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Swatch of my hair
Swatch of my hair
Original photo by Ginamarie Second
Wellness > Health

In Touch With My Roots: Significance of Hair Oiling in South Asian Culture

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at USF chapter.

For most people, it was just another Sunday afternoon, but to me it was known as hair wash day, and one thing was essential for me to do before letting the warm water hit my hair: an extensive hair oiling routine. I pulled out the old jar of coconut oil my mom had given to me a year back – which was so heavily used that the label was peeling off – and the giant bottle of castor oil I had. I warmed up the coconut oil and mixed it in with the castor oil, meticulously massaging my scalp and coating every strand of my hair with it. 

South Asians, as well as many other ethnicities, have been oiling their hair for generations, which is why most of the women have long, lustrous hair. The practice of hair oiling is an ayurvedic ritual that dates back to many centuries. I remember days when my grandma or mom would warm up the oil in their hands and proceed to aggressively massage my scalp with the oil. For me, it wasn’t just a ritual that promoted healthy hair growth, but a sign of love and fond memories. After my hair was oiled, my grandma would braid my hair into two thick, long braids, with the scent of the oil still lingering on me. Kids at school used to tease me for it, often saying I smelled weird or that my hair looked greasy. I slowly grew apart from hair oiling, starting to believe it would actually make my hair greasy, when the reality was far from it. 

gisou honey infused hair oil
Sephora

Now, hair oiling has become a mainstream beauty trend on many social media platforms, most notably TikTok. However, it has been heavily appropriated by many non-South Asian content creators, calling it the “clean girl aesthetic” or “hair slugging.” Although it’s wonderful how many people are starting to recognize the benefits of oiling your hair, the respect towards the proper culture isn’t given, which runs deep since many South Asian girls were teased or bullied for their oiled hair growing up. Many South Asian creators have expressed their feelings towards this, fostering an environment where other creators take the time to learn more about the cultural origins of other trends and giving credit, rather than being ignorant to them.

I have learned to fall back in love with hair oiling, as I am reminded of and grateful to my ancestors who gave me this hair. The feeling of suddenly oiling my hair again reminded me of my younger self with such long and healthy hair. 

If you are looking to get into hair oiling, look no further! Here is a simple hair oiling routine that you can incorporate as part of your hair care routine.

  1. First figure out the type of hair oil you want to be using based on your hair porosity. Here are a few hair oils that are recommended based on your hair porosity:
  • Low porosity- almond, amla, or argan oil
  • Medium porosity- blackseed, neem, or grapeseed oil
  • High porosity- coconut, castor, or olive oil
  • Personally, I love to use a mix of coconut and castor oil.
  1. Warm your chosen oil a little bit for better absorption.
  1. Rub the hair oil between your hands for a few seconds, and then apply it on your scalp. Gently massage it in circular motions for around 10-15 minutes. You can also use a shampoo brush to massage the oil into the scalp. Apply the excess hair oil on the ends of your hair. 
  1. Braid your hair or put it into a tight, sleek bun. Additionally, you can also cover it with a shower cap or towel to let the oil penetrate more into the scalp. Leave it on for a few hours or overnight. 
  1. Thoroughly rinse off the oil in the shower with shampoo and continue on with the rest of your hair care routine. 

Cheers to strong and healthy hair!

Hello! My name is Smyrna and I am a student as USF studying Psychology with an Advanced Research concentration and minor in public health! I love drawing/painting, cooking/baking, design, doing makeup, beauty trends, fashion, and trying new cute food + boba places! I joined Her Campus because I wanted to join a community full of amazing women who are just as passionate about writing on a wide range of topics that relate to collective and individual experiences of womanhood!