Top 4 Essential Oils for Healthy Hair

As women, we can all identify with wanting strong, healthy, beautiful hair.

Walking down hair care aisles shows you just how far we are willing to go to achieve that healthy glow! Unfortunately, if you take the time to read the labels, you’ll see that hair care products could be a major source of toxic ingredients.

When I started my journey to clean living, I admit…I was worried about how switching out all of my products would go. I had a comfortable routine and was pleased with how I looked, but, after all of my research, I just couldn’t deny the facts.  I knew my body was suffering from toxic load. The toxins in my personal care routine were helping to fuel the chaos going on in my body, and they were an easy fix on my journey.  So, into the trash bag they went!

I am super grateful to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) for making research on personal and beauty care products easy.  Their search feature breaks down which products and ingredients are safe and which ones you should avoid so you aren’t left floundering and wondering where to look.  When I was transitioning my products, I always had their website open for easy-check access!

Now, I want to focus on things you can do at home without the nasty chemicals to keep your hair healthy!

THE KEY TO HEALTHY HAIR

One of my favorite tools to maintain strong, healthy hair is my essential oils. What makes them so powerful is that they don’t just mask your hair problems as so many chemical products do. They truly penetrate to the root cause to help heal your scalp and hair and restore the shine you are missing!

Just like any symptoms, healing truly comes with identifying the root behind why you feel the way you do. So, what can oils do for your mane?

• Increase circulation in your scalp to stimulate healthy hair growth
• Reduce inflammation to keep a happy scalp and hair follicles
• Clear grease and build-up (even better than some chemical cleansers!)
• Provide your body with antioxidants that help clear toxins to keep your cells thriving
• Treat root cause hormone imbalances that could be behind your hair issues (Essential oils are powerful hormone stabilizers to give you the health you are looking for!)
• Nourish your hair, providing powerful constituents to keep it happy, healthy, and shining

BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HAIR HEALTH

Here are my top 4 oils to keep my hair shiny and healthy:

#1 – Rosemary

Rosemary essential oil is a powerful hair growth stimulator. Research even shows that it outperforms prescription medications for hair growth and scalp itchiness AND has fewer side effects! (1) It really kicks your hair follicles into action to keep your hair full and healthy. It’s also a great one if dandruff is an issue for you because it stimulates circulation to your scalp to keep the skin from drying out and itching.

#2 – Peppermint

If you need a pick-me-up, Peppermint is going to be your new best friend! Its invigorating aroma will energize you and help regulate your hair growth. It maintains a healthy oil balance in your scalp to ward of dandruff and dryness while also stimulating healthy hair growth. Research shows that it is one of the strongest hair growth promoters in the essential oil world, optimizing the health of your scalp, follicles, and hair! (2)

#3 – Geranium

Maybe hair growth isn’t a problem for you, but you still want strong, soft, shiny hair, right? Geranium is the oil for that! It controls oil balance and prevents dandruff, but its true power is in its smoothing ability. I add it to my conditioner to add extra softness and a beautiful, empowering feminine aroma that will also help to balance your hormones!

#4 – Lavender

This oil is on just about every list I give you, and for good reason! Its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties make it a great one for your hair and scalp health. (3,4) Its calming aroma will soothe away your stress, balance your body, and keep your hair soft and smooth!

Note: Not that we ever want to talk about this, but if you or anyone in your home gets exposed to lice, research shows that combining Lavender and Melaleuca (Tea Tree) can kill the nasty bugs and prevent their spread! (5) Even the superbugs that they get in some states are no match for EOs!

HOW TO USE OILS FOR HAIR HEALTH

Based on my experimentation, I say the best way is to apply essential oils is direct. Keep them in your shower or bath so they are on hand. Dab a few drops straight onto your palm or into your conditioner. Apply them vigorously to your scalp and hair! 

Don’t forget to take a minute to inhale their aroma deeply — all of these have powerful mood benefits as well. Here’s my favorite blend of these powerful oils that I keep in the shower and use every single day:

SELF-CARE FOR BEAUTIFUL HAIR

Spend your time affirming your beauty, just the way you are. Loving yourself, your skin, your hair, your body is the best way to invest in your health! Stress is a major cause of hair loss, so if that’s what you are dealing with, taking some extra, focused self-care time with these oils may be your answer.

Self-care rituals are not only stress-reducers, but they also contribute to your overall wellness. To learn more self-care tips and tricks for menopause and perimenopause symptoms, make sure you order my new book, below!

References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25842469
2.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289931/
3.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4843973/
4.  https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/hepo.2014.60.issue-2/hepo-2014-0010/hepo-2014-0010.pdf
5.  https://bmcdermatol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-5945-11-14