The best hair oil for growth and your hair type

Hair oil is an essential part of your haircare routine

Hair oil is expertly crafted and fine-tuned to improve volume, shine and smooth even the frizziest hair into submission.

There are just two things you need to navigate when choosing one. Namely, the right oils for your hair type. Those that add back much needed moisture to thick or Afro hair, for example, will reduce fine hair to an oil slick.

‘Olive, argan and coconut oils, which are typically used on Afro hair, can be too heavy for finer, Caucasian hair,’ explains hairdresser Paul Windle, founder of Windle London. All are, however, key for tight curls, which absorb damaging chemicals more rapidly than straight hair.

Also consider what you need the oil to do for your hair.

Some are packed with essential vitamins that are applied to the scalp and hug each cuticle to jumpstart healthy hair growth.

Other carrier oils like carrot or jojoba improve shine. Meanwhile argan oil, which is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, breathes life back into thick, brittle strands.

How do hair oils work?

What’s going on behind the scenes goes something like this. Fatty acids and antioxidants within the oil add a protective layer to your hair, helping to prevent breakage.

‘It’s hard for the natural oil on your scalp to travel and moisturise the ends,’ says Nicola Clarke, Creative Colour Director at John Frieda, whose clients include Cate Blanchette.

‘A hair oil will replenish the lipid layer on the surface of the hair. It will also penetrate deep into the strand to strengthen weak spots and prevent damage.’

If you have fine hair…

Generally speaking, if you have very fine hair and are worried about slopping it down apply the oil 20 minutes before washing your hair.

‘Massage into the hair and wrap your hair in a warm towel,’ says Windle, who swears by a pre-cleanse blend of featherlight apricot, camellia and oat oils. ‘When you shampoo, it will take away the residue the oil leaves behind but none of the goodness.’

If your hair gets easily greasy, avoid using oils close to the roots. A tiny dollop applied evenly through the ends of your hair should be enough to improve texture without the extra weight.

If you have dry hair…

If your hair happens to be thick or prone to frizz, rub a pea-size amount of oil between your palms. Work it over the bottom of wet strands to sleeken your pony.

Alternatively, apply it as an intensive overnight treatment. Simply let the oil trickle from root to tip, massage it in and tie your hair up to avoid contact with the face.

If you’re after growth…

No magic oil will give you waist-skimming Rapunzel-like strands overnight. But a healthy scalp can improve the quality of your hair growth.

‘Your scalp has the same environment as your face,’ says aesthetic doctor Dr Barbara Sturm.

‘It needs to stay balanced otherwise pores get clogged and the hair cycle gets disrupted. Using a serum that improves the condition of the scalp plays a vital part in the production of strong, healthy hair.’

Some oils, like Castor oil, have the added benefit of encouraging blood circulation near the scalp, which activates the hair follicles.

Keep scrolling for more hair oils that work on thick, dry, frizzy and fine hair…

The post The best hair oil for growth and your hair type appeared first on Marie Claire.

from Hair & Beauty – Marie Claire
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Katie Thomas