Earlier this year, I made an appointment with my favorite hair salon for a trim to keep my hair growing healthily. I went in with hair that went past my hips and came out with hair that barely touched the middle of my back.
As you can imagine, I was horrified.
My hair has always been my most recognizable trait, mostly due to how long it was. When I was younger, my mother would sit me down and rub this hair oil into my hair to strengthen and protect it, while stimulating growth as well.
As I grew older and became more busy, we didn’t have enough time to sit down like we used to, but there has always been a jar of this oil ready for when I have ten minutes to warm it up and comb it through my hair. Since my terrible haircut, I’ve been leaving this oil in my hair regularly, and I’ve seen a huge improvement in it’s health, strength and growth. This is due to the ingredients in the oil, which are all good for your hair in different ways.
Fenugreek Seeds
Some research has found that fenugreek can treat mild to moderate hair loss in both men and women, as it can stimulate blood circulation in the scalp and prevent DHT from attaching to hair follicles.
DHT stands for dihydrotestosterone, an androgen that can attach to receptors on the hair follicles in the scalp, which causes them to shrink and produce less hair.
Fenugreek is also widely known for stimulating hair growth and promoting thick, shiny hair.
Black Seeds (also known as Nigella or Kalonji Seeds, as well as Black Cumin)
A review of black seed found that it has antioxidant, bacterial, fungal and inflammatory properties. These properties suggest that black seed can keep the scalp healthy by keeping it moisturized, which helps to avoid dandruff and hair damage.
Kalonji seeds are also known to aid in the regrowth of thin or thinning hair.
Rosemary
Some research has shown that rosemary can aid in the regrowth of hair, as well as kill fungi and bacteria.
Rosemary is also renowned for the shine and moisture it adds to hair, as well as its ability to slow the greying of hair.
Coconut Oil
Some research has shown that coconut oil can prevent hair damage caused by heat styling and chemical treatments.
These treatments can cause the hair cuticle, which is the outer part of the hair, to open which means nothing is protecting the cortex, which is the central part of the hair.
Coconut oil can be absorbed into the hair to help repair the cuticle and cortex, while also reducing loss of protein from the cortex as well.
Coconut oil, due to it being a triglyceride and its chemical structure, is also incredibly moisturizing because it can get into the hair shaft. This keeps the scalp healthy and shields it from dandruff.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the most popular natural oils for hair, as it’s well-known for moisturizing effects on hair, which has also been backed by research.
Olive oil can also smooth the hair cuticle and enter the hair shaft, which adds strength and softness to hair.
Avocado Oil
Some research has shown that the minerals in avocado oil can aid in sealing the hair cuticle, which helps to prevent damage and breakage.
Additionally, avocado oil is extremely rich in vitamins A and E, biotin, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids, all of which are great for hair.
All of these ingredients are used in this hair oil! Here’s the recipe
Equipment:
- Blender
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Jar
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons fenugreek seeds
- 3 tablespoons black seeds
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil (if you have thinner hair, you can use avocado oil instead)
Directions:
- In a blender, grind your fenugreek, black seeds, and rosemary to a fine powder.
- For every 1 tablespoon of this powder, add an eighth of a cup of coconut oil and an eighth of a cup of olive/avocado oil to the jar.
- Cover the jar, and store it in a warm and dry place.
- Let the oil infuse for four to five weeks.