Try These Oils For Dry Hair To Kiss Dehydrated Locks Goodbye

Written by Nishtha Bhalla22nd Feb 2022
Try These Oils For Dry Hair To Kiss Dehydrated locks Goodbye

When it comes to dry hair, if you've got 'em, chances are you've tried every remedy under the sun. And chances are, more often than not, you've come up short. However, in most cases, dry hair can be fixed with one simple remedy — oils. Oils for dry hair can help transform dehydrated tresses into shiny, luscious locks. But before we get started on the kinds of oils that you can use to rehydrate your hair, let's look at what causes hair dryness in the first place.

To put it simply, when your hair is deprived of adequate moisture, or is unable to retain it, your locks become dry. Dryness doesn't just encompass rough strands either; you also tend to face frizzy hair and dull hair. If you want more details, you need to understand that your hair has three layers. The outer layer contains natural oils that not only protect the inner layers, but also make your hair appear shiny and lustrous. When the outer layer breaks down, thanks to external damage and dehydration, it causes your natural hair to shed its oil, thus becoming dry, dehydrated, dull, and lifeless.

More often than not, though, oils for dry hair can help. By reintroducing moisture naturally, different types of oils can help hydrate locks in a way that you won't have to take any drastic measures to bring back the moisture in your mane, either. Ahead, we're listing down all the oils for dry hair you can use to revive your tresses, so read on!

 

Types Of Oils For Dry Hair

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1) Coconut Oil

Growing up in an Indian household, we've pretty much familiarised ourselves with the concept that if we have a problem, don't even doubt for a second that it can't be fixed with coconut oil! And when it comes to dry hair, coconut oil is one that is second to none. Coconut oil combats hair dryness caused by poor scalp health and even external damage, and adds shine, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E present in it. It improves scalp health too, thus making it a very important oil for dry hair. To make full use of it, leave it on overnight after applying it warm — it'll penetrate the hair follicles better this way, and give you shiny, moisturised, and beautiful looking hair sans dryness.

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2) Olive Oil

Olive oil is not just for cooking! Since olive oil contains emollients like squalane and oleic acid, along with fatty acids and vitamin E, it can hydrate and moisturise dry hair like no other. Additionally, it also softens the hair by sealing brittle ends, thus bringing back the shine, eliminating frizz, and, of course, upping the moisture content. Take between a couple of tablespoons to a quarter of a cup (depending on your hair length and volume) and massage it onto dry hair. Leave it on for 15 minutes, using a comb to properly massage the oil into the scalp, and then wash with a mild shampoo.

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3) Avocado Oil

If the Instagram-favourite fruit has been your go-to for meals for a while, wait till you hear how it benefits your tresses! With fats, minerals, and antioxidants, avocado oil for dry hair is a godsend, since they not only help with moisturisation — they repair damaged dry hair and promote hair health too! You can use a couple of mashed up avocados as a hair mask for a period as long as three hours, or make a hot oil treatment that involves heating avocado oil in a glass jar submerged in heating water. Apply the hot oil treatment onto your hair for 20 minutes and rinse!

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4) Almond Oil

Almond oil is another great solution for dull, dehydrated hair, since it contains omega-9 fatty acids, vitamin E, and proteins. Each of these components help it to strengthen hair, prevent breakage, and moisturise the hair deeply and thoroughly. Plus, it has emollient qualities which makes it a great way to revive the sheen too! You can use the oil as is while focusing on the ends specifically, or combine it with another oil and use it as a hair mask. Easy peasy!

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5) Essential Oils

Essential oils serve important purposes, so it comes as no surprise that you can use essential oils to revive dry hair. Some plant-derived essential oils that work to bring back dry hair to life and moisturise them include rose oil, which soothes the scalp and moisturises it, lavender oil, which curbs dryness when used topically, and ylang ylang oil, which can stimulate sebum production in the scalp and reduce breakage, while leaving the strands moisturised. However, a word of caution! Don't use essential oils just by themselves, since they are drying that way; instead, add a few drops to your go-to shampoo and conditioner, or make a hair mask with a carrier oil.

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6) Carrier Oils

Carrier oils for dry hair are all about diluting essential oils to ensure they get to the hair shaft properly so they can work their magic. Carrier oils are all about delivering the essential oils for deep moisturisation, while also containing a decent amount of healing properties themselves. A vast range of carrier oils exists, ranging from argan oil which contains vitamin E and fatty acids, to jojoba oil, which contains nourishing vitamins and minerals. To use them, simply mix a couple of drops of an essential oil into the carrier oil, and apply it on damp hair. You can also use carrier oils as leave-in conditioners, but be sure to use a tiny amount!

While using most oils for dry hair is a safe bet, a few of them can have potential side effects that could be harmful to not just your hair and scalp, but your body too.

 

Potential Side Effects Of Using Oils For Dry Hair

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1) Allergic Reactions

While allergic reactions aren't all that common when using hair oils, you shouldn't just write them off. For instance, if you have a nut allergy, even going near or smelling a nut-based oil like almond oil could trigger a reaction. Similarly, if you use an essential oil without a carrier oil, your body could react in undesirable ways. Be mindful of what you're allergic to, and if you haven't used an ingredient before, do a patch test and leave it on just to be sure. Better safe than sorry, we always say!

2) Contact Dermatitis

Essential oils are the culprit again! If you use an essential oil without a carrier oil, you could also develop contact dermatitis, or an itchy red rash that develops into hives, blisters, skin flakes, and more. Never forget to use a carrier oil with an essential oil, and remember to do a patch test, always!

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3) Limp Locks

If you have extraordinarily dry hair, you may be tempted to finish an entire bottle of hair oil while you try to fix it. Don't do it, girl! Overdoing it on the oil can weigh down your hair and make your locks look limp, which might be the opposite of the result that you're trying to achieve. Plus, it could take upto 3-4 washes to properly get it rinsed, and ain't nobody got time for that! Stick to the recommended amount, and be mindful of how thin or thick your hair is, along with its length, before slathering on the oil.

FAQs

01. How do I apply oil to my dry hair?

Well, it depends! Since most oils are safe to use, there's nothing wrong with leaving them on a little longer or a little shorter than what you normally would. For coconut oil, you can leave it on for as long as a day by applying it directly to your hair, while avocado oil works wonders as a hot oil treatment. At the end of the day, it depends on how much time you have and what oil you're using, so be mindful — just remember not to use essential oils without carrier oils!

02. How long will it take before the oils for my dry hair work?

Depending on how dry your hair already is, it could take one use — or it could take multiple uses, done frequently. Additionally, the kind of oil you use also makes a difference, but if you want to prevent dry hair for a long time, we recommend regularly oiling your hair a couple of times a week at least.

 

Nishtha Bhalla

Written by

Nishtha is a freelance writer who loves all things beauty, fashion, culture, and lifestyle. With content covering a variety of topics, she brings a holistic, nuanced perspective to her writing. In her free time, she can be found watching reruns of The Office, reading anything she can get her hands on, and experimenting with astrology.

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