We will tell you the hair oil trick from India to get healthy hair
Apply a special hair oil from root to tip and leave it overnight – when we Western women hear this, we immediately think of greasy, weighed down hair and roots. But it’s wrong. Let’s just ask Indian women who have long, full and healthy hair thanks to their weekly oil routine.
Dimple Amarnani, co-owner of Sitara, a beauty center with a range of carefully selected treatments inspired by the Hindu tradition, with his sister Hema, explains. “In India, women have applied oil to their hair for thousands of years to protect it from the sun and pollution. The result is long, strong, hydrated, shiny and nourished hair. Hair is strengthened and it prevents loss,” says Dimple, who also recalls that Indian women used this tradition every day and today the oil treatment is only done once a week (and at night) .
Care tip for healthy hair: A hair oil treatment once a week
We know that oiling your hair every day is a difficult habit to adopt in today’s lifestyle, but it is more than advisable to try it at least once a week. Not only do they deeply hydrate the hair and make it shinier, but you also prevent hair loss, detoxify it by eliminating chemical residues such as parabens and sulfates from some of the washing and styling products we use, and avoid irritation and flaking of the hair. scalp. The oil treatment is based on Ayurvedic philosophy and brings many benefits if you practice it regularly.
Healthy hair: this is how the oil treatment is applied
It’s best to apply the treatment at night, spreading the oil from root to tip (yes, don’t worry), then tying the hair back into a bun or ponytail. Then, of course, you have to wash your hair the next day. As the Sitara expert explains, the secret to not weighing hair down and leaving oil at the roots is to apply the shampoo twice and leave the product to act for a few minutes on the second application. Plus, rinsing it out with lukewarm (almost cold) water will give your hair an extra dose of shine.
If you can’t (or don’t want to) leave the oil on overnight, you can shorten the process. However, to get visible results, you need to leave it in your hair for at least two hours. There are also two other ways to “treat” your hair with oil. You can do this when you go to the gym by applying the oil to dry hair and tying your hair in a ponytail and washing it afterwards. In this way, the heat opens the cuticle layer and helps the oil to penetrate the hair fibers better. You can also use the oil when you are at the beach or by the pool as it not only nourishes your hair but also protects it from sun, salt and wind. In fact, stylist Maria Baras says she recommends it to all of her clients who practice Bikram yoga because, just as steam and heat open the pores of the skin, it also opens the hair cuticle.
These are the best hair oils for healthy hair
Although there are a variety of oils with different properties for the hair, the following are the easiest to find:
- Pure Coconut Oil: “It is the most recommended for all hair types”, specifies the expert Sitara, who emphasizes that this oil penetrates and nourishes in depth. In fact, stylist Gabriel Llano explained to us how to use coconut oil to moisturize hair: “Put it in a bowl, heat it up, and when it’s liquid, apply it from mid-lengths to ends. Leave it on for an hour or an hour and a half, depending on the porosity of your hair, then wash it out,” he said. Because coconut oil has antimicrobial properties, it can also be used as a scalp treatment. Leave it on for about eight hours before rinsing it out, then wash your hair as usual.
- Sesame oil: It is another oil used in Ayurvedic treatments. It is generally applied slightly warm. Thanks to its high vitamin E content, it is perfect for very dry hair.
- Native olive oil: It also contains high doses of vitamin E and, as Dimple Amarnani points out, strengthens the hair while rejuvenating it at the same time. It also contains vitamin C, which stimulates the formation of collagen, and vitamin A, which promotes cell regeneration.
- Amla Oil: This oil is extracted from a traditional Indian fruit and used in Ayurvedic medicine. Its benefits for the hair? It moisturizes, has an anti-inflammatory effect on the scalp and delays the appearance of white hair.