Hair growth is a natural process. Skin cells called hair follicles deposit layers of a protein called Keratin in the form of our hair. Speed of growth varies person to person but you can always maximise your hair growth potential! Creating a healthy environment for hair growth is the ultimate goal. Eating a well-balanced diet is vital, exercise and sleep are important but adding essential oils into your routine may also help maximise your hair growth potential.
Essential oils have been used for centuries. Many cultures around the world used them as a great way to promote natural, healthy beauty. We're here to help you understand how essential oils can improve your hair’s general health, length, and thickness.
What is an essential oil?
Essential oils are a highly concentrated, aromatic liquid that is extracted from a plant. They should never be used in their concentrated form. Always dilute with a suitable carrier oil.
The essential oil contains natural chemical components and volatile organic compounds from within the plant. As well as being used topically, they are commonly used for their therapeutic properties in aromatherapy.
The most commonly used essential oils are probably lavender, peppermint, tea tree and eucalyptus. All have their uses, but there are many more.
7 Best Essential Oils for Hair Growth
1. Lavender essential oil
Lavender oil is often the first choice for many people. It can speed up hair growth, and it smells great too!
The main benefit of Lavender essential oil is its antimicrobial property. This helps to keep the scalp healthy and reduces bacterial build-up to promote hair growth. It works to gently cleanse both the follicles and the hair shaft, keeping them free from bacteria which helps create the healthy environment your hair needs to grow.
Lavender oil can also help reduce breakage and minimise dryness in the hair shaft by reinforcing the moisture-retaining membrane of the hair shaft. It has also been used historically to treat dandruff.
In addition to all that, lavender is a soothing and calming oil. Stress and anxiety are both triggers for spot baldness, and If your hair is thinning, then it's likely that you'll feel more anxious than usual. Using a few drops of lavender essential oil in your shampoo will help reduce your stress levels and cleansing your scalp. A few drops in the bath are significant, too and using some in a diffuser at night is a great way to get a truly relaxing night's sleep.
2. Peppermint essential oil
Peppermint essential oil is excellent for those with oily hair. It has a stimulating effect on the hair follicles themselves.
This essential oil helps to stimulate the scalp and hair follicles. It encourages blood circulation in the skin, which can help in 3 unique ways. First, it increases the thickness of your dermis, which is the underlying layer of your skin. This increases the depth of the hair follicles and increases the density of the follicles, making the hair thicker and more robust.
The cooling, tingly sensation you get with peppermint essential oil is caused by a high concentration of menthol. Menthol causes the blood vessels on your scalp to dilate, which helps to cool your scalp and increase blood circulation. This increase in the blood flow on the scalp helps to promote hair growth.
Best for those people with naturally oily hair. Those with a dry scalp or brittle hair are advised to avoid using peppermint essential oil on their hair.
Can I leave peppermint oil in my hair overnight?
Yes, but don't use it undiluted. It's totally fine to leave peppermint oil in your hair overnight. Just make sure you dilute it first using a suitable carrier oil like sweet almond oil.
As with any compound, in rare cases, there can be an allergic reaction. If it's your first time using peppermint oil, be sure to do a patch test before treating your head. Apply the diluted solution to your arm and let it sit for a few minutes. This will show you whether you're allergic
to the oil or not. If the skin goes red or becomes irritated, then you know it is not a good idea to do your whole head.
3. Tea tree essential oil
Tea tree oil isn't just good for healing acne breakouts, but it's also helpful in improving the health of your hair too.
Tea Tree oil has amazing antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Used as a cleanser, it is well known for killing bacteria on your skin, and this works equally well on your scalp. These bacteria can clog up the follicles, making it harder for the hair to grow and reduce new growth. They can also cause the build-up of dead, greasy skin scales and dandruff. Using Tea Tree oil can stop this build-up, allowing the hair to grow the way it was always meant to.
Combating dandruff is incredibly important because it can lead to hair loss in extreme cases if left untreated. This is because dandruff causes inflammation in the scalp and thus reduces the blood flow to the hair follicles. This means the hair just can't get the nutrients it needs to grow correctly.
Tea tree oil is too harsh to be applied on its own. Always make sure you mix it with a suitable carrier oil or shampoo before applying it to your skin or hair.
4. Rosemary essential oil
Rosemary essential oil is fantastic and can improve both the thickness and overall growth of your hair.
Rosemary oil is an excellent option for people with dry scalps, especially when they are prone to dandruff. Its anti-inflammatory properties can reduce the inflammation caused by dandruff, and it also stimulates the hair follicles, helping them grow thicker, healthier strands.
Rosemary oil moisturises the scalp too so that it can help most dry or itchy scalp conditions. Stimulating blood circulation helps to get the nutrients needed to the hair follicles to make sure the hair grows as healthily as possible.
Can I use rosemary oil undiluted?
