The fascinating thing about the fall season is, that just like you can use it as the time to get your body into the shape that you want to, you can also take this time to focus on restoring your hair. If you want to protect your locks from the bitter cold and harsh winds, you can put your hair into a protective style, wrap it up in a scarf, or rock a satin-lined hat. And, if this is the year that you want to accomplish some real hair length, December through March is the ideal time to pamper your hair and scalp. As far as pampering goes, one way to give your head some TLC is to give your hair and scalp weekly hot oil treatments. You can also seal your locks with oil or use oil as an ingredient in your deep conditioner or pre-poo.
Since there are literally dozens of different oils that you can apply—and also since we are already well into the fall season—we thought we’d help you narrow down your options by providing you with a list of five oils that are absolutely essential when it comes to your fall hair care routine.
1. Bhringraj Oil
Although Bhringraj oil isn’t the kind that you hear about every day, it is quite popular in Ayurveda therapy as well as medical science. Health-wise, it’s the kind of oil that helps to lower blood sugar levels, treat urinary tract infections, detoxify the liver, and, thanks to the high amount of magnesium that’s in it, Bhringraj oil has been known to reduce the discomfort of headaches and promote sound sleep too.
But what this oil really has the best reputation for is all that it can do for our skin and especially our hair. The Vitamin E that’s in it aids in soothing dry and/or inflamed skin. The oil overall helps to treat dandruff and dry scalp, reduce hair fall, increase blood circulation, add sheen, promote hair growth, and even prevent premature greying.
How to use it: If you want to make your own batch of Bhringraj oil from scratch, click here.
2. Olive Oil
Personally, I’d be close to shocked if you didn’t already have at least one bottle of olive oil in your kitchen pantry. Good thing too because olive oil is loaded with oleic acid which works to reduce body inflammation throughout our system. Some other cool things about olive oil include the fact that it is packed with antioxidants, helps to protect us from getting heart disease, reduces the chances of us getting type 2 diabetes, contains anti-cancer properties, and contains antibacterial properties as well.
Hair-wise, the antioxidants in the oil keep our scalps from getting too dry while preventing our hair follicles from experiencing too much cell damage. Another wonderful thing about olive oil is it helps to deeply penetrate our hair shaft, making it an ideal ingredient for deep conditioning and/or sealing our hair (especially the ends).
How to use it: If you really want to protect your hair from fall’s chill, apply a hair mask of olive oil and honey. The honey will work as a humectant and pull moisture from the air into your hair. All you need to do is mix four tablespoons of virgin olive oil with two tablespoons of honey. Heat the combo up in the microwave for 15 seconds and apply it to freshly washed hair. Let it sit for 60 minutes, then rinse in warm and then cold water. Style as usual.
3. Rosemary Oil
Out of all the oils on this list, if there’s one that you should definitely have in your possession, it’s rosemary oil. As far as physical benefits go, it’s the kind of oil that relieves pain, improves brain function, increases blood circulation, reduces stress, and can even help to kill the bacteria that cause food poisoning.
The reason why rosemary is an ultimate go-to for our hair is that not only does it contain anti-inflammatory properties, but it also helps to heal hair follicles and encourage nerve growth; this means that it’s a great oil for increasing hair growth and even treating hair loss.
How to use it: Treat yourself to a soothing massage by mixing four teaspoons of sweet almond oil (it stimulates hair growth and reduces hair fall”> with 10 drops of rosemary oil and three drops of lavender oil (lavender oil will soothe scalp inflammation while providing a calming effect”>. You can warm the oil up or apply it at room temperature. Massage your scalp for 5-10 minutes. Let the oil sit for 20 minutes and then rinse the oil out.
4. Clary Sage Oil and Lavender Oil Blend
Clary sage oil is good to use, not only because of its antibacterial properties but also because it works as an antidepressant, reduces menstrual cramps, and relieves stress. If you apply it to your hair and scalp, it can also treat dandruff, coat and protect your hair shaft from environmental damage, and encourage hair growth.
How to use it: Clary sage oil is especially powerful if you apply a few drops of lavender oil to it. Lavender oil also contains antibacterial properties, making the combination great at keeping your scalp fungus-free. Plus, lavender oil also has properties that will help to relax you as well. The less stressed you are, the less prone you are to damaged hair follicles and ultimately hair loss.
5. Horsetail Plant Extract Oil
The benefits of horsetail oil are very similar to that of tea tree oil. The properties in it work as an astringent, plus it has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antimicrobial benefits. This particular oil also works as a diuretic and coagulant. Since horsetail oil is able to do so much, some people use it to treat dry and brittle fingernails while others use it to reduce heavy menstrual flow, stop nose bleeds, and even soothe frostbite. Not only that, but many individuals sing the praises of horsetail oil because it can also help to prevent kidney stones as well as control incontinence.
Something that horsetail oil contains is silica (also known as silicon dioxide). It’s a compound that stimulates hair growth, strengthens our hair shaft, and adds a sheen to our hair’s appearance. Two other ingredients in this particular oil are selenium and cysteine; these also help to promote hair growth.
How to use it: One YouTuber uses horsetail as a pre-poo. You can learn more about how by going here.
So, if you’ve been looking for the kind of oil that will protect your hair from all that Mother Nature brings during the fall, one or a combination of these five oils will definitely keep your hair in great condition…just in time for winter.
