Hair oiling – worth applying? [the best methods, outcomes, opinions]

Cosmetics

Hair oiling… some believe that this is a treatment similar to Olaplex, yet more natural. The others think that strands regularly treated with oils look similar to the hair exposed to lamination procedure.

Ok, let’s face the truth. Does hair oiling really deliver the above-mentioned effects? Is hair oiling able to stop hair thinning, accelerate its growth and help us live to see the day when our head finally starts growing baby hair? The truth is that this treatment receives positive feedback, and these aren’t only women who keep applying oils to their hair – men also struggle with excessive hair loss, or reach for natural oils to condition their beards.

Hair Oiling – What’s that? Who can apply oils to hair?

Basically, hair oiling is a conditioning-and-beautifying hair treatment. It’s a very convenient form of pampering hair because it can be undergone at home – all you need is an appropriate oil blend and a free evening. It’s worth pointing out that Ayurveda considers hair oiling as ‘healing process’ – this treatment boosts hair condition and improves its ‘life.’

Yet, there’s one thing that makes us wonder:

Why has hair oiling been so popular for thousands of years? It’s truly surprising that the present-day achievements of cosmetology still can’t equal to the power delivered by natural oils. It appears that these natural substances’ secret lies in the comprehensive action they deliver and precision, which, in other words, is almost synergic adjustment to various hair textures. Well-matched and consistent with hair porosity the blends of oils are able to defuse the crisis hair is hit by. All that has to be done is keep treating hair with oils regularly – once a week, at least.

It’s quite significant that everybody, without exception, can treat their hair with oils – no matter of their age, hair condition and (of course) sex. Oils are so natural and safe that they are eagerly used for treating delicate skin of newborns (oils are able to deal with cradle cap). Men make a good use of oils to condition beard and help it grow faster. Women do this to beautify and regenerate their hair, slow down thinning and accelerate hair growth.

How to treat hair with oils – Two the best methods

Hair oiling is neither a complicated nor toilsome treatment.
Simply, it depends on applying natural, non-refined and cold-pressed oils to hair and scalp. Moreover, this treatment has more variations – in other words, you can treat hair with oils in many ways (even applying an oil to the hair ends only is considered as hair oiling), but for full hair restoration there are two most important techniques to adopt; and only these two methods are accepted by Ayurveda and there are no other variations that Hindu hair salons offer. These are: Wet/Dry Hair Oiling.

1. Dry Hair Oiling

This is a method that depends on coating dry hair and scalp with an oil. In most cases, oil is applied in order to nourish, protect and discipline hair. Furthermore, owning to oiling, hair resistance to damages is increased, strands are shielded against high temperatures, scalp is cleansed and sebum production is noticeably balanced. After the treatment, strands become smooth, shiny and bouncy.

Dry Hair Oiling will bring out the best results if we apply the oils to clean hair and scalp. If you keep using hair sprays and hair styling products – go for the other method of applying oils, which is Wet Hair Oiling (wash your hair precisely before applying an oil). It’s worth realizing that hair styling cosmetics act comedogenic and create a kind of an impervious coat on hair that blocks oil’s particles from getting into the inner structures of hair. Therefore, it’s crucial to make both hair and scalp clean before applying an oil.

2. Wet Hair Oiling

This method requires double hair washing (before and after oiling), yet it is definitely more effective – damp, freshly washed and towelled hair increases its absorption rate, therefore particles of an oil are more ‘willing’ to squeeze between hair cuticles to reach inner hair structures faster and more effectively.

Actually, Wet Hair Oiling is a strictly hair regenerating treatment. Natural oil boosts hair condition, fixes damages in the inner hair layers, penetrates hair bulbs to encourage them to more efficient work, improves scalp state and supplies hair with an array of vitamins, minerals and vegetable sterols.

Wet Hair Oiling is a treatment which aims at gradual hair restoring and beautifying from the very roots.

Hair Oiling Procedure Step by Step

No matter the method you follow (wet or dry), oil has to be applied in the same way:

Detangle hair precisely.
While separating thin strands, keep applying oil starting from the roots. Remember to let the oil coat scalp as well. Basically, applying oils to hair resembles hair root dying procedure so you can make a good use of a flat brush here. Once you put on the oil, follow with a delicate massage so as to boost blood circulation in scalp and stimulate hair bulbs to work – they will start absorbing the oil better.
When the entire scalp and hair roots are covered with the oil, focus on the remaining hair parts – keep applying the oil strand by strand until you coat hair ends. After that, run a comb along your hair. Use a wide teeth comb.
Oil particles deliver better action if warmed up therefore hide your hair under a bath cap and, additionally, wrap it with a towel. Basically, you can also warm the ‘wrapping’ with a warm air stream generated by a hair dryer. Let the oil sit on your hair for at least a half of an hour (you can let the oil remain on your hair for the entire night).
Once the procedure is over, wash your hair precisely using a shampoo. If you want to help the oil leave your hair faster, you can apply either a conditioner or a mask first – such products emulsify the oil and facilitate its removal.

Hair Oiling – Effects

A little bit of systematicity and regular application of oils to hair bring out truly surprising effects. It’s worth enumerating the most important ones and these are:

hair oiling makes hair bulbs stronger
this treatment improves scalp condition and its blood circulation thanks to which hair grows faster
it counteracts hair loss
fixes broken sulphur bridges of inner hair structures
conditions hair ends and prevents hair loss
protects hair on its entire length (there is a microscopic layer created on hair surface that prevents toxins from penetrating hair)
hair oiling slows down hair ageing processes and prevents damages
handles hair moisturisation
counteracts weakening of hair, which is the consequence of dying (effect comparable with Olaplex)
hair oiling delivers gloss, tames, smooths hair and adds vitality (effect comparable with hair lamination procedure)
stimulates hair bulbs to work and accelerates growth of baby hair
improves the outer structure of hair, fills in the gaps that appeared on hair structure
hair oiling supplies hair with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids
it delivers plenty of flavonoids and plant sterols to hair bulbs: slows down ageing processes including greying

Hair Oiling. What Oil to Choose?

Choosing an oil is a very important issue; if mismatched, it can make your hair frizzy or weigh it down, therefore if you want to obtain spectacular effects, you must choose the right oil. This task can be done by following two easy rules. Namely, oil should be:

in accordance with hair porosity level, so in other words, it has to match hair structure and the level of hair damage;
completely natural, cold-pressed. Either oil or a blend of natural oils should be deprived of parabens and silicones. Just few hair oil blends can be applied to the scalp and, after all, this is the most important aspect of oiling.

Owning to regular application of natural oils we can see for ourselves that there is no such thing like good or bad hair. Behind every problem we experience with our hair, there is an improper care and mismatched cosmetics we tend to treat our hair with. Hair oiling plays in tune with hair types and its porosity; it’s the answer to specific hair needs, and this is why the treatment receives so many positive feedback all around the word.