The Ultimate Guide to Hair Oiling

Hair oiling is a traditional practice in many South Asian cultures including India. It is the application of natural oils to the hair & scalp, using a gentle massage to evenly distribute the oil, promote blood flow and nourish the hair.

Hair oiling is known to have many beneficial properties to help maintain long, luscious locks. It can help to hydrate and nourish hair, reducing dryness and promoting healthier hair growth. Hair oiling’s benefits also include, promoting hair growth, reducing hair loss, strengthening your hair shaft to prevent breakage, improving scalp health by increasing blood flow & oxygen to your scalp.

With a vast range of natural oils available to use, each oil will have a different benefit, presenting with a different outcome. So it is best to know what desired outcome you would like to achieve for your hair, to ensure you are catering your hair oiling routine to best suit you. It can be quite confusing trying to understand all the oils and what their benefits are…so here's a list of the most commonly used oils and their benefits:

Coconut Oil: Lightweight oil, amazing for deeply conditioning & providing natural protection to your hair. As it is lightweight, it easily penetrates the hair shaft, making it ideal for most hair types. Helps to reduce protein loss and strengthen hair.

Sesame Oil: A highly vitamin and nutrient rich oil, providing a deep conditioning and smoothing the hair shaft. Sesame oil has great antibacterial and antifungal properties which help to prevent dandruff.

Rosemary Oil: Contains anti-inflammatory properties and helps to boost scalp circulation. This helps to stimulate the follicles and promote hair growth, as well as helping to reduce hair loss by strengthening the hair follicle. Rosemary oil can also help to tackle dandruff, alleviating the symptoms of a dry, itchy scalp.

Almond Oil: Highly moisturising, lightweight, fast absorbing oil. Almond oil is an excellent source of vitamin E, great for treating dry, damaged hair and reducing oxidative stress. Also rich in vitamin B which is amazing for hair growth.

Moringa Oil: Contains oleic acid which is a good moisturiser for hair, helping to combat dry, dehydrated hair.

Bhringraj Oil: “King of Herbs” contains anti-inflammatory properties, reducing itching on the scalp, and minimising dandruff. It also contains anti-bacterial properties and anti-fungal properties which can help relieve scalp psoriasis symptoms. Hence boosting overall scalp health.

Amla Oil: Commonly known as the “holy grail” of haircare, Amla has been used in Indian culture, specifically Ayurveda for centuries. Rich in vitamins and minerals, Amla helps to stimulate healthy hair growth. It is high in vitamin C, and can help to reduce premature hair loss or greying of hair. An excellent natural conditioner, helping to add shine and volume to dry, damaged hair.

Argan Oil: Intensively nourishing and moisturising, a natural antioxidant perfect for repairing and rejuvenating, dry, dehydrated hair. It is rich in fatty acids, helping to keep your hair moisturised and soft.

With so many oils that have such a wide range of benefits, how do you know which one to use?

One of the most effective ways is to find a hair oil that premixes a range of these oils. Allowing easy usage but increasing the range of benefits you will experience from hair oiling.

A crowd favourite is definitely Delhicious' Rich Roots Hair Oil which contains 6 of the above mentioned oils, helping to target dry hair, damaged hair, dandruff, hair loss, dry scalp. Its amazing qualities will help to strengthen, add shine, promote hair growth, reduce hair loss, repair and leave you hair feeling softer, smoother and shinier.

How to apply hair oil

Gently massaging it into your scalp can be highly beneficial but these benefits can be amplified by following a thorough massage routine. In Ayurveda there is a component called Marma, these are regarded as the seats of life energy. They can be found all over our body (107 points to be exact!). By massaging these key points on your scalp and neck you can help to promote relaxation, improve overall well being and increase the overall benefits of hair oiling. 

Some key marma points to massage when oiling your hair are: 

Base of the skull: Relieves stress and anxiety 

Temples: Improves sleep quality 

Outer Ear: Improves hearing and balance 

Adhipati (located 8 finger above the eyebrow): Responsible for many functions, including enhancing hair density and shine, managing blood pressure and reducing anxiety

Kapala (located around the hairline): Relieves stress, supports sound sleep and calm emotional disturbance 

Let us know if you decide to try out this method of hair oiling with our Delhicious' Rich Roots Hair Oil