this, you’ll learn how to mix essential oils for hair growth to make your own various, DIY hair growth oil, mask, and conditioner.
As a safety note, it’s crucial to always dilute your essential oils before use, as they are highly concentrated and can be toxic if used neat.
#1: Stimulating hair oil
Avocado oil offers a great base for DIY hair growth oil, being rich not only in various vitamins and minerals but also packed with essential fatty acids that are deeply moisturizing and crucial for healthy, growing hair.
We’ve chosen to add rosemary and basil as oils that promote hair growth.
Rosemary oil has been shown in peer-reviewed studies to encourage hair growth to the same rate as over-the-counter hair growth treatments. Meanwhile, studies of basil oil have shown to reduce hair loss by almost a third.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp carrier oil (cold-pressed avocado, almond, coconut oil are all great for your hair)
- 2 drops of rosemary essential oil
- 2 drops of basil essential oil
How to make:
- Place a glass bowl with the avocado oil over a larger bowl filled with warm, but not boiling water. Add the essential oils, stir and allow to cool.
How to use:
- To use, take 3-5 drops into your hand and rub together so the oil is distributed over your palms. With your fingers, massage the oil into your scalp using circular movements for 2-3 minutes.
- Leave for 30 minutes then massage your hair with natural baby shampoo and water.
- Store in fridge and use within 6 months.
#2: Banana hair mask
Not only are they great in smoothies, but bananas are great for the hair. Rich in potassium, amino acids, and other micronutrients, they’re a great nourishing and sticky base for a hair mask.
While not technically an essential oil, calendula oil is full of antioxidants that stimulate the hair follicles and supports the growth of robust and silky locks.
Ylang-ylang has been shown to be a very effective essential oil for hair growth, stimulating sebum to ward against dryness, and has even been found to reduce hair fall caused by stress and alopecia in these studies.
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 drops of calendula macerated oil
- 3 drops of ylang-ylang essential oil
How to make:
- Using a blender, blend the banana until it forms a smooth paste. Add the calendula and ylang ylang oils and mix well.
How to use:
- To use, wet your hair from root to ends. Then towel dry until your hair is damp and comb out any knots.
- Next, take the banana mixture and spread it evenly throughout your hair. Focus on massaging it into the scalp using circular motions.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap to prevent the mixture drying out (or attracting flies!) and leave for 30-40 minutes.
- After this time has passed, wash out your hair with natural baby shampoo until the mixture has gone.
- Store in fridge and use within 2 days.
#3: Homemade coconut-based conditioner
Coconut oil is widely recognized for its various benefits to the hair, so offers the perfect base for this nourishing homemade conditioner. It’s a strong moisturizer for both the hair and the scalp, helping to keep hair hydrated and strong.
We’ve chosen to add lavender, basil, and rosemary oil helps to restore vitality to dull locks and stimulate hair growth. Rosemary oil has been shown in studies to match the hair growth promotion of minoxidil – an over-the-counter medication for alopecia.
Lavender is also amongst the best oils that promote hair growth, with studies evidencing its ability to stimulate faster and thicker hair growth when applies topically. The benefits of basil essential oil for hair growth has been outlined above.
Ingredients:
- 100g / 3.5 oz coconut oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 8 drops rosemary essential oil
- 6 drops basil essential oil
How to make:
- Place the coconut oil in a large jar, then melt this by placing the jar in a bowl of hot water so that the water reaches half way up the side of the jar.
- Once completely melted, remove the jar and add the essential oils to the now liquid coconut oil. Mix well and allow to cool and set.
How to use:
- To use, take half a teaspoon sized amount of the conditioner mix and rub it between your palms, using the warmth of your hands to soften it.
- Spread it throughout your hair, focusing on massaging it into your scalp and the roots. Wrap your hair in a towel and leave for 40 minutes.
- Then rinse the mixture out using a natural baby shampoo (baby shampoo is much gentler and will rinse excess oils, but won’t strip the oils out completely).
- Store in fridge and use within 6 months.
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From essential oils for hair growth to all-Natural bug repellents . . .
Now you know about essential oils for hair growth – what about essential oils for bug bites?
