Can You Use Essential Oils On Hair?
The jury's still out on how 'essential' essential oils actually are, but we can't help but admit that they are useful for some things. For example, we do love using essential oils with our diffusers – entering a good-smelling room is certainly relaxing at the end of a long and tiring day.
Take a quick look online though and you'll see that people are using essential oils on a whole variety of things, which includes... hair?
In this article, we'll answer the question: can you use essential oils on hair?
Essential Oils
Essential oils are concentrated liquids that contain the essence of various herbs and plants. They are touted as an all-natural product that can improve one's mood, lift up spirits, and generally just breathe new energy into people.
These oils are usually rubbed on the skin, smelled, or put in the bath. Their biggest benefit to many people is how good they smell. Many people (like us!) put them in diffusers to keep a room smelling good.
But did you know that essential oils can be used for hair too? This actually goes a long way back, when people still used to put plant extract on their hair to keep it smooth and shiny. Nowadays, we already have conditioners and shampoos to do the job for us, but some people still prefer a more natural method to do their hair care.
Benefits of Essential Oils On Hair
According to personal anecdotes, there are plenty of benefits of essential oils on hair. Many can attest to how essential oils have improved their hair's condition greatly. Take note that there's still no scientific study attesting to the effectiveness of essential oils, so do take these with a grain of salt.
- smoothens hair and removes frizz
- encourages hair to grow stronger
- improves hair's general condition
Side-Effects Of Essential Oils
That said, you shouldn't be too quick to trust things, especially things that you see on the internet.
Some people have reported seeing negative side-effects of using essential oils. Many of these are allergic reactions, with symptoms such as swelling, itching, and irritation. Even if it's minor, it's still not worth risking your health for. Any sign of an adverse reaction and you should wash off the oils with soap and water immediately.
The worse cases also reported experiencing shortness of breath and dizziness. If this happens to you, don't forget to consult a medical professional right away.
As with everything, essential oils aren't for everybody, so just be wary before using them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, essential oils can be good for your hair, but they don't have any scientific data backing them up so it won't hurt to be careful. If you are planning on using them, try to do a patch test on a small area first, just to check for any ill effects. Of course, if you do experience something that's out of the ordinary, no matter how small, stop what you're doing immediately. Nothing in this world is worth your good health, not even the promise of gorgeous locks.
To stay updated on the latest hair trends, don't forget to check out our ZALA blog!