No, Always dilute the essential oils with a suitable carrier before use.
All essential oils should be diluted from their concentrated form before any topical use.
Can I leave rosemary oil in my hair overnight?
Yes, you can leave rosemary oil in your hair overnight as long as it is diluted first.
- Add a few drops of rosemary oil to suitable carrier oil.
- Apply it to your hair and scalp and leave it overnight.
- Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner the following day.
Can I put rosemary oil directly on my scalp?
Yes, but always dilute the essential oil with a carrier first.
Do not apply to your scalp in its neat, concentrated form.
5. Cedarwood essential oil
If you want to keep your scalp healthy, cedarwood might be the best oil for it.
Cedarwood essential oil is particularly good for dry, brittle hair. It works by stimulating the scalp and increasing circulation. This increased circulation can improve brittle hair, as well as improving dry, flaky scalp conditions.
The good news is that cedarwood oil helps keep the oil-producing sebaceous glands in your hair in check. Keeping these glands in a healthy balanced state plays a vital role in achieving healthy hair. The cedarwood oil helps these glands coat each strand of hair as it emerges with an oily substance that helps form a moisture retention membrane along the strand of hair. This membrane helps to strengthen every hair strand so you can grow strong thick hair.
6.Ylang-Ylang essential oil
Many people have never heard of this oil, but it has some unique properties and has been used historically as a hair tonic.
Derived from a flower, ylang-ylang essential oil helps balance the scalp’s oil production and strengthens the hair follicles.
Its unique anti-fungal properties mean it is the first choice when treating fungal infections and its antimicrobial properties mean you are protecting yourself from bacterial build up too.
This essential oil is perfect for those with dry skin because it acts as a natural skin conditioner,
moisturising the scalp and keeping dandruff or other dry, itchy skin conditions away.
7. Bergamot essential oil
Bergamot oil is extracted from small citrus fruit, and you may have noticed it is the unusual flavour in Earl Grey Tea. This citrus fruit has some well established antimicrobial properties. These make it particularly successful when treating complex longer-term infections that can lead to problems with hair growth.
Our hair gets bombarded every day with different types of chemicals. The products you use on your hair can contain harsh chemicals, but outdoor pollution, as well as the natural build-up of oil and skin, can all take their toll on your locks. This can lead to brittle strands, irritation of the scalp and clogged hair follicles, resulting in damaged hair and reduced hair growth.
Bergamot oil's natural antimicrobial attributes can successfully reduce the growth of many different microbes. This helps to keep the scalp clean and healthy, creating the perfect conditions for improved hair growth.
FAQs
Can I mix lavender and peppermint oil for hair?
Yes, you can.
Mixing lavender and peppermint oil with a carrier oil is a popular and effective blend for
encouraging healthy hair. I would personally recommend using coconut oil as a carrier oil as it also helps to condition the hair. Other oils can suit different people, though, so take the time to find the right carrier oil for you. Hemp or Castor oil are both great options, too, so experiment until you find the oil that suits your hair type. Using a heavy oil like Shea butter or Coconut oil can be too much for fine delicate hair.
Which oil is best for hair growth and thickness?
All of the essential oils mentioned in this article are great for promoting healthy hair growth and thickening hair. Finding the right oil or combination of oils that is right for you can take a little time. Be sensible but don't be frightened to experiment and try different options or combinations.
Give them time to work. Don't expect overnight success. Creating the right environment for your hair to grow more healthily is just the start. Stronger, healthier hair will take time, but the sooner you start, the sooner you will see the results.
- Lavender essential oil
- Peppermint essential oil
- Tea tree essential oil
- Rosemary essential oil
- Cedarwood essential oil
- Ylang-Ylang essential oil
- Bergamot essential oil
How do you mix essential oils for hair growth?
You can use a carrier oil to dilute the essential oils. I recommend using coconut oil, castor oil or olive oil as carriers for hair growth, but there are many other options. Do your research, and let us know if you find something we haven't covered in the blog.
Mix three drops of your chosen essential oil with one tablespoon of carrier oil and massage thoroughly into the scalp. When the scalp is finished, work the oil away from the scalp down each strand of hair. Try to coat the hair evenly without drowning it all. Pay particular attention to areas of dry or damaged hair or areas of the scalp that are showing signs of inflammation or infection. Use your fingers as a comb to spread the oils evenly down the hair strands around the whole of your head.
Ideally, wrap it in a warm towel for a while before washing. Whether you leave it in for an hour or overnight, when it comes to washing it, use a gentle shampoo with natural ingredients if possible. It will take more washing than usual, but it will be worthwhile.
Don't use any hot tools when your hair has oil in it. Oil is flammable and should never come into contact with hot irons or other hot hair styling tools.
Our hair growth oil Inches contains Rosemary essential oil, Lavender essential oil and Peppermint essential oil too alongside many of our other products!
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